• Representatives from several Oklahoma tribes publicly endorsed Henryetta judge Jim Hepburn for governor. Their resolution praised his stance on protecting Indian property rights and his call for a full investigation into the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs. The group urged Native voters statewide to support Hepburn in the upcoming primaries and general election, saying his platform aligned with their interests and offered strong safeguards for Indian citizens.
• A Henryetta resident- whose name was withheld- earned local fame after consuming an enormous meal in just thirty minutes at a city cafe. Witnesses confirmed he finished a hot roast-pork sandwich with potatoes, potato salad, three cups of coffee, an extra-large T-bone steak, six fried eggs, a large order of french fries, half a bottle of ketchup, half a loaf of bread, a glass of milk, two French doughnuts and nine glasses of water. Locals jokingly nominated him as the state’s biggest eater, while the feast’s entire cost was $2.70.
— 50 Years Ago (1976)
• The Bicentennial Wagon Train encampment at the Midway Raceway Building drew far more visitors than expected, with attendance swelling to nearly 100,000 by Sunday evening. The weekend celebration featured scroll presentations, musical entertainment, square dancing, an old-time fiddler’s contest and a pioneer-garb competition. A wedding held at the encampment on Sunday became a highlight, with the newlyweds joining the train for its trip to Valley Forge. State Wagon Train Chair Rosalind Taylor thanked Henryetta businesses and volunteers for helping make the event the train’s largest and most enthusiastic reception to date.
• Henryetta hosted an energetic night of kiwanis boxing, with young fighters from several towns stepping into the ring. Local boxers Jimmy Birdwell, Scott Dearing and Darrin Hammer each earned wins in their divisions, while other bouts featured competitors from Pryor, Hartshorne, Eufaula, Tulsa, Whittaker and Haskell. The evening included the night’s only TKO, delivered by Henryetta’s Don Corbin in the 147-pound class. A heavyweight exhibition closed the event, with Spike Bennett of Henryetta taking the win.
— 25 Years Ago (2001)
• A Henryetta‑area man was arrested after taking a van from a New Year’s Eve party and wrecking it a short distance away. Walter Taylor Jr. later contacted investigators and admitted to taking the vehicle, saying he intended to pay for the damage. Deputies noted he was not connected to the recent string of car thefts in the area.
• The Dewar Dragons kept their state hopes alive by capturing the Regional Consolation title at Connors State College. After falling to top-ranked Coyle, the Dragons bounced back with determined wins over Cameron and Porum to earn a place in the Area Tournament at Choctaw High School. Dewar’s balanced scoring, tough defense and strong rebounding carried them through the three-day stretch, with standout performances from Kelby and Ty Bohannon, Shawn Thornbrue, Bubba Connors and Kent Green. The Dragons improved to 1412 on the season and prepared to face Ripley next.
— 10 Years Ago (2016)
• The Henryetta Golf Club held its annual meeting in January, thanking outgoing board members and welcoming new directors Gary Carnes, Dale Horn and Zac Walker. Carnes was elected president, with Brandon Andrews as vice president and Gayle Machetta continuing as secretary/treasurer. The club also announced the start of junior high and high school golf programs, with Henryetta, Dewar and Stonebridge Academy students practicing at the course as they prepared for spring tournaments.
• An early-morning collision at 13th and Division briefly disrupted school traffic on Tuesday. A black Ford F-250 and a tan SUV collided around 7:40 a.m., slowing cars to a crawl as parents made their morning drop-offs. Henryetta police responded to the scene, but no medical personnel were needed and no injuries were reported. Aside from the temporary congestion, the incident was minor.
