by William D. Welge, Research Division Director

Fred Barde was considered the dean of Oklahoma Territorial journalist in the first decade of the 20th century. Born in Hannibal, Missouri in 1869, Barde worked with newspapers in Missouri then landed in Kansas City where he joined the staff of the Kansas City Star. In 1896, Barde was assigned to cover the emerging political activities and other social issues in Oklahoma Territory. He operated from Guthrie where he wrote about many topic’s of the day, interviewing prominent persons who were instrumental in shaping what would become a new state in 1907.

Barde died in 1916 at the age of 47. In 1917, the Oklahoma Historical Society requested an appropriation from the state legislature for $5,000.00 to purchase Barde’s papers from his widow.

by Angela Hoofard

OHS is happy to introduce our new and improved newspaper catalog. The catalog is an index of our extensive newspaper collection, which dates from 1828 through the present. Consisting of close to 4,000 titles on approximately 31,000 reels of microfilm, the collection is the largest of its kind in Oklahoma. (more…)