Business District in Oklahoma City in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma — The American South (West South Central)
Cotton Exchange Building
c. 1923
Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, April 9, 2025
1. Cotton Exchange Building Marker
National Register
of Historic Places
by the United States
Department of the Interior
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Agriculture • Architecture • Industry & Commerce. In addition, it is included in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1923.
Location. 35° 28.186′ N, 97° 31.063′ W. Marker is in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, in Oklahoma County. It is in the Business District. It is at the intersection of Robert S Kerr Avenue and North Harvey Avenue, on the right when traveling east on Robert S Kerr Avenue. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 228 Robert S Kerr Ave, Oklahoma City OK 73102, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Central Oklahoma Frontier Country. It is also in the American South, specifically on the prairies, and on the Southern Plains. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of
this page online
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: The New Framework of Government (about 700 feet away, measured in a direct line); Prominent Land Cases (about 700 feet away); The Oklahoma Territory Organic Act (about 800 feet away); St. Joseph's Church (approx. 0.2 miles away); Beale Defeats Overholser For Mayor (approx. 0.2 miles away); Hightower Building (approx. 0.2 miles away); St. Joseph's Cathedral (approx. 0.2 miles away); Team Effort (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Oklahoma City.
Regarding Cotton Exchange Building. Excerpts from the National Register nomination:
For a state which was predominately agricultural, cotton was the most profitable business in Oklahoma during the early 1920s. By 1923 twenty-three cotton companies maintained purchasing officers in Oklahoma City, operating from dispersed buildings and offices. To centralize this specialized trade, city builder James W. Mann announced plans for construction of the Cotton-Exchange Building. For the design of his project Mannchose the architectural firm of Hawk and Parr, which had gained a reputation with their design of the Masonic Temple in Guthrie (on the Register) and the Magnolia Petroleum Building in Oklahoma City. Construction began in March of 1923 and was completed within the year.Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, April 10, 20252. Cotton Exchange Building Marker
Even before construction had been completed, Mann had leased all but the first floor to cotton companies. The building's usefulness as a center for the cotton industry was short-lived, however, for by 1930 the price of cotton had dropped more than 50% due to a combination of record harvests, declining markets, and economic depression in foreign markets.
Today, the structure appears much as it did when it served the cotton trade in Oklahoma, a reminder of a past economic boom which meant as much as oil or cattle to the city and state.
Also see . . . Cotton-Exchange Building (PDF). National Register nomination for the building, which was listed in 1980. (Prepared by Bob L. Blackburn, Oklahoma County Historical Society; via State Historic Preservation Office of Oklahoma) (Submitted on May 30, 2025, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)
Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, April 10, 2025
3. The former Cotton Exchange Building
It has been renamed (to Court Plaza) but remains an office building. However, it was sold in 2024 to buyers interested in converting it into apartments or condominiums.
Credits. This page was last revised on May 30, 2025. It was originally submitted on May 30, 2025, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 292 times since then and 77 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on May 30, 2025, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
