Less than forty minutes from Stillwater lies a true Oklahoma traveler’ s treasure – Guthrie, Oklahoma! Many know Guthrie for its regal days as the territorial and first state capital – it was this big bang of a beginning that gave Guthrie its stunning Victorian architecture and its affectionate nickname,“ Queen of the Prairie.”
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Less than forty minutes from Stillwater lies a true Oklahoma traveler’ s treasure – Guthrie, Oklahoma! Many know Guthrie for its regal days as the territorial and first state capital – it was this big bang of a beginning that gave Guthrie its stunning Victorian architecture and its affectionate nickname,“ Queen of the Prairie.”
( The bang, in this case, being the gunshot at the start of the land run on April 22, 1889, that opened the Unassigned Lands for settlement.)
Today, a stroll through downtown Guthrie – both inside and out of these grand old buildings – is a step back in time where you find yourself surrounded by uniquely preserved treasures from days gone by. Antique stores abound in Guthrie with a star at its center. One of the most iconic buildings in downtown Guthrie, the Gray Building, at 101 W. Oklahoma Avenue, on the corner of Oklahoma Avenue and Division Street, is home to Country Corner Antique Store and makes a perfect first stop on your Guthrie adventure. Continue along Oklahoma Avenue, First and Second streets, and Harrison Avenue, and you will find yourself in antiquing heaven with an astounding ten antique malls and antique stores all within comfortable walking distance of one another. While Guthrie’ s roots run deep back to 1889, it is far from stuck in the past. Experience the art galleries, art center, painting studio, art museum, and creative spaces, multiple boutiques, indie bookshop, flower bar / gift shop, glass blower, small-batch natural bath & body shop, gentleman jerky shop, cat café, yarn shop, confections & local vendor collectives, coin shop, boot-makers, old-fashioned candy shop, bakery & ice cream shop, ax throwing & rage room facility, brewery, and distillery – and you will have discovered the magic that is historic downtown Guthrie!
Each of these destinations is an adventure in itself – and there are so many more interesting and entertaining sites in Guthrie. You won’ t want to miss the opportunity to pop into Guthrie’ s one of a kind Frontier Drugstore Museum and Apothecary Garden, downtown at Oklahoma Ave. & 2nd street, which is filled with a fascinating array of medicines, magical cures, and odd necessities of frontier drugstores right down to the pills in the bottles, and the plants they originated from.
Dig deeper into Oklahoma history at the Oklahoma Territorial Museum and Carnegie Library, near Guthrie’ s downtown at 406 E. Oklahoma Avenue, open Tuesdays through Saturdays, 9 s. m. to 5 p. m. Just a little further down the street, at 900 E. Oklahoma Avenue, you can tour one of the largest Masonic temples in the world and certainly one of the grandest buildings Oklahoma has to offer. The Guthrie Scottish Rite Masonic Center offers tours Mondays through Thursdays at 10 a. m..
If you go to Guthrie on a Friday or Saturday, be sure to schedule a fascinating and fun distillery tour with WanderFolk Distillery( wanderfolkspirits. com), located in downtown Guthrie at Oklahoma and Wentz, and sample their award-winning bourbon. Tours meet at The Wander Inn, the distillery’ s tasting room at 118 E. Oklahoma Ave, but be sure you register in advance.
For the young and young at heart, Level Up Arcade( leveluparcadeok. com) is a must-stop-and-play destination. It is a free-play classic arcade at 2001 W. Oklahoma Avenue. Entry is just $ 6 per person, and all the games are available to play with no additional charge. Although not downtown, this unique arcade is worth the short drive west!
Cat lovers unite in their love for Meow & Mocha Cat Café( 315 W. Oklahoma Avenue), the largest cat café in Oklahoma. Nestled in the heart of historic downtown Guthrie, Meow & Mocha is more than just a café; it’ s a purrfectly cozy escape where you can sip on delicious drinks while cuddling with adorable, adoptable cats. Their quirky and fun atmosphere makes every visit an Instagram-worthy experience. Be sure to stop by and soak in the feline magic. You can even reserve your
Guthrie’ s historic Drugstore Museum
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