Wagoner's Switch District

As an English teacher by day, spring is typically pretty busy for me. However, the end of May I was finally able to find a free weekend to get to the Main Street in Wagoner (once called The Queen of the Prairie), Oklahoma. Like Claremore, Wagoner is a train town and grew up around the depot; as a nod to its history, the Main Street area of Wagoner is quickly becoming known as The Switch District.

Wagoner is an exciting town for many reasons. One, it's historic--it's history and many of it's homes date pre-statehood (living in a house that was built in 1904 myself, I take particular interest in these historic homes), it's a resort town, and it's in the process of revitalizing its Main Street, which also is near and dear to my heart. To aid in its revitalization efforts, Wagoner became a member of the state Main Street program in February of this year.

While it is still in the beginning phases of it's revitalization, Wagoner is still worth a drop in on a Saturday morning and early afternoon. If you're an antique lover, there are a few places that will draw you in. The first stop on the list is Katy Crossing, an antiques and collectibles store owned by Stacy Showman, who also is the director of Wagoner's Main Street program. Her store contains everything from railoroad memorabilia to furniture. One of the aspects I found most engaging, though, is old-fashioned candy counter. In shelves by the register (a regal, antique gold affair itself) there are jars and jars of old fashioned candy that appeal to one's sense of nostalgia as well as one's sweet tooth. Showman's goal is to eventually install an old-fashioned soda fountain to complement the candy shelves and really take her customers back in time.

On down the road from Showman's Katy Crossing is a little store that will catch your eye called Simply Vintage. It is comprised of booths ranging from new items to repurposed items (I especially liked these little purses turned into picture frames) to antiques and collectibles. It's a lovely place to browse and shop and if you get a little tired and need to relax a minute or "wet your whistle" before continuing on your little excursion, order something from Simply Vintage's coffee counter and have a seat at the bistro tables in their front window and watch the world pass by for a moment.

 From there, you can travel just a little bit further up the street to Melinda's Treasures where you can find booths filled with antiques, collectibles and what-nots. Traveling back down Main toward Cherokee, if you turn left at the corner by Katy Crossing, a new little antiques and collectibles store is opening up called The White Elephant. Owner Janice Turney is excited about her little store and I think once it's open antiques and collectibles collectors will be too.

If you're looking for a little gift Wagoner Pharmacy on Main Street has a nice little collection of items ranging from picture frames, sunglasses, and stylish purses to a variety of teas (I couldn't leave without picking up Strawberry Hibiscus tea), and around the corner on Cherokee is Wagoner Flowers and Gifts. In the same way you shouldn't overlook the pharmacy because it says pharmacy, you shouldn't dismiss the flower shop as simply a flower shop. While certainly you can stop in to purchase a surprise bouquet for someone special, the flower shop has a vast variety of gifts to please a wide range of people. They have figurines for your collectors, garden decor for your gardeners, and baby gifts for your friends having babies (or for yourself if you are). Wagoner Flowers and Gifts is one of those stores that I could circle several times and find something new I wanted each time.

 Now with both the pharmacy and the flower shop, you do want to make sure you're there early because they close at noon on Saturday. However, don't be dismayed. You can always shop those stores first and then perhaps have some lunch at the Koffee Kan where I had a delicious chicken apricot panini, or the Boomerang Cafe on Cherokee, and then stop in at the other shops mentioned above. If you want to make a day of your visit to Wagoner, then there is also plenty of history to take in there as well.

On Main Street you will find the Wagoner City Historical Museum, curated by Chris Fultz. All of the items in the museum come from Wagoner residents and represent the city from pre-statehood to well into the 20th century. They have clothing arranged by decade and cases of jewelry, photos, letters, and war memorabilia, as well as antique furniture and equipment. Additionally, if you are a genealogy buff, Fultz has old phone registries at the museum that can help you find your ancestors' homesteads as well as two cemetary registries to help you find your ancestors' burial spots. Of course, if you stop in for a visit and have questions about Wagoner, you won't be disappointed, as Fultz is a true fount of knowledge about the city.

While you're at the museum, pick up a map of the Driving Tour of Wagoner's Historic Buildings and Homes. With fifty-two registered historical sites, you'll have a lovely afternoon familiarizing yourself with the city while taking in some great architecture.

Wagoner is a nice little city, and I doubt you'll be disappointed if you pay it a visit. Of course, one of the things I find exciting about Wagoner is that it is just beginning its revitalization, so there is so much opportunity available there. I can't wait to see what new stores and eateries will pop up next in this great train town.