Oklahoma Today January-February 1991 Volume 41 No.1
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A MYSTIC TEMPLE REVEP'~5D WINTER GARDENS --h-D\- -A OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA OKLAHOMA Vnl. 41. No. 1 FEATURES AN EAGLE EYE 8 Oklahoma is a kind of winter resort for bald eagles, who fly down for the fishing and mild weather. Here's where to look for them. By Susan Witf INTO THE MYSTIC: THE SCOTTISH RITE TEMPLE 14 After years of secrecy, the epic architecture and symbolic decor of the Masonic Lodge in Guthrie are unlocked. By David Kulick, photographs by Jostph Mik GARDEN GETAWAYS 30 Visits to four warm spots where flowers bloom all winter long. By CadCampbe1 STAGE-STRUCK 35 Oklahoma has the third largest number of community theaters in the nation. If our winters were longer, we might be number one. By Barbara Palmer, photographs by Stme Sisney TURNING THE LIGHTS BACK ON 40 In towns lucky enough- to have them, the movie palaces of 1 the 1920s are being recycled as community arts centers for the 1990s. By Barbara Palmer, flhotographs by Steee Sisney THE MAGNIFICENT COLEMAN 42 In 1929, mining magnate George Coleman took some of his lead and zinc money and built a landmark theater. The mining boom has come and gone, but the Coleman is a stunner yet. By Barbara Palmer Page 21 DEPARTMENTS 1UUA Y 1lY UKLAHUMA 't IN SHORT 5 LETTERS 6 OMNIBUS The Boise City Bombing, by Jeanne M. Ddn 7 PORTFOLIO 24 FOOD Indian Beef Jerky, by Sumtfe Bmer 43 WEEKENDER Trout Fishing Basics, by M. Scott Carter 45 ARTS Shoebox Songwriters, by Jim Stafford 47 ENTERTAINMENT CALENDAR A guide to what's happening 49 COVER: The 63-year-old Poncan Theater at 106 E. Grand in Ponca City is being restored. Photograph by Steve Sisney. Insidefrontcover: The unnamed bronze sculpture that sits at the entrance to the capitol in Oklahoma City was presented to the state in 1930 by creator Constance Whitney Warren. Photograph by Casey Carlton. Back cover:Tulsa's skyline at sunrise. Photograph by David Vinyard. January-February 1991 3 Today 11 OOlahoma hirty-fiveyearsagoOkIahoma volunteers usually work thousands of Today began telling readers hours scrubbing and cleaning, raising David Walters, Governor about the state's scenic money for roofs and air conditioning. In beauty, its unique history and Ponca City and Miami, the theater Tinteresting places to visit. Truth to tell, owners donated the old buildings to the scenery wasn't so beautiful then, the city. there were not that many places to visit Community theater sometimes gives Hished by the OkIahoma as now, and highway travel was limited. a boost to hidden talent. Last fall, Clin- and Recreation Depamnent After all, Oklahoma was only 49 years ton pharmacist Patricia Rodgers went old in 1956, and it takes time to plant to auditions for "The Last of tl;re Red net. Editor-in-Chief hl Devl~n.Maneging Editor trees and to build parks and lakes as Hot Lovers" to offer her services as a Design, Inc., Art Direction % Production well as highways. Oklahoma Today has member of the crew. Shyness turned grown and evolved along with the state. Rodgers back at the door two times. Palmer, Assistant Editor ie Mayberm, Subscription Services Changes in the She did go in, fi- reckenridge, Events Calendar printing industry nally, and director and photography Mike Perkins if ourism and Reereation Directors have been phe- asked she would enn Sull~van,Exmfme D~mior nomenal. We'll like to stay and ael L. Mocaa, Deputy Dtrector write more about watch auditions. ns Marek, Plunning bDeetslopmtnt these changes "Then he asked leen Marks, ~WanbetingSe&ru and what the me if I would like magazine has ac- to read. I said, ism and Recreation Commission complished in the 'NO!' 77 March-April 35th Two months Gui... .I .. --v...u. i Rite ML -. ~ight. later ROdgers All the maga- made her debut as zine's past covers have been framed one of the leads. and are on exhibit at thecapitol through Although 69 years old, one of the May. Unfortunately, no copy of the state's largest and most elegant build- nc L.Wtll~ams t. Gov. Jack hitldren, Ex @ffkio very first issue, dated January 1956, ings until recently has been closed to exists in our office files. We'd sure like the public. The mammoth Masonic Okiuhomu Todny (ISSN0030-1892) is publ~shed to show off that first copy in an en- Temple in Guthrie covers 252,000 May. July,Septem- ahoma'l'ourism and closed display case at the Capitol if you square feet on five levels and sits on Will Rogers Bldg., have one to loan. If you do, please give 10.5 acres. We go on tour in this issue. icy, OK 73152. (405) us a call and we'll workout an appropri- Kym Wilson began submitting his . Subscription pnces: ate reward. beautiful photographs of southeastern by Okbhoma T& We also would like to honor those Oklahoma in 1983. A dedicated pho- loyal, longtime readers who began tographer, he was best known for his ctlon in whole or in part without IS proh~brted.The magazine is not subscribing in 1956. Drop us a note if photographs of eagles. Everyone in for unsolic~tedrnarer~al for editorial you began subscribing in the 1950s. McCurtain County, says his mother As civic leaders in small towns have Mary Wilson, knew that the Kiamichi Pr~ntedat PennWell Pr~nt~ng,Tulsa. become interested in renovationof their Mountains were covered with "Kym downtowns, some have discovered their Wilson's blinds" from which he best designed building is an abandoned watched eagles feeding and in flight. "." movie theater. And now, the old thea- Kym died last winter, shortly after ters are once again the town's cultural completing his assignment on eagles center with plays performed by the for this issue. Kym and his photography local community theater group. will be missed. Before the grand opening, however, -Sue Carter Oklahoma TODAY Main Street Program and a fervent brick was saved. Another point of pride preservation advocate, was impressed that for Frantz: Antique sandstone moldings A Building the bank is the site of Okmulgee's first came from area salvage yards, a commercial stone building, a trading post McAlester company made the wood Makeover: built by the enterprising white settler windows, and another Okie firm tinted ~rederickB. severs ,,,, ,,,,,,,,,, , and cast the , decorative concrete From Plain to I in 1868. But he also / remembers thinking molding. Plain Beautiful I that not enough 1 The finished money existed to product also laid any hree years ago, the Mabreys of recreate the brick questions about the T Okmulgee decided to spend bank as it appeared Mabreys' sanity to $350,000 to strip their modern, stucco- in the old photo- rest. encased bank down to its quaint 1901 graph the Mabreys- so The Severs' After. 1904fmiSited. Building has brick self. proudly showed him. The decision caused a local stir. "I originally thought triggered 28 Downtown Okmulgee in 1987 was a even if we had a million dollars we restorations in the downtown (an street of nondescript buildings with aging couldn't do it,'' Frantz recalls. investment of $2 million) and half of the metal facades that looked as down-and- He agreed, however, to withhold his $1.7 million needed to restore the Creek out as Oklahoma's COURTE~YOKUHOMAMAIN STREET PROOW final diagnosis until Nation Capitol Building across the street. economy was. he had performed In 1990, the building won Oklahoma (Weeks earlier, the exploratory surgery to Main Street's first "Best Historic Reha- town's other bank see if the building's bilitation" award, as well as one from the had escaped down- stucco was plastered Oklahoma Chapter of the American town for a new on - a frame (good) or Institute of Architects. It also graced the building near a strip on the original brick pages of Historic Preseteration magazine, mall.) Needless to (bad). "We chipped and so captured the fancy of staffers in say, "The people of off 4- to 6-feet of the regional office of the National Trust 1954 Okmulgee were Before, &a facade. stucco and realized for Historic Preservation in Denver that concerned about we could go all the they now send people down just to take a our sanity," says Bruce Mabrey, executive way with it," says Frantz. gander at it. vice president of Citizens National Bank And SO they did. For the Mabrey family, however, the & Trust Co. In the end, tons of stucco came off the real payoff is measured in the long-term Preservation experts were, too. row of buildings that is known as Severs' health of their downtown. "It just looks Ron Frantz, architect for the Oklahoma Block, and ninety percent of the original alive again," says John Mabrey. Slumber and Learn at the Omniplex nce upon a time, spending the night "Gee that wasn't so bad." globe. They've partaken of chemistry ex- 0 in the Omniplex was the stuff of Since then thousands of kids have periments, observatory outings and plane- fairy tales, as unlikely (and thus as desir- plopped pillows down in the crystal mole- tarium shows. In the process, the able) as being locked in the Swiss Family riilp the charlnw hn~and 11nder the hi? Omniplex has become a more special Robinson tree house or Toys 'R Us. "For m place for Oklahoma children. years, I don't think it ever occurred to "There's no pressure," explains anyone that you could stay all night in a Bussey. "If they want to spend two hours museum," admits Beth Bussey, Omni- riding the moon swing, they can spend plex's education director.