Last updated: 1/17/2011
222 W Jefferson Street
Mangum, OK 73554
Monday - Saturday 9:00am-Noon & 1:00pm - 4:00pm
Special tours by appointment
$3 Adults, $1 Children
Children under 5 admitted free.
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Judy Forehand
phone:
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Mr. John Mitchell
phone:
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Located in Mangum, Oklahoma, the Old Greer County Museum was established as a depository to preserve and keep the knowledge, history and facts regarding Old Greer County. To protect and commemorate the people, places and things that represented this area before Statehood, and provide a lasting memorial for those brave pioneers who carved a home out of an untamed wilderness.
Old Greer County, once a part of Texas, Indian Territory, Oklahoma Territory, is now the present counties of Harmon, Jackson, Greer and all south of the North Fork of the Red River, which is now in Beckham County.
The Border-McGregor Hospital building and grounds provide a perfect place for the Museum and Hall of Fame for the Old Pioneers and the Young Pioneers. All three floors and basement are filled with displays and are open to the public. Over 60 rooms display artifacts of Old Greer County, with room to expand.
Throughout this museum are photos and memorabilia of the early pioneers and the communities where they lived. This is a place where you can turn back the clock and walk among the early pioneers to this area. A person cannot simply make a quick visit of a few minutes. There is so much to see, feel and sense, that when you leave, you will be compelled to return.
TO PRESERVE and keep the knowledge, history and facts regarding Old Greer County.
TO PROTECT and commemorate the people, places and things that represented this area previous to Statehood and building for future generations.
TO PROVIDE a lasting memorial for those brave Pioneers who carved a home out of an untamed wilderness.
Located a half block west of the Mangum Public Square, the tan brick structure was opened as the Mangum Hospital by Dr. Fowler Border shortly before Oklahoma Statehood in March 1907. Dr. Border’s fame as a physician and goiter specialist attracted patients from a wide area, and he enlarged the hospital to meet the growing demand for his services.
In 1915, Dr. Frank Harrison McGregor joined him, and in 1929 the hospital was further enlarged to be three-story, with a 32-bed capacity.
Among the factors, contributing to the closing of the hospital was the addition of iodine to the national diet in the form of iodized salt. Since minute quantities of this mineral prevented goiter formation, the surgical removal of the unsightly protrusions from the necks of sufferers was no longer needed. Thus, the goiter patient load declined.The drought and depression forced large numbers of southwest Oklahoma people to seek livelihoods elsewhere, and the use of the hospital was still further reduced.
The next occupants of the building were young women of the National Youth Administration (NYA) project. Mary McGregor, the wife of Dr. Frank McGregor, was their sponsor and housemother. It was active until World War II required the services of both the teachers and their students.
In 1948, the Baptists purchased and operated the “Southwest Baptist Hospital” for 17 years before selling it to the City of Mangum in June 1965. The city moved the hospital facilities to a new location in 1967. The building remained vacant until 1973 when the city leased it for a 99-year term to the Old Greer County Museum and Hall of Fame.
The Border-McGregor Hospital building and grounds provide a perfect place for the Old Greer County Museum and Hall of Fame for Old and Young Pioneers.
With four floors of displays, we have a working elevator to all four floors.
Wheelchair Accessible
Parking
Restrooms
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