'They're Absolutely Beautiful To Me': Tulsa Archivist Gives Old Blueprints New Life

Tulsa has a rich history of unique architecture that dates back more than a century, but keeping track of the origins of old buildings can be tough. 

One of the most eye-catching places to take in some of the best architecture in Tulsa is downtown, so it's no surprise that's where you can find the archives that preserve the history of the buildings here.

The sights and sounds of Tulsa's Architecture are hard to miss, especially here on Boston Avenue. 

"I think they're doing the full 9th symphony," says visitor Patrick Kennedy.

He’s from Canada and as a former architect, loves what he's seeing here. 

"Tulsa has really taken care of its architectural legacy and that's impressive, the buildings are in very good shape," Kennedy said.

He admires the clean lines of the Tulsa Foundation for Architecture, a former bank built in 1957.

"I love working in this building it's like working in the history that we're working with, it's amazing," Malinda Blank said.

Blank is the archivist here. 

"All good archives belong in a basement."

And that's where she spends most of her time, pouring over pieces of history, like the 102-year-old blueprints for the Mayo Hotel.

"They're just stunning, they're absolutely beautiful to me,” Blank said.

This is just a fraction of a collection that has everything from chunks of old buildings to antique drafting tools. Malinda has cataloged about 25,000 pieces into their online database. 

"Yeah 25,000 but unfortunately it's not even a dent," Blank said.

She says it's a lot of work, but making these treasures accessible to the public is keeping history alive.

"I tell everyone our collection is only valuable if people know it's here, it can be an incredible collection, but if it's in a basement collecting dust, what value does it really have," Blank said.

Malinda's task is to bring this collection out of the dark, and it allows people to see Tulsa from a different perspective. 

"You only know who you are if you know where you've been," Blank said.

If you want to see the archives yourself, there's an event coming up this August called Curated Conversations that gives folks a look at some of the artifacts. Tickets can be found online.

For more information, CLICK HERE.