Alva in Woods County, Oklahoma — The American South (West South Central)
Woods County Centennial Wall
1893 1993
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, September 8, 2024
1. Woods County Centennial Wall Marker
The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, Cherokee Outlet Chapter, honor the pioneers who made the Land Run into the Cherokee Outlet and those who lived here during the first 100 years.
Committee:
Marcile Lancaster, Marjorie Hayward, Genevee Quinn, Eleanor Sterba, Coeta Evans, Lorraine Fettke, Lorraine Kendrick, Lorene Devery, Patricia Thornton, Virginia Brandenburg, Irene Ewing
Mason: Arndt Masonry
Engraver: Alva Monument
Erected by National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, Cherokee Outlet Chapter.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Settlements & Settlers. In addition, it is included in the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1893.
Location. 36° 48.238′ N, 98° 39.886′ W. Marker is in Alva, Oklahoma, in Woods County. It is at the intersection of Barnes Street and Government Street, on the left when traveling east on Barnes Street. The marker and Centennial Wall occupy the northwest corner of the intersection. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area:
this page online
Regionally, this marker is in the American South, specifically on the prairies, and on the Southern Plains. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture, the Louisiana Purchase, and Cherokee Outlet.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Thunderbirds (within shouting distance of this marker); Alva POW Camp (within shouting distance of this marker); 45th Infantry Div. (within shouting distance of this marker); World War I Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker); Burning of the Castle on the Hill (within shouting distance of this marker); In Honor of the Growth of Cooperative Extension Continuing Education in Woods County (within shouting distance of this marker); Site of United States Land Office Building (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); The Old Courthouse (about 300 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Alva.
Also see . . .
1. Land Run of 1893 (Wikipedia).
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, September 8, 2024
2. Woods County Centennial Wall Marker
The marker is mounted at eye-level at the center of the Centennial Wall.
Excerpt: Also known as the Cherokee Outlet Opening or the Cherokee Strip Land Run, it marked the opening to settlement of the Cherokee Outlet in the Oklahoma Territory's fourth and largest land run. It was part of what would later become the U.S. state of Oklahoma in 1907. The Land Run itself began at noon on September 16, 1893, with an estimated 100,000 participants hoping to stake claim to part of the 6 million acres and 40,000 homesteads on what had formerly been Cherokee grazing land. It would be Oklahoma's fourth and largest land run.(Submitted on January 31, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
Four United States General Land Offices for the run were specially set up to handle the event in Perry, Enid, Woodward, and Alva. Infantry troops were stationed at those sites in an attempt to maintain order, while Cavalry troops were stationed at encampments near Alva, Bluff Creek, Chilocco, Clear Creek, Hennessey, Pond Creek, South Wharton, and Waynoka. Despite that, 'Sooners' those who started before the designated time still managed to sneak in and secure some of the best locations, especially in the eastern third of the Outlet and at many of the townsites. With demand for the land faroutstripping that which was available, a majority of the participants did not actually secure a claim for themselves.Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, September 8, 20243. Homesteader Sculpture
2. Pioneer Man and Woman Statues.
(By Cynthia Prescott) Excerpt: Statues placed in front of the 1993 Woods County Centennial Wall to mark the centennial of Oklahoma statehood in 2007. Local artist Calvin L. Graybill sculpted a man and woman staking their land claim. In contrast to other Oklahoma pioneer monuments erected around the same time, Graybill portrayed each figure separately on its own base. That brick wall and plaza were installed by the Cherokee Outlet Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) to mark the 100th anniversary of the Cherokee Outlet "Land Run of 1893." For the state centennial in 2007, local artist Calvin L. Graybill (and husband of Cherokee Outlet DAR Chapter Regent Verna Graybill) designed statues of a pioneer man and woman. Most pioneer monuments featuring both a man and woman depict them in heroic size and standing close together as a couple or as part of a family. In contrast, Graybill(Submitted on January 31, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)treated each separately, and the two 3-foot-tall statues stand about 10 feet apart on separate brick plinths. Like many other pioneer monuments, it depicts the man as the actor, and the woman as his helpmeet. The Alva man looks down as he pounds a claim stake into the ground; the woman gazes out at their land claim as she holds a claim stake with a flag attached to it.Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, September 8, 20244. Homesteader Sculpture
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, September 8, 2024
5. Woods County Centennial Wall
Credits. This page was last revised on January 31, 2025. It was originally submitted on January 30, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 116 times since then and 17 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on January 30, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on January 31, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.
