Waynoka Historical Society

Waynoka Historical Society We are the Waynoka Historical Society, helping to preserve and promote the rich history of Waynoka. Come join us! Waynoka, OK 73860

Meetings:
1st Monday of Every Month, 7:00 P.M.
1383 Cleveland St., unless otherwise posted.

In 1907, the Santa Fe officials made plans, executed and delivered soon after, an enormous endeavor to move the railroad...
09/03/2026

In 1907, the Santa Fe officials made plans, executed and delivered soon after, an enormous endeavor to move the railroad division point from Woodward, Oklahoma to Waynoka, 40 miles east. That move changed Waynoka forever. It was beginning of the second largest ice plant in the country, a massive roundhouse, reading room and soon after, a Harvey House. Growth and success were inevitable.

Baseball, Apple Pie and the American Flag! All three could be easily accommodated in Waynoka. Although we don’t have a p...
09/02/2026

Baseball, Apple Pie and the American Flag! All three could be easily accommodated in Waynoka. Although we don’t have a photo of the Fred Harvey men’s team, we do have the women’s. These games were played in June, 1935, just 2 years prior to the closing of the Waynoka Harvey House.

July 5th, 1929. . . an historic day in the lives of Waynoka residents and guests. The most famous personality in the wor...
09/01/2026

July 5th, 1929. . . an historic day in the lives of Waynoka residents and guests. The most famous personality in the world, Col. Charles Lindberg dropped in for dinner.

The first photo includes one of the Harvey House cooks from Newton, Kansas. Both photos are a part of the McCally Collec...
08/31/2026

The first photo includes one of the Harvey House cooks from Newton, Kansas. Both photos are a part of the McCally Collection in Waynoka.

What did the 1933-34 World’s Fair in Chicago have in common with Waynoka? They both had Jessie McCally Smith!!! Jessie w...
08/30/2026

What did the 1933-34 World’s Fair in Chicago have in common with Waynoka? They both had Jessie McCally Smith!!! Jessie was a trained professional Waynoka Harvey Girl that was called to duty at the Fred Harvey food concession in Chicago during the Fair. The restaurant was a child-friendly place located on Enchanted Island. It was called the “Toy Town Tavern” and the theme was FUN. Its atmosphere appealed to the entire family. The Waynoka Air-Rail Museum is fortunate to be the home of a few of Jessie’s momentos. The postcard was a gift of Fred Harvey enthusiast and friend, Maureen ONale Dennis. Thank you, Maureen, for thinking of us.

Early career girls with a little sass. The Fred Harvey system put confidence in their attitudes and a little money in th...
08/29/2026

Early career girls with a little sass. The Fred Harvey system put confidence in their attitudes and a little money in their pockets. 1924. Waynoka Harvey House.

Sometime, in the late 1980s, I was given this set of dining car chimes by the General Manager for the Santa Fe’s, Plains...
08/28/2026

Sometime, in the late 1980s, I was given this set of dining car chimes by the General Manager for the Santa Fe’s, Plains Division in Amarillo, Texas, Jim Fitzgerald. He served on the board of directors for the Amarillo Chamber of Commerce, for which I worked. I had assisted Jim with a large meeting he hosted and the chimes were a gift for my help. I didn’t really realize their significance for many years. In my ignorance, I tossed the box and instructions and hung them in my kitchen. A few years later, they moved with me from Amarillo to Oklahoma City and finally, to Waynoka where they have resided on a tiny serving table in our dining area for the past 30 years. Each time we entertain and for all our holiday meals, our chimes are used. Collectors may cringe that they show so much wear, but I’m pretty sure Fred would be smiling. Credit to my friend, Chris Cruz for the article about “Dining Car Chimes”.

This is Ann B. Davison Eastman. By far, one of the most interesting Harvey Girl collections in the Waynoka archives. She...
08/27/2026

This is Ann B. Davison Eastman. By far, one of the most interesting Harvey Girl collections in the Waynoka archives. She and Waynoka were born in the same year. . . 1887. Her family collection was donated many years ago and consisted of nearly 2,000 photos. Her family, both her father’s and her mother’s, were founding families of Waynoka. I knew her in the 1960s as a very stately, elderly woman who owned the local Eastman Hotel. Her early life and that of her beautiful daughter’s was one to remember.

Rates for a Living Room Suite at the LaFonda ranged from $25-$35. I’ll take two, please. Can anyone tell me the year thi...
08/26/2026

Rates for a Living Room Suite at the LaFonda ranged from $25-$35. I’ll take two, please. Can anyone tell me the year this brochure might have been published and circulated?

The Waynoka Air-Rail Museum houses hundreds of Santa Fe magazines, artifacts and stories related to Fred Harvey and the ...
08/25/2026

The Waynoka Air-Rail Museum houses hundreds of Santa Fe magazines, artifacts and stories related to Fred Harvey and the rich history that made us who we are. This is one of them.

Address

Waynoka, OK
73860

Opening Hours

1pm - 4pm

Telephone

+15806141896

Website

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