Experience

UNIQUELY TULSA
Harwelden Mansion in Tulsa, OK

Nestled between downtown Tulsa and the Gathering Place, Harwelden Mansion offers a luxury retreat for those looking to be in the heart of the action. Our spacious common areas, elegantly landscaped gardens, and hotel suites offer tranquility that are conveniently located near award-winning restaurants, upscale shopping, extraordinary parks, world-class museums, and all things uniquely Tulsa.

THE MANSION TODAY
Individual rooms or entire floors can be rented. Six luxury bedroom suites are available to reserve for overnight guests. The mansion is ideal for weddings, corporate retreats, nonprofit fundraisers, art exhibits or musical performances to name a few. Outdoor tented events work out beautifully surrounded by native gardens and stunning landscapes and riverfront views. Individuals and groups will enjoy the unique experience the mansion brings.
The Harwelden Mansion is an event center and boutique hotel. Mansion and garden tours are available.

Historic Tours

Historic Tours are a big hit at the mansion. Every other Thursday or by appointment, the public can enjoy tours of the mansion, grounds, and carriage house. Guests learn about the Mansion’s history, the Harwell family, architecture, and recent renovations. Staff and volunteer docents lead the tour.

Our Commitment

Mansion Floors

MAIN LEVEL

SECOND FLOOR

THIRD FLOOR

CARRIAGE HOUSE

BASEMENT

Gallery

Inside the Mansion

FEATURED IN

Wedding of Margo Harwell at Harwelden, 1942

History

On a rolling hill just south of downtown and north of The Gathering Place is one of Tulsa’s most distinguished and finest examples of English Tudor-Collegiate Gothic architecture. Built in 1923 by wealthy oilman, Earl Harwell and his wife Mary, the four-story 15,000-square-foot mansion, carriage house and gardens occupy a full city block.

The Harwells spared no expense as they used the finest craftsmen and superior materials that were available in the world to achieve the exceptional quality desired. Designed by the Kansas City architectural firm, Wight and Wight; Long Construction, also of Kansas City, constructed the mansion. Long was also the builder of the world-famous Philbrook Museum Villa 4 years later.

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Architecture

Although the mansion has undergone remodeling over the years, it is relatively as it was in 1923 with a 2018 – 2020 renovation that followed best practices in historic renovation standards and honored the mansion’s beautiful origins.

The exterior massing of Harwelden is a classic tripartite with the one-story north wing and a two-story south wing and a roof terrace accessed from the third floor. The center block, which faces east, is symmetrical, unusual in residential Tudor architecture. The west elevation includes a slate paver terrace bordered by a handsome brick stone capped railing looking out to the Arkansas River. The roof is one of Tulsa’s first slate tile examples, individually numbered. The exterior walls are wire-textured dark red brick with massive limestone brick molds at doors and windows and limestone quoins at building corners. Gables have limestone capped parapets and limestone finials.

The oak plank front door is tucked below a massive projecting bay window which includes a frieze of heraldic carved limestone panels. Upon entering the gothic vestibule into the two-story foyer, a chevron-patterned entry meets high ceilings and white oak, quarter-sawn hardwood floors. Original light fixtures, rewired and restored, are seen throughout the mansion. An oak stair and upper landing railing with barley twist balusters, primrose carvings, and large newel posts continue the Tudor theme.

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Bronze Sculpture

The stunning bronze sculpture adorning the front lawn of the Harwelden Mansion depicts a minstrel playing a flute and dancing upon a flower. The Artist is Rosalind Cook, a nationally-renowned sculpture artist with work in various galleries, public spaces, hospitals, libraries, parks, and corporate headquarters all over the United States.

Ms. Cook has described the statue like this, “the minstrel’s flute represents music, that the comedy and tragedy masks that hang from his neck represent theater, that his high- stepping stance represents a dance and that the historical significance of the minstrel as a purveyor and preserver of art touches on the humanities.” The sculpture is 10 feet tall in total. The minstrel is 7 feet tall, dancing on a 3-foot tall flower.

The Harwelden Team has nicknamed the sculpture “Jethro” after the flute-playing band, Jethro Tull.