Dear Readers, Chances are, if you are reading this, you love the Renaissance Neighborhood. Some of you have made your homes here for 10, 20, even 30 years. However, there aren’t many (if any) among us who can lay claim to the history that John M. Holderman has with our neighborhood. For starters, he was born in the back bedroom of the house his father built at 2534 E. Eleventh Street. He grew up in the neighborhood and clearly recalls many of the homes, the people and events of the 1940’s and 50’s. Although he no longer lives in the neighborhood, he continues to own and care for property here. We are lucky to be able to have captured some of his recollections for our history. Here is a bit of his story: ***** John M. Holderman’s father, John Warren Holderman, was born in Alabama. By the time he was twelve, in the late 1890’s, both his parents had died and he was on his own in the world. Armed with only a second-grade education, he made his way to St. Louis where he found...
The Renaissance Neighborhood is defined by 11th Street on the North, 15th Street on the South, Lewis Avenue on the West and Harvard Avenue on the East. This is the heart of midtown Tulsa.