The Friends of the Ferguson Home will celebrate the 169th birthday of Thompson Benton (T.B.) Ferguson at 5:15 p.m. on Tuesday March 17 at the Watonga City Hall. Ferguson, along with his wife, Elva, was a pioneering Republican publicist and governor of Oklahoma Territory. Before the city council meeting at 6 p.m., we will report recent programs and building repair/maintenance. Everyone is invited to attend and renew their membership while enjoying refreshments.
March is Women’s History Month. Ellen Shaw, 1910-1997, was the driving force behind the founding and early success of the Ferguson Home Museum. I had the pleasure of getting to know the Shaws (Max and Ellen) as they ran the lumberyard on Weigle Avenue a few blocks south of the Ferguson Home.
Mrs. Shaw was a member of the Mothers Self Culture Club, a club of which Mrs. Ferguson was a member. When Mrs. Ferguson died in 1946, the 1901 home was sold and turned into a duplex. In 1967, the home was for sale. Mrs. Shaw, then President of the Mothers Self Culture Club, proposed the club buy the property and turn it into a museum. The club raised funds, but not nearly enough to buy the property. Some 16 businessmen signed a note for $9,000 to purchase the property. Mrs. Shaw contacted Lady Bird Johnson, the first lady, who liked the idea. Two officials from the Housing and Urban Development in Dallas visited, but regulations prohibited federal funds being used to purchase what would become a privately owned property.
The City of Watonga bought the property, but HUD was not satisfied with the transfer.
The club contacted the area’s state Senator Boecher and state Representative Gooden. $15,000 to be used for renovation was secured from the legislature in 1969. The property was transferred from the city to the State of Oklahoma.
In 1970, an additional $10,000 was obtained from the legislature, but still less than repair bids. Mrs. Shaw agreed to oversee the project, and a third appropriation of $10,000 was obtained in 1971.
Work began with construction overseen by Carlisle Rice. Period woodwork was donated from a home in Geary. The porch and balcony were restored. Area residents donated pre-1921 items.
The 1893 stackedwood jail was donated by the Pettis family and the cavalry station on the Wolsey property on the North Canadian River was moved in. All three structures were included in the 1972 National Registry of Historic places.
In October 1972, the museum opened during the Watonga Cheese Festival. In 1976, the state installed storm windows which helped tremendously with cold and dust.
In the first 15 years as a museum, Shaw writes in her book “This Old House in Watonga”, 51,352 persons including 9th graders, clubs, businesses, churches, schools and friends from around the state, country and foreign countries visited the museum. That is about 3,500 per year.
Many thanks to Mrs. Ellen Shaw (and to Max too), and the “Club” for saving this important historical site tourist site.