The Choctaw Parks Foundation is a 501c3 that was established to enable the citizens of Choctaw, Oklahoma to promote the acquisition, beautification, and improvement of public parks, park ways, and roadsides in and around the City.

For the past 19 years, Jeannie and Herb Abts have dedicated themselves to the beautification of Choctaw through their landscaping efforts. What was once a “brush heap” between the railroad tracks and 23rd Street is now the Historical Sculptures Gardens, 12 separate garden plots of various seasonal flowers, shrubs, and trees.  

Within each plot is a life-sized replica representing the Land Run of 1889. The first is of a man shooting a gun into the air to start the Run, followed by various riders and wagons making their way, ending up with cattlemen herding cows and farmers working in a vegetable garden at the end.  

These gardens have taken countless hours of work to plant and tend, each year adding new flowers as needed. Over the years the Abts have also planted and cared for the Main Street dividers and around the Gazebo, the Library / Team Tinker Park, shrubs along the back of the shopping center along Harper, and the planted areas at City Hall on Choctaw Road.

Although the Historical Sculptures Gardens are located in Choctaw proper, they add to the beautification of the area and for all who pass through town on 23rd Street. The businesses and housing areas in Choctaw all gain by this landscaped environment and community support is vital.  

Towards this purpose, the Choctaw Parks Foundation has opened an Endowment Fund with the Oklahoma City Community Foundation entitled Historical Sculpture Gardens’ Perpetual Care Fund. Money put into the Endowment Fund shall remain there forever. Only the interest from the investment of these funds will be used to pay for such items as employee wages who work to maintain the Historical Sculpture Gardens.  

To aid the Foundation, we had initiated a Bike Ride as a fundraiser to coincide with the Choctaw Land Run which was held mid-April. This was an annual event that saw nearly 100 riders of all ages. The eastern OK county roads are not only less-traveled but provide beautiful scenery along the various routes, ranging from 10 to 50 miles.  

If you are interested in offering your time to help maintain the many garden beds the Choctaw Parks Foundation has placed along 23rd Street, please contact Kay Rennell at 405-769-7876 or Jeannie Abts at 405-390-2596 for more information.