Rededication Ceremony 

October 19, 2026

The Enid Public Library will host a rededication ceremony for its World War I Doughboy statue at noon Thursday, Oct. 22, recognizing the monument’s history and its upcoming addition to the Daughters of the American Revolution’s list of historic sites.

The Doughboy statue was commissioned in 1921 and erected on July 4, 1924, by the Enid Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. The monument honors the men of Garfield County who served in World War I. Its plaque reads, “Dedicated to all men of Garfield County who fought in the World War to those who fought and died to those who gave much and those who gave all.”

Originally located on the Garfield County Courthouse lawn, the statue was moved to its current location in 1930 after the courthouse was devastated by fire. The statue now stands on the site of Enid’s original U.S. Land Office, which played a role in the 1893 Cherokee Strip Land Run.

The Doughboy was created by sculptor Steven Rebeck. It is one of only three sculptures by the artist cataloged by the Smithsonian Collections Search Center. Artist Tasso Pitsiri replaced the statue’s bayonet in 1991, and the monument was rededicated in 1994 with four World War I veterans in attendance: Burt Richardson, Ben Isaacs, Bill Long, and Ike Crawford..

The Enid Public Library joined the statue on the property in 1964, when a new building was constructed to house the newly combined city-county library.

The statue is included in the City of Enid Downtown Historic District. The rededication ceremony will recognize its lasting significance as a memorial to Garfield County’s World War I veterans and its continued place in Enid’s history.

For more information, contact the library at 580-234-6313 or publiclibrary@enid.org.

About the Enid Public Library:

The Enid Public Library is a vibrant community hub dedicated to providing free access to materials and services in a variety of formats while reflecting community standards to meet the informational and recreational needs of the community. The Library promotes freedom of thought, literacy, a love for reading, and lifelong learning