Tribute to Range Riders - Oklahoma City, OK
Posted by: Max and 99
N 35° 29.482 W 097° 30.194
14S E 635766 N 3928565
Phenomenal sculpture of a bucking bronco with a rider on top, located at the Oklahoma State Capitol
Waymark Code: WM7RKZ
Location: Oklahoma, United States
Date Posted: 11/27/2009
Views: 14
This piece of art is one of two large sculptures at the entrance to the Oklahoma State Capitol. It is a fun piece of art because of its size and the fact that there's a cactus underneath the horse, explaining why he's bucking! There are two large sculptures here in front of the Capitol, as well as many historical things to see: the Time Capsule, DAR dedicated tree, Oil Field historical marker, and across the street is the Veteran's Memorial.
Info below taken directly from the Art of the Oklahoma State Capitol website
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visit link)
Constance Whitney Warren’s intricately detailed sculpture of a bucking bronco and a steadfast cowboy in wool chaps was the first sculpture installed on the grounds of Oklahoma’s State Capitol. Known as “a bronze tribute to the romantic riders of the range” the sculpture represents Oklahoma history as seen through the eyes of the cowboy that rode across her land on his trustee steed.
Scheduled for May 30, 1930, the initial dedication led by Governor William J. Holloway and Oklahoma Supreme Court justice Albert C. Hunt was postponed due to Will Roger’s inability to attend. The preceding governor, William H. “Alfalfa Bill” Murray was rumored to despise Mr. Rogers for his support of Democratic presidential nominee Franklin D. Roosevelt. Governor Murray ordered a tarpaulin to cover the statue and when the tarpaulin disappeared the governor issued a $500 reward for the arrest of the culprits with the exception of Will Rogers. Soon the tarpaulin was missing again. When asked about the matter Rogers jovially remarked, “It musta’ been a cyclone that did it cause that tarp was blown clean to Governor Murray’s back yard.”
The sculpture was officially dedicated 27 years later by Governor Raymond Gary on November 14, 1957.