History of Frisco

Yesterday (New Year's day) was selected as the day for laying the corner stone of the new Methodist Church at this place. The place selected for the site of the new church is the corner of Quincy and Third streets. It is a fine location, and the new building will show off to advantage.

About 10 o'clock the people of Frisco who were interested in church building gathered at the spot and awaited the ceremony. The foundation was laid upon the west end of the building, and the corner stone only awaited the action of putting in place.

The exercises opened by singing led by Mrs. Coil, after which Rev. J. E. Roberts, pastor of the church, proceeded to read the services of the church upon such occasions. Prayer was offered and then, while the people joined in a song, the pastor laid the corner stone.

After this Mayor Godfrey responded in a neat and appropriate speech upon the laying of the corner stone to the first church in Frisco.

Col. Coffman also made a neat address, and then, after receiving the thanks of the pastor, the congregation adjourned.

The laying of the first church corner stone in Frisco marks a step in the progress of our people and an era in the history of Frisco. We hope that work on the new structure may progress rapidly and satisfactorily to all, and that this one act in the beginning of 1890 may be only one among many that will be made during the year for the benefit and up building of our town.

The new church building is to be in size 34x48 and will cost upwards of one thousand dollars. It will be a credit to the city and a monument to the energy of those who engineered its building.

FRISCO HERALD - December 1889

The ladies of Frisco and vicinity on Monday evening, Dec 23, gave a grand festival for the benefit of the M. E. (Methodist Episcopal) Church. The net proceeds amounted to $52, which is to be applied to the erection of a new M. E. Church at Frisco.

There was an abundance of eatables left to have fed fifty persons. Every one had plenty and all present enjoyed themselves the very best. The advantages of these festivals are two-fold. First, it is a source of revenue for the church, and it affords ample opportunity for the people in this new country to meet, have a social time and get acquainted with each other.

One of the novel features of the festival was the presentation of a very fine cake to the handsomest lady. Five ladies were nominated--Mrs.. Baker, Mrs. Thornily, Miss Morey, Miss Hunt and Mrs. Kelker. Quite a contest ensued between the admirers of beauty in the ladies. The young men put forth every effort to have the young ladies win the prize and at one time thought they had carried off the cake, but the capital of the older heads, at the last moment was thrust upon them, which financially embarrassed them and they gave up the contest with reluctance. The defeated contestants, however came forward and heartily congratulated the recipient of the prize, Mrs. Thornily, who received the highest number of votes. The proceeds of the cake were $27.00.

Col. J. C. Coffman donated a very fine cane, made from the bark of a redwood tree grown in the state of California, which was to be presented to the most popular man. The cane was returned to the colonel.

Much credit is due to the ladies of Frisco and vicinity for the manner in which they arranged everything for the comfort of all present.

Frisco Church at Cemetery

The town of Frisco dissolved in 1905. The buildings were moved to the new town of Richland and to Yukon. The M. E. Church was moved to the present day Frisco Cemetery, according to various newspaper articles, I believe, between 1905 and 1910. The story that has been told is that the move was started by Frank Pazoureck, who tied onto the church and started pulling across the fields with his steam engine. It seems the church got bogged down in the creek south of the cemetery and sat there for a while. The final move was made by a combined effort of a twenty horse team hitch. The church became in disrepair and the Frisco Cemetery Board voted at the annual meeting May 24, 1944 to advertise for sealed bids and sell to highest bidder - bids to be opened by Board members on July 1, 1944. The highest bidder was Guy McGranahan who paid $300.00.

Interesting Story

This story appears in a book written by James A. Newman

The Autobiography of an Old-Fashioned Boy published in 1923

MEMORIAL SUNDAY AT OLD FRISCO

"It was our privilege to be present at the annual memorial service held in the old Frisco church---probably one of the oldest monument to the energy and public spirit of the Oklahoma Pioneers. It was built at what is known as Old Frisco by the 89ers, but was since moved to the Frisco Cemetery.

A Union Sunday school was held at 10 a.m. by eleven the house was filled with neighbors from the surrounding country--childhood in its plastic stage--manhood and the aged tiller of the soil and his helpmates composed the audience. Only five or six veterans occupied the space allotted to them. The Rev Belden Weikel, pastor at Richland, was the speaker of the day. The reading of the 84th Psalm, with the peculiar surroundings bordered on the romantic, mingled with the pathetic.

With the swallows winging their flight to and fro from their nests in the wall of the church (and they were numerous) the speaker read the third verse, "Yea, the sparrow hath found an house and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O Lord of Host."

The speaker's discourse was full of patriotic utterances, and reminiscences of personal incidents, illustrating the fidelity and loyalty of the Southern as well as the Northern soldiers and thanked God all were ready to stand by Old Glory. The spirit of patriotism was infused in the minds of the young that will bear fruit in the after years and notwithstanding the spirit of pessimism that is abroad in the land, we are glad to live in this favored land."