Guthrie, Oklahoma

== History ==
[[File:State Capital Company Building in Guthrie, Oklahoma (2013).jpg|thumb|Oklahoma State Capital Company Building in Guthrie]]
Guthrie was established in 1887 as a [[Old Santa Fe Depot of Guthrie|railroad station]] called Deer Creek on the Southern Kansas Railway (later acquired by the [[Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway]]) running from the [[Kansas]]–[[Oklahoma]] border to [[Purcell, Oklahoma|Purcell]].<ref name="EOHC-Guthrie">[http://digital.library.okstate.edu/encyclopedia/entries/G/GU003.html "Guthrie." Wilson, Linda D. ''Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture''.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100516055949/http://digital.library.okstate.edu/encyclopedia/entries/G/GU003.html |date=2010-05-16 }} Retrieved August 10, 2014.</ref> The name was later changed to Guthrie, named for jurist John Guthrie of [[Topeka, Kansas]]. A [[post office]] was established on April 4, 1889.<ref>Shirk, George H. (1966). ''Oklahoma Place Names'', p. 94. Norman, Oklahoma: University of Oklahoma Press.</ref>

In 1889, some fifty thousand potential settlers gathered at the edges of the [[Unassigned Lands]] in hopes of staking a claim to a plot. At noon on April 22, 1889, cannons resounded at a {{convert|2000000|acre|ha km2|adj=on|lk=on}} section of [[Indian Territory]], launching president [[Benjamin Harrison]]'s "Hoss Race" or [[Land Run of 1889]]. People ran for both farmlands and towns.

During the next six hours, about 10,000 people settled in what became the capital of the new [[Territory of Oklahoma]]. Within months, Guthrie was developed as a modern brick and stone "Queen of the Prairie" with [[Water supply network|municipal water]], electricity, a [[Public transport|mass transit]] system, and underground [[parking garages]] for horses and [[carriage]]s.

Guthrie's western heritage includes the fact that, on April 13, 1898, outlaw Richard "Little Dick" West, a former member of the [[Wild Bunch|Wild Bunch gang]], was in town when approached by legendary lawmen [[Heck Thomas]] and [[Bill Tilghman]]. He refused to surrender and was killed in the resulting gunfight. He is buried in the Summit View Cemetery in Guthrie near outlaw [[Bill Doolin]].<ref name="West">{{cite web|url= https://www.legendsofamerica.com/richard-west/| title=Richard West, Oklahoma Outlaw| publisher= Legends of America| access-date=February 24, 2020}}</ref>

[[Hobart Johnstone Whitley]], also known as HJ and the 'Father of Hollywood,' was the first president of the Guthrie Chamber of Commerce. Whitley built the first brick block building in the territory for his National Loan & Trust Company. He was asked by the local people to be the first Governor of Oklahoma. Whitley traveled to [[Washington, D.C.]] where he persuaded the [[United States Congress|U.S. Congress]] to allow Guthrie to be the new capital of the future state of Oklahoma. This was specified in the 1906 [[Oklahoma Enabling Act]], which established certain requirements for the new state constitution.<ref name="EOHC-Enabling">Everett, Dianna. ''Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture''. "Enabling Act (1906)." Retrieved January 10, 2012.[http://digital.library.okstate.edu/encyclopedia/entries/E/EN001.html] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111123113006/http://digital.library.okstate.edu/encyclopedia/entries/E/EN001.html|date=2011-11-23}}</ref> By 1907, when Guthrie became the state capital, it looked like a well-established Eastern city.

Guthrie prospered as the administrative center of the territory, but it was eclipsed in economic influence by [[Oklahoma City]] early in the 20th century. Oklahoma City had become a major junction for several railroads and had also attracted a major industry in the form of [[meat packing]]. Oklahoma City business leaders began campaigning soon after statehood to make Oklahoma City the new state capital, and in 1910 a special election was held to determine the location of the state capital. 96,488 votes were cast for Oklahoma City; 31,031 for Guthrie; and 8,382 for [[Shawnee, Oklahoma|Shawnee]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Franks |first1=Kenny Arthur |last2=Lambert |first2=Paul F. |title=Oklahoma: The Land and Its People |year=1997 |publisher=University of Oklahoma Press |isbn=978-0-8061-9944-3  |page=62}}</ref> [[Governor of Oklahoma|Governor]] [[Charles N. Haskell]], who was in [[Tulsa]] on the day of the election, ordered his secretary W. B. Anthony to have [[Oklahoma Secretary of State]] Bill Cross obtain the [[Seals of the U.S. states|state seal]] and transport it to Oklahoma City, despite having been served a restraining order by Logan County Sheriff John Mahoney blocking the transfer.<ref name=Myths>{{cite web |last=Dean |first=Michael |title=Oklahoma State Capitol Moved to OKC Myths vs. Reality |url=http://www.okhistory.org/okjourneys/okcapitol.html |work=Oklahoma Journeys |publisher=Oklahoma Historical Society |access-date=February 7, 2012 |date=June 27, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120119201232/http://www.okhistory.org/okjourneys/okcapitol.html |archive-date=January 19, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Mahoney|first=John|title=Pioneer Logan County Sheriff Dies At Guthrie|url=http://www.okolha.net/obit_mahoney_john.htm}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Sheriff Attempts to Prevent Transfer of Capital |url=http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83030214/1910-06-13 |newspaper=New York Tribune |date=June 13, 1910 }}{{Dead link|date=December 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref name="Fact Bites">{{cite web |last=Mahoney |first=John |title=State Seal Whisked Out of Guthrie |url=http://www.factbites.com/topics/Charles-N.-Haskell |publisher=Tulsa World Centennial |access-date=2012-09-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140407081311/http://www.factbites.com/topics/Charles-N.-Haskell |archive-date=2014-04-07 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Anthony obtained written authorization from Cross, retrieved the seal from the Logan County courthouse, and delivered it to Oklahoma City.<ref name=Myths/>

After the capital was transferred, Guthrie lost much of its government-related business and numerous residents. It began to dwindle in size and soon lost its status as Oklahoma's second-largest city, initially to [[Muskogee, Oklahoma|Muskogee]], then later to [[Tulsa, Oklahoma|Tulsa]]. A challenge to the new state capital was heard in the [[Oklahoma Supreme Court]]; it upheld the election and move in its ruling on February 9, 1911,<ref>{{cite court |litigants=Coyle v. Smith |vol=113 |reporter=P. |opinion=44 |court=Oklahoma Supreme Court |date=1911}}</ref> as did the United States Supreme Court in 1911.<ref>{{cite court |litigants=Coyle v. Smith |vol=221 |reporter=U.S. |opinion=559 |date=1911 |url=https://www.law.cornell.edu/supct/html/historics/USSC_CR_0221_0559_ZO.html |access-date=February 7, 2012}}</ref>

The center district of Guthrie was designated a [[National Historic Landmark]] by the [[National Park Service]] in 1999, in recognition of the city's importance to state history, as well as its rich architecture.

=== Culture ===
As a result of Guthrie's early loss of prominence, it has a well-preserved [[Victorian era|Victorian]] enclave.  Whereas growth and inattentive [[urban planning]] caused other Oklahoma towns such as [[Oklahoma City]] to destroy much of their early downtown architecture, much of the entire central business and residential district of Guthrie is intact.

The National Finals Steer Roping Rodeo is held in Guthrie. On six occasions, the [[Texas]] rodeo promoter [[Dan Taylor (rodeo)|Dan Taylor]] was chute director for the competition in Guthrie.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tsln.com/article/20101116/TSLN01/101119978|title=Dan Taylor: Former PRCA President dies at 87, November 16, 2010|publisher=Tri-State Livestock News|access-date=August 4, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120316220358/http://www.tsln.com/article/20101116/TSLN01/101119978|archive-date=March 16, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Historical tourism has become a significant industry for the town.  Guthrie is the largest urban [[Historic district (United States)|Historic district]] in Oklahoma, containing 2,169 buildings, {{convert|1400|acre|ha km2|sigfig=3}} and 400 city blocks.  Guthrie is a "Certified City;" it has received a [[Community Development Block Grant]] to inventory infrastructure features for Capital Improvement Planning.

Guthrie has two lakes to the south, Liberty Lake and Guthrie Lake. Its museums include the Oklahoma Territorial Museum and hosts the [[Oklahoma International Bluegrass Festival]], which draws 15,000 visitors annually. In addition, Guthrie claims to be the "Bed and Breakfast capital of Oklahoma.

Guthrie also hosts the [[Scottish Rite Temple (Guthrie, Oklahoma)|Guthrie Scottish Rite Masonic Temple]], one of the world's largest Masonic Centers,<ref name=gsr>{{cite web|url=http://www.guthriescottishrite.org/ |title=Welcome |publisher=Guthrie Scottish Rite}}</ref> which in years past has brought artists such as Henry Mancini, Lena Horne, Victor Borge, and Luciano Pavarotti to local audiences.<ref>[https://thepollard.org/history/ Pollard Theatre. "Our History" retrieved May 29, 2021.]</ref>

Guthrie has Oklahoma's oldest year-round professional theatre company, the Pollard Theatre Company.<ref>[http://www.thepollard.org The Pollard Theatre<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> With an emphasis on creative story-telling to illuminate the shared human experience, the Pollard produces six or more plays and musicals annually, enlisting artists across the United States.  The annual holiday favorite is ''A Territorial Christmas Carol.''

Guthrie is served by the ''Guthrie News-Leader'' newspaper.<ref>[http://www.GuthrieNewsLeader.net Guthrie News - Logan County's News Source, Classifieds and Business Directory since 1892<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>