T-Town Half Marathon And 5k Highlights Tulsa's Iconic Architecture

The Tulsa Fire Alarm Building has been a part of downtown’s Pearl District for the past 93 years.

Andy Little with the Tulsa Fire Department says the building once served as the city’s central reporting station. In 2024, it's a place where Tulsa firefighter history spanning decades is preserved.

“At that time, it had state-of-the-art equipment, so it actually made responses much faster, so it was a great addition to Tulsa, and we were super excited to offer that to the community,” he said. 

Just a few short miles away, in the Blue Dome District, the T-Town Half Marathon and 5k was underway.

As runners crossed the finish line, volunteers were waiting there to hand them a special medal.

“The inspiration for the event was the various art-deco buildings…architecture in downtown Tulsa," said race director Tim Dreiling.

He says every year, they pick a historic Tulsa landmark to feature.

“You got T-Town Half and then this is the Tulsa Fire Alarm building, the historical society,” said volunteer Austin Bitting, as he showed the medal.  

For 2024, the Fire Museum was chosen.

“It’s exciting to know that we have been chosen for that because a lot of people just aren’t aware that it's there,” said Little. 

Dreiling says the medals represent more than just finishing a race.

“Part of our goal is to educate a little bit, and show off what we have in our city,” he said. 

Little agrees and says they serve as a testament to the building’s legacy and impact on the community.

“At the end of the day the Fire Museum wants to capture the history and be able to make that available so they can learn,” he said. 

On Saturday, these runners are heading home with a piece of Tulsa’s history hanging from their necks.

For more information on the Tulsa Fire Museum, CLICK HERE.