The Story of Nichols Hills
The story of Nichols Hills
Mrs. Bixler
May 16, 1957
(The real story of Nichols Hills has never been told. This beautiful and unusual community of homes, just over 25 years old, is one of the show places of the country, but to some 5,000 residents, it’s just home. It’s a planned community – planned for quiet, gracious living, and it has a dignity and charm and character which is found in very few places in the country.
No one could be better qualified to tell this story of Nichols Hills than Mrs. George R. Bixler, 6707 Avondale Drive. The Bixlers moved to Nichols Hills in October 1930, and Bixler has been town clerk for 24 years.
Much of the information on which this story is based comes from files of “Town Talk,” a publication which began in 1934 and was abandoned when World War II broke out. This publication was first typed, then mimeographed and later printed. The first editor of the paper was Mrs. Clayton B. Pierce, 1600 Guilford Lane, and Mrs. Bixler was the second editor. Another installment of the story of Nichols Hills will appear next week and each week thereafter, written expressively for Ye Town Cryer by Mrs. Bixler. – Editor’s Note)
History Of Nichols Hills
Back of every venture is a dream of some individual. One man who had accumulated sufficient worldly goods turned a few years back from building just houses and decided to express his idea of a community where homes – and only homes – would be the paramount issue. This man, the late Dr. G.A. Nichols, had one ambition back in 1929, and this was to develop an area near Oklahoma City which would be an ideal place for homes and families.
Every home in the community was to be protected against the encroachment of undesirable surroundings by permanent building restrictions. The streets, he decided, would be laid out with the express purpose of slowing down people with that deadly mania for “getting someplace fast.” The streets were not to be thoroughfares. They were, rather, to invite leisurely travel. It was the founder’s idea that no one should want to travel at an excessive speed through the hills. They were to be the “hills of homes,” to be enjoyed by all who passed that way. Such, then, was the founder’s conception of Nichols Hills.
Dr. Nichols bought 2,700 acres of rolling prairies and farmland north of Oklahoma City. From Kansas City, he brought in a firm of engineers to lay out the streets as he visualized them. The old-fashioned “checker-board idea” of cut and dried straight streets and square blocks had no place in this new development. The streets were to follow the natural terrain of the countryside, with the entrance to be at N.W. 63rd and Western. The long graceful sweep of the curving streets, he decided, were not to go anyplace particular – but were just to roam around the hills past the homes.
The natural prairie was attractive and effective. But, it was decided, that where homes were to be built there must be trees and lots of them. Consequently, a whole forest of trees were moved in from distant places. In that first year, more than 5,600 large shade trees and 35,000 smaller ones were transplanted to the new community of Nichols Hills. There also were hundreds of different kinds of pine, spruce and junipers planted. Plots for small parks dotted the whole community, and there were larger park areas in every available space.
The entrance at Northwest 63 and Western was marked by two stately towers of true Normandy architecture, and Avondale Drive took off from there in a northwesterly direction. All street names at that time were scooped from the English countryside. While the new streets were still a gleam in the developers’ eyes, people who wanted to get away from the corner drug store and the hustle and bustle of the city bought the lots from a piece of paper. They began to construct their homes, and before they were finished the paved streets rolled past their doors and everyone was very happy.
In early 1930, E. Highfill built and occupied the very first home in Nichols Hills, although the town did not even have a name at that time. This home, located at the corner of Grand Boulevard and Bedford Drive, is occupied today by the William A. Norton family, the address being 6516 Northwest Grand Boulevard.
At about the same time a home was built at 1108 Wilshire Boulevard, and the name of the builder is unknown. This home is occupied today by Mrs. Hazel D. Bogue. The late Lewis Wahl and family moved to their home at 1208 Marlboro Lane shortly afterward.
In October of 1930, Dr. Omar L. Jordan moved with his family into his home at 6709 Avondale Drive. The W.R. McWilliams family moved into their home on Avondale Drive, and the George W. Bixlers completed their new home at 6707 Avondale Drive that month, the paving beating them by one week.
Moving into the new community in 1930, and still occupying their homes, were Dr. and Mrs. G.A. Nichols, who built their home at 7006 Nichols Road. Dr. Nichols has since passed on. Mr. and Mrs. John A. Brown built their home that year at 1601 Guilford Lane, and Brown has passed on.
Others who built that year were Judge and Mrs. C.B. Cochran, who built at 1605 Drury Lane; the J.Steve Andersons, 1606 Drury Lane; the H. Dorsey Douglas family, 1503 Drury Lane; and the George Fredericksons, 1604 Camden Way. All are still living in their homes. The Ray J. Spradlings built their home at 1504 Camden Way that year but later moved to 1124 Huntington Avenue.
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Homes for sale in Nichols Hills
$3,995,000
Active
1606 W Wilshire Boulevard Nichols Hills, Oklahoma
6 Beds 6.3 Baths 12,007 SqFt 2.300 Acres
Listing courtesy of Kermit Brown from Churchill-Brown and Associates
$3,800,000
Active
1309 Bedford Drive Nichols Hills, Oklahoma
5 Beds 5.3 Baths 9,538 SqFt 1.100 Acres
Listing courtesy of Zandrea Waldenville from Meraki Real Estate
$3,300,000
Active
1701 Drury Nichols Hills, Oklahoma
6 Beds 7.2 Baths 13,614 SqFt 2.920 Acres
Listing courtesy of Marta McCubbin from First Source Real Estate Inc.
$3,100,000
Active
1603 Elmhurst Avenue Nichols Hills, Oklahoma
5 Beds 6.2 Baths 7,024 SqFt 0.490 Acres
Listing courtesy of Marta McCubbin from First Source Real Estate Inc.
$2,995,000
Active
7000 Nichols Road Nichols Hills, Oklahoma
5 Beds 5.1 Baths 8,431 SqFt
Listing courtesy of Marta McCubbin from First Source Real Estate Inc.
$2,895,000
Active
6638 Avondale Nichols Hills, Oklahoma
5 Beds 6.1 Baths 8,292 SqFt 0.564 Acres
Listing courtesy of Marta McCubbin from First Source Real Estate Inc.
$2,495,000
Active
1700 Drury Lane Nichols Hills, Oklahoma
6 Beds 6.1 Baths 10,792 SqFt 1.070 Acres
Listing courtesy of Kermit Brown from Churchill-Brown and Associates
$2,450,000
Active
1115 Cumberland Court Nichols Hills, Oklahoma
4 Beds 4.1 Baths 5,481 SqFt 0.210 Acres
Listing courtesy of Wyatt Poindexter from Keller Williams Realty Elite
$2,350,000
Active
6640 Avondale Drive Nichols Hills, Oklahoma
4 Beds 4.1 Baths 5,536 SqFt 0.482 Acres
Listing courtesy of Debbie Bolding from Metro Mark REALTORS
$2,295,000
Active
6912 NW Grand Boulevard Nichols Hills, Oklahoma
4 Beds 4.2 Baths 6,678 SqFt 2.175 Acres
Listing courtesy of Kermit Brown from Churchill-Brown and Associates
$1,998,500
Active
6514 Hillcrest Avenue Nichols Hills, Oklahoma
5 Beds 4.3 Baths 6,418 SqFt
Listing courtesy of Laura S Terlip from Covington Company
$1,958,000
Active
7305 Nichols Road Nichols Hills, Oklahoma
4 Beds 4.2 Baths 5,681 SqFt
Listing courtesy of Chelle Greene from RE/MAX First
$1,895,000
Active
1502 Bedford Avenue Nichols Hills, Oklahoma
5 Beds 4.1 Baths 4,951 SqFt 0.475 Acres
Listing courtesy of Marta McCubbin from First Source Real Estate Inc.
$1,860,000
Active
7007 Nichols Road Nichols Hills, Oklahoma
4 Beds 4.2 Baths 5,723 SqFt 0.810 Acres
Listing courtesy of Patrick Bates from Nichols Hills Properties LLC
$1,800,000
Active
7105 Nichols Nichols Hills, Oklahoma
4 Beds 4.1 Baths 5,714 SqFt
Listing courtesy of Marta McCubbin from First Source Real Estate Inc.
$1,750,000
Active
1503 W Wilshire Boulevard Nichols Hills, Oklahoma
4 Beds 4.1 Baths 5,132 SqFt 0.800 Acres
Listing courtesy of Kanela Huff from Kanela & Company
$1,700,000
Active
7200 Nichols Road Nichols Hills, Oklahoma
3 Beds 3.2 Baths 5,430 SqFt 2.270 Acres
Listing courtesy of Chuck Covington from Covington Company
$1,550,000
Active
1605 Westminster Place Nichols Hills, Oklahoma
4 Beds 5.1 Baths 5,183 SqFt 0.417 Acres
Listing courtesy of Debbie Bolding from Metro Mark REALTORS
$1,499,000
Active
1500 Dorchester Drive Nichols Hills, Oklahoma
5 Beds 6.4 Baths 9,293 SqFt 0.810 Acres
Listing courtesy of Kanela Huff from Kanela & Company
$1,498,000
Active
1401 Sherwood Lane Nichols Hills, Oklahoma
4 Beds 4.1 Baths 4,202 SqFt 0.240 Acres
Listing courtesy of Laura S Terlip from Covington Company
$1,494,950
Active
7609 Dorset Drive Nichols Hills, Oklahoma
4 Beds 4.1 Baths 4,269 SqFt 0.360 Acres
Listing courtesy of Brandon Hart from Keller Williams Realty Elite
$1,450,000
Active
6700 NW Grand Boulevard Nichols Hills, Oklahoma
5 Beds 4.1 Baths 4,129 SqFt 0.600 Acres
Listing courtesy of Linda Almaraz from Berkshire Hathaway-Anderson
$1,399,000
Active
1817 Coventry Lane Nichols Hills, Oklahoma
4 Beds 4.1 Baths 4,350 SqFt 0.310 Acres
Listing courtesy of Patrick Bates from Nichols Hills Properties LLC
$1,395,000
Active
1421 Glenbrook Terrace Nichols Hills, Oklahoma
3 Beds 2.2 Baths 3,914 SqFt 0.248 Acres
Listing courtesy of Elyse Hull from Kanela & Company
$1,374,000
Active
6615 Hillcrest Avenue Nichols Hills, Oklahoma
5 Beds 3.2 Baths 4,650 SqFt 0.460 Acres
Listing courtesy of Janna Skiniotes from Metro First Realty
$1,350,000
Active
2401 NW Grand Court Nichols Hills, Oklahoma
3 Beds 4.2 Baths 5,669 SqFt 0.304 Acres
Listing courtesy of Jake Hodges from Oklahoma Property Investors
$1,329,000
Active
2010 Huntington Avenue Nichols Hills, Oklahoma
5 Beds 4.1 Baths 4,780 SqFt 0.308 Acres
Listing courtesy of Grant Wortman from Chamberlain Realty LLC
$1,300,000
Active
1109 Belford Avenue Nichols Hills, Oklahoma
4 Beds 4.2 Baths 3,822 SqFt 0.242 Acres
Listing courtesy of Brandon Hart from Keller Williams Realty Elite
$1,299,000
Active
1209 Larchmont Lane Nichols Hills, Oklahoma
4 Beds 4.1 Baths 4,774 SqFt 0.620 Acres
Listing courtesy of Laura S Terlip from Covington Company
$1,295,000
Active
1704 Camden Way Nichols Hills, Oklahoma
4 Beds 4 Baths 4,499 SqFt 0.320 Acres
Listing courtesy of Laura S Terlip from Covington Company
$1,290,000
Active
1801 Guilford Lane Nichols Hills, Oklahoma
3 Beds 5 Baths 4,487 SqFt 0.490 Acres
Listing courtesy of Courtney Smith from RE/MAX at Home
$1,289,950
Active
1110 Hemstead Place Nichols Hills, Oklahoma
4 Beds 3.1 Baths 4,740 SqFt 0.246 Acres
Listing courtesy of Brandon Hart from Keller Williams Realty Elite
$1,279,000
Active
1205 Glenwood Avenue Nichols Hills, Oklahoma
5 Beds 4.2 Baths 5,360 SqFt 0.460 Acres
Listing courtesy of Laura S Terlip from Covington Company
$1,260,000
Active
7100 Waverly Avenue Nichols Hills, Oklahoma
5 Beds 5.1 Baths 6,464 SqFt
Listing courtesy of Marta McCubbin from First Source Real Estate Inc.
$1,250,000
Active
1808 Guilford Lane Nichols Hills, Oklahoma
4 Beds 3.1 Baths 4,217 SqFt 0.404 Acres
Listing courtesy of Norma Cokeley from RE/MAX Preferred Properties
$1,250,000
Active
6413 Grandmark Drive Nichols Hills, Oklahoma
2 Beds 3 Baths 2,759 SqFt
Listing courtesy of Dana S Gordon from Metro First Realty Executives
$1,250,000
Active
1617 Queenstown Nichols Hills, Oklahoma
5 Beds 6.1 Baths 7,467 SqFt 0.419 Acres
Listing courtesy of Marta McCubbin from First Source Real Estate Inc.
$1,230,000
Active
1719 Dorchester Drive Nichols Hills, Oklahoma
4 Beds 5.1 Baths 5,049 SqFt 0.402 Acres
Listing courtesy of Bill Wilson from Berkshire Hathaway-Anderson
$1,200,000
Active
1506 Buttram Road Nichols Hills, Oklahoma
3 Beds 3.1 Baths 3,475 SqFt 0.770 Acres
Listing courtesy of Norma Cokeley from RE/MAX Preferred Properties
$1,175,000
Active
1404 Glenbrook Terrace Nichols Hills, Oklahoma
4 Beds 4.1 Baths 3,890 SqFt 0.344 Acres
Listing courtesy of Waukita C Swales from Ariston Realty LLC
$1,095,000
Active
1612 Camden Way Nichols Hills, Oklahoma
4 Beds 5.1 Baths 4,652 SqFt 0.360 Acres
Listing courtesy of Laura S Terlip from Covington Company
$1,060,000
Active
1717 Dorchester Place Nichols Hills, Oklahoma
4 Beds 3.1 Baths 3,348 SqFt 0.258 Acres
Listing courtesy of Marta McCubbin from First Source Real Estate Inc.
$1,050,000
Active
6923 Avondale Court Nichols Hills, Oklahoma
4 Beds 4.1 Baths 4,118 SqFt 0.457 Acres
Listing courtesy of Chuck Covington from Covington Company
$1,035,000
Active
1607 Westminster Place Nichols Hills, Oklahoma
4 Beds 4 Baths 3,887 SqFt 0.475 Acres
Listing courtesy of Ken Hutmacher from Churchill-Brown and Associates
$995,000
Active
1610 N Camden Way Nichols Hills, Oklahoma
5 Beds 3.1 Baths 4,375 SqFt 0.347 Acres
Listing courtesy of Sean Patton from Hardworking LLC
$968,000
Active
1706 Pennington Way Nichols Hills, Oklahoma
4 Beds 3.1 Baths 3,382 SqFt 0.324 Acres
Listing courtesy of Joy Baresel from Engel & Voelkers Oklahoma City
$959,000
Active
1804 Elmhurst Avenue Nichols Hills, Oklahoma
3 Beds 4.1 Baths 3,547 SqFt 0.432 Acres
Listing courtesy of Carrie Eboli from Homeworx, LLC
$899,900
Active
1310 Camden Way Nichols Hills, Oklahoma
4 Beds 4 Baths 4,631 SqFt 0.339 Acres
Listing courtesy of William Mahan from eXp Realty
$895,000
Active
1119 Glenwood Nichols Hills, Oklahoma
4 Beds 3 Baths 3,429 SqFt
Listing courtesy of Marta McCubbin from First Source Real Estate Inc.
$895,000
Active
1418 Sherwood Lane Nichols Hills, Oklahoma
4 Beds 4.1 Baths 3,860 SqFt 0.346 Acres
Listing courtesy of Laura S Terlip from Covington Company
$895,000
Active
1804 Devonshire Street Nichols Hills, Oklahoma
3 Beds 3.1 Baths 2,759 SqFt 0.480 Acres
Listing courtesy of Dana S Gordon from Metro First Realty Executives
$885,000
Active
1712 Randel Road Nichols Hills, Oklahoma
2 Beds 3.1 Baths 3,859 SqFt 0.464 Acres
Listing courtesy of Marta McCubbin from First Source Real Estate Inc.
$750,000
Active
7009 Trenton Road Nichols Hills, Oklahoma
3 Beds 3 Baths 2,958 SqFt 0.355 Acres
Listing courtesy of Marta McCubbin from First Source Real Estate Inc.
$749,500
Active
7325 Waverly Avenue Nichols Hills, Oklahoma
3 Beds 3.1 Baths 3,627 SqFt 0.440 Acres
Listing courtesy of Lisa Voegeli from Kanela & Company
$749,000
Active
1123 Fenwick Place Nichols Hills, Oklahoma
3 Beds 2.1 Baths 2,894 SqFt 0.207 Acres
Listing courtesy of Joy Baresel from Engel & Voelkers Oklahoma City
$725,000
Active
1807 Drakestone Nichols Hills, Oklahoma
5 Beds 3 Baths 3,498 SqFt
Listing courtesy of Marta McCubbin from First Source Real Estate Inc.
$719,800
Active
1813 W Wilshire Boulevard Nichols Hills, Oklahoma
2 Beds 2.1 Baths 2,550 SqFt 0.410 Acres
Listing courtesy of Henryk Orlowski from Henryk Realty, Inc
$718,000
Active
1245 Glenbrook Terrace Nichols Hills, Oklahoma
4 Beds 3 Baths 3,326 SqFt 0.312 Acres
Listing courtesy of Marta McCubbin from First Source Real Estate Inc.
$705,000
Active
1717 Dorchester Drive Nichols Hills, Oklahoma
4 Beds 2.1 Baths 3,256 SqFt
Listing courtesy of Marta McCubbin from First Source Real Estate Inc.
$699,990
Active
1402 Kenilworth Road Nichols Hills, Oklahoma
3 Beds 3.1 Baths 3,209 SqFt 0.300 Acres
Listing courtesy of Brian R. Sloan from NewHomesOK.pro
$699,500
Active
6400 Briarwood Lane Nichols Hills, Oklahoma
2 Beds 2 Baths 2,201 SqFt 0.234 Acres
Listing courtesy of Simon Simon from SIMON SIMON REAL ESTATE
$699,000
Active
1722 Coventry Lane Nichols Hills, Oklahoma
4 Beds 3 Baths 3,141 SqFt 0.281 Acres
Listing courtesy of Marta McCubbin from First Source Real Estate Inc.
$699,000
Active
1604 Drakestone Avenue Nichols Hills, Oklahoma
3 Beds 3.1 Baths 3,859 SqFt 0.326 Acres
Listing courtesy of Lisa A Franklin from First Source Real Estate Inc.
$670,000
Active
1108 Huntington Avenue Nichols Hills, Oklahoma
4 Beds 2.1 Baths 2,970 SqFt 0.265 Acres
Listing courtesy of Patrick Bates from Nichols Hills Properties LLC
$600,000
Active
1808 Dorchester Place Nichols Hills, Oklahoma
4 Beds 3 Baths 3,545 SqFt 0.350 Acres
Listing courtesy of Marta McCubbin from First Source Real Estate Inc.
$599,900
Active
1730 NW 63rd Street Nichols Hills, Oklahoma
3 Beds 3.1 Baths 2,671 SqFt 0.261 Acres
Listing courtesy of Rebecca L Ingram from Your Property Stop Real Estate
$594,980
Active
1714 Windsor Place Nichols Hills, Oklahoma
4 Beds 2.1 Baths 2,583 SqFt 0.329 Acres
Listing courtesy of Brandon Hart from Keller Williams Realty Elite
$525,000
Active
1822 Coventry Lane Nichols Hills, Oklahoma
3 Beds 3.1 Baths 3,083 SqFt 0.272 Acres
Listing courtesy of Tara Levinson from Levinson Real Estate, LLC
$470,000
Active
1712 Dorchester Drive Nichols Hills, Oklahoma
2 Beds 2.1 Baths 2,577 SqFt 0.344 Acres
Listing courtesy of Colbie C. Van Cleef from Sage Realty Partners
$450,000
Active
1102 Hemstead Place Nichols Hills, Oklahoma
3 Beds 2 Baths 2,452 SqFt 0.227 Acres
Listing courtesy of Kaci Kaiser from Solas Real Estate LLC
$419,000
Active
1117 Tedford Way Nichols Hills, Oklahoma
4 Beds 4 Baths 2,619 SqFt 0.207 Acres
Listing courtesy of Simon Simon from SIMON SIMON REAL ESTATE
$385,000
Active
1832 Drakestone Avenue Nichols Hills, Oklahoma
3 Beds 3 Baths 2,462 SqFt 0.272 Acres
Listing courtesy of Lindsay Portno from Dwell Urban Real Estate
$314,900
Active
1101 W BEDFORD Drive Nichols Hills, Oklahoma
3 Beds 1 Baths 1,410 SqFt 0.240 Acres
Listing courtesy of Henryk Orlowski from Henryk Realty, Inc
$224,900
Active
1100 W Wilshire Boulevard Nichols Hills, Oklahoma
3 Beds 2 Baths 1,841 SqFt 0.298 Acres
Listing courtesy of Shawn Vyas from Keller Williams Realty Elite