Exploring Cordell, Oklahoma: A Historic County Seat
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November 30, 2025
This is Cordell, Oklahoma, the seat of Washita County in western Oklahoma. Cordell (sometimes known as “New Cordell”) has a population of 1,775; the county has a population of over 10,000. Let’s look around. The first two pictures are from the steps of the three-story county courthouse. The views from the front and rear entrances are fantastic — many miles each way.
The classical revival Washita County Courthouse in Cordell was built in 1911. The old 1910 courthouse sits on an island, with Cordell’s businesses circling it. I saw the same layout in Boise City, Oklahoma, a few years ago. Boise City is in the Oklahoma Panhandle—maybe they copied the design from Cordell.
The three-story structure with its brilliant copper roof was called the “godfather of all courthouses in the state of Oklahoma” by Governor George Nigh. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Below: Christmastime inside the Washita County Courthouse. The two black-and-white pictures on the right were taken around 1910 and depict Native Americans from the Cheyenne or Arapaho tribes; the top-left picture shows teepees dotting the plains. Back then, the Cheyenne tribe held their annual sun dances dressed in white linen shirts and cowboy hats.
It was a different world back then.
The lands of Washita County are included in the vast Cheyenne and Arapaho Indian Reservation of western Oklahoma.
Below: historical markers explain the origins of the county, “the coming of the Indians,” and “the coming of the White Man.”
Below: the two-story business district in downtown Cordell, Oklahoma.
Click here for a list of all TimManBlog American County Seats Series posts.
The photos in this post were taken on November 15, 2012 and are copyrighted by Tim Seibel.
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