Abandoned 1920s School | Oklahoma City

[@laurelp9120]

My mom was an OKC special ed teacher and was in this building all the time. When she retired she became a substitute teacher and I remember going with her into this place quite a few times to pick up or drop things off. It was creepy even when it was open.

[@JustPlainMimi62]

I am a sped teacher here. It was always so dark inside.

[@laurelp9120]

@@JustPlainMimi62 Right?? I often wondered if the place was real or if I had walked into Silent Hill.

[@Ashley-be4qy]

As someone who appreciates the local architecture and am a tourist everytime im downtown, i appreciate this video

[@Hairylegghost]

Excited to see this building getting a spotlight! I've probably been in the a dozen times, it's popular with explorers but increasingly hard to get into. Every window all the way up is now covered and bolted since it caught fire about 18 months ago i think. For a while the only way to get in was to climb up the awning covering the back courtyard and then climbing up another story to go in a big window. Used to have one of the best views of the okc skyline through a corner office before everything got boarded up but you can still see if you go up onto the roof through a latter roof hatch. It's currently in much worse condition that it is in this video since the fire and not being able to air out the water damage. This place is very cool but very dark now and hard to breath in with the mold and decay. My favorite parts are the pool room and the large room with the giant 3d map of oklahoma on the wall. Haven't watched the whole video yet but hope he finds them *edit* he did not find the coolest parts of this building. Safe exploring folks!

[@LisaCarroll_1959]

The reason for all the Teddy Roosevelt quotes was because when it opened in 1921, it was the Roosevelt Jr. High School. Then it was the administration building from 1955 to June 2017 per Google. Lisa from Oklahoma

[@ObscuristTourist]

Thanks Lisa! I had no idea about the history when I originally went in. 🤗

[@Quinntus79]

Theodore Roosevelt was also the president who declared that Oklahoma was a state in November 16, 1907.

[@LisaCarroll_1959]

@@Quinntus79 Yes, I learned that in my required Oklahoma History class in 9th grade.

[@JustPlainMimi62]

Now RJH is near SW 44.

[@CinimodNorton]

These older building are good structurally what a waste to let them rot. Have homeless live there regulated. They could have an address, get an ID, find a job, provided they are the kind to want such.

[@HeyyyitsLissy]

In my city developers have turned them into apts. Buildings do have good bones

[@CinimodNorton]

@RobertWhittle-jo9iv Right it would likely be. If the homeless they take in help it might not be so bad. But, we all know getting the right kind of homeless isn't very easy.

[@AfterDark6]

That would be the biggest liability ever 😂

[@jimbeam6691]

Yeah if it were that easy, every shelter in America would never be full because they’d be getting jobs…they don’t want jobs.

[@CinimodNorton]

@@jimbeam6691 Most of them don't.

[@garethmorgan8326]

I think I went to School there in the late 60's early 70's - It is eerie seeing ones past not only altered by time but left to decay.

[@Piecespatpaints]

I spoke in that auditorium when I was a kid. There was a place by my school that needed a crosswalk with a guard. I got hit at that intersection and went to petition the board to create a new crosswalk. My mother has also taught/administrated for the district my most of my life so I’ve been all over that building. Super crazy to see it from this perspective.

[@HisXLNC]

My mom was a teacher for 40+ years in OKC. I've been in that building more times than I can remember.

[@ObscuristTourist]

Amazing. It must be sad to see the state it’s in today. 😕

[@SkyMigs_]

Saw this building not too long ago. I was curious how it looked inside. I’m glad there’s a video Thank you!

[@RynoDBones]

I spent a lot of time there - worked for OKCPS for a good long time. So many meetings there, and I presented from that stage several times.. Can’t believe it’s like that now.

[@RynoDBones]

Haha. Near the end, those were the computer desks from the training rooms. Had a desktop underneath and the monitor on the rack. CRTs, no flat screens then.

[@ObscuristTourist]

Oh wow. Love to hear it from someone who actually spent time here and worked in this wonderful building. Really is sad to see how quickly things deteriorate once abandoned.

[@ObscuristTourist]

Wild 🤯

[@fantastictoad8853]

Where I grew up in a small town in Kansas there was a gas station built out of the old high-school that looked exactly like this! It didn't have all the extra areas/buildings in the back. Just picture the front view as the whole school. I think it was built in the late 1800's. The left side was used as a video rental/arcade with a couple of pool tables, games Pac-Man, and some pinball machines. The center was the clerks counter, and the right side was like a very small grocery store with only a few isles of dry goods, and one freezer for drinks and beer. The second floor was the owners living quarters. Seeing this brought back so many memories! In the late 90's the new owner's wife decided to torch it for insurance money. She was caught.

[@GoldFronts]

This is right down the street from my house! I remember it was supposed to be demolished some time ago but that never happened. I think they’re still trying to sell it. I wish they would turn it into affordable housing or something useful to the community.

[@JustPlainMimi62]

Too dilapidated.

[@Hairylegghost]

I've been there about a dozen times in the last 2 years. I love it but theres no saving it and if im being honest it's a major health concern with the extreme amount of mold and asbestos in it. Still one of my favorite places to explore in the city but not nearly as cool as it was when i first started going. One of the floors caught fire about 18 months ago and it's very gloomy in there now

[@McOldYoung]

You got in there before the fires, and the steel shutters were put up.

[@chaosmaiz]

Came here to say this! Glad we can see what it looked like before. I’ve wanted to search it but the metal barricades and the daunting feeling it’ll all crumble under ash keeps me out lol

[@AKA_Maple]

19:13 If i'm not mistaken that is an old way to check for scoliosis. The metal thing she placed on his back is to check the alignment of the spine

[@soonerbmama6727]

Yes, you are right.

[@Gengar-z8j]

That sound way more painful than what I went through

[@Sweetpeawood-xe1uf]

I live down the block from that school and I don't go anywhere close to that place to scary for me. Cool to get a look inside

[@ObscuristTourist]

Yeah, dunno if I’d make the trek inside today. Was sketchy, but a lot less sketchy a year ago

[@hahalove47]

That poster with the nurse holding a ruler against a child's is to promote checks for scoliosis! Hahaha

[@ObscuristTourist]

Haha. Now I know!

[@aprillisa5950]

Very interesting place although I don't think I would be going there by myself alone.

[@OffendingTheOffendable]

I agree. I'd go with a local though. Pay off the toughest looking dude to be a body guard

[@sealofakatosh]

If he can u can

[@coolybell123]

its wild the way that Beseler enlarger was jus tossed and left on the stairs like that, it didnt even look very old.

[@FIZZGIG-RARF]

I live in OKC. There used to be so many cool abandoned places. My favorite was this 1920s-40s psychiatric hospital. Even had the cement walled room where they experimented with shock therapy. It was haunted AF! This guy tried to rent it to me and a bunch of friends, right out of high-school, as a "12 bedroom stone house for $1400/mo (in 2000)." As we spoke, he told us about the hospital and how/why it was shut down. THEN, he told us that he tried to rent it to 2 different guys and they both died before they could sign the lease! One of then on the way to sign it!!! Nope thank you!!

[@salemshepard6883]

Is that in Capitol Hill?

[@ObscuristTourist]

Amazing. Love stories like that. Is the hospital still around?

[@cupidsfall]

Lots of fun times here, that asylum and the Lincoln blvd plaza when I was in high school, before they started demolishing stuff

[@ObscuristTourist]

There were soooo many cool abandoned things in OKC!!!

[@Misty-vo9ne]

I went there when I was about 4 or 5 for speech therapy and went to school across the street when they had small metal buildings and the brick catholic building I remember going to and laying on the floor looking up at the ceiling covered with beautiful angels painted on the roof

[@sealofakatosh]

Cool building. I live in Spencer, OK. I'll have to check it out here soon.

[@geraldbeasley]

Thank you for information

[@ObscuristTourist]

Thanks for watching!!! 🤗

[@LIL-mz1hu]

Rember breaking the windows back in middle school with my friend's.

[@Belluser-we1uc5cb2l]

These abandoned places always look like they might be haunted. It's just a creepy feeling.

[@nicholashermes5023]

Wow, havent been inside since the 80s. The auditorium was used for school board meetings and i did a mock constitutional congress (kind of thing) once. Theres still architecture like this in OKC being used for education. Grand environs for a young kid, scary for this old man.

[@tenfour000]

Seems like I was in there just the other day, right before closed was there often.

[@GabrielPereira-rj6jr]

The interaction with the audience feels so personal.

[@ObscuristTourist]

🤗❤️

[@NitroChanLanHu]

So I remember going to Lafayette on South side before it closed down , I can't tell if this is it or not(so long ago) what was this school called?

[@ThomasLundyRealtor]

This building is supposedly going to be developed into housing and retail for the second time. Great for the neighborhood. Hope it actually happens.

[@ObscuristTourist]

Interesting. As long as they don’t tear it down - I’m happy with whatever is done with it. Also, doing SOMETHING with this space would be better than what it is now. So, very interested to see what happens!

[@ThomasLundyRealtor]

@@ObscuristTourist I'll comment back when I find out for sure. I have a house listed for sale on Douglas Ave 2 streets over and been keeping a close eye.

[@thrawbin6201]

Used to go there all the time few years back lmao my buddy and I were the ones who sprayed the printer ink everywhere haha had no idea it was that toxic

[@ObscuristTourist]

😎

[@wrvlogs2826]

T1 one needs to take over this

[@knj0hn20]

My mom used to work at this building It was literally operational just 8 years ago

[@ChristopherDwiggins]

That's beautiful

[@naomi-op2nd]

I am in Walter Oklahoma in where is this school building at I like to explore of it I love a abandoned school buildings I love to see it myself

[@errvideos]

I am from oklahoma ... I see this as a waste of tax dollars ... im shocked nothing has been done to this place ... other than that ... I do appreciate the tour !!

[@ObscuristTourist]

I love old architecture and it’s sad that it’s just sitting and rotting. I met some locals and they were very passionate about the building and bringing it back. I remember there being talk of it being torn down. But clearly, it still stands.

[@OffendingTheOffendable]

Im curious if it was a segregated school, not very long time ago. Sad

[@ObscuristTourist]

That is actually a very good question. I’ll have to look into that

[@OffendingTheOffendable]

​@@ObscuristTouristyeah I guess I could have looked it up, but lazy google

[@OffendingTheOffendable]

​@@ObscuristTouristMost schools remained segregated into the 1960s. By 1956, there were 273 integrated schools in Oklahoma.

[@BCYT-14]

OKC local here!

[@ObscuristTourist]

🤗

[@chaosmaiz]

12:27 the brown building on the skyline is the okc jail

[@Vic._.717]

OMG I LIVE CLOSE TO THERE😀😀😉😉

[@ashtonsibley]

Should’ve checked out basement and pool room

[@ObscuristTourist]

I really wanted to, but I determined that some homeless people or drug addicts might be down there - so better to be safe than sorry in my mind.

[@JustPlainMimi62]

Been in there many times. Doors down, etc, Vandalism. Sad.

[@aliciacharline]

I live fairly close to this building, there are at least 5 homeless shelters and the Homeless Alliance within 3 miles. The area is the hub for homeless camps in town.

[@OffendingTheOffendable]

Mold is good for the respiratory system

[@ObscuristTourist]

A delicious part of a healthy diet.

[@OffendingTheOffendable]

​@@ObscuristTourist😂😂😂

[@sandyquick7314]

My grandparents live across the street I taught my brother how to roller skate in the parking lot and we would skate all the way around the block of that building standing on Western looking at the building on the right side of the building we had just skated past the middle part of the outside of the building a car came crashing hit the side of the building the driver was a man he had a heart attack and he died we were lucky he did not hit us

[@ObscuristTourist]

Oh, wow. That’s a crazy story. Glad you guys are OK!!! I met a few people who lived across the street from this school and they all seemed very passionate about the building and saving it.

[@jdwilmoth]

I used to live a couple of blocks from this place and they spent millions of dollars remodeling this place and they don't have to several school buildings then just a year or two later they shut them down the school districts waste a lot of money

[@ObscuristTourist]

The amount of taxpayer money that is wasted on projects like this is absolutely crazy. And it’s also infuriating because no one is held to account. Just think of the amount of good for the community that money could have created. 🙂‍↔️

[@jdwilmoth]

@@ObscuristTourist it's all about the kickbacks you can bet your ass the school board people gets kickbacks when they award these contracts to the contractors it's just like the president giving all of this foreign aid to these mooching ass countries around the world it's all about the kickbacks

[@jdwilmoth]

@@ObscuristTourist I should have been a politician I would like to have some of those kickbacks

[@ObscuristTourist]

@@jdwilmoth the bane of modern politics as a whole (and not just confined to American politics) is that it is afflicted and driven by money. It’s really sad to see - but, of course - if you happen to be on the boards of these places and lucky enough to be a part of the decision making, you reap the rewards. It’s understandable why stupid decisions are made - but it is extremely disappointing.

[@ObscuristTourist]

@@jdwilmoth We can knock it - but goddamn … those kickbacks would be nice. 😂

[@toodlepoots7888]

What causes a school to be abandoned like this?

[@stphinkle]

Could be a lot of things: * Age of Facilities - Building is worn out or has structural damage internally. Sometimes this results in some rooms no longer safe to use. * Toxic Substances like Asbestos, Lead, Mold, Water Damage, or other issues and is too costly to repair or remodel. Sometimes this can result in a facility being shuttered and closed off. It may be cheaper to build a new one and demolish the old. * Building No Longer Meets the current Safety / Educational Standards and it was cheaper to build a new school than renovate. * New Facilities Were Built - School Moved to a New Campus. * Declining Enrollment in the area. This can be caused from lower birth rates, major employers closing in the area, town aging, and other factors. Sometimes when enrollment declines school facilities get closed, consolidated, grade configurations changed, shuttered, or even sold off or demolished.

[@Nderak]

man i walk past that school all the time

[@jakebingaman9455]

Wondering if I would be able to go inside?

[@ObscuristTourist]

I believe it’s possible. You have to find the entry points and be aware that people in the neighbourhood covet this building, so please be respectful. 🤗

[@jakebingaman9455]

Alright thank you so much! Yes I will respect it 100% I really don’t like vandalism or breaking anything, just love exploring

[@sixOweNHC]

​@@jakebingaman9455aye you wanna go explore this with me bro

[@AnthonyParamo]

11:50 rumbles? 😅

[@ObscuristTourist]

My hunger cannot be tamed! 😂😂😂

[@kylieharris5259]

Is this on nw 10th?

[@CallSignHeathen]

Did you find the tunnel entrance? Or did they tell you about it?

[@KarlPHorse]

Speaking as an Oklahoman, Why do we have so many tunnels. XD Seems like OKC and Tulsa were built by fantasy dwarves sometimes. Lol.

[@OldForgottenMusic]

@@KarlPHorseas a fellow Oklahoman from my understanding it was a way to beat the heat before air conditioning it’s not just OKC and Tulsa their are many town with businesses starting below ground level with entire tunnel systems connecting them.

[@joshatkins96]

How many times do I have block Kamala Harris’ ads before I stop seeing them.

[@ObscuristTourist]

😂

[@christhornton2693]

The nurse in the poster is checking the student for scoliosis.

[@ObscuristTourist]

Thanks for the explanation. 🤗

[@christhornton2693]

@ObscuristTourist You're welcome. The experience was kinda weird. Everyone would line up in the gym locker rooms for checkups. Boys in one and girls in another, of course.

[@msrhdes76]

Oh wow! That was a Masonic symbol. I’m guessing they built that place❤️

[@melissagalvan7116]

I live like 5 blocks from here.

[@mikej5959]

Why are these buildings always trashed ? Like I get leaving stuff a little messy or valuable stuff being stolen and the contents of it being trashed. But this is all trashed.

[@sherryhenderson1538]

She was checking for scoliosis

[@monicagsandovalr]

Heyy im frm okc!!

[@ObscuristTourist]

Yesssss! I really enjoy my visits to your city! 🤗

[@OffendingTheOffendable]

Us mericans say yard stick, metric is so much easier, I hate fractions

[@Not_your_mom1986]

I thought that was Taft

[@oldghostbilly]

11:50 tummy bubbles

[@ObscuristTourist]

🤫

[@ShweatyBetty]

What happens to all the stuff inside? Such a waste.

[@tia2484]

I live in OKC & am part of the “save the gold dome” community. ((Also drunken fry/Hilo)) but anyway, there’s always a fight when it comes to what to do with our old and abandoned buildings. ALSO, watch out for the tweakers😂😂😂 I feel like this is the capital state for meth😤

[@knj0hn20]

OKC doesn’t have a lot of meth It’s more so the super rural areas and the trailer parks on the south and west ends of the metro

[@12.Oh.Clockin]

Tias friends all... Do meth

[@thehoneybear676]

Was you hungry lol 11:49

[@ObscuristTourist]

STARVING! 😂

[@Charon-tv5yd]

been inside once. i took a few floppy disks

[@ObscuristTourist]

The big question is … do you have a computer that can read said floppy disks?!? That would be a treat.

[@Charon-tv5yd]

@@ObscuristTourist nope haha

[@whatlows]

coool

[@chantelshaw5250]

I live about 45 minutes from OKC. 😂

[@giuvamantia]

To anyone who reads this, please pray for my recovery and send positive thoughts my way.

[@jusme8525]

Animals in there.if people sleep I. There they should clean it up instead of destroying things that doesn't belong to them and yes they should have cleaned it up for the homeless or human resource center😢

[@NitroChanLanHu]

But if anyone that doesn't live In oklahoma want to move here ,show them this video

[@ObscuristTourist]

😂😂😂

[@evanmurphey]

That school is haunted

[@jr0ckz89]

well thats okcps for ya

[@ObscuristTourist]

😂

[@Joshknott405]

There have been 6 murders in that building in the past 16 months. This was reckless

[@ObscuristTourist]

I am anything but reckless when it comes to these things. I am, as you see, alive and well. However, I’m not surprised people got murdered here. A good reason why I tread lightly and did out my surroundings before recording.

[@mikej5959]

There’s some valuable stuff left behind it makes no sense

[@ObscuristTourist]

For real. It’s amazing the stuff that I find left behind.

[@mikej5959]

@@ObscuristTourist Up until six months ago, I was a property taxpayer in this district, and I'm quite annoyed. All the desks, chairs, equipment, and other items should have gone to auction. In my opinion, Oklahoma City Public Schools dropped the ball. I saw a chemical cabinet that I know costs several hundred dollars because my workplace has the same one. I've bought workbenches for my garage from public school auctions, and they usually fetch around $100-much less than their actual cost. Despite this, I believe the labor and sale of these items in bulk would have recouped money and profit rather than being discarded as trash. Plus, that furniture is just so cool looking.

[@kolbycheeseracing2949]

Lmao Fred Jones gay brother Gary

[@strongerthanstone6216]

you look like Paul Giamatti

[@ObscuristTourist]

People always say I sound like Paul, but I’ve never heard I look like him, too! 😂

[@mikej5959]

Why are these buildings always trashed ? Like I get leaving stuff a little messy or valuable stuff being stolen and the contents of it being trashed. But this is all trashed.

[@ObscuristTourist]

It’s one of my biggest pet peeves: graffiti and vandalism. It’s especially infuriating when the building has historical value. It’s always teenagers who don’t understand the value of such things. I always leave everything as I found it, so it’s been a constant frustration.