Woodward County

Musical history, people, ensembles, photographs, and source material from the Oklahoma Musicians Library.

The musical history of Woodward County.

Woodward County has a documented school-band tradition extending at least into the twentieth century. Woodward High School yearbooks are available for 1926, 1959, and 1961. A Woodward Alumni Hall of Fame biography identifies A. I. Haga as Woodward's band director and describes the marching band as a formative part of student life for a 1984 graduate. In addition, Woodward played a central role in the Classic Bowl mass-band tradition, which began in 1989 and brought western Oklahoma student musicians together for rehearsals, a parade, and a football halftime performance.

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Read the full account, chronology, named ensembles and people, source links, and research notes. These library reports reflect their original research passes; related records below may add later evidence.

Explore the county collection

51 linked records. Connections follow county names and communities documented in the sources; they do not establish a birthplace, exact historical boundary, or continuous residence.

Photographs and visual sources.

Photograph of the Print Sales Room at Frank L. Saunders' Studio, Woodward, Oklahoma Territory, with his mother's first piano, which was shipped from Illinois when she married. Photo by Frank L. Saunders, Woodward, Oklahoma Territory.
Frank L. Saunders PhotographyPhotograph of the Print Sales Room at Frank L. Saunders' Studio, Woodward, Oklahoma Territory, with his mother's first piano, which was shipped from Illinois when she married. Photo by Frank L. Saunders, Woodward, Oklahoma Territory.Oklahoma Historical Society / The Gateway to Oklahoma History · Original source
Photograph of a post card of the Crystal Beach Band Shell, Woodward, OK, postmarked June 21, 1936.
Crystal Beach Band ShellPhotograph of a post card of the Crystal Beach Band Shell, Woodward, OK, postmarked June 21, 1936.Oklahoma Historical Society / The Gateway to Oklahoma History · Original source
Photograph used for a story in the Daily Oklahoman newspaper. Caption: "Shimmering Twirlers from Mooreland practice at the Tri-State Band Festival in Enid."
[Photograph 2012.201.b1301.0985]Photograph used for a story in the Daily Oklahoman newspaper. Caption: "Shimmering Twirlers from Mooreland practice at the Tri-State Band Festival in Enid."Oklahoma Historical Society / The Gateway to Oklahoma History · Original source
Photograph used for a story in the Daily Oklahoman newspaper. Caption: "Jeannie Jacks fine tunes an upright piano."
[Photograph 2012.201.B0275.0743]Photograph used for a story in the Daily Oklahoman newspaper. Caption: "Jeannie Jacks fine tunes an upright piano."Oklahoma Historical Society / The Gateway to Oklahoma History · Original source