The Active Historian

Hey, Friend! Welcome back to another post. Today, I want to talk about the Pioneer Woman Statue in Ponca City, Oklahoma. Let’s get started!

History

The Pioneer Woman Statue was commissioned in 1930 because E.W. Marland wanted something to honor his mother and grandmother. Marland was a millionaire oilman, philanthropist, US Congressman, and the 10th Governor of Oklahoma. 

Marland held a competition in October 1926 for the statue design. Sculptors submitted miniature versions of their design which were displayed across the United States. Approximately 750,000 people cast votes on their favorite. Ultimately, Bryant Baker’s design won the most votes.

The statue was delivered to Ponca City on March 11, 1930. It was to be installed on Marland’s estate northeast of Ponca City.

J. Duncan Forsythe was tasked with unloading the statue. Bryant Baker traveled from New York to help install the statue on the pedestal Marland had built.

“Pioneer Woman” stands 17 feet tall and weighs 12,000 pounds. If you add the base to the total height it is 33 feet tall. The total cost of the statue was $300,000 in 1930.

Dedication Ceremony

“Pioneer Woman” was unveiled on April 22, 1930, in Ponca City, Oklahoma. This date was significant as it was the date of the first Land Run in Oklahoma. 40,000 people attended the ceremony.

Mrs. John H. Hull unveiled the statue.

Secretary of War, Col. Patrick J. Hurley gave the dedication address from Washington by radio on the NBC network. It was broadcast over loudspeakers at the dedication ceremony in Ponca City. United States President Herbert Hoover also spoke via radio stating, “It is a great honor for me to support my fellow statesman in the dedication of the Pioneer Woman statue at Ponca City. Few men of the west of my time fail to see the Pioneer Woman in our own mothers who have contributed so much to the advancement of the nation.” (“… To Courage Of Pioneer Woman.” The Ponca City News, April 22, 1930.)

In his remarks,Bryant Baker stated, “To Mr. Marland, I am everlastingly grateful.”

E.W. Marland gave the deed to the statue and the surrounding plot to Mr. T.E. Braniff who handed it to Governor of Oklahoma, W.J. Holloway. The statue and plot were to be held in trust by the state of Oklahoma for future generations.

Will Rogers gave the concluding address at the ceremony utilizing the good sense of humor he was well-known for. I saw snippets of his speech in the newspapers and wish I could find the whole speech.

Several local businesses took out ads inThe Ponca City News paying homage to the “Pioneer Woman” statue dedication. The businesses ranged from furniture stores to meat markets to cafés to department stores.

Official photos of the statue were sold after the unveiling ceremony. Several were autographed by sculptor, Bryant Baker. These were given as Mother’s Day presents and graduation gifts to young women according to the local newspapers. They were even advertised as Christmas gifts several months later as shown in the ad below.

The Pioneer Woman was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978 (ID: 78002238). The adjoining Pioneer Woman Museum was opened on September 15, 1958.

Below are photos of the “Pioneer Woman” statue taken in 2022 during my last trip to Ponca City!

“In appreciation of the heroic character of the women who braved the dangers and endured the hardships incident to daily life of the pioneer and homesteader in this country.”

-Statue Inscription

Visit

1445-1475 Lake Rd.

Ponca City, OK 74604

Sources

Secondary Sources

Websites

“Pioneer Woman Museum.” The Active Historian. August 18, 2021.

“Pioneer Woman Museum and Statue.” Oklahoma Historical Society.

“Pioneer Woman Statue (ID: 78002238).” National Register of Historic Places.

Primary Sources

Newspapers

“Pioneer Woman Bronze Arrives in Ponca City.” The Ponca City News (Ponca City, Oklahoma), March 11, 1930.

“Conceived And Built The Pioneer Woman Statue.” The Ponca City News (Ponca City, Oklahoma), April 18, 1930.

“The Statue of the Pioneer Woman.” The Ponca City News (Ponca City, Oklahoma), April 18, 1930. (*Contains the ceremony program)

“Leading Figures In Dedication.” The Ponca City News (Ponca City, Oklahoma), April 18, 1930.

Ads. The Ponca City News (Ponca City, Oklahoma), April 18, 1930. [Page 26]

“Committees Which Planned Dedication.” The Ponca City News (Ponca City, Oklahoma), April 22, 1930.

“… To Courage Of Pioneer Woman.” The Ponca City News (Ponca City, Oklahoma), April 22, 1930.

“Thousands See Dedication of Baker Statue.” The Ponca City News (Ponca City, Oklahoma), April 23, 1930.

“Vast Crowd Sees Statue To Pioneer Woman Unveiled.” The Ponca City News (Ponca City, Oklahoma), April 23, 1930.

“Will Rogers Contributes Much to Pioneer Program.” The Ponca City News (Ponca City, Oklahoma), April 23, 1930.

“May Obtain Pictures Of Pioneer Woman.” The Ponca City News (Ponca City, Oklahoma), May 23, 1930.

“Send Pioneer Woman Photos.” The Ponca City News (Ponca City, Oklahoma), December 14, 1930.