The Overholser Mansion: OKC hidden gem

Not only is the Overholser mansion a stunning historic home, on the National Register of Historic Places, it’s an authentic Gilded Age time capsule. The house still includes most of its original contents, from the English carpets on the floors to the lavish Italian light fixtures hanging from the ceilings.

An Overholser mansion tour should be on any architecture, history, and culture lovers list of things to do in OKC. It’s one of the most beautiful mansions in Oklahoma.

I love an historic home tour, and this one is a doozy. Come along to see the jaw-dropping interiors of this incredible house museum!

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Who was Henry Overholser?

Often referred to as the father of Oklahoma City, Overholser was a mover and shaker, a prominent force in the new town’s development and growth. When he came on the scene just after the Oklahoma land run of 1889, age 43, he was already a very successful and wealthy businessman.

He arrived with lumber and pre-fab buildings, and promptly built a block of 6 businesses in what would eventually become downtown OKC.

Overholser encouraged new businesses and helped draw new residents to the growing town. He used his own money for capital improvements. He helped organize the St. Louis and Oklahoma City Railroad and promoted the streetcar line.

Overholser built an opera house and a theater for residents’ entertainment. Within 10 years, the local economy was booming and the population had tripled, due in no small part to his efforts.

Overholser lost no time in securing his happiness, either, by winning the hand of the beautiful young Anna Murphy, age 17. She was to become the city’s leading socialite and influential in her own right.

He built them a home with the latest in luxuries. Radiator heat, indoor plumbing, electricity, and an early intercom system merged with fine materials and furnishings imported from all over Europe.

The Mansion’s Location

When Overholser bought 3 lots in the then-outskirts of Oklahoma City in 1901, people wondered what he was about. Though only a couple miles from the city center, it was literally out in the country, surrounded by farmland.

The house is now surrounded by the historic Heritage Hills neighborhood. There are many impressive mansions in the area (though none quite so special as the Overholser). Take some time after your tour to stroll around and soak up the ambience.

Henry was the first to build such an impressive home, Oklahoma City’s first mansion. In 1904, when Henry and Anna opened their doors to guests, the local paper enthused, “The house is a sermon on beauty. . .an incomparable example of the possibilities of beautiful homebuilding.”

The showplace home became a focal point of Oklahoma City society, often used to entertain prominent cultural figures and to host parties, receptions and dinners.

Let’s Go Inside!

Exactly how large is the Overholser mansion? The palatial three-story home is close to 12,000 square feet. And that doesn’t include the carriage house, which is another whopping 4,000 square feet.

The brick and stone structure boasts 11 rooms, plus a ballroom on the third floor. After we tour the interior, I’ll explain all about the mansion’s exterior architectural style.

One crazy and wonderful thing about the mansion is that the house actually has most of its original contents. Several sets of china and silver, all the furnishings and artwork, the photographs, books, even the clothes in the closets.

The mansion is one of only a few house museums in the country containing 90 percent of the original furnishings.

This makes the home a unique time capsule of its era, the tail end of the Gilded Age. If, like mine, your heart flutters over things like Limoges china, Persian rugs, Chinese vases, Venetian chandeliers, and assorted antique doodads, this place is a slice of heaven.

In another unusual development, the first floor remained largely as the matron of the home initially designed it, circa 1903.

The dining room, front parlor, music room, and library are still as Anna Overholser conceived them—though they did put in a more comfy couch. Even the original hand-painted wallpaper survives.

After Henry died in 1915, Anna continued to live here until her death in 1940. When her daughter inherited, she and her husband didn’t make many changes on the first floor, perhaps because their lifestyle meant they were often away from home.

The Front Entryway and Staircase

The front entryway is large, with its own fireplace, artwork, and a seating nook in the turret. At the top of the main staircase, two large stained-glass windows depict a couple of musical women. One plays a violin, the other a tambourine.

The Dining Room

The dining room is especially sumptuous, and designed for large-scale entertaining. The original French stained-glass windows here are particularly gorgeous. I love the striking diamond pattern and the lovely grape leaf motif.

Beautiful stained-glass is common throughout the home, but the transoms in the dining room as well as the musical ladies on the landing are my personal favorites.

The dining table is exquisitely set with fine linens, fine china, and colorful glassware. All these were owned and used by the Overholsers over the course of many dinner parties.

Related: For dinner ideas in modern-day OKC, see Places to Eat in Oklahoma City.

The Front Parlor

The front parlor is a feminine room and clearly Anna Overholser’s domain. She would have received guests here, adjacent to the entryway.

Rose-colored upholstery and draperies, lots of gold gilt, and flower motifs on the fireplace and the painted wallpaper characterize the room.

The Music Room

The painted woodwork, rose-colored upholstery and draperies, and the flower motif are carried through from the front parlor, which connects to the music room via a columned passthrough.

While the front parlor has gold gilt furnishings, the music room features dark wood furniture to match the magnificent grand piano.

The women gathered the music room after dinner, while the men headed to the smoking room, or library.

The Gentlemen’s Lounge and Library

After dinner, the men retired to the library and smoking room to have a drink, a cigar, and talk about man stuff (politics, perhaps).

Anna didn’t care for smoking smells. If you imagine a half dozen people all smoking cigars—pretty potent.

Accordingly, the library is located across a wide hall from the music room and includes pocket doors that can be closed to keep the odors in. It goes without saying that smoking was not allowed elsewhere.

It’s a comfortable room, with a cushiony couch, deep arm chairs, dark wood, and plenty of red.

Second Floor Suite

In 1940, when the house passed to daughter Henry Ione and her husband David Jay Perry, the changes they made were largely to the second floor suite they inhabited.

Perry was an influential aviator. He served 13 years with the Oklahoma Aeronautics Commission, first as a member and then as director. The airport in Goldsby, Oklahoma is named after him.

Henry Ione and her husband typically entertained on the second floor. She made the bedroom and sitting room her own, redecorating and adding a console television. Take a look at her lushly carpeted pink boudoir.

Also on the second floor are the master bedroom, designated as the Overholser bedroom, and another large bedroom. Labeled the Monroney bedroom, it was used by U.S. Senator Mike Monroney.

I’m a bit confused about this part, but apparently the mansion served as the senator’s official residence from 1956 to 1968. 

In my researches I found that Henry Ione’s husband, David Jay Perry, acted as the senator’s personal pilot for 20 years. Apparently their friendship extended to offering him residence in the mansion—there was plenty of room, after all.

The Kitchen

Some changes were made in the kitchen, of course, but the original wood stove was saved. The cook actually threatened to quit if it were taken away!

This beauty is a top-of-the-line Jewel range made by the Detroit Stove Works. In the late 19th century, cast iron stove manufacture was Detroit’s leading industry.

A modern stove, sink, and set of 60s kitchen cupboards were added, and are a bit incongruous paired with the antique Hoosier cupboard and Jewel range.

Giant copper pots remain from a time when large quantities of preserves bubbled on the stove. The enormous Frigidaire could likely hold a small cow. I think I could get in there, if the shelves were taken out.

The Butler’s Pantry

I was charmed by the butler’s pantry between the kitchen and dining room.

The shelves are lined with the many sets of china and glassware needed by a wealthy family who enjoyed entertaining. The beautiful transom above the door echoes those in the dining room.

The Perrys had no children. When Henry Ione died in 1959, Perry was left sole heir. 

Realizing the mansion’s historic value, Perry sought to see it preserved as a living tribute to the 89’ers—the group of people who arrived during the year following the Oklahoma land run. In 1972, Perry sold the house and all its contents to the Oklahoma Historical Society.

Since 2003, Preservation Oklahoma (POK) has managed the Overholser mansion. Preservation Oklahoma is the state’s only private, non-profit membership organization dedicated to promoting, supporting, and coordinating historic preservation activities across Oklahoma.

I’m so glad this beauty has been preserved. The mansion was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970.

Take a Walk Around the Historic Heritage Hills Neighborhood

After your mansion tour, give yourself some extra time to take a stroll around the neighborhood. There are many beautiful mansions of varying architectural styles in the surrounding blocks. When I visited in November, it was the perfect area to enjoy fall in Oklahoma City.

Right across the street from the Overholser you’ll find the Hales mansion. At over 20,000 square feet, it’s the largest private residence in OKC. It’s fun to see some of the interiors through this property link.

The Mansion’s Architectural Style

The Overholser was designed by architect W. S. Matthews, a graduate of the Kensington School in London. The Chateauesque style is patterned after the designs of monumental French chateaus of the 16th century. Architect Richard Morris Hunt (the Biltmore Estate) popularized the style in the 1880s United States.

The Chateauesque architectural style is unusual, especially in the Midwest. It is characterized by steeply pitched roofs and decorative gabled dormers, towers or turrets, and tall chimneys with decorative caps.

Always executed in masonry, Chateauesque style architecture was very expensive to build. Costs mounted due to the huge amount of detailing, the masonry construction, and the complex designs.

In the U.S., architects designed a number of public buildings using this style. Only the affluent could afford to use this style in private home.

The Overholser home cost $38,000 to build in 1902 (one and a half million in today’s dollars). Its’ architectural style has made maintaining the structure challenging. Major exterior renovations were completed in 2015 after a 7-year fundraising campaign.

The roof, windows, exterior wood, and chimneys were extensively repaired. The gorgeous sandstone veneer was restored to its former glory. I was lucky to see it after this extensive renovation.

Overholser Mansion Tours and Visitor Information

The mansion has hosted several photo shoots, including the Oklahoma City Ballet, as well as musical events. It has even been a filming location. All these years later, the mansion is still a star.

Opening hours and ticket prices

The mansion is open for tours Wednesday through Saturday. Guided tours begin at 10 am, 12 pm, and 2 pm.

Tickets must be purchased in advance. $10/Adults, $7/Seniors and Military, $5/Students. Children under 6 are free.

Tours cover the history of the city, the Overholsers, their servants and workers as well as the lives of their neighbors.

Video tour

Preservation Oklahoma has created a video tour of the Overholser house museum. Check it out to get an idea of what you’ll be seeing.

Specialty tours and seasonal events

Over the years, the mansion has offered a number of specialty tours and events. Mysteries of the Mansion tours, Carolers and Cocktails, Tuesday Tunes outdoor concert series, Sit and Sew in the carriage house, and History and Haunts at the Overholser, a seasonal Halloween-time offering.

For information about what seasonal tours and events may be happening, check the website and facebook pages below.

Website and contact information

Website: Henry Overholser Mansion
Phone: (405) 525-5325

Check out the mansion’s Facebook page for current updates, a link to the Preservation Oklahoma video tour, and more.

Address

405 NW 15th Street
Oklahoma City, OK 73103

Parking

Parking is available on Northwest 15th Street.

More Historic Home Tours

If you’re interested in historic mansions in Oklahoma City, you might like the Heritage Hills historic homes tour. This tour features the Overholser and includes 5 other mansions in the neighborhood. The self-guided walking tour showcases some of the most beautiful historic homes in Oklahoma City.

Pin for Later!

More Historic Architecture

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• The Louis Sullivan-designed Wainwright tomb, and more historic structures in Bellefontaine Cemetery
• Downtown LA‘s incredible historic buildings
• The historic Nanaboujou Lodge on the Minnesota North Shore
• Historic districts in Kenosha, Wisconsin

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• The Oklahoma City National Memorial
• Your Guide to an OKC Autumn Getaway
• My Favorite Oklahoma City Attractions
• More Things To Do in Oklahoma City

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