City/Town: • Oklahoma City |
Location Class: • School |
Built: • 1910 | Abandoned: • 1994 |
Historic Designation: • National Register of Historic Places (2007) • African American Heritage Site • Abandoned Atlas Foundation Contribution to POK Most Endangered List (2011) |
Status: • Restored (2017) |
Photojournalist: • AbandonedOK Team • Michael Schwarz |
1910 Lowell Elementary
Originally built as the Lowell School in 1910, this date was engraved above the west entrance. It quickly grew in enrollment Students were held to a standard of morality and hygiene and teachers cared about keeping students on track. Some teachers even taking polls of which students brushed their teeth and telling them if they didn’t they would lose their social class cast. The Oklahoma City Times 01 Nov 1922, reported “When a boy plays truant, he usually gets into trouble and the police officers get him. He goes up before the judge and then reform school. It was such a case as this last year in Lowell School, that took Mrs. Anna Burks Love, principal, down to the courthouse to beg clemency of the judge. The lad was paroled to Mrs. Love.” Holmboe Construction was given a contract for an addition to Lowell School, work commenced on July 17, 1919, and the crew was given 120 days to complete it.
1933 Douglass High School
Another addition of twenty-nine rooms, a pool, a gymnasium, auditorium and a stage was added onto Lowell as “Douglass High School” at a price of $195,000. A two-sided cornerstone was laid for the new building reading;
Let there be light
Laid by
The Most Worshipful
St. John Grand Lodge
of the State of Oklahoma
Inman E. Page
Principal of the Separate Schools
Advisory Committee
to the Board of Education
George R. Ragland Chairman
W.L. Vaughn / E.W. Perry
J.J. Dawson / L.C. Cleaves
J.J. Josephs / E. W. Caruthers
E.R. Richards / J.D. Nelson
A.D. 1933 / W.L. Haywood
The name was officially changed to just Douglass High School, a separate school for the community of Oklahoma City. Unlike any other separate school in the area, the Douglass High School Trojans were the most elite programs, best facility, and most reputable students and staff. Monumental in size and pride the school stood out in the Black community rather than be hidden amongst industrial buildings like previous schools that bore the same name. The school is significant today as it is the oldest school still in existence in Oklahoma City, used for the purpose of segregating African American students from white students. In 1955, Douglass High School was renamed to F.D. Moon Middle School after its principal and it wasn’t long before it was renamed again in 1960 as Woodson School whose mascot was a wildcat. A tragedy occurred in the swimming pool in April of 1966 when a student tragically drowned. He was rushed to an ambulance by firemen and attendants.
1975 Page Woodson Fifth-Year Center
In 1975, the school was renamed Page Woodson not very different from its last name and operated as a fifth-year center. Fifth-year centers were experimented with in Oklahoma City and most failed due to dispersion of population and desegregation, there weren’t enough students to fill the giant schools Columbus Elementary is another example of this. One year before closing the school implemented an acceleration center for students that were in danger of having to repeat the year. But the fact that it was a fifth-year center proved to be the reason for Page Woodson’s closing in 1994. The community refused to give up on the more than a century old school, even though fires had been set throughout the years of its abandonment. In 2015, two fires were intentionally set and thankfully firefighters were able to arrive on the scene early enough to put it out without significant damage.
But because of the fires and amount of decay from years of abandonment, renovation costs were estimated to be around $5 million, something the community wouldn’t be able to raise by themselves. With the help of Jason Bradshaw who bought the school and of Gina Sofola, liaison for the project development was underway to make it affordable housing.
Page Woodson / Douglass High School – Restored! – Micro-Doc
– Produced by Michael Schwarz (Prairie Nation Creative, LLC)
Learn about our Historic Redevelopment Videos!
AOK is proud to Sponsor the Oklahoma City Documentary Film Festival!
See this year’s amazing line up of Documentary films, hosted at the beautifully restored Auditorium at the Douglass! (Former abandoned Page Woodson)
See Film line-up / get tickets!
July 27th & August 5th – 7th
Gallery Below
“1 Nov 1922, 6 – The Oklahoma City Times at Newspapers.com.” Newspapers.com, www.newspapers.com/image/612428181/?terms=Lowell%2Bschool. “12 Jul 1919, Page 1 – The Oklahoma City Times at Newspapers.com.” Newspapers.com, www.newspapers.com/image/174847427/?terms=lowell%2Bschool%2Baddition. “14 Mar 1999, 498 – The Daily Oklahoman at Newspapers.com.” Newspapers.com, www.newspapers.com/image/454391528/?terms=page%2Bwoodson%2Bschool. “19 Jul 1993, 64 – The Daily Oklahoman at Newspapers.com.” Newspapers.com, www.newspapers.com/image/453603392/?terms=page%2Bwoodson%2Bschool. “21 Sep 1933, 1 – The Oklahoma News at Newspapers.com.” Newspapers.com, www.newspapers.com/image/594902459/?terms=lowell%2Bschool%2Baddition. “30 Jun 1910, 8 – The Daily Oklahoman at Newspapers.com.” Newspapers.com, www.newspapers.com/image/441316053/?terms=Lowell%2Bschool. “[Photograph 2012.201.B0975.0202].” The Gateway to Oklahoma History, 28 Apr. 1978, gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc1292847/?q=page%20woodson. “History.” Affordable Modern Apartments | Page Woodson Apartments, www.pagewoodsonokc.com/history.
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This is worth reading! I went through 5th grade here in 1985-86. The school was bright, clean and well cared for back then. I haven't seen it since the last day of school in June '86. Never saw the pool either, but I remember the basemet was full of CD-Civil Defense 55 gallon water drums and c-ration boxes. A lot of Cold War history in that bldg. The auditorium was always really hot or really cold. Poor insulation, plaster and steam radiator heating. Remember kids were sniffling and sneezing when it was cold and sweating and cranky when it was… Read more »
incredible stories Mike! This is what its all about! Thank you for sharing Mike!
Have you not tried to go back in there? Does it not interest you at all??
Where is the Cold War stuff located worth lots of money
🙂
I went to fifth grade at here in 1988-1989 when it was Page-Woodson Fifth Year Center. I have lots of fond memories of this post-integration school as they bussed us as a vestige of racial segregation/integration of the 1970s where the rough part of my childhood in Government housing (Will Rogers Courts) taught me many life lessons and integrated us from feeder schools all over the inner-city and included bussing via the new I-235 Centennial and occasionally via the boarded up Bricktown district that nobody thought would ever take off. That "haunted" auditorium I remember as a 9-10 year old… Read more »
Very cool! I’m so glad you were able to save and repurpose this building. I taught orchestra there from 83 to 88 when it was Page Woodson. I remember one day when Mohammad Ali dropped by for an unplanned visit with the kids. Amazing. He was unable to speak at the time due to his Parkinson’s but he had a guy there to speak for him. At the end of the presentation, he handed out copies of the Koran to anyone who wanted one. I’m not sure if the kids recognized at that time the significance of the day but… Read more »
I was in your orchestra class for the 83/84 school year. Played violin and had the opportunity to be one of your students that played at the end of year concert. Love it so much! I still have your school pic from that year. So many memories at Page Woodson. Wish I had a yearbook so I could remember the name of my homeroom teacher. I remember she was so kind.
i went to this school when i was in the 5th grade. how come no one has done the story on it being haunted? creepy yeah i would say so! when i was there crazy stuff happen on the bottom floor and behind the gym where the pool is someone should call ghost hunters!
my sister is there right now do you know why it is haunted like what happen??
The worst year of my life was spent here. I think 1989. I do remember trying to go downstairs in maybe the basement during gym class.
Inattended the school when it was a 5th yr center back in 1989, It seemed to be a good school, my older cousins told me stories that 3 kids got drowned there and that the school was haunted…. I never really saw anything ghostly or anything. I do know that the gym teacher who was there back then refused to go down to where the pool is at to retrieve balls etc….. Im saddened to see this school ran down like this, mostly cause it was history for me and several others, part of our childhood!!! Why don't they fix… Read more »
I went in a few years ago. The whole place was chilling. I saw a little girl in a red dress and she had blonde curls she was at the end of the hall upstairs next to the stairwell. She bent down as to pick something up and then she looked straight at me. Then all the sudden she was gone. We also heard many doors slamming and the type hanging in the auditorium was burnt in the middle of the rope. I onlywent back once after that and as soon as we went Iin the window and out in… Read more »
I went to school here from 1964-1971. I attended from kindergarten- 6th grade. I recall walking several blocks to get to school. We lived at 519 N. E. 6th st. However we lived closer to Paige Elementary, I was told the "bad" kids went there, lol I hope that the school will be used again. I really hate to see it just go to waste. I hear the okc school board has offers on the property. one of them is Langston University.
we heard banging from the basement, but when we played back the recording, you heard a piano playing. the craziest thing that has ever happened… there were only 4 of us, all girls. which was stupid. we went during the day… because I said that there could maybe be a lot of repetitive hauntings (like during school hours.) I watch a lot of ghost hunters, ghost adventures, etc. haha. well, we went during broad daylight. I had my evp player running throughout the entire time. 1) we asked questions in the gym. we got lots of tapping/knocking. possible response? maybe.… Read more »
Where did you enter the building?
@ Jack, .. under the stair case on the southside of the building had a gate which was open.. My sister and I went up there in the day time and went through that entrance and it was pitch black.. once you enter that entrance you will see the stairs leading to the upper levels.. I did take a glance at the second floor and had to leave.. I just feel like something is not right here.. I went to school here 89-91 and we did hear stories of a girl drowning in the pool.. in the Gym there is… Read more »
I would love to hear the recording…we went tonight and heard alot of growling and children laughing…but we didnt hear too much talking cause our friends were too loud….my email is harding.lauren@rocketmail.com
i sent you the recording!
@Jack Steward there are several ways to get it.
Can you send it to my email I'm really interested in this stuff my email is marshallthomaswebb@yahoo.com
i wanna see the recording of the school i been at night time heard stuff go across floor and doors slam and voices in the auditorium !!!!!
http://gatesguardian.tumblr.com/post/63628487586
i posted the club and explanation here on my blog.
Hey! I was just wondering..I've been there 3 times, but each time I make it half way through a window into the basement, the people I was with would run. So, I haven't had a chance to enter all the way yet. I' am SO fasinated with this building. I have this crazy urge to go in there. I usually get scared when it comes to ghost and stuff. I can't even finish a haunted trail. But, this School doesn't scare me. Even after all these crazy stories about ghost roaming the halls. Its a school. A historical school. I… Read more »
I would love to hear what you got
http://gatesguardian.tumblr.com/post/63628487586
i posted the club and explanation here on my blog.
Will you send us the recording
http://gatesguardian.tumblr.com/post/63628487586
i posted the clip and explanation here on my blog.
Could you email it to me? kylaadkins@yahoo.com
Can you email it to me plz
– princess_elli@iCloud.com
Can you email it to me? Alissasmith1075@gmail.com
I was a student there around 1984. It makes me sad to see the shape it's in now. It doesn't surprise me, since it's in a rough area, but I have so many fond memories of the place. I'm a teacher now and a big reason that I chose this profession is because of Mr. Birch. He made school fun and we learned so much. I've tried finding him on Facebook to thank him, but have not been able to find him. I'll never forget my first experiences with computers and Mr. Ed teaching us BASIC programming. We had a… Read more »
I remember Mr. Birch! I had him for science, but I had homeroom across the hallway in Mr. Jones' room in 84-85. I lived in SE OKC and was bussed all the way over to the NE part of town. I didn't know any better back then. Didn't even question it. An experience most anyone that attended Page Woodson 5th year center will never forget! By the way, the pool was creepy even back then!
I kinda remember Mr. Birch, I went there in 89, Mrs Maxwell was my home room teacher, I also remember Mrs Cappo… teacher wise, Mr. Payne too, he was the music teacher!!! I loved the school and have great memories there!!! Its a shame it got neglected, I hope they can rebuild it one day!!! Yes the pool lwas creepy!! I heard someone drowned there and stuff???
This is a way delayed reply but I attended in 1989 and Mr. Ed taught me LOGO and BASIC. I've owned, sold, and have ran tech for companies globally since then. I remember doing the egg drop thing, and also building a space station and thinking we would colonize the moon by 1997. I forgot his assistants name in PROMISE but she told us we may live until the year 3000. Maybe thinking a little too big. I came back here because I saw a 4 year old "secret millionaire" rerun that had PW in it. What's Mr Eds last… Read more »
this place is a 100 Percent haunted, i haven't been there in about a year but i went there about three times, and the very last time i went there we heard weird noises when we went into the auditorium. If you stood looking out on the at the seats it was to your right we didn't go look, to see what it was. We were just to freaked out to go look. My friend Tyler said lets go to the third floor to some room. so we went there nothing happened. So he said lets go back to the… Read more »
we went not too long ago and we took a digital recorder with us and got a lot of things that we couldn't explain… so I don't know.
like what
what did u find am interested
http://gatesguardian.tumblr.com/post/63628487586
i posted the club and explanation here on my blog.
been there a few times with freinds the first time nothing happened but the second time as we were goin thru the window and it was me and my friend trying to get the others to come in and stop being scared we were walking toward the door and heard something falling down the stairs and another time we felt a breeze as we were goin up the stairs we left after about an hour cus my brother felt sick and passed out in the audatorium
Ok I went to the school at 1:00a.m with one little led flashlight and two of my friends yea one light between the three of us!! At first I was like damn we have to crawl through these tiny windows in the showers!! We headed up to the gym it was pretty cool but we were not scared going in every class room and looking around but we found our way to the auditorium and we went down to the basement bye accident we got lost!! It was pretty cool we saw the aspestic sign in the basement so we… Read more »
and he looked up before getting closer to the door he was like guys who did this??? and there was a jacket hanging from the center of the principle office door which was not there 3 minutes prior to that because we walked into that door. I just freaked and almost cried everyone that was with us was on the other side of the principle office. It was not our friends. We walked past the hanging jacket and everyone but me still wanted to explore and as soon as we got into the hallway we heard something make the loudest… Read more »
it is a big place. chances are there was someone else there. nothing paranormal about it. ridiculous.
it was 3 in the morning and we never got far from the stairway there was no one else up there. i promise it was really scary
who do I get ahold of to take pictures of this historical place?
do you know what this is by? I would love to drive by and see it
they are gonna regret it. disrupting the spirits in that building is not safe at all.
What do you mean spirits? Who died there?
Does anyone know who owns this? I am looking to open a school and would like to bring the place back to life. Thanks.
It is being renovated to become affordable apartments and community space.
has anyone heard of the purple church
yes..its not safe to go out there…:o
ne 63rd and douglas
What is the purple church? Never heard of it?