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Oklahoma State Capitol Groundbreaking

On Monday, July 20, 1914, at 10 a.m. Oklahoma Governor Lee Cruce ceremoniously turned the earth at the groundbreaking exercises for the Oklahoma State Capitol. This historic event was witnessed by hundreds of Oklahoma citizens from across the state. Men, women, and children waved American flags and listened to elegant speeches commemorating the occasion while photographers snapped images and a film crew captured the moment to be viewed on newsreels around the world. After many years of anticipation, construction had begun on the Oklahoma State Capitol.

Learn more about the Oklahoma State Capitol in The Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture.

Oklahomans come out to celebrate the groundbreaking ceremonies for the Oklahoma Capitol building, July 20, 1914 (21381, Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce Collection, OHS).

Historic Images

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Panoramic Images


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Footage of the Oklahoma Capitol, Governor's Mansion, and surrounding area, 1930 (F2010.027.04, Alice Craig Collection, OHS).