On Nov. 16, Oklahoma celebrated its 115th anniversary of Statehood. Watonga’s own Thompson B Ferguson, the 6th Territorial Governor of Oklahoma, played a major role in pushing Statehood for Oklahoma. Ferguson, whose 1901 home at 5th and Weigle is now the TB Ferguson Home Museum, was appointed Territorial Governor of Oklahoma in 1901 by President Theodore Roosevelt and served until January 1906. The next year, 1907, Oklahoma was accepted as the 46th state in the Union.
One of the ways Ferguson pushed for statehood was through exhibits at the 1904 Saint Louis World Fair. Not only was Oklahoma featured as one of the 14 states in the original Louisiana Purchase display, but Oklahoma Territory had its own threestory hospitality structure “The building measured 76 by 70 feet, cost $16,000 and was dedicated May 23, 1904. The territorial building seemed to have been constructed with the idea…, of having abundant room and comfort for guests. Two big verandas extended along the front of the structure and in the cloistered recesses were all kinds of chairs and couches inviting the tired to rest. On the first floor was a wide reception hall with parlors on either side. A stairway led to more rooms and a balcony on the second floor. “
“In the Oklahoma Exhibit at the 1904 World’s Fair, A series of portraits of all the Governors of the Territory was displayed. A register was kept … of visitors and in the same rooms was a file of Oklahoma newspapers, as well as facilities for writing letters. Natural woods supplied beautiful furnishings for the interior and Oklahoma cement was used in the exterior work. The roof was of red tile, giving a touch of the Moorish.” http://landscapearchitecturejord. blogsp ot.com/2007/02/genius-loci-11.html Terry's 1904 World's Fair Page Watonga can be proud of the work of our own TB Ferguson as Territorial governor in representing Oklahoma on the international stage leading to statehood in 1907.