Clapp-Cunningham Building (Chandler Library)

1021 Manvel Ave., Chandler, OK
Phone:

East < GO > West

The Chandler Public Library has occupied the historic 1899 Clapp-Cunningham Building since 1992. The building was constructed as a project for L.W. Clapp, a Kansas politician. Originally the Star Store and the Bank of Chandler operated on the ground floor. In 1917 a Chevrolet dealership occupied the north side unit on the first floor. The south section of the first floor housed a series of Feed Stores after the Star Store moved out.

Originally the second floor housed offices for doctors and lawyers and others, but in 1914 it was remodeled into four 5 room apartments. A stairway between the two main spaces on the ground floor leads to the second floor. That stairway shows what may be the only prominent change in the appearance of the building. Originally the stairway was open as far as a landing and double doors halfway up, that was the case until sometime after 1984.. Today there are doors to the stairway on the ground floor level.

A. B. and Myrtle Cunningham bought the building in 1926 and added a three story hotel on the back. The hotel catered to oil-field customers with room for 55 overnight guests. Their son ran an auto repair shop in the back and they ran an antique shop in front.

A sign above the library entrance reads "Clapp Building, Est. 1899" The building was placed on the NRHP in 1984.

A kind of fun note is that on February 28, 1900, before the building was even finished, the comedy Triss was performed for the benefit of the Chandler fire department, and was reportedly a great success. Just how unfinished was the building, well the promoters of the play had to wait for the carpenters to go home at 6:00PM so they could set up the stage on opening night, without ever having had a stage rehearsal.

Photo(s): 2016