Bringing History to Life

Chuck Wiggin stands in front of City Hall, the site of four of the 28 historical markers that make up The ‘89er Trail.

Photo by Brandon Snider.

Bringing History to Life

When Chuck Wiggin moved to Oklahoma City in 1978, he was captivated by the story of the city’s birth. A commercial real estate developer by trade and history enthusiast at heart, he quickly connected photos documenting the 1889 Land Run to their actual locations throughout downtown Oklahoma City.

“The greatest story of Oklahoma City is how it started in a day as a race for freeland,” Chuck said. “When I realized there was scarcely any evidence of that on theground, I knew this was a story that needed to be told.”

Chuck enlisted the help of historian Michael J. Hightower and Oklahoma Historical Society director Bob Blackburn to bring the early history of Oklahoma City to life through the creation of The ‘89er Trail. The series of historical markers leads visitors on a walk through history, featuring 28 historically significant sites in the heart of downtown.

As the sole funder of the project, Chuck established a fund at the Oklahoma CityCommunity Foundation to help with the administrative details.

“The Community Foundation was the perfect choice,” he said. “I established thisfund not only to help build the trail, but to ensure it continues to tell the story ofour heritage for years to come.”