University in Norman in Cleveland County, Oklahoma — The American South (West South Central)

Boyd House

Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, June 20, 2025

1. Boyd House Marker, Side One

Inscription.

Boyd House. . President David Ross Boyd (1853-1936) arrived in Norman on August 6, 1892. Born in Ohio and educated at Wooster College, he had been hired as the first president of the fledgling University. He later recalled, “Not a tree or shrub broke the interminable monotony of the hard-pan desert. … Behind me was a crude little town of 1,500 people, and before me was a stretch of prairie on which my helpers and I were to build an institution of culture. Discouraged! Not a bit. The sight was a challenge.” , With an original faculty of only three other professors, Boyd met that challenge head-on. The university began as a preparatory school due to the unpreparedness of its applicants, with 57 students enrolled in September of 1892 and 119 by academic year's end. Boyd traveled the state in a horse and buggy to promote the new university to potential students. , Transforming the prairie, Boyd planted sapling trees bought with his own money, watering them by hand. He served as president until 1908 when he was fired by the state's first Governor Charles Haskell for partisan political reasons. Boyd was made President Emeritus in March 1930, a title he held until his death on November 17, 1936. , The Boyd House was built as President Boyd's home in 1906, and became university property in 1914. Between 1915 and 1922, President Stratton D. Brooks had the house completely remodeled, adding a neoclassical facade and columns to the front of the house. It served as the presidential residence until 1969, and hosted many famous visitors, including scientist Alexander Flemming, President William Howard Taft, musician John Phillips Sousa, biographer Carl Sandburg and Eleanor Roosevelt. After 1969, it housed university offices. Following a private fundraising drive led by President David Boren and First Lady Molly Shi Boren it underwent restoration beginning in June of 1995 and once again became the president's home in 1996. , In the first few years after its restoration, Boyd House once again hosted national and world leaders including President George H. Bush, British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, Mikail Gorbachev, former President of the U.S.S.R., Nobel Prize Winner Archbishop Desmond Tutu, and many others.

President David Ross Boyd (1853-1936) arrived in Norman on August 6, 1892. Born in Ohio and educated at Wooster College, he had been hired as the first president of the fledgling University. He later recalled, “Not a tree or shrub broke the interminable monotony of the hard-pan desert. … Behind me was a crude little town of 1,500 people, and before me was a stretch of prairie on which my helpers and I were to build an institution of culture. Discouraged! Not a bit. The sight was a challenge.”

With an original faculty of only three other professors, Boyd met that challenge head-on. The university began as a preparatory school due to the unpreparedness of its applicants, with 57 students enrolled in September of 1892 and 119 by academic year's end. Boyd traveled the state in a horse and buggy to promote the new university to potential students.

Transforming the prairie, Boyd planted sapling trees bought with his own money, watering them by hand. He served as president until 1908 when he was fired by the state's first Governor Charles Haskell for partisan political reasons. Boyd was made President Emeritus in March

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1930, a title he held until his death on November 17, 1936.

The Boyd House was built as President Boyd's home in 1906, and became university property in 1914. Between 1915 and 1922, President Stratton D. Brooks had the house completely remodeled, adding a neoclassical facade and columns to the front of the house. It served as the presidential residence until 1969, and hosted many famous visitors, including scientist Alexander Flemming, President William Howard Taft, musician John Phillips Sousa, biographer Carl Sandburg and Eleanor Roosevelt. After 1969, it housed university offices. Following a private fundraising drive led by President David Boren and First Lady Molly Shi Boren it underwent restoration beginning in June of 1995 and once again became the president's home in 1996.

In the first few years after its restoration, Boyd House once again hosted national and world leaders including President George H. Bush, British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, Mikail Gorbachev, former President of the U.S.S.R., Nobel Prize Winner Archbishop Desmond Tutu, and many others.

Erected by The University of Oklahoma.

Topics and series.

Boyd House Marker, Side Two image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, June 20, 2025

2. Boyd House Marker, Side Two

This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Education • Notable Buildings. In addition, it is included in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP), and the University of Oklahoma series lists. A significant historical year for this entry is 1906.

Location. 35° 12.676′ N, 97° 26.75′ W. Marker is in Norman, Oklahoma, in Cleveland County. It is in University. It is at the intersection of West Boyd Street and University Boulevard, on the right when traveling west on West Boyd Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 407 W Boyd St, Norman OK 73069, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Central Oklahoma — Frontier Country

and in Greater Oklahoma City.

It is also 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

and also the Louisiana Purchase.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker:

Boyd House Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, June 20, 2025

3. Boyd House Marker

Whitehand Hall (within shouting distance of this marker); Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art (within shouting distance of this marker); Charles M. Russell Center (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Donald W. Reynolds (about 300 feet away); Historic Holmberg Hall (about 300 feet away); Donald W. Reynolds Performing Arts Center (about 400 feet away); Ada Lois Sipuel Fisher Garden (about 500 feet away); Parrington Oval (about 600 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Norman.

Also see . . . President's House, University of Oklahoma (PDF). National Register of Historic Places nomination for the house, which was listed in 1976. (Prepared by Loren N. Brown and Kent Ruth, Oklahoma Historical Society; via State Historic Preservation Office of Oklahoma) (Submitted on July 14, 2025, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)

The Boyd House image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, June 20, 2025

4. The Boyd House

David Ross Boyd (1853-1936) image. Click for full size.

Harris & Ewing; via Library of Congress Prints & Photographs Division (Public Domain)

5. David Ross Boyd (1853-1936)

He reportedly planted nearly 10,000 trees on campus in his first 18 months as president. He later became president of the University of New Mexico.

Credits. This page was last revised on July 14, 2025. It was originally submitted on July 14, 2025, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 111 times since then and 17 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on July 14, 2025, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.