Muskogee's Welfare History

Before statehood and government social services, Muskogee residents formed the "Board of Associated Charities." Later, it became the "Board of United Charities." The Associated Charities generally undertook systemic projects not already provided by individuals and local organizations. It often oversaw the allocation of priorities when the needs were overwhelming. One example of the board's activities was its organizing a large meal for four to five hundred people at Christmas, 1916.

Associated Charities sometimes became involved after individual efforts began.. One woman from Coffeyville, Kansas, came to the attention of a trained nurse in Muskogee. The Kansan was very ill and destitute. At first, the nurse called upon a minister's wife and Dr. John Reynolds to assist the woman. Then the case became the responsibility of the Associated Charities. It seems the divorce of her elderly parents, an Italian father and a German mother, forced the destitute woman to fend for herself. With no close relative to turn to for assistance, she struck out on her own. Fortunately, a Muskogee nurse realized she needed help.

Muskogee's first urban renewal followed the disastrous 1899 fire that destroyed most of the downtown district. Part of that renewal took the form of realigning streets in order to improve traffic flow. This was partly because fire-fighting apparatus needed straighter avenues to race quickly to fires. Wider streets also helped to prevent fires from spreading. A look at a map of today's streets shows an orderly pattern because of the city council's improvement effort.

The realignment of streets, however, sometimes resulted in the destruction of buildings, both businesses and homes, which were found jutting into the path of a new street right-of-way. Removing these buildings sometimes caused hardships.

"Bread Mary" was an Irish woman. She lived near the intersection of Okmulgee and Cherokee in a house marked for destruction. This elderly woman made her living by selling homemade bread. Her hard work prompted some to chip in for the construction of a small house to be located out of the new street's path.

In addition to private individuals helping, societies aided people, too. Two organizations are noteworthy for their efforts. These were the Women's Christian Temperance Union and the Elks. The latter helped in another case caused by street realignment. The members of the Elk's lodge pooled their money in order to build another home for the Yates family in a situation similar to "Bread Mary."

Among other efforts, United Charities dispensed the money raised by the Phoenix Ice and Milk Fund, a Depression Era project of the local newspaper. However, generous donors eventually realized that there were more demands for donations than a single household could support.

A new approach offered a way forward so that organizations and donors worked together better. In 1932, United Charities was the second organization to join the newly established Community Chest. The new organization took donations and divided the money among competing organizations. Initially, fifty percent of the money went to the Red Cross.

Then the United Charities took the name "Muskogee Welfare Association" shortly after it joined the Community Chest. The Community Chest evolved into the United Way of today.

The Muskogee Welfare Association survived for decades afterwards. One of its accomplishments was its establishment and operation of the Day Nursery pictured above.

Karen Wagner contributed to this history of Muskogee's welfare effort.