Sayre, Oklahoma "Our town is so small the courthouse square only has three sides."—Justin Woodruff, 16.
OUR ARTISTIC VISION: Main Street—whether quiet or rowdy, booming or busted, it is a stretch of road re-invented for each generation. It began before the turn of the last century as a few saloons, delineating a "watering hole" for the cowboys punching cattle along the North Fork of the Red in Indian Territory. Storefronts increased and a well-beaten, red dirt path evolved. With the land opened to settlement by the run of April 16, 1892, a whole gaggle of good folk from around the globe began staking their claim, and wooden storefronts were replaced with brick. Statehood brought the formation of Beckham County (carved out of Indian Territory and Texas), and by 1911, the newly-erected courthouse overlooked Main Street with the stateliness of a father at the head of the table.
The resulting growth spurt meant the little town even grew dangerous. Undersheriff Frank Carmichael recorded housing three desperadoes in the county "hoosgow" who had each killed two men apiece on the streets of Sayre. Fortunately, it has been a while since newspaper headlines screamed "Six Killed During Gun Fights."
The next four or five decades saw growth—no where more evident than the hustling, bustling Main Street on a Saturday night. If folks didn't get to town by mid-afternoon, there would be no parking spaces left as bumper-to-bumper traffic circulated past grocers, drug stores, barber shops, and theaters—all open late to accommodate! Recent years have seen the decline of Main Street, but thanks to community efforts to memorialize Historic Route 66 and engage in downtown revitalization projects, Main Street continues to thrive.
OUR DEEP SYMBOLISM: In the collage, Main Street, lined with the various businesses of Sayre, begins at the courthouse and seems to flow toward the observer. Tick . . . Tock . . . Time's forward movement is represented as well, with the pictures that make up the gray pavement generally moving from older ones at the courthouse to more modern ones at the lower front edge of the collage.
The focal point of the collage is the Beckham County Courthouse, not only because it is a familiar landmark, but also because it is a symbol of a strong democratic government that has been here for the past century and will hopefully remain far into the next millennium. Since it was featured in a scene on famous Route 66 in the American movie saga Grapes of Wrath, it has become one of Sayre's claims to fame.
As for the downtown businesses—what a history! Near center left is the former site of the English Kitchen, a classy establishment of linen and silver, where the infamous Pretty Boy Floyd once dined, unceremoniously laying his gun upon the table, eating, paying and then departing—without causing any trouble! At right front is the distinctive "onion-bulb" of a decorative tower atop a two-story brick turret, which marks the southeast corner of downtown. This copper dome, once home of the Palace Drug Store, is uniquely reminiscent of Russian-Orthodox design and resembles the famed crowned domes of Moscow palaces. A second story room echoes the dome's shape with an unusual rounded chamber! As the Stoval Theater's red marquee (far back, left side) reaches skyward, one can smell the heavy aroma of buttered popcorn and taste the salty dill pickle from the glory days of movie theaters. Then there is the family-owned Beckham County Abstract, which was formed at the time of statehood as map lines were being re-drawn. The good folks formerly living in Indian Territory or Greer County, Texas, found themselves suddenly living in Sayre of Beckham County of the new state of Oklahoma—all without ever moving!
The future of the modern day business is as bright as those old time businesses were colorful. The business cards boarding a portion of the display are the final element of our design. These represent Sayre's current prosperity. The unboardered section opens the scene upward toward the sky, symbolizing that Sayre has room for more business and that the "sky is the limit" for the townÕs future prosperity! With Sayre's participation in a downtown revitalization project, Main Street is assured of a bright future.
Certainly the nostalgia of Main Street, the crowning glory of the courthouse, the quaint history of downtown businesses, and the recent re-dedication to Main Street all combine to make it the perfect subject for "Collage 2000".
OUR KUDOS: The nine members of the Sayre High School journalism class enlisted the aid of the community by (1) presenting the idea to the local Kiwanis Club, (2) providing 20 cameras-for local people and business owners, who then paid for their own processing, (3) putting out a call for all to bring pictures of anyone or anything relating to the Sayre community, and (4) collecting business cards from local businesses. It was a nice community effort.
OUR KING OF THE ROAD: Kiowa writer N. Scott Momaday described this land as "the middle and immeasurable meadow of North America" But there is more to our small corner of the meadow than meets the eye. Sayre is rich in diversity and has left its mark in the history of Oklahoma. It has continued to flourish since the day it was named after the pioneer railroad man, Robert Heysham Sayre. It is a friendly and reputable community that will lead Beckham County into a new millennium and many more to come. Our collage salutes our town—it is king of the road to us, and, we hope, to all who travel through on Main Street, America!