Oklahoma Journeys

Week of April 11, 2009

Pioneer Woman Statue Unveiled, 1930

Pioneer women make the news this week on Oklahoma Journeys. In 1926 Ponca City oil tycoon E.W. Marland began a contest to find the perfect image of the pioneer woman. Dedicated to honoring the legacy of pioneer women everywhere, Marland’s quest resulted in the Pioneer Woman statue in Ponca City, the topic of this week’s Oklahoma Journeys from the Oklahoma History Center.

From the Oklahoma Historical Society, this is Oklahoma Journeys. I’m Michael Dean.

Included in the many museums and historic sites managed by the Oklahoma Historical Society is the Pioneer Woman Museum in Ponca City. The museum, dedicated to preserving the legacy and history of Oklahoma women, opened in 1958, but its namesake, the Pioneer Woman Statue, arrived much earlier. In 1926 Earnest W. Marland, Ponca City oil tycoon, philanthropist and politician, began the process of creating a monument to the spirit and courage of pioneer women. Of the pioneer women Marland said, "Theirs was a lonely victory with no eyes to witness the gallant charge on the enemy. With this monument I hope to preserve for the children of our children the story of our mothers’ fight and toil and courage." Marland sponsored a contest with twelve sculptors creating three-foot tall bronze statues of their image of the pioneer woman. The mini sculptures then traveled the country with over 750,000 people voting on their favorite. The winner won the commission to create the real Pioneer Woman statue.

On April 22, 1930, the day of the unveiling, according to the papers, you couldn’t fit another car into Ponca City. An estimated ten thousand people came from out of state to observe the scene, and there were thousands more from all over Oklahoma. President Herbert Hoover opened the day with a remote address from the White House followed by a short speech from Oklahoman and Secretary of War Patrick Hurley. Will Rogers flew in from out of state to entertain the crowd and a parade wound it way through the city featuring old timers, Indians, marching bands and floats depicting pioneer life. Monetary awards were given out to the most authentic wagon in the parade, the most historically accurate cowboy outfit, the best hog caller, and the best husband caller as well as other contests.

Missing from most of the people’s thoughts it seems was the fact that they were celebrating the rough life of early settlers in Oklahoma when in fact Native Americans had already been here for thousands of years. Only Secretary of War Hurley recognized this fact as evidenced by his speech. "This monument," Hurley said, "is erected to the women of a fair skinned race, but as a pioneer that woman was preceded by a red-skinned woman whose virtues have received scant recognition. The fortitude, stoicism, and loyalty of Indian mothers are unsurpassed by any womanhood in history."

You can learn more about The Pioneer Woman statue by visiting The Pioneer Woman Museum in Ponca City, maintained by the Oklahoma Historical Society. Oklahoma Journeys is a production of the Oklahoma Historical Society, dedicated to collecting, preserving, and sharing our state’s history. I’m Michael Dean.