Dixon Durant - Founder of Durant, OK
Posted by: 
hamquilter
N 33° 59.491 W 096° 22.578
14S E 742349 N 3764318
This statue stands in Historic Market Square in downtown Durant.
Waymark Code: WMYTMQ
Location: Oklahoma, United States
Date Posted: 07/23/2018
Views: 3
Durant's Downtown Streetscape program has established Market Square, which has several items of historic interest. This is a life-sized sculpture of Dixon Durant (1809-1906), founder of the town of Durant. The artist, Jane Semple Umstead is a descendant of two Choctaw chiefs, and her work in painting and sculpture depicts the rich Choctaw history.
Dixon Durant was a pastor of several area churches, as well as a businessman, opening the first business for general merchandise in 1873. The sculpture stands 6 and a half feet tall and is mounted on a concrete base. It shows Durant is a suit, holding a walking stick in his left hand, and a book (probably a Bible) in his right. He has a long handlebar mustache. The sculpture was 18 months in the making, using 160 lbs. of clay. It was dedicated in January, 2014.
