Henry Overholser
— The ‘89er Trail —
An ardent promoter and businessman: perhaps the greatest of the founding fathers
Prior to the Run of 1889, Ohio native Henry Overholser arranged for 10 railroad cars of prefabricated wood-frame buildings and lumber to be waiting for him at Oklahoma Station. Within days after his arrival on April 24, he erected six two-story buildings on lots he had purchased on Grand (later, Sheridan) Avenue, and they remained there until Charles F. Colcord bought them to build the Colcord Building in 1910. Within a month of his arrival, Overholser was elected president of the Board of Trade, predecessor of the Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce. Until his death in 1915 he was one of the city's most ardent and effective boosters, investing in a streetcar company, railroads, banks, and the State Fair.
Couch's resignation as mayor in November 1889 led to Overholser's first run for political office, a race he lost by a scant 14 votes. In 1894 he was elected County Commissioner, a position he held for six years. His son Ed served as mayor from 1915-1918, and later as chairman of the Chamber of Commerce from 1922-1930. Lake Overholser is named for his son, Ed.
Overholser built and operated the Grand Avenue Hotel, the magnificent Overholser Opera House, the Overholser Block, and the Overholser Theater, all near Grand and Robinson.
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Photo captions:
Top left: Henry Overholser's prefabricated buildings were built in Michigan, shipped to Oklahoma Station, and assembled on Grand Avenue in May 1889.
Research Division of the Oklahoma Historical Society
Bottom left: More than a decade after the Run of 1889, pioneer businessman Henry Overholser and his wife Anna lone built their home at 15th Street and Hudson on the open prairie, just a few blocks north of the business district that he helped to create. Today the house is a museum containing the original furnishings. Research Division of the Oklahoma Historical Society
Top right: For many years, the Overholser Opera House, just west of his prefabricated buildings, served as a cultural mecca for '89ers and their descendants. Research Division of the Oklahoma Historical Society
Erected 2018 by Oklahoma City Community Foundation, Wiggin Properties. (Marker Number 26.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic
Location. 35° 27.976′ N, 97° 31.042′ W. Marker is in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, in Oklahoma County. It is in Central Oklahoma City. Marker is on West Sheridan Avenue west of Ron Norick Boulevard, on the left when traveling west. Located at Myriad Botanical Gardens. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: West Sheridan Avenue, Oklahoma City OK 73102, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. T.M. Richardson and the Oklahoma Bank (a few steps from this marker); Charles Colcord (within shouting distance of this marker); Visit of the Congressmen (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); The Resignation of Mayor William L. Couch (about 600 feet away); South Oklahoma (about 700 feet away); A Summer of Political Unrest (approx. 0.2 miles away); City Hall by Forfeiture (approx. 0.2 miles away); The Citizens' Committee (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Oklahoma City.
Also see . . .
1. Wikipedia article on Henry Overholser. (Submitted on October 29, 2019, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama.)
2. Oklahoma Historical Society on Henry Overholser (w/photo). (Submitted on October 29, 2019, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama.)
Credits. This page was last revised on February 16, 2023. It was originally submitted on October 29, 2019, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama. This page has been viewed 171 times since then and 26 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on October 29, 2019, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama.
