National Register Record for BLEVINS, CHARLES AND BETHA, HOME

Historic Name: BLEVINS, CHARLES AND BETHA, HOME
Current Name: None
Address: 1838 NORTH NORFOLK AVE
City: TULSA            County: TULSA
Section: 25           Township: 20N           Range: 12E          
Description of significance: THE CHARLES AND BERTHA BLEVINS HOUSE AT 1838 NORTH NORFOLK AVENUE IN TULSA IS LOCALLY SIGNIFICANT UNDER CRITERION A FOR ETHNIC HERITAGE/BLACK AND SOCIAL HISTORY/CIVIL RIGHTS FOR EMBODYING EFFORTS AMONG BLACK TULSANS TO PROMOTE VOTER REGISTRATION AND PARTICIPATION IN OKLAHOMA’S ELECTIONS PRIOR TO PASSAGE OF THE 1964 FEDERAL CIVIL RIGHTS ACT. INVOLVEMENT IN LOCAL CIVIC AND POLITICAL ORGANIZATIONS BY THE HOUSE’S OWNERS, CHARLES AND BERTHA BLEVINS, CONTRIBUTED TO THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE BLACK COMMUNITY IN NORTH TULSA DURING THE MID-TWENTIETH CENTURY. MOST NOTABLY, THE HOUSE SERVED AS A POLLING PLACE FOR NEARBY RESIDENTS, MAKING VOTING MORE ACCESSIBLE AND SECURE FOR BLACK TULSANS. THE HOUSE IS ALSO IMPORTANT FOR HOSTING SOCIAL GATHERINGS AND EVENTS, THUS BOOSTING COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND PRIDE.

Type: BUILDING
Historic Function: DOMESTIC/SINGLE DWELLING
Current Function: DOMESTIC/SINGLE DWELLING
Area of Significance 1: ETHNIC HERITAGE: BLACK
Area of Significance 2: SOCIAL HSITORY
Architectural Style: BUNGALOW/CRAFTSMAN
Architect: UNKNOWN
Year Built: CA. 1944            Original Site: YES
Condition: EXCELLENT
Restricted: None
Documentation Source: None
Date Prepared: 3 JUNE 2023