Volume 8 , Issue 10

Joseph Foucart (Feucart) - The Architect of the Castle on the Hill...

Joseph Foucart was the architect of the "Castle on the Hill of the Prairies of NW Oklahoma Territory. Foucart was a native of France, but has lived in this country many years, and at Guthrie at that time, and still lived there. He came here with the contractor and watched the construction of the building from start to finish. He is an expert in his line, and a clever gentleman in every way.

The citizens of Alva had a general jollification on the night of Thursday, March 10th. The site was selected on Saturday afternoon, March 19th; the foundation was measured off and the stakes set on Monday, March 29th, and on Friday afternoon, April 1st, R. M. Davis started six teams removing the dirt from the basement, and more teams were added Monday. By April 20th, twenty cars of stone had arrive from Augusta, Kansas, a well had been drilled in the basement to furnish water for mixing mortar, and thirty men were employed in various ways.

By the last of May, the foundation was well started on every side of the great building, and about this time a fellow named Asher, of El Reno, was visiting east side towns and soliciting donations from politicians to pay the expenses of filing an injunction to restrain the contractor from continuing the work. The commercial club had a consultation with Mr. Volk, and over hundreds of citizens of Alva and vicinity signed a bond to Mr. Volk for $86,018.00, and he doubled his force of workmen and pushed the contruction as rapidly as possible.

Asher filed his injunction in the supreme court at Guthrie and it stayed filed until after the building was completed. On July 1st, the work had so far advanced that committee begun the preparations for laying the corner stone (under the main tower in front). The program consisted of the usual ceremonies, led by the Masons. Gov. Barnes and several other territorial officers, and Grand Master E. M. Bamford were present. Pres. Ament introduced Gov. Barnes as the first speaker, and he was followed by Judge McAtee. S. L. Johnson and Hon. Temple Houston. Following is a list of articles placed within the corner stone:

Roll of officers and members of the grand lodge and local lodge A. F. & A. M.; same of the Alva Commercial Club, same of the legislature 1897, copies of the Alva Pioneer, Courier, Review and Cleo Cheiftain, copy of program of the day's exercises and names of President Ament, Miss Bosworth and Mrs. DeLisle.

The day was one of general celebration, the business of the town being represented by float's in a great parade; and the crowd present was guessed at 4000 to 6000.

The erection of the building went steadily on and there was no more trouble excepting the howl of "steal" and fraud from the east-side people and papers, until Gov. Ferguson needed in his political scheme Pres. Ament's place for a friend, and he got it.

After Mr. Ament came to Alva, no one man did as much as he to further the interests of the school, and it was conceded by all that the school had the most rapid growth of any other ever opened west of the Mississippi river. Mr. Ament, besides being one of the leading educators aof the United States, was an attracive man physically, and a general favorite with his students.

The school's attendance continued to grow, and its influence widened, and another building was needed before another year, to accommodate the young people who desire to higher education.

And our former enemies have at last conceded that the school is needed in this part of the world, and is a success.

[Source: The Alva Pioneer 1904 Souvenir Edition - Friday, Jan. 1, 1904, Vol. 11, No. 16, by W. F. Hatfield, Alva, Woods Co., Oklahoma. W. F. Hatfield, Publisher Daily and Weekly Pioneer editor, sold the "Souvenir Edition" in 1904 for 50-Cents. It was printed to celebrate Alva's tenth anniversary since the opening of 1893.]]

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