Exploring Oklahoma History - Beckham

Beckham County

Beckham County

Founded upon statehood in 1907, Beckham County was named for J. C. W. Beckham, who was Governor of Kentucky, and as the first popularly elected member of the United States Senate from Kentucky.

After a dispute over the Adams-Onís Treaty of 1819, both the governments of the United States and the state of Texas claimed ownership of some 1.5 million acres (6,100 km²) in what was then operated as Greer County, Texas. Litigation followed, and in the case of United States v. State of Texas 162 U.S. 1 (1896), issued on March 16, the Supreme Court, having original jurisdiction over the case, decided in favor of the United States. The county was then assigned to the Oklahoma Territory on May 4, 1896, and when Oklahoma became a state, in addition to forming a part of Beckham County, the region was also further split into Greer, Harmon, and Jackson counties.

Established: 1907 ^[1]
County Seat: Sayre, Oklahoma 73662
Area: 902 mi² (2,336 km²)
Population: 22,410 ^[2]
Region: Great Plains Country
Weather: NWS Norman
Info: Wikipedia
History: Oklahoma Historical Society

100th Meridian Museum

Dedicated to the presentation of 100th Meridian Line, which has served as an often disputed international and, later, state boundary for the past 1...

Ackley Park Baseball Field

Beckham County Courthouse

Famous Courthouse featured in the movie, "The Grapes of Wrath." This beautiful structure was completed in 1911 at a cost of $69,000. Designed b...

Beutler Bros. Arena

Binding Contract Statue

Binding Contract - a statue in front of the Bank of Western Oklahoma depicting two cowboys in a hand shake deal.

Blacksmith Museum

Visitors to the Blacksmith Museum can view how blacksmiths created objects from iron or steel by forging the metal by using tools to hammer, bend, ...

Bull Elk Statue

Bull Elk Statue

Canute

Markers for the St. Francis Church, David Lee Walters, History of Canute, the Canute Centennial, and The Great Western Trail.(Full text and close...

Casa Grande Hotel

Added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1995 (Building #95000043)

Centennial Lighthouse

The Elk City Centennial Lighthouse stands 42 feet tall. The structure is made of stucco over steel, and was designed by local architect Tommy Shaw....

Elk City Centennial Carousel

A custom made, hand carved, all wooden carousel built by famed animal carver Dan Hornberger with Brass Ring Entertainment now sits in the middle of...

Elk City Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau

The Elk City Chamber of Commerce is located in the historic Thurmond building in downtown Elk City. The Elk City Chamber of Commerce is Elk Cit...

Empire of Greer

This region was in land claims of 14 different governments from 1629. Granted Choctaw Indians by U.S. Treaty 1820, in meeting of Chief Pushmataha a...

Farm and Ranch Museum

The Farm and Ranch Museum, sponsored by the Western Oklahoma Historical Society, celebrates Western Oklahoma's agricultural heritage. The museum fe...

Great Western Trail

"Western Cattle Trail" More than 6 million cattle went up this trail from Texas to Kansas between 1874 and 1888. The trail crossed this ar...

Highway, Oklahoma

In honor of the people who lived here from 1892 to 1957, and built this community. Land for the memorial was giving by the children of Aud Xenn...

Large Route 66 Sign

National Route 66 Museum

The National Route 66 Museum uses a road motif to allow visitors to travel through all eight states along Route 66 "The Mother Road". The trip begi...

Old Greer County

Greer Co. was named and governed as part of Texas from 1860 until 1895 when U.S. Supreme Crt. decision made it part of Oklahoma Ter. This county ar...

Old Town Museum

The Old Town Museum complex is the steward for the present generation in preserving those moments of life experienced in settings like the interior...

P. P Ackley

Going up the Texas Chisholm Trail 1867 P.P. Ackley 1937 P. P. Ackley, served as a deputy trail brand inspector and was later a member of the ...

Parker Drilling Rig #114

The Parker Drilling Rig #114 dominates the sky line in Elk City. One of the world's tallest oil rigs.

Roger Miller Museum

The objective of the ROGER MILLER MUSEUM is to collect, preserve, and exhibit memorabilia and artifacts celebrating the life and accomplishments of...

Sandhills Curiosity Shop

This Mother Road icon location is what you would call a "living history" roadside location! It is much like a museum, yet with the added live music...

Spanish Road Crossing

The Spaniards developed the first-known trail in Oklahoma. Deep, indelible ruts were cut into the prairie by heavily laden wooden carts. Known as t...

Texola Old City Jail

Old City Jail 1908 - 1910 This is a nice place to visit, but you don't want to stay here (especially in the winter, its cold). This jail wa...

The Anadarko Basin

The Deep Anadarko Basin of Western Oklahoma is one of the most prolific gas provinces of North America. Wells drilled here have been among the worl...

Whited Grist Mill

Listed on National Register of Historic Places, added 1976 - #76001554. The Whited Mill in Elk City, Oklahoma, operated from 1903 thru 1944. The ...

Will Rogers Highway

June 26, 1952, on this location, Route 66 was rededicated as the Will Rogers Highway. This was one of the many ceremonies that took place on the st...

County information from Wikipedia.
Population from U.S. Census Bureau, 2020.