I hope you were able to attend the open house at the new Blaine County Jail on Saturday. It was likely your only chance to see the impressive interior of the jail without being in custody there.
The sheriff is duly proud of this multi-million- dollar facility.
It is built for about 80 inmates but is approved by the fire marshal for just over 100.
This is the fourth Blaine County Jail since 1893. The 1893 jail built by one of the Pettis brothers now located on the grounds of the Ferguson Home Museum had two cells and served not only for Watonga but also the county.
By 1901, insurance maps show a jail starting 200 feet east of Weigle Avenue where the Blaine County Court House is located.
Later, in 1964, the current jail was built.
This 2025 Blaine County jail is therefore the fourth facility in 132 years.
Mrs. Ferguson in her book, “ They Carried the Torch” mentions two jail incidents.
Conrad Maas, a German military officer of royal descent murdered his commoner wife after they had immigrated to a farm near Bridgeport. Maas was imprisoned in the Blaine County Jail and convicted of the murder. He was imprisoned in Kansas and later in McAlester.
He took paint from the wagon-painting section to his cell and demonstrated amazing artistic skills, even painting ten-foot murals in the mess hall. (See the Oct. 23, 2024 Ferguson Feature.) Gory details of the killing are included in Ferguson’s book.
Mrs. Ferguson also mentions the jailing of Carrie Nation in Wichita, Kansas for smashing a saloon. Her husband had suggested that rather than rocks, she should use a hatchet (Carrie Nation Wikipedia.) That became her trademark.
“It was held by the court that the defendant was laboring under a delusion and was not responsible for her actions” ( They Carried the Torch).
Carrie Nation was arrested more than 30 times between 1900-1910.
The Watonga Republican reported that two women, following Nation’s example, smashed a saloon in Fay. Carrie Nation lived in Seiling in 1892 after the run and the home photo is displayed.
She later moved to Kiowa, Kansas where her anti-saloon activities began. (Carrie Nation Oklahoma History).
These are two jail-related stories in Elva Ferguson’s book If you haven’t renewed your membership to the not-for-profit Friends of the Ferguson Home, please mail your check to 521 N. Weigle, Watonga, OK 73772.
Scraping and painting of house and fence are underway. We want to assist the city in replacing three more sets of windows, adjust the foundation and rebuild the two large windows on the south side of the building. The Museum is open Thursday-Saturday 10-4 and 1-4 on Sundays.