Ferguson Home Museum
Celebrating Journalism, Honest Government, Literary and Cinematic History
T. B. Ferguson, Elva, and two sons came to Watonga in October 1892, after the Cheyenne and Arapaho land opening, to publish a newspaper, The Watonga Republican, which is still in print today. Along with the 1901 Victorian Home, there is the original 1883 Watonga/Blaine County jail and an 1880s U.S. Cavalry facility. The artifacts on display in the home and on the grounds were donated by families in Blaine County. The museum is owned by the city of Watonga and operated by the Friends of the Ferguson Home.
Journalism
The Fergusons arrived in Watonga in October 1892 and within 10 days published the first issue of The Watonga Republican which is still published today. Both sons and a daughter-in-law were newspaper publishers.
Government
T.B. Ferguson serve as governor of the Territory of Oklahoma with distinction from1901 to 1906 at the request of President Theodore Roosevelt. Later, Elva Ferguson served as Vice Chair of the Oklahoma Republican Party.
Literary and Cinematic History
Edna Ferber visited Mrs. Ferguson in the late 1920 and used the Fergusons and their pioneering experience as the basis for her novel “Cimarron”. The book was made into a movie in 1930 and won multiple Academy awards including best picture Nov. 10, 1931.
Friends of the Ferguson Home
The Friends of T.B. Ferguson Home Museum is a nonprofit organization that seeks to preserve the T.B. and Elva Ferguson Home, jail, and relay station as Historic Landmarks and interpret the early-day lifestyles of a politician, newspaper owner, and pioneer from the establishment of the Cheyenne and Arapaho land opening in 1892 up to 1947.
History of the Museum
Mother’s Self Culture Club Purchases the Home
Following Mrs. Ferguson’s death in 1947, the home served a variety of housing purposes. In 1968, the Mother’s Self Culture Club of Watonga envisioned preserving the property as a historic site and began efforts to purchase it. To raise the necessary funds, the club sought private donations and secured a loan countersigned by fifteen local businessmen.
Renovations
To obtain funding for renovations, the club transferred ownership of the property to the City of Watonga and subsequently to the State of Oklahoma. The Oklahoma State Legislature appropriated $15,000 in 1970 and an additional $10,000 in 1971. Renovations to restore the home were completed in 1972, and the Ferguson Home Museum officially opened in October of that year.
Jail and Cavalry Unit
The 1883 Watonga/Blaine County Jail was relocated to the museum grounds from its original site near the Blaine County Courthouse. An 1880s U.S. Cavalry facility—one of four structures once located along the North Canadian River west of Watonga—was also moved to the property.
Property Returns to the City of Watonga
Following financial changes at the Oklahoma Historical Society, the property returned to the City of Watonga in December 2020 during CoVID19.
Ellen Shaw’s Account
A detailed account of the home’s purchase, renovation, furnishing, and the acquisition of the jail, jail log, and cavalry unit can be found in Mrs. Ellen Shaw’s book, This Old House…in Watonga.
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