Publishing Museum fundraiser aims to enhance, preserve 120-year building

Preserving Oklahoma history is the basis of the State Capital Publishing Museum’s second annual fundraising event Thursday, Oct. 13, aimed at com- pleting several upgrades and refurbishments to the building.

“A Night At The Museum” will run from 6 p.m. until 8:30 in the State Capital Publishing Museum at 301 W. Harrison in Guthrie. There will be several auctions and drawings for donated items to bring in additional contributions. The event will include food provided by Granny Had One, spirits from Wanderfolk Spirits, and music by Oklahoma city jazz musician Justin Echols.

The fundraiser also coincides with the 120th anniversary of the opening of the State Capital Publishing building on Oct. 14, 1902, as the new home of the “State Capital” newspaper owned and run by Frank Greer.

The building was built and opened less than seven months after the destruction of the newspaper’s first home, the McKenna Building, which burned down in the morning hours of Sunday, March 30, 1902.

The design of the new building was the work of renowned architect Joseph Foucart, who also designed eight other structures in or near downtown Guthrie, as well as several other buildings across Oklahoma. At its completion, the State Capital Publishing Company building was the largest dedicated printing facility west of the Mississippi River. Lynn Bilodeau, CEO of the museum, reports that the fundraising goal for this year is $150,000, which they feel is ambitious, but achievable, after last year’s $93,000 total.

“We already have several sponsors involved, but we’re also looking to spark interest from larger funding organizations, particularly local foundations,” he told the News Leader.

He’s also working with state officials and Guthriearea legislators to create a matching fund with the state that could be used for additional assistance. The matching-funds plan he is working on would focus on preservation efforts for any designated historic building within the state and, thus, would provide benefits statewide, as well as to Guthrie.

The Guthrie Tomorrow Coalition, the 501(c) (3) entity that owns and operates the museum, has several critical needs for the funding in order to keep the building and the museum going.

First, while the roof is in good shape, the entire building needs replacement windows to prevent additional water intrusion. Replacement of all 140 windows is projected to cost approximately half a million dollars. Additionally, all of the mortar for the building’s brickwork needs tuckpointing to keep it solid. Also, the doors on the front and back need upgrades for ADA compliance.

Finally, there’s the hope to build an exterior elevator to provide full ADAcompliant access to all four floors, something the building does not have. There’s an existing cargo elevator but it is not rated to regularly carry passengers. The plan is to use existing windows in one area to provide access, and to design the elevator’s exterior housing to blend in directly with the brick facade and, thus, keep the historic look. The elevator design and construction is estimated at $860,000.

Bilodeau reports that interest is brisk but there are still spots open for the fundraiser event. Seats are $100 with advance registration and $125 at the door. To register for the fundraiser, or to discuss other sponsorship or contributions to the museum, contact Sherri Bilodeau at (405) 282-4123, or email info@publishingmuseum. org.