Hopewell Baptist Church

Bruce Goff ‘s Disappearing Architectural Gem

The Hopewell Baptist Church is an architectural icon, a tribute to the ingenuity of architect Bruce Goff, and to the congregation that brought his design to life. And yet while Bruce Goff is celebrated through Goff Fest, documentaries, and even a recent 2024 exhibit at the Tulsa International Airport, this building sits abandoned just outside of Oklahoma City.

Announcements were made in 1946 by Reverend D.B. Hoskins that the congregation would soon be blessed with a new stucco and tile church building. Initial estimates put construction costs at $16,000 and the current building would continue to be used for education.

This unique treasure was designed by famed Architect Bruce Goff while he was serving as Dean of the School of Architecture at the University of Oklahoma. Construction of the church started in 1948 and was performed almost entirely by volunteers from the church congregation. Led by Chairman of the Board of Deacons (and a foreman for a local oil company), J.R. “Ike” Thomas, this church was a labor of love, with the job lasting 4 years before completion.

Bruce Goff was described by another famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright as being one of the outstanding young architects of the nation, “he could no more do things in a conventional way than he could originate a new way of breathing.” Goff’s renowned ability to utilize locally collected scrap material, in this case, fragments of surplus drill pipe, native fieldstone, and even an aluminum cake pan that was transformed into a chandelier, was ideal for a small community church in need of a new place of worship.

The teepee shape of the conical sanctuary is a tribute to the Native American roots, while the old oilfield equipment is a testament to the rich history of oil and gas fields that many of the congregation worked in. And due to its unusual design, it quickly became a sight to see across the nation. It was featured in TIME magazine in 1955, the 1954 issue of Architectural Forum, and named 1959’s “Rural Church of the Year” by the Oklahoma Baptist General Convention.

Dedication services were held on October 28, 1951 with Rev. D.B. Hoskins who had overseen the project since 1946 when the idea for a new church was first conceptualized. The cornerstone was placed at 2pm and temporary pastor Rev. W.J. Hart gave his farewell sermon

Around the 1980s the area known as the “Heart of the Oil Field” began to decline in population. Many of the church members were older and it seems that the main thing Hopewell was in the newspapers for was funerals. The upkeep of the building became too much and the congregation tearfully decided to leave this building vacant and move into a neighboring building in 1989.

In 2002 a campaign to bring back and restore this important piece of architecture surfaced in an architectural and feasibility study by Elliot + Associates Architects. With multiple goals identified including extensive study of the condition, history, design, and deterioration they were able to successfully get the building listed on the National Register of Historic Places in September 2002.

An attempt to secure funds to begin restoration work was made but unsuccessful. In an attempt to draw state-wide attention, it was listed on the Preservation Oklahoma’s 2011 Most Endangered List. The longer it remains empty and unattended, the worse the need for repairs grows. It would truly be a tragedy for this rare and fascinating structure by an architect of such prestige to be lost. Until it is restored, objects like the reception chairs will sit empty, accumulating dust and wear. The ceilings, roof and structure will continue to erode creating more debris on chairs, floors and other artistic pieces of the once grand architecture.

Abandoned Atlas Archives of Hopewell Baptist Church Documents: https://archives.abandonedatlas.com/collections/show/9

Gallery Below of Hopewell Baptist Church

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