Gotebo, Oklahoma is located in Western Oklahoma at the intersections of Highway 54 and Highway 9. It was incorporated in 1904. The main street of Gotebo has a nice little park on Highway 54, but most of the business section is deserted. The building shells that are still standing creak in the wind. One can see what beautiful designs were created to build the town. The brick work is awesome. The school closed in 1990. Gotebo also was home to American Legion Post 190 as noted on one of the downtown buildings.
The top of this building is still beautiful. In my research I saw a photo of the opening of the H.H. Wedel Big Department Store indicating that it opened March 26, 1909. On the building itself you can see the date 1908.
Now this once beautiful main street is a dump for old appliances, and I am sure well guarded by snakes. I only got as close as the windows of the fallen in structures.
On the other side of the street is the current Gotebo City Hall which was referred to as a bank in some of the history. Note the way the building has the entrance on one corner. A lot of older structures I've seen were built with this angle type entrance.
Apparently Gotebo was originally called Harrison in honor of President Benjamin Harrison. It was changed after the railroad named their station after a well respected Kiowa Indian. I think this would be a great town for masonary students to study the way the brick was laid to create such wonderful designs.
This reminds me of the best vacation ever! I so loved wondering through the old towns of Oklahoma with the best friend ever! It also reminds me that I need to do something with my pictures - like write in my blog - soon!
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