Guthrie continues land run celebration with annual 89er Days
The 2007 89er Days parade winds through downtown Guthrie. (Photo by James Plumlee/The Oklahoman Archives)
From Friday’s Weekend Look section of The Oklahoman.
Guthrie’s 89er Days offers good old times
GUTHRIE – For the 80th year, Oklahoma’s territorial capital and original state capital is celebrating its wild beginnings with 89er Days.
Guthrie was founded April 22, 1889, when gunshots started the Oklahoma Land Run at high noon. By nightfall, the historic event had transformed the dusty, sparsely inhabited area near Cottonwood Creek into a tent city teeming with more than 10,000 residents.
The Victorian community is marking the 120th anniversary of the Land Run of 1889 in downtown this weekend with a carnival, old-timey baseball game, parade and more. The 89er Days celebration started Tuesday with the traditional Chuck Wagon Feed.
The event remains an important part of Guthrie’s heritage, since it spotlights a unique part of the state and city’s history, said 89er Days Chairman Dennis Ochs. This is Ochs’ 24th year to lead the event; his dad was chairman for about 30 years.
“This is the 80th annual 89er Days celebration. We had the first one,” Ochs said. “We were the first capital of Oklahoma … so from the very beginning it’s always been a (tradition) to commemorate the land run in the original capital.”
Generally, about 10,000 people come to 89er Days, and he expects a strong turnout with pretty weather forecast for the weekend.
The arts and crafts show will continue this weekend from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. today and Saturday on First and Second streets off Oklahoma Avenue. Sculptures, baskets, quilts, fine arts, dolls, jewelry and more will be on display and for sale.
An annual favorite, the 1889 baseball game will put an old-fashioned curve ball on the national pastime, with two teams dressed in old-time uniforms and spectators noshing traditional snacks. The game starts at 6:30 tonight at Squire’s Field, at Springer Avenue and Division Street.
Bronc riding, barrel racing, mutton bustin’ and other events will bring action to the 89er Days Open Rodeo, which starts at 7 tonight and 6 p.m. Saturday at the Logan County Fairgrounds on Division Street.
The carnival will continue from 5 p.m. to midnight today and Saturday on West Oklahoma Avenue across from the old Santa Fe Depot. Along with rides and games, the carnival will offer funnel cakes, corndogs, cotton candy and other treats.
The premier event of 89er Days will be the annual parade, which begins at noon at the Masonic Temple and Oklahoma and Drexel and marches west on Oklahoma Avenue. This year’s parade is expected to bring about 400 entries, including floats, horseback riding groups, antique car clubs, marching bands, Shriners and more.
For more information on 89er Days, go to www.89erdays.com.
-BAM
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That looks like fun it thinks. Its to bad i am to far away