People from all over the world visit this authentic Western town.
I’ve only driven through Oklahoma and that was a long time ago. All I remember about it were flat, wide open spaces, lots of cattle, miles of desolate highway with commercial truckers roaring down the highway, and a ‘whole lotta nothin’ as far as the eye could see.
It seemed bleak to me and I wondered how anyone could live there, especially considering they have so many tornadoes! Not my cup of tea at all!
Or so I thought.
So when I had an opportunity to volunteer for a month at a horse rescue in Guthrie, OK, I thought — why not? When I looked it up online, I found it somewhat compelling after learning of its history.
Guthrie has amazing Western architecture.
Guthrie Historic District is a designated National Historic Landmark District and was founded in 1889 in the wake of the Land Rush of 1889, opening up Indian territory to approximately fifty thousand participants and creating a white settlement even before the state had been created.
Now, 1889 is a long time ago and the town and its architecture are so original and authentic that it makes a great Western setting for movies of that genre. Most recently the movie ‘Reagan’ was filmed and aired in 2022 starring Dennis Quaid and gave a much-needed infusion to the economy after COVID.
If you love architecture as I do and of course, if the Wild West fascinates you, this is a must-see to add to your trip list. The most notable architect at the time was Joseph Pierre Foucart, who was influenced by the French architect Eugène Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc and his buildings dominate the corridors.
As I walked the main blocks that make up this town, I almost involuntarily imagined the elegant ladies in their long dresses and corsets, and the men riding their horses on the dirt main street with their cowboy hats and vests. It’s as if their ghosts are still here. It was actually such a powerful sensation that it seemed a bit surreal and was a wonderful feeling of connection and familiarity with this significant era in our country’s history.
Oklahoma wasn’t even a designated state until 1907, and Guthrie was deemed its first state capital but only until 1910 when the government moved it to Oklahoma City which is only thirty minutes away and also a city worth visiting with lots of museums, a famous zoo and even a teepee hotel with cookouts and bonfires for the more adventurous travelers.
Guthrie rose and fell quickly and to this day it still has a population of around 10K people, which is about what it had in its heyday.
I noticed the town has an inordinate number of antique shops and I was told that’s because their antiques are amazing and people come from all over the world to shop here. I hadn’t visited any of them yet because I’m not that interested in antiques but I was promised to be impressed so now I can’t wait to go back to check them out.
And now I have a completely different opinion about Oklahoma. Yes, it’s still flatter than I’m used to since I prefer mountains in general, but the scenery is still very beautiful in its own way. Rolling hills, streams, and farmland create a peaceful aura. There are sounds of birds everywhere and the breeze is gentle and constant and smells of open land and rich soil.
I’m here in April and there’s plenty of sunshine and ambient temperatures. I was hoping for some thunderstorms but so far they’ve been fleeting and distant. Rain hasn’t been coming as often as needed and they’re in a pretty severe drought just like most of the country right now, but I hope before I leave I can get at least one really stormy afternoon with lots of wind and rain and thunder and lightning. I’m a storm-starved girl from Phoenix after all and that would be awesome!
Hopefully, you liked what I’ve shared and you might be compelled to take an extra bit of time to stop by this little town that people from all over the world make a point to visit.
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