21 Crossing and Ranch, Ranger Theater Added to National Register of Historic Places

July 7, 2026

Contact: Michael Mayes
State Historic Preservation Office, Oklahoma Historical Society
Office: 405-522-4479
[email protected]
okhistory.org/shpo

OKLAHOMA CITY — The Oklahoma Historical Society and State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) are pleased to announce the National Register of Historic Places designation for the following properties in Oklahoma. The National Register of Historic Places is our nation’s official list of properties significant in our past.

Woods-Major Counties
21 Crossing and Ranch
Vicinity of Waynoka

The 21 Crossing and Ranch, located in Woods and Major counties, has been listed in the National Register of Historic Places at the state level for its association with early exploration and settlement of the Cherokee Outlet and western Oklahoma, and for early methods and routes of transportation prior to and during European settlement of Oklahoma and Indian Territory. With a period of significance stretching from 1878 to 1945, the property—including the river crossing, rock cairns, natural springs, and bridge piers—communicates the significance as a critical transportation corridor in northwestern Oklahoma. The 21 Crossing and Ranch is also listed in the National Register of Historic Places for its potential to yield information important to Oklahoma history, including the 1843 Dragoon expedition led by Captain Nathan Boone through the region.

Woods County
Ranger Theater
416 Flynn St., Alva, Woods County

The Ranger Theater, located in the heart of downtown Alva, has been listed in the National Register of Historic Places at the local level for its significance in entertainment and recreation. Opening in 1936 with an inaugural showing of comedian Joe E. Brown’s “Polo Joe,” the highly decorated glass doors and lobby of the Ranger became an instant hit and continued to entertain the local citizenry for over two decades. Today, the Ranger Theater serves as a visual reminder of one of Alva’s thriving movie theater options during the Golden Age of Hollywood, with its Art Deco interior remaining virtually untouched since its closing in 1954.

Listing in the National Register of Historic Places is an honorific designation that provides recognition, limited protection, and, in some cases, financial incentives for these important properties. The SHPO identifies, evaluates, and nominates properties for this special designation.

The State Historic Preservation Office is a division of the Oklahoma Historical Society. The mission of the Oklahoma Historical Society is to collect, preserve and share the history and culture of the state of Oklahoma and its people. Founded in 1893 by members of the Territorial Press Association, the OHS maintains museums, historic sites and affiliates across the state. Through its research archives, exhibits, educational programs and publications, the OHS chronicles the rich history of Oklahoma. For more information about the OHS, please visit okhistory.org.

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