Amost all of Oklahoma was once Indian Territory. Through treaties in 1866, tribes ceded about half the land to the US government for the relocation of more tribes, except about 2,000,000 acres designated “Unassigned Lands”. These lands were opened for non-Indian settlement on April 22, 1889.
Referred to as “Boomers,” by the appointed day more than 50,000 hopefuls were living in tent cities on all four sides of the territory.
The events that day at Fort Reno on the western border were typical. At 11:50 AM, soldiers called for everyone to form a line. When the hands of the clock reached noon, the cannon of the fort boomed, and the soldiers signaled the settlers to start. With the crack of hundreds of whips, thousands of Boomers streamed into the territory in wagons, on horseback, and on foot.
All told, from 50,000 to 60,000 settlers entered the territory that day. By nightfall, they had staked thousands of claims either on town lots or quarter section farm plots. Towns like Norman, Oklahoma City, Kingfisher, and Guthrie sprang into being almost overnight.
Cases involving “Sooners”–people who had entered the territory before the legal date and time–overloaded courts for years to come.This sculpture depicting the land rush is a very impressive sight.
This is the national memorial for the 168 people who were murdered in the bombing April 19, 1995.This is a very well done museum. It starts off setting the scene of a normal spring day in Oklahoma City.There was a Water Board meeting across the street at the time of the bombing.The meeting was audiotaped, and the museum played the recording. The meeting started at 9:00, and the bomb went of at 9:02. The sound was obviously picked up on the audio. Chilling.These are scenes of some of the destruction. These are the actual items that were recovered during the cleanup.This trim on the church across the street was blown off.Scenes from TV on that day.Before the bombing, Daina Bradley is at the Social Security office in the building to pick up a social security card a her new son. After the blast, rescuers find her trapped, her right leg pinned under a fallen concrete beam. After two hours they determine it is impossible to move the beam. To save her life they must amputate her lower leg. After a delay due to a second bomb scare, orthopedic surgeon Andy Sullivan begins the procedure but all his emergency tools fail. He improvises and completes a very difficult through-the-knee amputation with his pocket knife, displayed here.The aftermath of the Murrah Federal BuildingThe rental truck license plate.McVeigh’s court appearance.One room was a memorial to each of the victims. There was a picture of each victim, with an item that was special for each person.Overlooking the outdoor symbolic memorial with downtown Oklahoma City in the background.One end of the reflecting pool, depicting the minute before the bombing.The wall depicting the minute after the bombing.Here, one seat for each of the 168 victims. They are arranged in 9 rows, one row for each floor of the Murrah Building, and placed approximately where the victims were located on their floor.The short seats are for the children who were killed.The Tree of Remembrance.This is a remaining wall of the actual Murrah Building.The emergency personnel left this message on the wall.First United Methodist Church across the street, with the round window trim, replaced.
The Oklahoma State Capitol from the west. The oil derrick is symbolic of all the state, a leading oil producer.View from the east side.Oklahoma state seal under the rotunda.Looking up at the rotunda from the ground floor.The rotunda gets more beautiful the closer you get to it.The ambient lighting interprets an Oklahoma sunrise (or sunset!)Discovery and Exploration 1541-1820. This scene depicts Coronado, the first European in the region, Francisca friars, French traders, Bison, Wild game, Nordic runes on a stone, the Antelope Hills, Wichita Indians.Frontier Trade 1790-1820. This scene depicts trade with the Osage, Southeastern states Indians intrude, Whip-saw used to make boards, US Army protecting the fur trade, first school in Union Mission, experienced packers for the fur trade, Keel boats carrying trappers and traders, flat boats carrying goods to New Orleans, trading posts, Salt springs, Fort Gibson, Pecan tree.Indian Immigration 1820-1885. This scene depicts Comanche, Osage, Kiowa, Wichita and Plains-Apache, US Army soldier, the “Five Civilized Tribes”-Choctaw, Cherokee, Creek, Chickasaw and Seminole, Buffalo hide tipi and hickory tree.Non-Indian Settlement 1870-1906. This scene depicts “Boomers” homesteading the land, Land runs of 1889 and 1893, Indians “selling” their land for allotments, homestead lottery, sod houses of western Oklahoma, two-horse hitch well driller, stagecoach, vigilantes, Sycamore tree.Scale model of the statue “The Guardian” on top of the dome.All the chamber doors were locked so I could only photograph the doors.Marble railings and balusters.President Theodore Roosevelt signed the proclamation declaring statehood for Oklahoma.The quill pen used by President Theodore Roosevelt.
Belmont the house was built in 1792. Artist Gary Melchers bought the house in 1916 and lived here until his death in 1932. Melchers’ wooden Dutch shoesGary Melchers’ studio. Melchers was one of America’s most significant artists of the early 1900s. He Born in Detroit, he studied in Dusseldorf Germany, Paris France and Egmond Holland. He was a member of academies in New York, London, Berlin, Paris and Munich.
He won many awards from all of the western world. He painted mostly in the Naturalist style, which tried to convey the subject truthfully. He was one of the premier portraitists in the late 1800s and early 1900s. President Theodore Roosevelt sat in the White House for Melchers to do his portrait.
His works are displayed in art museums all over the world, as well as here in his studio.This is Melchers’ studio table as he left it when he died.Winter Landscape with Figures, 1887, This was Melchers’ first work, painted when he was 16 years old.The Choirmaster, 1888-1891The Nativity, 1891The Sermon, 1886In Holland, 1887President Theodore Roosevelt, 1908Commerce Street, 1920. This is the location of present-day Renato’s Restaurant on William Street in Fredericksburg.Self portrait, 1896.Portrait of Mrs. Gari Melchers, 1905.From My Window, 1920. Belmont overlooks the Rappahannock River.Nelson Berry’s Store, 1918. This store was located in Falmouth, down the hill from Belmont.The Open Door, 1910.The Fencer, 1895.
Built in 1771 by the Fitzhugh family. Sitting atop a hill overlooking the Rappahannock River and Fredericksburg, it was easy to see from all around. During the Civil War the Lacy family owned Chatham, and also Ellwood near Locust Grove.During the Battle of Fredericksburg December 1862, Chatham served as headquarters for the Union. After the battle it was transformed into a field hospital. Clara Barton, Mary Walker and Walt Whitman served in the hospital here.Fredericksburg from ChathamReplica of a pontoon used during the Battle of Fredericksburg.Gardens at Chatham.
