| City/Town: • Oklahoma City |
| Location Class: • School |
| Built: • 1932 | Abandoned: • 1987 |
| Status: • Demolished |
| Photojournalist: • AbandonedOK Team |
Jefforson Davis School was opened for enrollment in August of 1931. It had a long and succesful run serving the south part of the city immediately south of Capitol Hill. Notably it had several oil wells on the property and one that hit a gusher causing it to splatter the school with oklahoma gold. It closed in the early 1980’s, because of lack of enrollment and district re-structuring. Davis is now serving as storage for beautiful auditorium seating, bus seats and bus driver equipment.
UPDATE
Startling Discovery Made at Abandoned OKC School
Posted: Jul 16, 2010 12:45 PM
Updated: Jul 16, 2010 5:58 PM
By Jon Jordan, NEWS 9
OKLAHOMA CITY — Police said bones that were found at an abandoned school don’t appear to be human, and the Medical Examiner’s office has taken custody of them.
Construction workers working at Davis Elementary School said they found the bones inside the abandoned school building.
According to an Oklahoma Public Schools spokesperson, the discovery was made at about 10 a.m. Friday.
The school district said the workers have been in the building trying to rid the former school building of asbestos. The school has been closed since 1987 and is set to be demolished.
Tierney Cook, Media Relations Manager for OKCPS, issued the following statement today:
“OKCPS Administrators were notified this morning of tennis shoes and bones found in a crawl space at the closed Davis Elementary building, 324 S.E. 52nd Street. The construction crew working on the asbestos abatement prior to the demolition scheduled for the old Davis Elementary building contacted the Oklahoma City Police Department.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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This place reminds me a lot of the old Columbus Elementary at 25th and Penn, in South Oklahoma. Much of the same type of architecture. Sadly, it looks this building also is being left to hang in the wind.
Went to school there 60 and 61 remember the talent show nancy crews and another girl sang paper Rose’s only lived 1block away played down the street in a dirt field with Jimmy and Darrell porter Darrell later became a professional ball player my dad taught their dad how to drive a semi
My name is Debbie Cross,
Me and my two older sisters went There also. We lived on SE 58th..
I was only there for kindergarten… I remember walking to school with my two sisters across the oil field and my classroom I remember a sandbox and the slide and stage and the toy kitchen.
The teachers I remember were Mrs. Mabry sp? And Mrs. Foster.
I was lucky enough to see the school in 1985 on a trip back… construction had started.. so sad I did get a brick I remember going to the little store on the way home and get penny candy when we had the money.
We moved to CA in 1958 and grew up there ❤️.
So sad I wish the US would cherish historical buildings like they do in the UK!
I live on 55th from 1968 til 2004 when my mom died. I remember mr Smith cooking. Grown ups would eat lunch with us.i remember a kid jumping the fence off the swing set that faced 54th. Getting hit with a rubber hose. Turners grocery was across byers.
I went to Davis from 1965 to 1972. I have some fond memories from there. I remember Mrs. Foster the kindergarten teacher. And the playhouse in the kindergarten room. Also the tiny toilets in the room behind the kindergarten room. I loved the smell from the cafeteria. It would make me so hungry. Couldn't wait for lunch. Remember playing dodge ball, kick ball, tethered ball, hopscotch, softball, chop sticks, etc.. My mother was heavily involved in P.T.A. .And my sister Sheila Ray went to school there as well. I remember Mr. Lawson my 6th. grade teacher. He made us square dance and practice handwriting. I remember James Greene and Elonda Mears.
It is a shame the school has been demolished.
We went to school together my name is Rick Holderbee went by Ricky Holderbee I have a twin brother named dicky Larry holder B my oldest brother and Joe the youngest I remember Miss Foster but I was already in first grade Miss Maybry was my first grade teacher second grade was Mrs olivine , don’t remember my third grade teacher his name ,Mrs Curry 4th grade fifth grade Mrs helms 6th grade Mrs Smith oh yeah George Turner’s for sure and mustang feild ,the porters the hatchers the Vincent’s the Perrys and many more we all grew up in that area oh how time flies and how small the world is I live in Tahlequah Oklahoma now I moved off in 84 moved back a few times and watched the school on my drive-thru trips dilapidate George Turner’s grocery was already closed we used to climb on the oil oil Derek’s and play ball for Bill pentals team for the Davis mustangs Sheila Ray was in my classes , Steve Vaughn and he was the fastest reader of all of us as I remember well , Calvin Williams , Tony Williams and his brother Floyd Johnson and Jackie Johnson , Patty Floyd and Lisa and Lori Henderson,and then went on to Webster and I remember Marie gee lived right by the school as well I can remember some other names Howard Cox, David Mathis, Dwayne Austin ,Linda Austin, Ricky and Donnie Perry, Daryl Hudson, Paul Jones, and so many more so we must have went to school together! And them were the days♥️✌️
Do you remember who our mascot was? I went there in 1960 through 1965
Hi Dena, what a load of memories
My mom went to school there as a young girl and so did my uncles and my brothers and I went there too. I remember Ms. Mabry and Ms. Foster and then Ms. Byford who married and became Mrs. Ballard she taught first grade and Jerry Wallace was the principle then there was a lady I can't think of her name who became principle . Mrs., Brown was the school secretary. My mom was PTA president for many years and helped in the cafeteria. I lived on SE 52 what wonderful memories.
Wonderful site and I really enjoyed reading everyone's comments. Terrible that it is gone…had planned on driving by next trip to the city…don't think I want to now.
Wonderful memories in Kindergarten with Mrs. Foster…playing Post Office and House! Remember several of the kids in class with me.
Also, Mrs. Mabry in 1st Grade…told my Mom that I would be reading from the newspaper by the end of the school year, and I was. My Mom told this story over and over 🙂
We moved away after 1st grade but I will never forget my first 2 years of school here.
I had photos of the school being demolished. Unfortunately, they were on an old computer than has died. I went to school fromm K to 6th grade and completed my grade school years in 1949. The school was truly beautiful and IMO should have been designated a historical building and never razed! I have many sweet memories of the 7 years I attended.
My mom taught here sometime around 1964-1965. My dad was completing his masters through OCU and she was only here a short time. Her name was Mrs. Reaves. Does anyone remember her?
My name is Pat. My twin brother Bill and I went to Jefferson Davis School from kindergarten through sixth grade, 1948 to 1955. I lived on 53rd, right across the street, next to the oil well. The little grocery on Byers was owened by my Aunt and Uncle, George and Margaret Turner. My dad, Odie Bradley, was the butcher at the store and used to make hot dogs and chili for the kids who came across the street to eat lunch. In February of this year my Mom, Rosa Bradley, died and we were back to the city for the funeral. I asked my husband to take me by the old place and I was shocked to see that it was gone.
You are right when you say there are a lot of memories there! What great times those were.
I remember the Turners and Odie Bradley also a son Dale…. AS I recall Odie was very ill at one time with "Tick Fever" I ran the streets in the neighborhood with Dale Bradley and Tony Darrow…I attended Jefferson Davis from Kindergarten through 6th grade then graduated to go to Capitol Hill Jr…. Prior to graduation from Capitol Hill Jr. I moved to California to live with my Father, Step Mother and half sisters…Where I joined the USAF and stayed for 20 years + Vernon Ray Twyman
I remember except I started at Jefferson Davis elementary at 1966 until I went on to Webster school Junior high,it was a pleasure to go to George Turner’s and I remember farmer the butcher one heck of a good guy and if we had the money we could get a good hot dog and a Coke, through the years George Turner gave us credit Dorothy was a cook at Jefferson Davis as well at Southeast high School if I remember well, as a young adult on my own through one of the worst winters of my life working and out of school at 18 years old ,George Turner approved me as he did my mom and dad Charles and Joyce Holderbee for credit, George also put me to work as a youngster tearing down buildings in the city here and there mostly Capital Hill with the hatchers and a few others cleaning brick 5 cents per brick we was happy as I picked bird to make a little money working for George Turner, I will never forget him! And Dorothy was sweet as a piece of pie but it was always a pleasure to go to the store and farmer
back there in the meat market making hot dogs or a big nice bologna sandwich until they close once and for all sometime in the ’80s I had already moved off to Tahlequah Oklahoma and hated to hear that he sold the place and it turned out to be a church of some kind or another but once again they were our neighborhood family market and helped many people stay on their feet with credit to survive some of the hardest times in a single parent neighborhood with so many children God bless them can’t wait to see them again and I know we will ♥️✌️
Pat I lived on 54th across the street from the school, next to the oil well and my Dad and I used to go fishing with your Dad! Loved him dearly
Becky Garrett Hicks
Went to school there Mrs Caffin was the principal,Mes Foster the Kindergarten teacher, Mrs Mayberry,Mrs Greer,Mrs Burns Mrs Hamilton . The smell of the food from the Cafeteria is still a memory,best hot rolls and cinnamon rolls, playing tether ball, playing on the teeter totters, climbing the jungle gym, oh what great childhood memories> I lived on 55th and walked to school on those nice spring days. I can close my eyes and see my classmates and smiles of the teachers and the fear of the pricnipal with her long red fingernails. I can still see the faces of the teachers! Jefferson Davis was a big part of the growing up years!
I drove by the school recently as I did once in a while to reminisce. I had been thinking about it a lot in the few days prior & how I would like to bring it back to life so other children could make happy childhood memories there. I drove around athe block a few times looking for it before I realized I was too late. I even stopped & inquired with neighbors sitting on the proch across the street hoping I was on the wrong street.They confirmed what I hoped wasn't true. I asked if they knew my friend who lived across the street with her mom. I parked the car by the only thing remaining of where the school once was. The out sign as we exited in our car after my dad icked me upafter school. I cried. I was very sad that day. I felt like I lost a part of me. my childhood. Such a loss. It's a shame no one cared enought to save it. It's a shame that maybe there was nothing we could've done to save it or that we didn't act soon enough. Was it because of the location? We've moved since but I'm very proud of it. I'm so thankful to Jefferson Davis Elementary and all of the stadd for giving me the best happiest memories ever !
Sadly it has been demolished. As of 3/1/15
I went to Davis from 78-82. I have so many fond memories. I remember Shelly, Pauline,Phillip,Tony,& Mrs. Lewis, Mrs. Galbreath & Mr Shepphard. I remember plays and festivals in the auditorium, open houses in the classrooms, Landrush reinactment on the playground & lunchroom. I remember the playground, the honeysuckle plant thru the fence between the playground and the house on the other side. The little shop across the st where I used to buy gum for a penny.Fieldtrips,my dad picking me up from school & attending funtions. He's 78 now. I remember my classrooms, the lunchroom, the principal's office, the restroom so vividly like it were yesterday. So many happy memories, gone. I still miss my friends and teachers and wonder where & how they are now.
Hi Usha
I went there from 1960 to 1966. I grew up and lived one block from the school. Right across the street on byers, was Turner Grocery store. Great memories , thank you for sharing the photo's.
Do you remember a Mrs. Reaves?
I remember a few friends i went to school with till this day…Todd…Cindy…Michael…Jermaine…Kerasy…Yurdita..wow it was so long ago
I went to Davis Elementary 82- 85….i miss it…such a shame
Went to school at Jefferson Davis from 85 to 87 up to the closing was such a bummer we all ended up being transfered to Parmalee Elemetary
Went to school here from 68-73, enjoyed the memories. Still live in the area, hated to see it go!! Hope something good comes out of it though. Thanks, Shirley:)
Great job capturing some of Oklahoma City/Capitol Hill history!
Drove by the site today. Only one corner of the entire building is left. I'm sure it'll be gone very soon. Bummer for my girlfriend and I. :/
The OKC school district needs to sell some of thist stuff instead of letting it decay. They will never use this school again and it will all be torn down and destroyed.
Went to school there from 1934 to December 1939 when we
moved to Arkansas. Would like to have some pictures of it
before it was abandonded.
My friend thinks he attended school there in 1936 and 1937 and has recollection of a school explosion of the gas heater that buried him and his class in his class room, and was there several hours prior to rescue. Does anyone else have a recollection of this?
So cool to see the school I went to in elementary. I actually drank from that water fountain! I remember it closing. Looks pretty vandalized on the inside. Would love to revisit the inside and reminisce. Nice pictures.
i went to school there in the mid 60s to 71 it was bitter sweet to see it this way. but its better than not seeing it at all…thanks
I loved the ornate metalwork under the water fountain!
I love all that art deco at the main entrance
Yeah, this had some great art deco features. The best though was the gate at the front door…