The 1930’s was an era of extreme financial concern for the population of the United States, one resulting concept was that of credit unions. Credit unions were made up of people helping each other by pooling their financial resources.
Financial hardship was evident in Tulsa as well as across the nation—among those suffering were the teachers. Teachers being paid by warrants found they were unable to cash them in order to purchase items of necessity. A group of educators decided to pool their resources to assist others by forming a credit union.
Tulsa Teachers Credit union was given its Certificate of Incorporation by the State of Oklahoma on November 20, 1934. Seven Tulsa Public School educators listed on the Certificate of corporation capitalized the Corporation with $15,000.00. The educators were Lena Rae Young, Lora Patterson, Katharine Paschal, R.H. Piper, Isabel Watkinson, R.H. Swearingen, and G.W. Pearson.
The Credit Union’s first organization meeting was held November 26, 1934, in a classroom at the old Central High School Building in Tulsa. At 4:00 in the afternoon in Room 326 (which also doubled as the Credit Union office) the Meeting was called to order by Mr. David E. Temple, the Acting Chairman. In addition to other business, the first Board of Directors were elected, those being:
R.H. Piper – President
Lora Patterson – Vice President
Linnie B. Wilson – Treasurer
Lena Rae Young – Secretary
Isabel Watkinson
Ivar Lou Myhr
David E. Temple
The first Supervisory Committee was:
Mildred Stever
Katharine E. Paschall
Rector Swearingen
The first Credit Committee was:
Mary Barnett
Ethel Woodring
George Pearson
Tulsa Teachers Credit Union’s first Annual Meeting was held January 10, 1935, in the classroom office, which was attended by 22 of the 26 members.
Tulsa Teachers Credit union developed very well in the early years and office space had to be enlarged. The office moved to Room 215 Masonic Temple Building in Tulsa. The First Board Meeting in this facility was May 1, 1937.
The need for services was apparent and the future bright. Tulsa Teachers Credit Union purchased and occupied its new office in 1956 at 907 South Guthrie, Tulsa, Oklahoma. Expansion in mind, the adjoining lot was purchased July 11, 1960.
Urban Renewal Projects were undertaken by the City of Tulsa thus the Credit Union began looking for a new site. On June 21, 1965, the land on which the existing building is located was purchased. The Guthrie properties were sold and Tulsa Teachers Credit Union opened for business at its newly constructed offices Monday, October 23, 1967.
As a result of continued growth in membership and services, the property east of the original structure, was purchased so that the facilities could once again be expanded.
Construction began in February on 1985, and opened for business Monday, January 20, 1986, in its current facilities. Since the completion of the new facility the property west of the structure was purchased for additional parking and for future site growth. Tulsa Teachers Credit Union opened its first branch in Tahlequah, Oklahoma on February 24, 1992. The Eastland Branch followed on May 23, 1993, and a 10 lane Drive-Through facility was opened August 1, 1994, across from the main office on 31st Street. The Southeast Branch opened for business in November 1998. We have since built a new building for the Tahlequah branch which opened in July of 2002 and a opened a new branch in Owasso at the same time. Our North Pointe branch opened in May of 2004 and our Jenks Branch opened in November of 2006. TTCU's newest branch opened in Broken Arrow in May of 2007.
