The Garfield County Courthouse is a historic
courthouse
A courthouse or court house is a building that is home to a local court of law and often the regional county government as well, although this is not the case in some larger cities. The term is common in North America. In most other English-spe ...
building located in
Enid,
Oklahoma
Oklahoma (; Choctaw language, Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the nor ...
. It is on the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...
both individually and as a part of the
Enid Downtown Historic District
The Enid Downtown Historic District is located in Enid, Oklahoma and listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 2007. In 2019 the district was expanded from 7 blocks to 21. The district includes the original downtown plat from 1893 ...
.
Previous courthouses (1896 - 1936)
Enid's first courthouse opened on April 1, 1896. It consisted of a two-story brick building, which the County soon outgrew. Enid's second courthouse was built by O.A. Campbell of Oklahoma City in 1907 from Oklahoma granite and Indiana stone. The building was located in the center of Broadway, surrounded by sidewalks, and fully landscaped. Its south side was located where the front of the Enid Post Office is now. (Enid's post office used to be where the
public library
A public library is a library that is accessible by the general public and is usually funded from public sources, such as taxes. It is operated by librarians and library paraprofessionals, who are also Civil service, civil servants.
There are ...
is located now, and Enid's public library was a Carnegie building located at 402 North Independence.) On January 29, 1931, a fire broke out in the jail and spread to the roof, then quickly spread to the rest of the building. All prisoners were safely evacuated, and county records were rescued. From 1931 to 1936, the County operated out of an agricultural building, and later
the Broadway Tower.
Current courthouse
The current Art Deco style Courthouse was built by Hawk & Parr and Reinhart & Donovan companies beginning on August 15, 1934, and was completed in 1936. The jail was refurbished in the 1960s. Garfield County Courthouse consists of county offices and courtrooms housed in the basement and first three floors, and Garfield County Jail occupies the top two floors. Funded by the Works Progress Administration Federal Art Project, artist Ruth Augur painted historical murals on the courthouse walls. In 1996, Enid artists
Paladine Roye
Paladine Roye (1946–2001) was an award-winning Native American painter.
Background
Paladine H. Roye was born December 8, 1946, in White Eagle, Oklahoma. He was a full blood, enrolled member of the Ponca Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma.SSDI His P ...
and his brother, Burgess Roye, also painted murals relating to Native American history.
"Native American artist dies at age 54"
''Enid News & Eagle
The ''Enid News & Eagle'' is a daily newspaper published Tuesday through Sunday in Enid, Oklahoma, United States. The publication covers several counties in northwest Oklahoma and is owned by Community Newspaper Holdings Inc. The newspaper also pr ...
'', May 27th, 2001 (accessed March 22, 2010)
Gallery
Enid Courthouse 1908.png, Enid's courthouse in 1908.
Garfield County Courthouse and Clock Tower.jpg, Garfield County Courthouse and Clock Tower
Garfield County Courthouse Clock.jpg, The clock tower of the Garfield County Courthouse.
The Garfield County Courthouse in Enid.jpg, The Garfield County Courthouse in Enid
The Garfield County Courthouse Lawn.jpg, The Garfield County Courthouse Lawn
Statue of Liberty Enid.jpg, Statue of Liberty on Courthouse Lawn
The clock tower by the courthouse in downtown Enid, Oklahoma.jpg, The clock tower
Enid Lights Up the Plains.jpg, Courthouse at night during Enid Lights Up the Plains
Enid Christmas parade.jpg, Courthouse in background of Enid Christmas parade
References
{{Enid Oklahoma, state=expanded
Courthouses on the National Register of Historic Places in Oklahoma
Buildings and structures in Enid, Oklahoma
County courthouses in Oklahoma
Government buildings completed in 1936
Art Deco architecture in Oklahoma
Works Progress Administration in Oklahoma
National Register of Historic Places in Garfield County, Oklahoma