Concluding this series as part of the National Preservation Month, we highlight the 1893 stacked-wood jail now on the property of the Ferguson Home Museum.  This jail served as the Watonga City and Blaine County jails. 

Pettis Brothers build jails

This jail, and the one in Geary, OK were built by the Pettis Brothers, Alonza and Lorenzo, respectively.  (personal communication, Walt Pettis).  Few of these wooden jails are extant.  Fewer still are in their original location and included in the Oklahoma History Survey of Early Tiny Jails or Calabooses. OK History Calabooses  Abandon OK Jails.

Howling Wolfe

We know about early prisoners in the Watonga Jail from Mrs. Elva Ferguson’s Book “They Carried the Torch: The story of Oklahoma’s Pioneer Newspapers” and from the original jail log in the museum.  One of the first prisoners was Howling Wolfe.  The jail log shows he was interred April 15, 1893 with a charge of rape.  Howling Wolfe was 14 years old when he and his father defended against the Sand Creek (Colorado) Massacre in 1864.  In 1875, Howling Wolfe, along with 32 Southern Cheyenne (and 38 from other tribes) imprisoned at Ft. Marion, FL.  He became an accomplished artist using ledger paper (rather than buffalo hides).  After three years in prison, he returned to Oklahoma. 

Campfires and Drums drive settlers to safety

His 1893 arrest prompted concern by the Cheyenne in Oklahoma Howling Wolfe Wikipedia.  Campfires and Drums around Watonga prompted citizens to take refuge in the courthouse and to send for the cavalry at Ft. Reno. Howling Wolfe escaped jail in another county.  He failed to appear for court repeatedly and was never prosecuted. 

Conrad Maas, the murderer

Mrs. Ferguson writes about Conrad Maas (Maase), a Major in the German Army and of royalty.  He and his wife immigrated to the Bridgeport, OK area in Blaine County.  He killed his wife and hid her body in a gruesome way Oklahoman  McAlester News.  The Blaine County Jail housed him multiple times (one entry is Mar. 9, 1897 as he was shuttled between Kansas, Ft. Reno and finally the state prison in McAlester, he demonstrated artistic painting abilities. 

Maas the artist

He painted large murals at the mess hall at Big Mac, and many smaller paintings https://www.facebook.com/groups/238872392818954/posts/2131154250257416/.  Recently a woman came from Stillwater came to see the jail; her grandfather had paintings from Maas.  Maas’s McAlester 10′ x 20′ murals are being sought and one has been restored https://oklahoma.gov/doc/newsroom/2020/odoc-asks-public-for-help-solving-mural-mystery.html#:~:text=According%20to%20court%20documents%20dated,called%20him%20the%20mad%20artist..

Who will be the preservation agent?

Who will step up to provide preservation for this important 133-year-old landmark?  City police, County Sheriff?