12 sites included on endangered list

Preservation Oklahoma released its annual list Thursday of the most endangered historic places in the state.

The 15th-annual Most Endangered Historic Places list contains 12 sites, ranging from archaeological sites and cemeteries to Route 66 motels from Sayre to Miami.

Other sites include the Art Deco Four-Plex in Oklahoma City, the Boley Historic District, the Chilocco Indian School in Kay County, the Santa Fe Depot in Tonkawa and Wheelock Academy near Millerton.

Also included are Lustron Homes, which are post-World War II manufactured steel houses with porcelain-enamel-coated panels.

The list is just a sample of thousands of landmarks across the state in desperate need of attention and protection, Preservation Oklahoma spokesman Mark Beutler said in a prepared statement.

While the list does not ensure the protection of a site or guarantee funding, the designation has been a positive tool for raising awareness and rallying resources to save endangered places, he said.

"It is important for Oklahomans to understand that preserving historic architecture is not a mere exercise in appreciation or nostalgia for ‘old things,'” said John Feaver, the preservation group's president.

"It is, rather, a powerful development tool for promoting sustainable communities and economies and for controlling the rising costs and environmental disruptions or urban sprawl,” Feaver said.

Preservation Oklahoma is a statewide, nonprofit organization whose mission is to encourage the preservation of Oklahoma's historic places.

The State Historic Preservation Office, a division of the Oklahoma Historical Society, administers the federal historic preservation programs in Oklahoma.