New Life for McBirney Mansion

The McBirney mansion is one of the grandest old houses in Tulsa today. The rambling home was built in 1928 by Kansas City architect John Long, for pioneer Tulsan James H. McBirney.

McBirney arrived in Tulsa in 1897. He began his long banking career as a book- keeper with the Tulsa Banking Company, the first banking institution in Tulsa Indian Territory. After several reorganizations of the bank, with the majority of ownership going to non-Tulsans, McBirney decided to form a home-owned financial institution. He was joined in this bold endeavor by Sam P. McBirney, Lee Clinton and T.E. Smiley. The new bank was organized under the name Bank of Commerce, later known as the National Bank of Commerce. This bank became a cornerstone in the future growth of Tulsa, and its success allowed McBirney to build two of Tulsa's early skyscrapers at the southwest corner of 3rd and Main—the eight-story Bank of Commerce building (1923) and the adjoining McBirney office building (1928).

McBirney began developing the Childers Heights subdivision in 1918. This development along the Arkansas river was popular among Tulsa's elite. Most of the grand mansions have been lost, but fortunately, the McBirney home remains as an example of Tulsa's glorious past. Located at 1414 S. Galveston, the mansion sits atop a hill overlooking the Arkansas river. The sloping grounds feature a pond and a natural spring.

The house was part of the McBirney estate until 1975. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. Since then it has had several uses, housing law offices and, most recently, an eating-disorder clinic. Currently, the McBirney Mansion houses a bed and breakfast.