On first inspection Guthrie is a small town (only 10,00 popn.) in the middle of the state. It has a fine town centre, in fact it is a National Heritage Site, as it has one of the largest collection of late Victorian buildings anywhere in the country, ranging from stores to private dwellings.
Our trailer is parked about a mile East of the town centre, so drove into town in order to see some of the buildings on our list.
Now for those of you who just want to know about places and food: The weather was cold and damp, we went to the Drug Store Museum, then took a nice trolley ride, after that we had a scrummy late breakfast in Kates Diner. In the afternoon, because it was cold and damp, we went round the local Oklahoma Territory Museum. After that we went back to the trailer had tea, a few rounds of Rummicube and went to bed early because we were tired.
For those of you who want literary punishment, read on to find out how we learned of the amazing story that made Guthrie what it is.
The Drug Store and Pharmacy Museum
First stop the Drug Store Museum. It was supposed to have been the Tourist Information Office next door on West Oklahoma St, but seeing as it was Saturday it was closed. So we called in to ask for info about Guthrie. This is where it got a bit like 'One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest'. The Museum is a an old Pharmacy, still complete with its Soda Fountain, ice cream parlour and high stools at the counter, but it is also filled with Pharmacy Stuff from the last hundred years. The lighting was poor and the walls were covered with old wooden shelves, some glass fronted and drawers which were full of bottles of every conceivable chemical and preparation. Having taken in a quick summary of the place right at the back of the store I saw a young lady sat at a table reading a book. Thinking that she was the curator I wandered down the long store ready to ask about information on Guthrie. At this point a couple of other young people appeared. This is where it got weird! When asked a general question they immediately informed me (very nicely) that she was not the curator, neither did she know anything about Guthrie. She was student. They were all students. They were students doing a Pharmacy degree in Oklahoma City Univiersity and were volunteering to supervise the museum. However they had no experience of curating and simply said "Hey just look round, go anywhere and enjoy the place, do you want a Sarsaparilla? They have some really nice ones here." Well that was really like getting an invitation to a party in the morgue. Sally and I had great fun, I wandered round the shelves discussing various preparations and chemicals with the two girls (who though they had been there for some time had not even looked a the shelves, stupidly enough they had brought text books to study while they did their volunteering, when they had a whole apothecary to study! There was no apparent order to their display as I found a bottle of D.D.T. next to a preparation for a sore throat. Strychnine next to 'Pink Placebo'. But it was fascinating to wander amongst the chemicals and just read their names. As we walked round we discussed whether these chemicals were still in use or not, cast an expert eye over various medical aids and implements (though what you would have used a Rectal Dilator for I could only guess, but back at the turn of the century you could buy a box of them for a couple of dollars). Sally meanwhile was happily sharing tales of the English Pharmaceutical industry and swapping rare medication information with the two lads. It was quite bizarre really, but loads of fun and one of the most absolutely fascinating hours we had spent in America. Still all good things must come to an end and we bid fond farewells to the sutdents and the Museum in order to go in search of The Trolley.
The Trolley Ride
We find that a tour round a town is a good way to find out more about it, so we determined to take the trolley tour. Leaving every hour, on the hour and costing an impressively small $3.00. This was a very good move, as the narration was excellent and we were able to get great views of the main streets with great late Victorian Frontages, past the site of the Opera House, the Court house, where the State Seal was removed from, the Carniegie Library where Oklahoma Statehood was declared (oh yes, a small factoid, Guthrie was the first Capital of Oklahoma, but they didn't have time to build a Capitol) and a huge number of turn of the century houses, as well as information about the people who had them built. Lots of stories about doctors, judges, the original owner of the Drug Store, the Sooner who was the owner of the Printing Company on Harrison and 2nd. The residence of Mr, Mrs and Jane Haskell, the first State Governor.
As these stories were revealed it started to become clear that Guthrie was a special place. It was special for two dates - April 22nd 1889 and June 11th 191o, for like no other town Guthrie was born on April 22nd 1889 and died on June 11th 191o. The trolley also took us across Cottonwood Creek and past the railway station, which was owned by the Santa Fe Railroad, complete with a Harvey's Restaurant and rooms upstairs for the staff to sleep in. Thus completing a very interesting circuit of the town and depositing us back at its terminus outside the Oklahoma Capital Printing Museum on 2nd and Harrison (named after the President in 1889).
Having quizzed the Trolley driver we now retired to Kate's Diner - Country Griddle to have lunch and digest what we now knew of Guthrie. Incidentally Woodie (and hence Arlo) Guthrie was born and raised near here, is that merely a coincidence?
Over tea and coffee (which kept getting refilled), Sally's excellent Char grilled Chick and Fries and my All Day Breakfast of pancakes, over medium eggs, bacon and sausage, (for which I was very appreciative that she had put on extra butter, the maple syrup was warm and the plates were hot) we made the momentous decision that we would visit the Oklahoma Territorial Museum on East Oklahoma Ave that afternoon.
Oklahoma Territorial Museum
Here was another $3.00 each well spent.
This museum explained in great detail the events that took place in Oklahoma, majoring on the years between 1889 and 1910.
Well for those of you who are still awake I can (having visited the Museum) explain what made Guthrie special.
Preamble:
The Mid West had been bought for $15m. in 1804 in the Louisiana Purchase, but from early reports was of very little value. So was basically left alone. However it was useful as a place to put Indians. Indians were often in inconvenient places (places white men wanted to be) right across the Eastern USA, so by a combination of forced removal, government laws, state law and Indian Tribes wanting to get away from White Men, almost all the American Indian nations ended up in the area where Oklahoma would be. In all 167 tribes moved into land given or sold to them in Oklahoma. Many Indians were educated and took on white men's way of life, though many others did not. So the arrangement was not altogether amicable, but it seemed to work out OK. I do not remember all the nations, but the Seminole and Creek had land to the south and in the centre.
As the railroads and people moved West this large area was now becoming a usable asset, but protected by the Government. Big business started to band together to drum up support for developing these areas, to the extent that armed groups would stat unofficial settlements, only to be removed by the government troops. The troops used were the now famous Buffalo Soldiers, so called by the Indians because of their dark and curly hair. The Buffalo Soldiers were a black troop set up during the Civil War, but not really taken seriously, hence ending up doing border patrol work. The early settlers and people stirring up trouble to take over the Indian lands were called 'Boomers' (banging their own drum).
Now Sally and I had discussed Oklahoma a bit and made the comment that it was unlikely that the Civil War would have much effect on the areas we were going to visit this time, because they were all settled long after the event - Oh How Wrong!
During the Civil War some Indian Tribes had supported, or even fought, on the side of the North, and some on the side of the South. Now the South lost and there were war reparations to be made. The Seminole and Creek had supported the South, and so forfeit their lands ( a couple of thousand Sq miles) in the Oklahoma area (not even a territory then). These became known as The Unassigned Lands. The Boomers wanted very much to settle in them, The Buffalo soldiers job was to keep them out.
The big business people continued to apply pressure to the government, as by now the railroads ran through the Indian and unassigned lands. Then in March 1889 President Harrison announced the Unassigned areas should now be settled and a Land Run would take place on Friday April 22nd (barely a month away). Everyone who entered and won would able to claim 160 acres of wilderness, or a parcel of land in areas designated as towns.
Guthrie as a town did not exist at this point of time, it was merely the last water stop on the Santa Fe Railroad before Oklahoma City (itself just another water stop on the railroad). However Guthrie was chosen as a Claim Filing Station and designated a town with several thousand parcels of land marked out by the government.
The Land Run of 89
This was the exciting part. Imagine, Unassigned Lands, the central part of Oklahoma had been ripped from the Indians by a political ruse. An area of several thousand Square miles. To become an instant territory. The Land run was announced, people had a month to prepare. To get to the borders of the Unassigned Land, any way they could, bringing whatever they could. There were farmers, cattlemen, blacksmiths, shop keepers, bankers, lawyers. People on their own, whole families, company men. Honest men and women, cheats and liars, hard workers and crooks. They brought horses, wagons, mules, or just walked. Some would come by train, as there were already railways running through.
In side the borders were patrolled by the famous Buffalo Troops. U.S. Marshall's and troops patrolled the land. Troops and government agents had marked out the land with stakes.
No one could enter the land before midday on the Friday, then it was hell for leather for everyone to claim the best land for themselves or their family. There are several reports of 60,000 people, one report of 100,000 people in the Land Run. Some literally lined up and started when a gun was fired, racing across the countryside. Many wagons were damaged or overturned. Trains packed full of would be claimants waited at the boundary for the start and then moved at 15 miles per hour, so as not to give the riders an unfair advantage, these were mostly people who planned to find a stake in the towns being set up. Though many others took the train and jumped off when they saw a likely looking piece of land.
As soon as the trains stopped at the stations people swarmed away to find the best piece of land, many of them businessmen. Only to find that swindlers, cheats, government and local officials had grabbed all the best plots.
The people who came in early to grab a stake were called 'Sooners', those who literally jumped the gun by staking their claim early, by entering the land during the night, by the light of the moon, and were called 'Moonshiners', this was well before prohibition.
Even though everyone was in a rush to stake their claim only three claims were registered on that first day. Overall only a third of the Land Runners managed to stake a claim. In the first year 50% of the claims lapsed. This was partly due to a drought, also April was too late to plant a crop, so many starved. Those who thought they could make some quick money soon found the it was very hard work. The land was poor and 160 acres was not enough to support a family farm. Many of the Soonere were found out (official sources) and they were punished, often by having their claims removed. Lawyers were busy for years settling disputed claims. Surprisingly the ethos of the Sooner was admired by people in Oklahoma as being sharp and clever!!! and Oklahoma adopted it as its nickname as the Sooner State.
It is famous for its 'Sooners and Boomers'
There were many stories of success, failure and intrigue. The setting up of an instant territory was fascinating. In one month Guthrie became the largest town west of the Mississippi, with more than 10,000 people. It had 40 doctors, 6 banks, a newspaper, shops, trains and a telegraph. For several years after it had its problems, out of which grew the stories of cowboys, bank robbers, gangs and famous lawmen.
Guthrie continued to grow and prosper, and was the most important town in the area, it also had the Oklahoma University. In 1906 Oklahoma became the 46th State, with Guthrie as it's State Capital.
The Day Guthrie Died
However, not all was well. Guthrie had to choose University or Seat of Government (laws at the time), it chose to be the Capital and the university moved to Oklahoma City. Oklahoma City and Tulsa were also growing fast. Oklahoma City was getting rich on big beef contracts with Texas.
In June 1910 a referendum was held to decide the capital for Oklahoma. On 10th June 1910, the day before the results were known, Governor Haskell gave instructions for the State Seal to be removed from Guthrie to Oklahoma City in the middle of the night, amidst a huge cry of outrage from Guthrie people when they found out. However to no avail - Oklahoma City had outwitted Guthrie and became the capital, which it still is today.
From that moment on Guthrie declined, it was estimated that in the year after losing the capitalship house values dropped by 80%. The whole town went into recession, banks moved to Oklahoma City, newspapers and businesses closed down. Although bad for the town at the time it meant that the town stayed almost exactly the same from 1910 until the present day, only in the last thirty years the old buildings have been renovated and it is a wonderful example of what a town looked like in the time period from 1889 to 1910.
We loved our day in Guthrie, we loved talking to the poor curator of the museum, who had to answer all our questions (I think she enjoyed it really).
Ruminations
We had both thought that Oklahoma was the big bit of country that fills the gap between the East and the Rockies. That as it didn't exist before 1906 that it had no history. Only to find once again that every state has the capacity to amaze us. Here is the coming together of all the Indian Nations of North America (we didn't even start on Indian Culture) into one place. Here we find a fascinating story and amazing history, which is the quintessential heart of the growth of the American Nation, in its pioneering spirit, the depth of political intrigue, the homogenisation of people in taking part it the Land Run. Just doing it!
We also found that because of the make up of people, the land having been given, people being rootless, enabled 'dormant hoboism' (my phrase) which was one of the factors which enabled the people to pack up and leave in the depression of the the 20s/30s. When many thousands of families could no longer live in the Dust Bowl of America and set out on the long trek along the newly built Route 66, which was on their doorstep, knowing that California was just at the other end of the road. (please now go and read Grapes of Wrath).
We also discovered that Oklahoma was a land of greater equality, land was apportioned without heed to race, sex or nationality (as long as you intended to stay and improve the land you could have it). The only discrimination was if you had been a Union soldier you could own the land straight away, all others had to wait till lthey had worked the land for five years, or else could buy it.
After we left the museum we went back to our trailer feeling as though a whole new understanding of Oklahoma had been give to us. We had learned so much, so unexpectedly. A great day!
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