Tulsa Fire Alarm Building, Tulsa

The Tulsa Fire Alarm Building, located on East Eighth Street in Tulsa’s historic Pearl District, is a striking example of Art Deco architecture with a twist of Mayan inspiration. Built in 1931 and designed by Frederick V. Kershner, this compact 6,090-square-foot structure once served as the nerve center of the city’s fire reporting system-one of the most advanced of its time.

Back in the day, fire alarm boxes dotted the city. When activated, they would send signals directly to this central hub. Here, firemen would decode the location using Gamewell alarm tape-a system where punched numbers identified which box had been triggered-then dispatch teams to the fire from the nearest station. Though the building was ready in 1931, the alarm system itself only went live in 1934 after full integration with the city’s network.

Architecturally, the building blends modern function with ancient symbolism. Its steel frame and masonry walls are adorned with intricate terra cotta detailing. Most notably, the front façade features a dramatic frieze of a semi-nude male figure holding Gamewell tape, flanked by two stoic firefighters. Above him once hung two large Art Deco lanterns. Elsewhere, dragon motifs recur across the exterior, and the rear showcases four gargoyle-like figures, each topped with a hatchet, set between rows of windows.

Though modest in size, the Tulsa Fire Alarm Building stands as a powerful relic of early 20th-century civic infrastructure and architectural ambition.