On October 3, 1899, William L. Eagleton, Grand Master of Masons for Oklahoma Territory, laid a cornerstone at this site for the construction of the first Scottish Rite Masonic Temple in Oklahoma.
The Temple occupied the south half of this block . . . — — Map (db m141938) HM
One of the most popular of the numerous saloons in Guthrie during Territorial times, the Blue Bell was an 1889 enterprise of John Selstrom and Jack Tearney. It boasted Tom Mix as a bartender before he departed for stardom in silent films, and Temple . . . — — Map (db m141776) HM
The 1890 City Directory lists 107 S. 2nd as F. C. Bonfils Real Estate with residence on 2nd floor. Son of a Missouri Judge and descendant of Napoleon, he was 28 when he joined the Land Run of 1889. A colorful con man and lottery promoter, he had but . . . — — Map (db m141691) HM
Built in 1899 as an adjunct to the Royal Hotel, the Brooks was praised in its day as the finest theater in the Southwest. It presented popular entertainments and was also the setting for many dazzling "first nights" for territorial society.
Some . . . — — Map (db m141927) HM
Built in 1902 with a grant of $25,000 from Andrew Carnegie, it housed the first tax-supported library in Oklahoma. It was the site of the inaugurations of Territorial Governor Frank Frantz in 1905 and 1st State Governor, Charles N. Haskell, in 1907. . . . — — Map (db m141936) HM
Built in 1890 by Irwin S. DeFord, self-described "money-lender" and capitalist, the DeFord Building is perhaps the gem of Joseph Foucart's architecture in Downtown Guthrie.
The sidewall, facing "Government Acre" surrounding the Land Office, is . . . — — Map (db m141699) HM
Two buildings designed to look as one, the De Steiguer
building was an ornament of East Guthrie. Built in 1890 by
the banking pioneer De Steiguer brothers, Rodolph and Louis.
it housed their Bank of Guthrie in the west section, and a
tobacco . . . — — Map (db m141470) HM
This stone marks the site of the first city hall and water works of Guthrie. The old well is a few feet east of this marker. The jog in the alley is due to building the alley around the first city hall and jail. — — Map (db m141942) HM
This is the first Carnegie Library in Okla. Frank Frantz, last Territorial Governor and Charles Haskell, first State Governor were inaugurated on the steps here. The mock wedding of Miss Indian Territory and Mr. Oklahoma Territory was here. The . . . — — Map (db m141939) HM
Restored in 1980 to its original look, the Foucart Building was built in 1891 by Edward T. Patten to house the Boston Store (dry goods) managed by J.M. Brooks, later builder of Brooks Opera House. Geo. King's New York Racket Store (notions, general) . . . — — Map (db m141933) HM
Wm. H. "Harry" Gray, a naturalized Canadian, homesteaded the lot bearing the west half of this building. He staked it April 22, 1889 and immediately relocated his grocery and wholesale business from Udall, Kan. His brother, George, joined him in . . . — — Map (db m141476) HM
Guthrie's building spree peaked April 9, 1902, with laying the corner
stone for its commodious City Hall, designed by Joseph Foucart in his
best belfry and turret style. The building's second floor assembly
room was used for the Constitutional . . . — — Map (db m141688) HM
Home of the Guthrie Daily Leader since 1894, the "Waite Block" was built in 1891 by A. H. Waite, manager of the Kansas City Mercantile Co., to house two separate retail establishments.
The Leader was founded in 1892 as the Territory's . . . — — Map (db m141934) HM
Rushed to completion in the summer of 1889, the Guthrie
National Bank building was the first brick structure built in what
became Oklahoma Territory. It also proudly claimed many other
firsts. It was located where J. W. McNeal of Medicine . . . — — Map (db m141680) HM
Erected in 1890, the International "Block" was named for its builders, the International Loan and Investment Company. H. J. Whitley and George D. Orput, prime movers of the Guthrie Club booster organization, were heads of the company, financed by . . . — — Map (db m141935) HM
This stone marks the site of the U. S. Land Office where each of 20,000 persons making the "Historic Run of 1889" had to appear in person and file his claim. This also is the site of the first post office in old Oklahoma. — — Map (db m141681) HM
Oklahoma--an all black state with a black
governor--was the dream of E. P. McCabe,
lawyer, farmer, and Republican activist. McCabe
vigorously promoted black settlement and
assumed role as spokesman for black people
in Washington with President . . . — — Map (db m141703) HM
After successful settlement of rival claim to the lots by one Xenophon Fitzgerald, the Logan County Investment Co. built this imposing structure in 1901, financed by St. Louis, Missouri investors who foresaw a solid future for the town and . . . — — Map (db m141478) HM
Built in 1902 by Frank Hilton Greer, this building housed the
first newspaper in Oklahoma Territory and the largest printing
plant west of the Mississippi.
The paper actually began in Kansas before the Run and came
to Guthrie with the . . . — — Map (db m141751) HM
Dennis T. Flynn (afterwards delegate in congress from Oklahoma)
with no authority beyond a telegram from Senator Plum of
Kansas saying he was to be appointed postmaster, opened the
post office in a tent on April 23, 1889. At first, he . . . — — Map (db m141683) HM
One of the most notorious gambling houses
of the Southwest, opened in a tent April 23,
1889. Soon a frame building went up later
replaced by brick. The owners claimed their
doors never closed, day or night, for 15 years.
When closed by . . . — — Map (db m141740) HM
Two weeks after war was declared on Spain, 85 volunteers, mostly members of the Territorial National Guard, on May 5, 1898, filled the Territory's quota as Troop A, 1st United States Volunteer Calvary, the famed "Rough Riders".
Examined and . . . — — Map (db m141928) HM
During the 17 Territorial years, open saloons thrived in Guthrie. One of the most popular was the "Same Old Moses" operated by Moses Weinberger, a settler from Wichita, Kan.
Weinberger made the Run selling bananas April 22, 1889, and soon . . . — — Map (db m141779) HM
The Santa Fe, completed in 1887, was the only railway into Oklahoma Territory and the only direct connection with the "outside" world during the hectic days of 1889. The first depot was a small red frame building located on the west side of the . . . — — Map (db m141930) HM
Winfield S. Smith, Guthrie City Councilman and builder of many early commercial buildings, granted by deed on July 28, 1899 to Nathanial McKay the right to build a two-story 8x10 feet brick privy on his property (Lot 23) with right of access to . . . — — Map (db m3414) HM
This building was the state capitol when the state seal was stolen from here and taken to Oklahoma City, on the night of June 11, 1910, thus moving the site of the state capitol. The first university of Oklahoma was located here in 1892. It operated . . . — — Map (db m140427) HM
With the opening of the approximately two million acres of "Oklahoma Country" for homestead settlement at 12 noon Monday, April 22, 1889, thousands of settlers rushed to claim free land. Those making claims were required by law to register at one of . . . — — Map (db m141698) HM
Triumph of its time, the "Victor Block" was built in 1893 as the finest commercial building in Guthrie by Winfield S. Smith, who constructed many of the downtown business structures. Besides Lillie's Drug Store, the building also held a number of . . . — — Map (db m141784) HM
