The first capital of the state, Guthrie sprouted in one day (22 April 1889) into a tent city of 15,000 residents during the land rush. Today this city 20 mi/32 km north of Oklahoma City has a 1,400-acre/570-hectare historic district that is said to be the largest collection of restored Victorian commercial buildings in the U.S.
Try to visit at least a few of the buildings, such as the Scottish Rite Temple (it covers four blocks of downtown) and the State Capital Publishing Museum, where turn-of-the-century presses are on display in the basement. The museum is also the starting point for walking tours of Guthrie.
Visitors can get a sense of the state's history at the Oklahoma Territorial Museum, where the state's first governor was inaugurated. Take in a rodeo at the Lazy E Arena, a world-class rodeo venue 12 mi/20 km southeast of town.
The Eighty-Niner Celebration takes place in Guthrie in April and includes a parade, bands, celebration of the land rush, craft show and food. From late November through December, the Territorial Christmas Celebration takes place, made up of a variety of events, including an arts-and-crafts festival, concert, historic-home tours, Christmas parade, Victorian costumes, caroling and street performances.
The local Pollard Theatre presents a year-round calendar of shows and productions. Since the decline of local industry, the town has been trying to reinvent itself as an artistic community.
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