Entry No. 51 — the Oklahoma City file — filed under: bronze-statues
Miss America Statues at Oklahoma City University
“you can't win Miss America and not cry”
Three life-sized bronze Miss Americas — Jane Jayroe (1967), Susan Powell (1981), and Shawntel Smith (1996) — stand in gowns, heels, and crowns in Kerr-McGee Centennial Plaza on the corner of a working university campus, each eternally cradling a winner's bouquet. Sculptor Shan Gray gave every one of them a tiny bronze tear rolling down her cheek, because, as he put it, you can't win Miss America and not cry. The plaza has room for up to seven more statues — OCU treats winning Miss America less like a fluke and more like a department offering — and honoree Jane Jayroe herself admitted there's something about being frozen in time that's "just kind of weird." Most people drive this corner a hundred times without ever clocking what's standing there; it reads as decorative campus bronze until you notice the tears.
The story
Most universities commemorate Nobel laureates, pioneering scientists, or legendary football coaches. Oklahoma City University took a different route, erecting three life-sized bronze Miss Americas in full evening gowns, high heels, and crowns on the corner of NW 23rd and N. Blackwelder. Set in Kerr-McGee Centennial Plaza, the statues honor alumnae Jane Jayroe (1967), Susan Powell (1981), and Shawntel Smith (1996). OCU treats winning the national crown less like a fluke and more like a departmental output—and they left enough room in the plaza layout for seven more bronze queens to join them.
If you pull up to the corner, it looks like conventional campus bronze at forty miles per hour. Step up to the sidewalk, though, and you'll catch the detail sculptor Shan Gray snuck in: every single statue has a tiny bronze tear rolling down her cheek. Gray's reasoning was simple—you can't actually win Miss America without crying. Honoree Jane Jayroe was refreshingly frank about the whole setup, admitting that being frozen in metal on a busy commercial corner is "just kind of weird."
The obsession doesn't end at the sidewalk. If you slip half a block north into OCU's Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Center, you'll find the Hall of Queens—an indoor gallery shrine celebrating every alumna who competed on the national stage but didn't take home the top crown.
What it's like
The statues stand on an open public corner at NW 23rd and Blackwelder, so you can walk right up from the sidewalk anytime without paying or entering a building. Skip the permit-only university lots and grab street parking nearby. Daylight is essential if you actually want to spot the tiny bronze tear on each cheek, but evening visits have a quieter, slightly eerie charm once campus traffic dies down. Depending on when you visit, you might find students have dressed the trio in Oklahoma City Thunder shirts or Santa hats. If you want to check out the Hall of Queens inside the Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Center, just confirm the building is open before heading up the block.
The move: Walk the corner at NW 23rd and N. Blackwelder in the evening when the campus quiets down, find the tear on each statue's cheek, then slip half a block north into the Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Center to see the Hall of Queens — OCU's shrine to every alumna who competed but didn't win.
📍 Before you go The statues sit right on the public corner of NW 23rd and N. Blackwelder, at the edge of OCU's campus, so you can walk up from the sidewalk without entering a building or paying anything. Campus lots need permits, so plan on street parking nearby. Evenings are quietest, but daylight makes it easier to spot each bronze tear up close; watch for playoff season and the holidays, when students sometimes dress the statues in Thunder shirts or Santa hats. The Hall of Queens is indoors a half-block north in the Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Center, so check that it's open before counting on it. Pair the stop with the nearby Paseo Arts District or Uptown 23rd.
- 📍 Midtown & Uptown
- 💸 Free
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Outdoors
Where: NW 23rd St & N Blackwelder Ave, Oklahoma City, OK 73106
Hours: Added 2026-06-09 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Craig's Curious Emporium — A quick 0.3-mile trip down 23rd takes you from bronze pageant queens to crystals, tarot cards, and oddities at OKC's long-standing curiosity shop.
- Good for a Few — Trade the uncanny open-air pageant plaza for a quiet cocktail hidden behind the bookshelves at Fine Print bookstore in the Plaza District.
- Architectural DNA — Keep the outdoor oddity run going by checking out a rusted fire escape salvaged from the demolished Marion Hotel, suspended between two Midtown buildings.
- Pierre Fauchard, 'Father of Modern Dentistry' Statue — If niche public bronze statues are your thing, drive over to NE 13th to stand before the 18th-century father of modern dentistry in full period clothes.
Good to know
Is there an admission fee or set hours to see the statues?
No, the statues sit on an open public sidewalk at the corner of campus, so they are free and accessible 24/7.
Where should I park?
Campus parking lots require OCU permits, so plan on finding street parking on the surrounding public blocks.
Why do the statues have tears on their faces?
Sculptor Shan Gray gave each statue a tiny bronze tear on her cheek, noting that you can't win Miss America and not cry.
What is the Hall of Queens?
It is an indoor display located half a block north inside the Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Center, honoring OCU alumnae who competed in pageants but didn't win the national title.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Atlas Obscura · Roadside America · Official site · route66roadmap.com
last checked: 2026-06-09