Beckham County Courthouse facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Beckham County Courthouse
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Beckham County Courthouse in Sayre, Oklahoma, August 29, 2015
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 Location in Oklahoma
Location in the United States
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| Location | Courthouse Sq., Sayre, Oklahoma |
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| Area | 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1911 |
| Built by | Oklahoma Quarries & Construction Co. |
| Architect | Layton, Smith, & Hawk |
| MPS | County Courthouses of Oklahoma TR |
| NRHP reference No. | 84002968 |
| Added to NRHP | August 23, 1984 |
The Beckham County Courthouse is a very important building in Sayre, Oklahoma. It's where the local government for Beckham County does its work. People in Sayre think it's a special landmark because it's the tallest building in town! It's also one of the few courthouses in Oklahoma that has a cool dome on top.
What Does the Courthouse Look Like?
The Beckham County Courthouse was built in 1911. It was designed by a group of architects called Layton, Smith & Hawk. The building was constructed by Oklahoma Quarries & Construction Co.
The courthouse is located in downtown Sayre. It sits on a piece of land about the size of one acre. The building has three stories and is covered with tan bricks and stone.
On the east and west sides, you'll see two large Tuscan columns. These columns go up two floors! There are also brick pilasters, which are like flat columns, next to them. Around the top of the building, there's a fancy border called a cornice and a low wall called a parapet.
The Cool Dome
One of the most interesting parts of the courthouse is its large dome. This dome sits on an eight-sided base. It is held up by twelve Doric columns.
On the main dome, there are flat panels for clocks. These clocks face in four different directions. A smaller, similar dome sits right on top of the main one. It also has twelve columns.
The Courthouse in Movies
The Beckham County Courthouse is so famous that it even appeared in a movie! It was featured in The Grapes of Wrath. This film came out in 1940. It was based on a famous book by John Steinbeck.
The story is about families traveling to California during a tough time in history. Many of these families, like the Joads in the movie, passed through Sayre on U.S. Route 66. For them, Sayre and its tall courthouse felt like the beginning of the West.
The courthouse was officially added to the National Register of Historic Places on August 23, 1984. This means it's recognized as an important historical building.
