Wagoner: Brick Heritage and City History

When looking for a hotel in Wagoner, you can shape your trip around the city’s different themes: brick architecture and early city history sit alongside parks and nearby Fort Gibson Lake. The historic sites vary in period and character, so you can choose which aspects of Wagoner interest you most.

Brick Buildings and Historic Homes

Wagoner is home to more than 70 large, intricately ornamented brick buildings. The S.S. Cobb Building was the city’s first brick building. Its second floor housed a ballroom for dances and theatrical performances. From 1895 through the 1920s, this floor was the social center of Wagoner. The building’s history and former use give it a distinct place in the city’s cultural heritage.

The Wagoner Armory, also known as the Wagoner National Guard Armory, offers a different architectural perspective: this rectangular, single-story building made of locally quarried sandstone was built by the Works Progress Administration between 1935 and 1937. It is considered an example of WPA architecture in Oklahoma. The change from brick construction to a sandstone building highlights different building methods and eras within Wagoner.

The Territorial Homes of Wagoner, Oklahoma nomination includes homes dating from 1895 to 1902. Six remain single-family homes; the seventh serves as the Wagoner County Historical Society Museum. The homes are among the oldest in Oklahoma. In Wagoner, they are the oldest homes to have retained their original character. Their age therefore combines with a distinct story about the preservation of historic buildings.

History, Community, and Museum

St. James Episcopal Mission was founded in 1893 by six families. Four of these families belonged to the Muscogee (Creek) people. The mission’s permanent building was dedicated by Bishop Francis Key Brooke in June 1894. This sequence of founding and dedication offers a specific glimpse into the community’s early history.

The Wagoner City Historical Museum features clothing and changing exhibits. Its historic dresses and garments date from about 150 years ago through the period before the American Civil War. Changing exhibits showcase special objects, including dolls and toys. In this way, everyday items and rotating exhibits complement the history of the buildings with a perspective on past ways of life.

East of Wagoner, in the Taylor Ferry area, is the Norman Site archaeological site. It is classified as a sociopolitical center dating from about 1200 to 1400 AD. Its dating and interpretation clearly distinguish it from the later structures in the city.

Parks and Outdoor Activities

Maple Park offers a 1.5-mile jogging and walking trail as well as a duck pond with a fishing pier. These features combine a route on foot with opportunities by the water. Since park facilities may change, it’s a good idea to check current conditions before your visit.

Other parks also have their own connection to city life: Dunbar Park hosts the annual tractor show. Semore Park is the site of the local farmers market during the summer months. Check the market’s season and location before your trip; if you’re planning around the tractor show, you should also check the specific event dates. Hefley Park has a pavilion where you can watch trains pass through downtown.

Wagoner Water Park has a diving platform at the deep end of its pool. Along with the walking and fishing opportunities at Maple Park, it offers a different way to spend time outdoors than visiting historic buildings. Which of these activities takes priority on your trip depends on whether you’re more interested in exercise, fishing, train-watching, or the tractor show.

Wagoner and Fort Gibson Lake

Sequoyah Bay State Park near Wagoner offers camping along the 225-mile shoreline of Fort Gibson Lake and water sports. Cypress Cove Marina in the park offers boat rentals. The lake adds water-based activities to the range of options, while the park brings together the shoreline and camping.

The area’s transportation connections have both a historic and a modern dimension. Wagoner is at the junction of Highways 69 and 51. The historic Jefferson Highway passed through the city. These details place Wagoner in today’s highway network as well as in the history of an earlier route, though they do not have the same significance in time.

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Go to the main travel overview: Wagoner County.