Methodist Episcopal Church, South
a.k.a. Centenary Methodist Church
702 D Ave., Lawton, OKThe Centenary Methodist Church is architecturally significant because it is the oldest and best remaining example of the use of the Gothic Revival style in Comanche County.
The missionary Rev. B.F. Gassaway preached among the Apache, Kiowa, and Comanche Indians near Fort Sill. In 1901 he came to Lawton and organized a Methodist congregation. By the 1920's the group had grown to the point a new and larger facility was needed for their services. In 1922 the Centenary Methodist Church was constructed in the Greek Revival style, and in 1924 a small addition was erected to house the organ. Distinctive features typical of the style, such as the impressive portico, make the structure the best example of Greek Revival architecture in Comanche County. Also, it is the oldest remaining structure of that style in the county.
Listed in National Register of Historic Places in 1985.
The National Register of Historic Places is the official list of the Nation’s historic places worthy of preservation. Authorized by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the National Park Service’s National Register of Historic Places is part of a national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect America’s historic and archeological resources.