McClain County - Purcell

Purcell, OK calls itself, "The Quarterhorse Capitol of the World," and, "the Heart of Oklahoma." It is also the county seat of McClain County, and my last stop in this county. There are a couple of ways to get to Purcell from my house. There's the straight, fast route going south on I-35, or the more meandering, slower route along US 77.

Needless, to say I took the more scenic route to Purcell along US 77, and I'm glad I did or I might have missed this.

The world's largest "spider" is actually in Lexington, OK, not Purcell, and not even in McClain County, but it is right on the edge of both, so I went ahead and took a picture of it. It's been an icon in this area since 1979 and is located just north of Lexington, on US 77.

It was built by Leroy Wilson, next to his business, Wilson's Auto Salvage. I've been told he was looking for a way to attract people to his business, and I guess it worked. It catches your eye, that's for sure.

A short drive through the town of Lexington finds you on the bluffs along the Canadian river. Purcell is on the other side. The two towns are connected by the James C. Nance Memorial Bridge, and at 3,642 feet, it's one of the longest bridges in Oklahoma. It's construction in 1938 allowed trade between multiple towns in the area, which is why Purcell calls itself, "the heart of Oklahoma."

As soon as you cross the bridge, if you go one block south, you will find Purcell's Main Street, which underwent a revitalization project in the 1990s. It has restaurants, antique shops, and historic landmarks lining the street. If you decide to visit this area be aware that everything along this historic area is closed on Sunday. You can tell from the empty street below, I was there on a Sunday!

One of the more interesting historical landmarks is the Canadian Theater, 116 W. Main St. It was originally the Brown Opera House, and has been remodeled and renamed several times since it first opened. Today, it houses T's Antique Mall and was remodeled in its 1940s appearance. It's pictured below.

Just a little further down the street at 200 West Main, is the sixty-three room Hotel Love. It opened for business in March of 1896, and is the only one built during that time that is still standing. The Purcell Register, a territorial newspaper during that era, called the Hotel Love, "The Pride of Purcell ... superior to anything of its kind in the Indian Territory."

The three-story brick building was considered very modern for its time. It boasted steam heat, electric lights, and rooms were $2 a night. It was a favorite place for newlyweds to spend their honeymoon. A picture of it is below.

And, if you like to go to antique shops, you won't want to miss Auntie Mae's Antiques on 129 W. Main St. or the Grapevine Antique Mall on 123 W. Main St. It would be easy to spend a whole day just walking from shop to shop.

Purcell was founded as a railroad town in 1887 and even named after a railroad director, so it's only fitting they have a memorial remembering their past. The Santa Fe Plaza on Main Street is a little park where shoppers can rest on benches in between antique shops, and also see a Santa Fe caboose up close. (See picture below.)

Also in the park, is the Star Memorial. On Nov. 16, 1907, Oklahoma became the 46th state of the United States. To celebrate that day, the children of Purcell formed a human "star" downtown, to represent Oklahoma becoming the 46th star on the flag. In 1995, children of Purcell recreated that moment and the Historical Society dedicated the plaque below.

I made two long drives around Purcell, going further south on US 77 and east on US 59 trying to find out what made Purcell the quarter horse capitol of the world. I saw a couple of very large horse farms built on beautiful, rolling green hills, and several smaller ones. I wasn't sure that was enough to justify their claim, but since then I've been informed the multi-million dollar operations are on the west side. Maybe someday I'll get over that way to see them, but for now it's time to say good-bye to McClain County and go on to the next one.

Two down - 75 to go!