Painting Of Man Who Gave Oklahoma Its Name Displayed At State Capitol

Ever wondered how Oklahoma got its name? It's all thanks to one man and now he's being honored at the Oklahoma State Capitol. His legacy with the Choctaw Nation dates back centuries.

Former state senator Charles Ford can tell you all about Chief Allen Wright. Ford is an Oklahoma history buff as well as an art collector. He's also the one mostly responsible for getting Wright's portrait into the Capitol.

"Oklahoma state senate historical preservation fund inc. Some lawyer came up with this," Charles Ford said.

Funny name, but serious business to Ford. He became involved about 17 years ago when some remodeling was going on in the senate lounge.

"The only piece of art we had was some $25 prints in some $85 frames," Ford said.

Former senator ford is responsible for most of the artwork we see in the capitol, and it started with this painting right here.

"So I mustered up enough money to commission an artist to do a painting about Washington Irving when he came through Tulsa," Ford said.

Monday is the not the first time that Allen Wright has been presented to the Capitol, he's an important enough that this is his second likeness. The first is here, on this painting of the Fort Smith Council of 1865.

"It was in Ft. Smith, and it was all the nine tribes that had signed treaties with the confederacy, and the war was over and now they were re-negotiating treaties with the United States," Ford said. "The government had mentioned that maybe we ought to put all these tribes under one government, and he said that if that happens we ought to call it Oklahoma."

It only seems fitting that the author of our state's name find his place among other state leaders that continued its greatness.

Chief Allen Wright is the 114th painting that former senator Ford and his organization have completed and more are in the works.