Stillwater Oklahoma Debut Issue 2022 | Page 16

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However , that doesn ’ t mean Gray was not a big part of the story this building tells .
Gray purchased the lower two floors from Dale Lytton in 1923 with the intent “ to have the largest and best second-hand store in eastern Oklahoma ,” a Nov . 9 , 1923 issue of the Stillwater Gazette stated . By 1924 famed Rough Rider Billy McGinty hired Gray to manage a newly organized “ cowboy band .” While that gig would transform Gray ’ s life , he continued operating businesses in the Lytton building .
In a 1925 Stillwater Democrat newspaper article , Gray had incorporated Gray Furniture Company Inc . By July of 1927 , Gray had moved his furniture store and probably his residence out of the Lytton building .
The building itself wasn ’ t a big part of Gray ’ s story to be of historical significance . The band spent most of their time between 1924 and 1936 traveling the country in luxurious Cadillacs , stopping in cities across the country to broadcast their cowboy music over the airwaves of radio stations .
In late 1927 , the Pearson Furniture Company succeeded Gray Furniture Company and thus began a long history of furniture stores occupying the
In the “ Remember Stillwater when …,” Facebook group , commentators remembered when Nelson ’ s Furniture operated out of the Lytton Building . Michael Stano noted he “ bought the ugliest couch he ever owned ” in 1977 from the Nelsons . Thankfully the owners let him return it once its charm quickly faded .
Others remembered attending “ sock hops ” and other dances . Some thought Pente , the game invented by Gary Gabrel in the kitchen of Hideaway Pizza , might have been manufactured early on in the Lytton building .
INTO THE MODERN ERA

In 1981 separate ownership of the third floor from the two lower floors ended . Marvin and Fae Gates and the VFW Ollie O . Dykes Post granted both properties to the Downtown Development Corporation of Stillwater , Inc . The building has been vacant ever since .

Oklahoma State University Architect Jana Philips studied the Lytton Building in 2005-2006 when she served on the children ’ s museum board . The Board leaned on Philips ’ professional experience to determine the feasibility of the Lytton Building hosting the museum .
“ As I was on that Board someone said , ‘ well , what about the Lytton Building ? Would the Lytton Building be possible for the Children ’ s
Cowboy movie star Tom Mix , on the left , visited Gray at his home in Stillwater . The two friends in their vaudeville days , when Mix performed with a circus in the East . During the 1920s , Mix reigned over silent movies as the " King ofthe Cowboys ."

“ I BELIEVE IN DOWNTOWNS . I WANT THIS TO LAST FOR ANOTHER

— CORY WILLIAMS

A HUNDRED YEARS … .”

Lytton Building . Charles Peyton , a manager of the Pearson Furniture Company , purchased the business in 1930 , renaming it Peyton Furniture . You can still see the severely faded Peyton Furniture business name painted on the upper story on the south side of the building . Charles Peyton died a few years later , and W . R . Clift Furniture Company purchased the business .
Otto Gray retained ownership of the property until Marvin T . and Fae L . Gates bought the building from him in January 1946 for $ 25,000 . They opened Gates Furniture Mart in August of that year . In that same year , Ollie O . Dykes Post of Veterans of Foreign Wars purchased the Masonic Hall from the Masons .
In the late 1950s , Nelson Furniture succeeded Gates Furniture Mart . Nelson Furniture seems to have been the last retailer to operate in the building .
Museum ?’ We were looking at that time trying to locate in the downtown area , again trying to partner with the city to make downtown a destination .” Philips said .
Philips also serves on State Historic Preservation Committee . This committee reviews nominations for recommendation to the National Park Service , which maintains the Register of Historic Places . Philips was excited to see the Lytton Building come up for review .
“ I was on and off campus as a kid growing up , certainly spent a lot of time along Main Street … going with my parents to do whatever business they had to do downtown .”
STILLWATER OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE