An Early Muskogee Contractor
Oliver Davis Revell was the son of Oliver and Winnie Davis Revell. His birth occurred August 6th, 1863 near Camden, South Carolina. At the end of the Civil War, his widowed mother moved to Asheville, North Carolina, in order to live near her brother. Young Oliver grew to manhood in this community. After losing his mother at age sixteen, he lived on his own resources.
He quickly began mastering the skills of a carpenter. Construction sites welcomed him because he was a hard worker. Frugal to a fault, he saved every dollar he could. Finally, Oliver purchased a lot and constructed a small house to rent out. This was his beginning as a contractor. The house payment was only ten dollars a month. He was nineteen years old.
Revell worked as a contractor the rest of his life. One of his early houses survives in Asheville. In 1897, he built a Queen Anne style home. That house was renovated as a bed-and-breakfast inn recently.
Part of his success grew from Revell's willingness to sell small homes he built on his own lots on credit. Until then, contractors were generally getting full payment at purchase.
About 1902, Revell became aware of the booming economy occurring in Indian Territory. Muskogee's reputation especially attracted him. The Carolina Building was the first of four office buildings Oliver built in Muskogee. By the fall of 1904, it stood on the northwest corner of North Third and West Okmulgee. It contained a grocery store, a meat market, a plumbing office, a bookstore and a printing office in a three-story brick building. Unfortunately, it burned to the ground.
Revell rebuilt on the same corner. He named the new structure the Equity Building. It had an elevator to service the public in reaching the upper floors of this six-story building. It was twice as high as the old Carolina Building.
Oliver built this structure in partnership with Jacob Spangenburg. Jacob was born in Pennsylvania in 1850. Like Oliver, he too followed enterprising opportunities, first to Alabama and then to Indian Territory.
Revell built the Metropolitan Building on the northwest corner of North Fourth and West Okmulgee. This structure towered four stories higher than the Carolina Building. Because of the Carolina Building fire, the Metropolitan had a reinforced concrete in a fireproof design. J. L. Wagner joined Oliver as a partner in building the Metropolitan Building.
The New Jersey Building was a less imposing structure. It stood only two stories tall on the south side of West Okmulgee Street. For many years, a furniture business occupied its premises.
Oliver also dabbled in contracting in surrounding communities. The only non-Muskogee structure known today was the Revell Building in Porum. When Porum's future was on the verge of exploding, the two-story Revell Building dominated the downtown district.
The Revell touch turned again to the building of residences in 1911. He built it at North Fifteenth and West Broadway. Today, the building no longer stands. That may be just as well. The city directories list him repeatedly residing in Muskogee's finer hotels.
Today all of Oliver Davis Revell's buildings are gone. The Equity, the Metropolitan and the New Jersey are parking lots near City Hall. The residence and the Porum building are likewise no longer standing. However, Oliver Revell's buildings helped define Muskogee's skyline while they existed.
He quickly began mastering the skills of a carpenter. Construction sites welcomed him because he was a hard worker. Frugal to a fault, he saved every dollar he could. Finally, Oliver purchased a lot and constructed a small house to rent out. This was his beginning as a contractor. The house payment was only ten dollars a month. He was nineteen years old.
Revell worked as a contractor the rest of his life. One of his early houses survives in Asheville. In 1897, he built a Queen Anne style home. That house was renovated as a bed-and-breakfast inn recently.
Part of his success grew from Revell's willingness to sell small homes he built on his own lots on credit. Until then, contractors were generally getting full payment at purchase.
About 1902, Revell became aware of the booming economy occurring in Indian Territory. Muskogee's reputation especially attracted him. The Carolina Building was the first of four office buildings Oliver built in Muskogee. By the fall of 1904, it stood on the northwest corner of North Third and West Okmulgee. It contained a grocery store, a meat market, a plumbing office, a bookstore and a printing office in a three-story brick building. Unfortunately, it burned to the ground.
Revell rebuilt on the same corner. He named the new structure the Equity Building. It had an elevator to service the public in reaching the upper floors of this six-story building. It was twice as high as the old Carolina Building.
Oliver built this structure in partnership with Jacob Spangenburg. Jacob was born in Pennsylvania in 1850. Like Oliver, he too followed enterprising opportunities, first to Alabama and then to Indian Territory.
Revell built the Metropolitan Building on the northwest corner of North Fourth and West Okmulgee. This structure towered four stories higher than the Carolina Building. Because of the Carolina Building fire, the Metropolitan had a reinforced concrete in a fireproof design. J. L. Wagner joined Oliver as a partner in building the Metropolitan Building.
The New Jersey Building was a less imposing structure. It stood only two stories tall on the south side of West Okmulgee Street. For many years, a furniture business occupied its premises.
Oliver also dabbled in contracting in surrounding communities. The only non-Muskogee structure known today was the Revell Building in Porum. When Porum's future was on the verge of exploding, the two-story Revell Building dominated the downtown district.
The Revell touch turned again to the building of residences in 1911. He built it at North Fifteenth and West Broadway. Today, the building no longer stands. That may be just as well. The city directories list him repeatedly residing in Muskogee's finer hotels.
Today all of Oliver Davis Revell's buildings are gone. The Equity, the Metropolitan and the New Jersey are parking lots near City Hall. The residence and the Porum building are likewise no longer standing. However, Oliver Revell's buildings helped define Muskogee's skyline while they existed.
Labels: Carolina Bldg, Equity Bldg, Metropolitan Bldg, New Jersey Bldg, Oliver Davis Revell
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