Volume 4 , Issue 1

Runnymede Legacy

Kansas Colony To County of "M" Oklahoma Territory - Information taken from "Kansas Place Names" by John Rydjord, ISBN 0-8061-0994-7, pages. 145-147, 191; "Alva, Oklahoma, The First 100 Years - 1886-1986"; and "The Alva Pioneer Newspaper" November 17 & 24, 1893, pg. 3, col.1 & 3.

History of the Runnymede - Hendrickson Hotel, 1899, Alva, Okla. Terr. From an English Colony in Kansas the Runnymede was incorporated by a few Englishmen and promoted by J. S. Turnley as a colony to care for the younger sons of English and Irish Gentry and teach them to become English Gentlemen farmer. Turnley was also known as Ed, Ned, Francis and "Lord of a Western Paradise." (Click on Image to view larger photo taken around 1899, east side of square, Alva, Oklahoma Territory, County of "M". IF anyone out there has a better photo back then, I would love to have a copy for my website.)

On November 17,. 1893 a group of Medicine Lodge gentlemen bought the "Runnymede Arms" and moved it to Alva, Oklahoma sometime later. The journey from Runnymede, Kansas to Alva, Oklahoma was thought of as an impossible journey during those days. Alva was still a younger, fast growing town because of the Great Land Run of September 16, 1893.

It was a time when there were no improved bridges across the creeks, streams and the Salt Fork River north of Alva. There were also no paved roads and no modern moving equipment. Only horses, oxen, wagons and sturdy men folks.

The following is what I have read of the history and how it got from a defunct English Colony (Runnymede) in Kansas to the Woods County Seat of Alva in northwest Oklahoma Territory, County of "M"./p>

Runnymede Colony in Kansas

BUT First...Let me give you a little background on the Runnymede (English) Colony that was established around Runnymede, Kansas and how it came to be built to care for and educate the sons of the rich English and Irish Gentry in the ways of English Gentlemen Farmers.

It was named after the Runnymede in England (the famous place where King John signed the Magna Carta 1215). Roughly translated it means "Council Island" or more completely "The Meadow in Council Island."

The Runnymede Colony in Kansas was built in 1886 with incorporated capital of $4800 in 160 shares with Francis "Ned" Turnley, Lt. Wm Hope Hooper, and Capt. Percy A. E. Wood as directors. Lt. Hooper was the Sec-manager. The architect was C.W. Terry of Wichita, KS. The contractor was J. A. Nixon, out of Wichita, KS. It was located in the northeast part of Harper County near the Chikaskia River.

It was a three-story frame with broad veranda on the front. It had a spacious entry hall and necessary offices; three reception rooms; a dining room (lavish decor); 11 bedrooms and one large bathroom on the first floor (first floor to the English is second floor to us). The attic was used for the bachelors and servants. Turnley also had barracks built that were called "Chikaskia Ranch."

Ned Turnley acquired 17,000 Acres twelve miles northeast of Harper, Kansas for the Runnymede Colony. It lasted only a few short years. The English Gentry sent there were suppose to learn to be gentlemen farmers, but the good times took their toll. The neighboring farmers ended up doing all the work while the English sons enjoyed themselves a little too much "...drinking, dancing, horse racing, hunting and riotious revelries that gave them their reputations of irresponsible playboys."

Turnley's Runnymede Colony burst it bubble when reality set in and replaced the fanciful tainted tales of this English Runnymede Colony in Kansas. The Colony withered and died -- Like a flower. The town moved two miles to be on the railroad. The remnants of Runnymede are scattered over Kansas and Oklahoma. There is only one lone tombstone left as a reminder that Runnymede ever existed. British settlers also scattered across the Kansas areas and became respectable and successful.

November 17, 1893 -- "The Alva Pioneer Newspaper" ran this announcement in their paper...."Lew Lebrecht and several parties from Medicine Lodge have formed a company, purchased the Runnymede Hotel and will move it to Alva. This is a large building, with forty rooms, and will possibly be the best hotel in the strip. -- Harper Sentinel." --Taken from the "Alva Pioneer", Nov. 17, 1893, pg. 3, 1st. col., towards the bottom.

November 24, 1893 -- Another announcement printed in "The Alva Pioneer" read as such and typed verbatim as written, "Mort Strong was at Harper and Alva last week completing arrangements to have the Runnymede Hotel moved to the capital of county M. His partner is Lew Lebrecht, of Harper. Mort will act in the capacity of landlord while Lew with his bewitching charms will assume the graces of landlady. No doubt but that these gentlemen will run a good house and it is already reputed to be the finest hostelry, present or prospective, in the strip. -- Medicine Lodge Index." --Taken from the "Alva Pioneer", Nov. 24, 1893, pg. 3, col. 3, towards the bottom.

That same paper in the first column, and towards the top of the same page read, "Lew Lebrecht, the hustler for the Harper Mercantile Co., was in the city monday and Tuesday."

Impossible Journey -- Back then it was known as an impossible journey for such a large structure because the roads, rivers, creeks and streams that were unimproved and unbridged. I'm not sure how they moved it or got it across the Salt Fork River and other rivers along the way, but it made it to Alva and was reconstructed on the northeast corner of the square in downtown Alva, Oklahoma at Fourth & Flynn Street on the SE corner, November 1893.

Runnymede had several names --

It was named "The Hendrickson Hotel" with Mark Need was the proprietor. On December 31, 1893 a New Years Eve party was held there and almost everyone in Alva attended. On January 22, 1894 the official dedication was held with a banquet and ball. It was also known for the headquarters for traveling doctors who set up their offices in the hotel several months at a time.

It went through several name changes from when it was moved to Alva. From "Hendrickson Hotel" to "Runnymede Arms". Prior to 1918 and maybe around 1910 it became the "Rhodes Hotel". In 1918 to 1922 it was known as the "Gunn Hotel" and then afterwards went back to the "Runnymede Hotel". During the 1920s the three-story originally wooden structure was reportedly bricked.

During the time it was the "Gunn Hotel" it became famous when the Hollywood actor-producer, William D. Taylor (Tanner) was murdered in California. It was discovered that he stayed in the "Runnymede Arms" for a period of eight months before he returned to New York City. I am not sure what the rest of the story is, but maybe someone out there reading this information has seen some more info to enlighten us all.

Runnymede Sold in 1960s --

Joe Denner bought the hotel in 1960 and used it as his office and headquarters until he died in the late 1990s. In 1999 a group of Woods County citizens banded together to form the Runnymede Renovation Committee to save the Historical Runnymede from the destruction and toll that the time and weather has taken on it. The late Dale Brown was head of the Runnymede Committee. Her dream was to see it restored to it's historical essence and used a a Cultural & Arts Center for Alva and Woods County.

A group calling themselves the Runnymede Renovation Steering Committee bought the hotel property from the Denner estate and are in the process of restoring it to it's historical significance with financial support from private individuals and the Morton Share Trust, the committee has enough to begin phase one of stabilizing and water-proofing the historical building. The Runnymede Committee has hopes with your support to transform this historical building into Alva's Community and Arts Center.

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