Volume 12 , Issue 30

The Old Courthouse

Do any of you Northwest Oklahomans remember the Old Woods county courthouse that existed from 1904 to 1957?

In Alva's early years, the courthouse lawn was a beehive of activity including circus parades, political speeches and 4th of July celebrations. In 1957, the old courthouse was condemned by the fire marshal and torn down. It was replaced by the existing courthouse that stands today.

The courthouse mural seen on the North and west wall shows a view of the old courthouse and townsfolks gathered, listening to the politician making his stump speech on the left. This mural was painted by Robbie Pierce and Don Prechtel, in 2009. It was based on a 1940 painting by Lester Raymer. It is just one of many murals that the Alva Mural Society has sponsored to help make the Alva community, the county seat of Woods county, Oklahoma, one of the mural cities in northwest Oklahoma.

If you traveled back in time to 28 September 1906 when Oklahoma Territory was politicking for statehood, you might have found one of your ancestors in the crowd of hundreds of town folks, gathered on the courthouse square to hear William Jennings Bryan praising the proposed constitution by declaring it "One of the great documents of modern times."

The image on the left is an old penny postcard of the old courthouse that I especially love. it is black and white, showing a big crowd of towns folks gathered on the courthouse lawn to listen to William Jennings Bryan as he stumps Alva, Oklahoma Territory on the courthouse steps, 28 September 1906. Were your ancestors there that day? Were you a young child in that crowd of towns folks?

William Jennings Bryan drew a large crowd on the west Courthouse lawn when he stumped the state to urge the adoption of the proposed State Constitution and to gain support for the Democratic ticket of 1907. He praised the proposed constitution by declaring it "One of the great documents of modern times" and assured his audience that it was "The best Constitution today of any state in the Union."

Do you have any memories of the inside or outside of the old Woods County courthouse. There is only one memory of mine that comes into view and that is climbing the stairs of the courthouse and attending a brownie scout meeting.

Others remember the penny peanut machine outside the offices in the hall on the first floor above the firehouse garage where the trucks were stored. They say you could put your penny in the slot, pull the slot to the very top of the star, then push it back, and you could empty the machine with a penny.

Others have mentioned memories of the brass spittoons and about riding their bikes through the courthouse square. What are your memories? We would love to hear them!   |  View or Add Comments (3 Comments)   |   Receive updates ( subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

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