OKC's Film Row Steeped in History

An Oklahoma City neighborhood once known as "skid row" is returning to its original nickname.

Back in film's glory days, theater owners had to visit a film exchange district to pick up and drop off the movies that they showed.  Oklahoma City housed one of only about thirty such areas nationwide.

Local historian Bradley Wynn has become an expert on Film Row's rich history.  He recounted a few of the studios located in Oklahoma City.

"We had things like Metro-Goldwyn Mayer, Twentieth Century Fox, Paramount Pictures across the street," said Wynn.  "The list goes on and on."

Wynn became interested in the area after finding an old article about it nearly a decade ago.  He joined other preservation-minded business people in Oklahoma City and lobbied on the city's behalf.

The district now features new lighting, new sidewalks, and a host of new businesses and offices in the once-dilapidated area.  There's also a new pizzeria in the building that has "Film Exchange" stamped on the outside wall.

"It really does bring a smile to my face anytime I walk down here," said Wynn.  "When I look at it, I know what it looked like before, before that, and now."