Welcome to Guthrie’s Green
Hidden beside Guthrie’s historic post office is a tiny patch of green with a surprisingly large story. Measuring approximately 100 square feet, this tree-covered parcel has long been promoted as the “Smallest National Park in the United States.”
There is just one little problem: it is not officially a national park.
Guthrie’s Green has never been designated by Congress or administered by the National Park Service. The National Park Service currently manages 433 individual units, encompassing several different designations. Its smallest official unit is the 0.02-acre Thaddeus Kosciuszko National Memorial in Philadelphia. National Park Service
That has not stopped Guthrie from celebrating its unusually tiny landmark!
A Monumental Mistake
The story begins with the Land Run of April 22, 1889. A United States Government Land Office once stood near this location. Settlers gathered here to register land claims and resolve disputes following the opening of the Unassigned Lands.
The original frame Land Office was eventually removed, and a brick post office was built nearby in 1903.
Years later, the city wanted to preserve a 100-foot-square area commemorating the historic location. According to the local story, a clerk mistakenly recorded the reservation as 100 square feet instead of 100 feet square.
That small difference in wording produced a dramatically smaller memorial:
- 100 feet square: 10,000 square feet
- 100 square feet: only 100 square feet
Because the surrounding parking lot had already been established, organizers measured approximately 100 square feet around an elm tree and protected it with a low curb. The resulting plot measured roughly 8 feet by 12.5 feet—about the size of a small bedroom.
A decorative iron arch was later installed near the landmark. It bears the words “Guthrie: First Capital” and features silhouettes representing Oklahoma’s history.
In 2017, Guthrie proclaimed the second week of May “Smallest National Park Week,” embracing the story and helping ensure that this tiny place would continue introducing visitors to Guthrie’s much larger history.
Although Guthrie’s Green is not officially a national park, it remains a memorable local landmark connected to the Land Run, Guthrie’s territorial history and one very consequential measurement. Logging Requirements
To claim this Virtual Cache, you must personally visit the posted coordinates and complete both requirements.
1. History’s Colorful Nickname: Locate the U.S. Government Land Office historical marker near Guthrie’s Green. The marker gives the crowded area surrounding the Land Office a rather dramatic nickname. What was that nickname?
2. Required Photograph: Post a photograph taken at the coordinates showing the “Guthrie: First Capital” arch or Guthrie’s Green in the background.
Your photograph must include at least one of the following:
- You or a member of your caching group
- Your GPS receiver
- A personal item
- A piece of paper displaying your geocaching name
Faces are welcome but never required. Photographs taken from inside a vehicle or obtained from another person or the internet do not qualify.
Virtual Rewards 5.0 - 2026-2027
This Virtual Cache is part of a limited release of Virtuals created between February 3, 2026 and February 3, 2027. Only 4,000 cache owners were given the opportunity to hide a Virtual Cache. Learn more about Virtual Rewards 5.0 on the Geocaching Blog.