Located in the Unassigned Lands of the Indian Territory, Guthrie had been chosen as a site for one of the Federal Land Offices where land seekers were required to file claim to their parcels. By the evening of April 22, a tent city already dominated the landscape.
Wooden buildings soon replaced the tents spreading across the hills along Cottonwood Creek. Guthrie became one of the largest cities west of the Mississippi and was quickly known for its beautiful buildings built of redbrick and native sandstone.
Four months after the run, in August 1889, The Guthrie City Directory listed the following: 6 banks,16 barbers, 16 blacksmiths, 17 carpenters, 2 cigar manufacturers, 5 newspapers, 7 hardware stores, 15 hotels, 19 pharmacists, 22 lumber companies, 39 doctors, 40 restaurants, and an astounding 81 lawyers!
With the passing of the Organic Act in 1890, Oklahoma became a US Territory and Guthrie was selected as The Territorial Capital.
Seventeen years later, on November 16, 1907, Oklahoma was declared a state by then President Theodore Roosevelt with Guthrie as the First State Capital.
The Capital War and the "Theft"
- The Election: On June 11, 1910, a special statewide election chose Oklahoma City over Guthrie and Shawnee as the permanent state capital.
- The Removal: To bypass local protests and legal challenges from Guthrie residents, Governor Haskell’s staff secretly removed the official state embossing seal from the Logan County Courthouse in Guthrie.
- The Legends: Popular folklore claims the seal was smuggled out hidden in a bundle of laundry or clothing by the governor's secretary, W.B. Anthony, and brought to the Lee-Huckins Hotel in Oklahoma City.
Aftermath and Legacy
- Legal Battles: Guthrie fought the move in court, citing provisions that designated Guthrie as the temporary capital until 1913, but both the Oklahoma Supreme Court and U.S. Supreme Court ultimately upheld the election.
- Historical Marker: A commemorative historic marker remains in Guthrie at 301 East Harrison Avenue noting the site and the dramatic midnight transition of the capital.
To claim this virtual
Answer the following question and post the required photo.
1. The statue at the posted coordinates represents the symbolic wedding of who on what day?
2. Post a picture of yourself or geocaching item at the Territorial Mural in front of the Museum.
3. From the marker at the listed waypoint, what date was the seal stolen?
4. From the marker at the listed waypoint, what class, from which school erected this monument?
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.