This is just the beginning! Our collection holds over 300 years of history, including rare newspapers, obituaries, marriage records, birth records, and so much more—most of which you won’t find anywhere else!
Wood soldier crafts morph into national symbol and royal gift
Patrick Jacobs, starting with one crude child’s toy in 1968, carved thousands of wooden soldiers. His Beefeater for the Queen, Marines for the U.S. Marine Corps, and a state symbol for Oklahoma raised him to national prominence, culminating in a Beefeater gift for Queen Elizabeth II. The Smithsonian housed his work and the Joint Chiefs visited his studio, underscoring a remarkable meteoric rise from hobby to official recognition.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Patrick Jacobs
Jacobs
United States
Jacob
Tulsa World
Bob LaFortune
Nielson
At&t
Oklahoma
John Warner
Bicentennial Authority
Oklahoma Senate
House
Smithsonian Institute
Washington
U.S. Marine Corps
Robert Lewis
Joint Chiefs of Staff
England
Queen Elizabeth