| FIRST CAPITAL OF THE OKLAHOMA TERRITORY AND THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA |
| From Landrun to Landmark, Guthrie is Oklahoma's Magic City |
CLICK WWW.GUTHRIEOK.COM FOR MORE INFORMATION
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At noon on April 22, 1889, cannons
marked the beginning of "Harrison's
Hoss Race" the opening of the
unassigned lands to settlers. On that
day, in a matter of a few hours
Guthrie was born and became home
overnight to 10,000 people who
wanted the chance to make their
home on the fertile prairie land of
what would later become the State of
Oklahoma.
On that day, now celebrated as
'89er Day, Guthrie became one
of the largest cities west of the
Mississippi. Within a few months
this "Queen of the Prairie" was a
marvel built of red brick and native
sandstone. For the early residents
there was municipal water, theater,
electricity, a mass transit system and
underground parking garages for
horses and carriages.
In 1907 when Oklahoma became
the forty-sixth state, Guthrie was a
gracious and elegant city worthy of
its Capital status with imposing
buildings and an active social and
economic climate that would
rival much larger cities.
Statehood however, brought
political struggles that would
end Guthrie's days as the Capital.
These events would culminate
In the middle of the night on June
11, 1910, when the State Seal would
be "stolen" and taken by horseback
to Oklahoma City. With it, on that
fateful night, Guthrie's economic
base disappeared. With the state
government gone, there was no
business or industrial development
to take its place. Sadly, the city
slipped into a deep sleep that would
last seventy years.
marked the beginning of "Harrison's
Hoss Race" the opening of the
unassigned lands to settlers. On that
day, in a matter of a few hours
Guthrie was born and became home
overnight to 10,000 people who
wanted the chance to make their
home on the fertile prairie land of
what would later become the State of
Oklahoma.
On that day, now celebrated as
'89er Day, Guthrie became one
of the largest cities west of the
Mississippi. Within a few months
this "Queen of the Prairie" was a
marvel built of red brick and native
sandstone. For the early residents
there was municipal water, theater,
electricity, a mass transit system and
underground parking garages for
horses and carriages.
In 1907 when Oklahoma became
the forty-sixth state, Guthrie was a
gracious and elegant city worthy of
its Capital status with imposing
buildings and an active social and
economic climate that would
rival much larger cities.
Statehood however, brought
political struggles that would
end Guthrie's days as the Capital.
These events would culminate
In the middle of the night on June
11, 1910, when the State Seal would
be "stolen" and taken by horseback
to Oklahoma City. With it, on that
fateful night, Guthrie's economic
base disappeared. With the state
government gone, there was no
business or industrial development
to take its place. Sadly, the city
slipped into a deep sleep that would
last seventy years.
Today, thanks to people of vision,
Guthrie is alive and well and once
again, a bustling city! Because the
preservation and restoration of
her many beautiful buildings are
priorities, Guthrie can live up to her
historical reputation as a truly "Magic
City".
Guthrie has been honored with many
designations that help attract
an estimated 250,000 visitors each
year. She is the largest contiguous
Historic District on the National
Resister of Historic Places and, in
2004 was one of the National Trust
for Historic Preservation's Dozen
Distinctive Destinations. Guthrie is
a National Historic Landmark. The
Historic District contains 2,169
buildings, 1,400 acres and 400 city
blocks.
There are eight exciting festivals and
celebrations in Guthrie each year
that draw visitor from all over the
world. And, in addition to the
Oklahoma Frontier Drugstore
Museum there are six other
unique museums, a wide
variety of shops and eateries,
golf, rodeo and extraordinary
live theater venues.
The First Capital Trolley conducts an
informative narrated tour of the
Historic District year round.
In 2007 Oklahoma will celebrate its
Centennial year and Guthrie, as its
First Capital is without competition as
the centerpiece of that event.
Plan to visit Guthrie soon and enjoy
the Oklahoma Frontier Drugstore
Museum and our beautiful city!
Guthrie is alive and well and once
again, a bustling city! Because the
preservation and restoration of
her many beautiful buildings are
priorities, Guthrie can live up to her
historical reputation as a truly "Magic
City".
Guthrie has been honored with many
designations that help attract
an estimated 250,000 visitors each
year. She is the largest contiguous
Historic District on the National
Resister of Historic Places and, in
2004 was one of the National Trust
for Historic Preservation's Dozen
Distinctive Destinations. Guthrie is
a National Historic Landmark. The
Historic District contains 2,169
buildings, 1,400 acres and 400 city
blocks.
There are eight exciting festivals and
celebrations in Guthrie each year
that draw visitor from all over the
world. And, in addition to the
Oklahoma Frontier Drugstore
Museum there are six other
unique museums, a wide
variety of shops and eateries,
golf, rodeo and extraordinary
live theater venues.
The First Capital Trolley conducts an
informative narrated tour of the
Historic District year round.
In 2007 Oklahoma will celebrate its
Centennial year and Guthrie, as its
First Capital is without competition as
the centerpiece of that event.
Plan to visit Guthrie soon and enjoy
the Oklahoma Frontier Drugstore
Museum and our beautiful city!
| H I S T O R I C |
| 214 W. OKLAHOMA AVE. GUTHRIE OKLAHOMA 73044 405 282-1895 |