Collinsville City Hall
Many of the original buildings from the late 1800s and early 1900s remain in use today. Collinsville's downtown is one of the few that retain the majority of its historic buildings. City Hall is housed in a historic structure built in 1913 and located on the western edge of the downtown area. The front of the building shows this building as the City Hall, but engraved above that name it shows what the building has also been used for. Besides sharing the building with the police department, what else shared space in this building according to the engravement?
Collinsville Public Library
Collinsville Library plays a vital role in the history of what was once a little pioneer town in Indian Territory. In 1903 a group of women formed the Comedy of Errors Book Club (COE). Their first order of business was to adopt the project of founding a library for Collinsville, Oklahoma. Their first books were donated from a Methodist Church organization and were kept in the home of COE founder, Mrs. J.A. Tyner.The books were moved to several locations in downtown Collinsville until 1911 when the books found a home in a room on the second floor of the new city hall. Members of the COE club and The Women's Council operated the library for the public. The members of the COE club held teas, talent shows, and benefits to purchase books for the library. They even had a 'book shower" which brought in books from women's groups all over the state.In 1913 Clyde Bollman and J.B. Potter went back east to secure funds from the Carnegie Foundation. The City Fathers went east, but the City Mothers sent them, and they were granted $7,500 to erect a building on land furnished by Collinsville. The new building was started in 1915. According to the engraving on the building, what year did the Carnegie Foundation celebrate this "Gift of Andrew Carnegie?"
Woodruffs
In 1990, Collinsville was being recycled to an upscale arts and antique village paved with a brick rainbow. The restoration was led by internationally-acclaimed artist, Diane Woodruff, who had adopted this town of about 3,000 people north of Tulsa. Although Woodruff was in the middle of negotiations to sell her paintings for $200 million to the Japanese and was creating a three-dimensional portrait of President Bush, she put the rebirth of Collinsville first."The main street of Collinsville and its abandoned buildings is my medium, my canvas now," Woodruff said.The canvas stretched three blocks and framed 50 Victorian-era commercial buildings which Woodruff envisioned restored to their former splendor and decorated with 1990s colors and designs. The town was unique in the area because the original town founded in 1899 had survived in almost original condition. Another building three doors down from Woodruff's at 1115 1/2, bought by her roommate, was to become a bakery and sandwich shop. What was the name selected for the shop according to the front of the building?
Crown Theater
The Crown Theater was purchased by Bob and Mary Downing in 1947. The cost of the movies was 35 cents for adults and 15 cents for those 12 years and under. The concessions were 5 cents each for pop, popcorn, and candy. Movies came to the Tulsa venues a week early and Mr. Downing made arrangements to get them for the Collinsville audience on a 2/3 day rental while they were just sitting in Tulsa, so Collinsville got all of the popular movies even before the Tulsa patrons.On Saturday nights there was what we called a Midnight Preview. The movie along with cartoons, a newsreel and often a short subject preceded the movie and it all ended around midnight. It drew patrons (mainly teenagers) from Owasso, Oologah, Skiatook, Sperry and Collinsville. It was THE place to be on Saturday night. The Downing family sold the theater in 1965.Although currently closed, what is the name of the theater today?
Collinsville Depot Museum
The Santa Fe Railroad Depot served Collinsville for many years and was often either destroyed or damaged by tornadoes. Passengers and freight were both hauled by the trains coming through Collinsville. Passengers could buy tickets going North or South, but mainly South to Tulsa. One could purchase a 50 cent round trip ticket to Tulsa which stopped just a couple of blocks North of downtown, spend the day shopping, entertaining themselves, and then catch the afternoon train back to Collinsville. Many of the downtownTulsa stores had lunch counters where you could have lunch.The original Collinsville Depot was built around 1899 and later moved to its present location (adjacent to the fairgrounds) in 1975. The grounds were later named in honor of Woody Wilson. The caboose was added to the Depot in 1977. The Depot was converted into a museum where a wide variety of items important to the history of Collinsville can be enjoyed. Although the museum is no longer open for visitors, items included clothing, quilts, and treasured items from over 100 years of history. What is the name painted on the side of the caboose?
Collinsville VFW
The Veteran’s Building was erected in 1946 following the end of World War II in1945. Other than the obvious, the building was used for dances, civic gatherings,judging of competitions during the Tri County Fair, and even for high schoolbasketball practice during the 1954-55 season. The local high school gym burnedin December of ’54. No backboards or rims were available, so just conditioningand learning plays was done. The teams had to travel to Claremore once a weekto practice shooting.When you entered the building, you looked over your shoulder to see a largephoto of Joe Keith. Mr. Keith had been the first Collinsville boy to be killed duringWorld War II. Joe always wore glasses. He could not pass the physical exam tojoin the military service. Joe decided to memorize the eye chart. He finallypassed the physical exam and joined the U.S. Army.Joe had learned how to type in his classes at Collinsville High School. Becausevery few men could type, Joe was assigned a desk job. After many requests, hefinally was able to see some action. Joe was killed during the battle at Anziowhich was an amphibious invasion on the east coast of Italy. It was supposed tobe a very easy invasion; however, the Germans were waiting for them. Joe isburied at the Anzio Military Cemetery in Italy with his comrades. His parents hadthe choice after the war of leaving Joe in Italy or bringing home to bury him in thefamily plot in Collinsville. They left Joe in Italy, but they created a specialheadstone for him. The names of Joseph and James Keith, the family’s only twochildren, chare a headstone at Ridgelawn Cemetery west of town. Both boys’names are on the headstone. It states that Joe is buried in Italy.What is the last name of the architect according to the plaque on the VFW building?
Collinsville Bricks
Due to an abundance of natural resources, including large deposits of shale, limestone and building stone, the Coffeyville Vitrified Brick & Tile Company was established in Collinsville in 1908. At full capacity, the plant employed 40 to 50 men and was one of the largest brick plants in the state. Bricks from this plant were shipped all over the United States. Begining in 1913, these bricks were used to pave the main streets of Collinsville (some 50 blocks), as well as many of the brick buildings erected, plus several brick homes in Collinsville. While many of the brick streets have been paved over, you can still find a few side streets that show these historic bricks.What's the name of the cafe at this intersection?
Bayouth's
Sol Bayouth, the patriarch of the Bayouth family, was a young Lebanese immigrant, who, in 1903, set out from Wichita, Kansas, to make his way to Oklahoma Territory. He had a peddler’s pack strapped to his back as he walked the dusty and dangerous trails. Within seven months of arriving in Oklahoma Territory, he managed to save enough to buy a team and wagon. Thus, the Bayouth retail empire was born. In 1916, Sol Bayouth opened a brick and mortar store in Collinsville. Sol was strict but very compassionate. Often his poor customers would find (as an example) 3 pairs of socks in their bag instead of one pair which was purchased. Sol passed away in a car wreck in Tulsa in 1955.Kay and Gloria Bayouth operated the Department Store for many years. They helped with many community events over the years. The department store is no longer there and has been many things since that time, but it's still Bayouths.What's the name of the business next door that shares space in the Bayouth building?
Collinsville Newspaper Museum
This building was built in ~1911 and was the home of "The Collinsville News" until 1987. Once Collinsville's oldest continuous business and also Tulsa County's oldest newspaper was the Collinsville News, which printed its first edition on May 11, 1899, at the original townsite, and its last in April of 2014. Three generations of the Wright family published the News for eighty-eight years before selling it to the Retherford family in 1987. This same building at 1110 Main Street in downtown Collinsville has been home to the "Newspaper Museum In Collinsville" since May 1999. What year is proudly displayed at the top of this "News Building?"
Guenther's Groceries
Known for its wooden floors and meat lockers in the back, Guenther’s was a popular grocery store on Main Street. The store had entrances on Main Street and on West 12th Street. This building had other uses before being purchased by the Guenther family and becoming a grocery store.Two generations of the Guenther family owned and operated this business. Gustav Adolph and Camilla Pink Guenther came to Collinsville from Missouri. Guenther, a native of Benton County, MO, came to Collinsville in 1911 and was with the First State Bank until 1923 when he decided to go into the grocery business. They operated the grocery store along with their son, Keith. After their retirement, Keith Guenther became the owner and operator.After Keith's passing, the City of Collinsville acquired the space. The Main Street Organization renovated the space and the Chamber of Commerce was invited to share the space with them.What City of Collinsville office occupies the building now?
