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 Mineral Wells Park - Guthrie, OK Posted by:  hamquilter
N 35° 52.135 W 097° 25.543
14S E 642126 N 3970554
Mineral Wells Park is an historic park, established in 1890, 17 years before Oklahoma Statehood.
Waymark Code: WMDJXW
Location: Oklahoma, United States
Date Posted: 01/22/2012
Views: 11
MINERAL WELLS PARK, at the southern border of the city, is notable for several artesian mineral wells. Here, in 1893, when the
park was only a grove of trees, Jacob S. Coxey, who later led "Coxey's Army" in a march to Washington, made one of his vehement speeches; here, too, William Jennings Bryan twice addressed large audiences. At the entrance to the park is the rectangular Shakespeare Garden, a gift to the city from the Guthrie Shakespeare Club. Three sides are bordered by privet hedges; the west end is bordered by a hedge of spirea that is, in turn, banked with flowering masses of crape myrtle, mock orange, redbud, Japanese quinces, forsythia, red hollyhocks, and five varieties of juniper. The
waterlily pool, lined with red and white brick, has a white stone bench on each side, and climbing roses, beds of hyacinths, chrysanthemums, and verbenas are a mass of red and white when in bloom. In the pergola is a reproduction of Roubiliac's bust of Shakespeare. Guthrie is at the junction with State 33. (A Guide to the Sooner State, 1941)
Mineral Wells Park (formerly known as Island Park), is one of three parks which are listed as contributing sites to the Guthrie Historic District. Established in 1890, this park is located on the west side of Highway 77 south of the downtown area. The park was the site for the celebration activities when Oklahoma was made the 47th state on November 16, 1907.
The park is large, and has many old trees. A narrow roadway winds through the park, passed a large pavilion, playground, tennis courts, basketball courts, and a large fishing pond. Near the tennis courts is a gazebo that was popular during the 1920s when citizens would line up with containers to obtain some of the mineral water which was so popular.
The many flowers and landscaping items mentioned in the 1941 book are no longer in evidence; neither is the Shakespeare Garden and bust.
This is a popular area which hosts many community events throughout the year. It has been a focal point of Guthrie activities for more than 120 years.
Book: Oklahoma
Page Number(s) of Excerpt: 360
Year Originally Published: 1941
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