Uploaded April 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Just outside Oklahoma City, in what used to be nothing but oil fields and farmland, sits a building most people have driven past a hundred times without knowing what they were looking at.
More History: abandonedok.com/hopewell-baptist-church
The Hopewell Baptist Church, known locally as the Teepee Church, was designed by Bruce Goff in 1951 and built almost entirely from surplus oil field materials donated by the very industry that built the community around it. For decades it sat quietly at a corner that's now one of the fastest-growing intersections in the metro, slowly deteriorating while the world closed in around it. Most people had no idea they were passing one of the most architecturally significant structures in the state.
I've been curious about this building since I was a kid. Last year I decided to do something about it — tracking down the people who care about it, digging through over 125 years of church records, and making the best case I can for why this building deserves a future.
This is the full story of Hopewell.
UPDATE!!
The TP Church — Deer Creek, Oklahoma
As of April 2026, The TP Church — formerly Hopewell Baptist Church — has partnered with Ekklesia Oklahoma to restore this beloved historical landmark. Our vision: bring this building back to life as a place of genuine hope, healing, and tangible community support.
To partner with us financially, visit (givesendgo.com/tpchurch).
A 2–5 Year Restoration Vision
Year 1 — Foundation & Structure
The roof is already restored and fully encapsulated. Year one focuses on a complete interior gut of both levels — removing everything outdated or damaged — followed by electrical, plumbing, and HVAC assessment and code compliance. Unglamorous, but essential.
Year 2 — Rebuild & Remodel
Both levels get new flooring, walls, ceilings, restrooms, and functional community spaces — honoring the building’s historic character while making it fully modern and accessible.
Year 3 — Activation
Doors open. Community programs, support services, and ministry initiatives launch. Relationships with local families, schools, and organizations take root.
Years 4–5 — Legacy
Outdoor areas, expanded programming, and deeper community integration — building a fully self-sustaining hub that serves Deer Creek and greater OKC for generations.
To contact the TP church email: tpchurch.info@gmail.com
🔔 Subscribe for more Oklahoma history and documentary content
Hopewell Heritage Foundation:
Abandoned Atlas Foundation: abandonedatlas.com
Chapters:
00:00 - Introduction
01:41 - A Childhood Obsession
02:26 - Getting Inside
03:50 - Someone Already Cared
05:08 - Terry Ward and the Building's Secrets
07:33 - The Oklahoma Oil Boom
08:41 - The First Hopewell Church
09:09 - Inside the Archives
11:31 - Meet Bruce Goff
13:36 - A Church Built from Surplus
17:05 - Goff's Legacy
20:02 - The Long Decline
22:00 - The Hopewell Heritage Foundation
24:20 - What Should It Become?
#HopewellBaptistChurch #BruceGoff #OklahomaHistory #TeepeeChurch #HistoricPreservation #AbandonedOklahoma #OklahomaCity #UrbanExploration #DocumentaryFilm #Architecture
Credits:
Additional Footage: Jonathan Thompson (youtube.com/watch?v=ItK9_tMr3NU)
Historic Photos/Video: Oklahoma Historical Society
Find the websites and socials of all 6 states here: AbandonedAtlas.com/links
Feature Documentary on a really cool abandoned hotel!
amazon.com/Forever-Majestic-Caitlen-Taylor/dp/B09VB6R4J7
Sponsor a future episode of Abandoned Atlas!
abandonedatlas.com/sponsor-aaf
Video Produced by: Prairie Nation Creative - prairie-creative.com
Want to support the Abandoned Atlas Foundation? Think about donating to our cause or buying a book as a different form of donating! Our shop is equipped to accept all major credit cards, Afterpay, Cash App, Venmo, and Paypal.
Shop Our Books - AbandonedAtlas.com/shop
Donate to our Cause!
Venmo - @AbandonedAtlas
Cash App - $AbandonedAtlas
Paypal - paypal.com/donate/?token=ovemMoyczre9Oailu8_IMrDXPf8rOergEEnJOhyoJfQ8PN_8aQUEQS0rsQc79EIBHKhzCGBhSXe0lIAS&locale.x=US
Just outside Oklahoma City, in what used to be nothing but oil fields and farmland, sits a building most people have driven past a hundred times without knowing what they were looking at.
More History: abandonedok.com/hopewell-baptist-church
The Hopewell Baptist Church, known locally as the Teepee Church, was designed by Bruce Goff in 1951 and built almost entirely from surplus oil field materials donated by the very industry that built the community around it. For decades it sat quietly at a corner that's now one of the fastest-growing intersections in the metro, slowly deteriorating while the world closed in around it. Most people had no idea they were passing one of the most architecturally significant structures in the state.
I've been curious about this building since I was a kid. Last year I decided to do something about it — tracking down the people who care about it, digging through over 125 years of church records, and making the best case I can for why this building deserves a future.
This is the full story of Hopewell.
UPDATE!!
The TP Church — Deer Creek, Oklahoma
As of April 2026, The TP Church — formerly Hopewell Baptist Church — has partnered with Ekklesia Oklahoma to restore this beloved historical landmark. Our vision: bring this building back to life as a place of genuine hope, healing, and tangible community support.
To partner with us financially, visit (givesendgo.com/tpchurch).
A 2–5 Year Restoration Vision
Year 1 — Foundation & Structure
The roof is already restored and fully encapsulated. Year one focuses on a complete interior gut of both levels — removing everything outdated or damaged — followed by electrical, plumbing, and HVAC assessment and code compliance. Unglamorous, but essential.
Year 2 — Rebuild & Remodel
Both levels get new flooring, walls, ceilings, restrooms, and functional community spaces — honoring the building’s historic character while making it fully modern and accessible.
Year 3 — Activation
Doors open. Community programs, support services, and ministry initiatives launch. Relationships with local families, schools, and organizations take root.
Years 4–5 — Legacy
Outdoor areas, expanded programming, and deeper community integration — building a fully self-sustaining hub that serves Deer Creek and greater OKC for generations.
To contact the TP church email: tpchurch.info@gmail.com
🔔 Subscribe for more Oklahoma history and documentary content
Hopewell Heritage Foundation:
Abandoned Atlas Foundation: abandonedatlas.com
Chapters:
00:00 - Introduction
01:41 - A Childhood Obsession
02:26 - Getting Inside
03:50 - Someone Already Cared
05:08 - Terry Ward and the Building's Secrets
07:33 - The Oklahoma Oil Boom
08:41 - The First Hopewell Church
09:09 - Inside the Archives
11:31 - Meet Bruce Goff
13:36 - A Church Built from Surplus
17:05 - Goff's Legacy
20:02 - The Long Decline
22:00 - The Hopewell Heritage Foundation
24:20 - What Should It Become?
#HopewellBaptistChurch #BruceGoff #OklahomaHistory #TeepeeChurch #HistoricPreservation #AbandonedOklahoma #OklahomaCity #UrbanExploration #DocumentaryFilm #Architecture
Credits:
Additional Footage: Jonathan Thompson (youtube.com/watch?v=ItK9_tMr3NU)
Historic Photos/Video: Oklahoma Historical Society
Find the websites and socials of all 6 states here: AbandonedAtlas.com/links
Feature Documentary on a really cool abandoned hotel!
amazon.com/Forever-Majestic-Caitlen-Taylor/dp/B09VB6R4J7
Sponsor a future episode of Abandoned Atlas!
abandonedatlas.com/sponsor-aaf
Video Produced by: Prairie Nation Creative - prairie-creative.com
Want to support the Abandoned Atlas Foundation? Think about donating to our cause or buying a book as a different form of donating! Our shop is equipped to accept all major credit cards, Afterpay, Cash App, Venmo, and Paypal.
Shop Our Books - AbandonedAtlas.com/shop
Donate to our Cause!
Venmo - @AbandonedAtlas
Cash App - $AbandonedAtlas
Paypal - paypal.com/donate/?token=ovemMoyczre9Oailu8_IMrDXPf8rOergEEnJOhyoJfQ8PN_8aQUEQS0rsQc79EIBHKhzCGBhSXe0lIAS&locale.x=US
