The Okie Legacy

"My heart leaps up when I behold a rainbow in the sky; | So was it when my life began; | So is it now I am a man ; | So be it when I shall grow old, | Or let me die! | The child is father of the man; | And I could wish my days to be | Bound each to each by natural piety." -- by William Wordsworth

Yep! I've been reading the complete edition of "The Poetical Works of William Wordsworth" that I picked up in Indiana from an Old Antique Book dealer.

My heart does leap up with each memory of my Oklahoma and my ancestors from far away. It leaps every time someone sends me something that jogs the memories of the past. It does our hearts good to share those memories with others so we can move on into the new millenium (2001). I thank you all for sharing your memories so freely/unconditionally. Thanks for jogging our memories and sharing your stories.

I have ran into lots of people this week who said that the New England fall foliage tour was one of their favorite dream vacations they have taken or would love to take. Just so that I do not play favorites here, Oklahoma has some great fall tours, especially in the eastern part of the state where our mountains, lakes and state parks are located. If anyone out there has any '99 Oklahoma Autumn scenes to share with us, I would love to see them. Email me so I can share them with others.

Meanwhile, rumor has it that three ladies from the Waynoka, Oklahoma area are venturing into a NEW business in the Old Telephone Building just a few blocks south of downtown Waynoka. I hear the new business is going to be a fabric and sewing center where they will also do quilting and sewing for others. I wish them only the best of luck in their new business venture.

One of the ladies is my old sister, Connie, who taught home economics in Forgan, Oklahoma once upon a time. I'm really glad that she has figured out what her true talent is. She does have a talent for sewing beautiful things. Good Luck and Best Wishes to you all in Waynoka, Oklahoma, Woods County.

On the jogging of memories, a friend sent me some stories and old photos that I thought you might find interesting. Marv remembers when his, "Grandfather and an uncle lived in Watonga, so we used to go there in the summer. There was this Dorn's Trading Post which was one of the most fascinating places to me, and whose memory still stirs a sense of mystery. The back of the postcard says: Dorn's Trading Post; Owned by Dorn Plaster ; 'Home of the World's Oldest Well'; See 'Navajo,' recently captured wild stallion from the Navajo Reservation.; Indian Pottery - Curios - Bead Work. I don't remember 'Navajo', but I do remember the Indian Pottery - Curios - and Bead Work. There are two one cent stamps stuck to the front of the card, but it was never sent through the postal service."

Marv also sent me a picture that was taken July 4th, 1944 with the old Armory when it was used as a granary storage for wheat during WWII. The picture was taken in the 200 block of Choctaw, in the street in front of the Old Armory building.

My Uncle Alvin and his family used to live across the street in a two-story white house that set on the SE corner of 3rd & Choctaw. All I remember about it was that it had a spooky old basement and uncle Alvin would fix it up during Halloween to scare the kids. I hope that memory is right. I was just a very-very-very young impressionable thing back then and that sticks out the most about that house. It is still standing on that same corner across the street south from the old armory. The old armory is now used as a school maintenance building and the grounds around it are still used for the little league baseball and youth groups in the summer months. The little white granary storage buildings are gone, though.

Marv told me, "I remember two photo studios for photography in Alva, Colliers and Hendricks. One was located just east of Johnson's Insurance, at that time I think there was a restaurant, then Frederick's Studio. Colliers was located on Barnes, across from the Senior Citizen Center. From the alley going west was a print shop (Blakley's), then a narrow storefront which was a tax preparer, then Colliers. The front of the store had a pale green smooth glazed type of brick. Incidentally, the next store west I believe was Ridgway Motors which sold 'Little Nash Ramblers'."

That location with the smooth, green, glazed brick (Collier's) sounds like where Lynn Martin's Photography is today. The smooth glazed-type brick is still there on the front. I will get a photo of it ASAP to share with you all. Unless Mr. Martin would send me a copy to share, huh? Please!

Does anyone out there remember Jack Moore's Photography and Art Studio that was on the north side of the square close to Johnson's Insurance and Warrick's shoe store? I remember buying my art supplies at Jack Moore's Photography when I took art lessons from Jack Hayward over at the Old Bell Hotel.

The Bell Hotel is still standing, but standing vacant with some of the windows boarded up. The Hotel is located on the SW corner of 5th & Barnes. The Art Studio was just around the corner and south a few doors down from the soda fountain located in the Old Bell Hotel.

Blakely's Print Shop is no longer, but there is a Printing & Design business still in there the last time I looked. The little place that sold "Little Nash Ramblers" has been remodeled into a Day Care today. The Kennedy & Coe Accounting is also over around there.

Anyone else out there have any Old Memories to share with the rest of the world? We would really love to hear from you. Just send Linda a scanned photo (JPG) in an Email and some history or memories you have about the photo or old postcard. If you don't have an Email Addy, then send it to P. O. Box 18998, OKC, OK 73254-0998 c/o Linda Wagner. If you send a self-address-stamp envelope (SASE), I will scan the photo/postcard and return it to you.

OAKIE'S MAILBAG & LINKS

If you are interested in some West Virginia History, you need to check out West Virginia Archives and History at the following URL. They have a link to the Hatfields/McCoy Fueds with pictures and history. These are just some of the Titles you might view when you get over to their frontpage, "News about West Virginia History, Upcoming Events, Hatfield McCoy Feud Photo Gallery, Historical Societies and Repositories in West Virginia, Jefferson County CD ROM Links relating to West Virginia, National and Regional Links, State History for Students of All Ages, Suggested readings on notable West Virginians, "Time Trail, West Virginia", West Virginia Collections outside the state, West Virginia Historical and Genealogical Societies, West Virginia Veterans Memorial, etc..."

I suppose if we look hard enough we could find some Oklahoma Hatfield & McCoy Stories around here somewhere. Would you help me out?

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I just wanted to share something great with you that I get in my email box that makes my days and gives me lots of smiles. My son writes a little something for the Athlete's Foot Times that he and his friends started in 1997 at OSU (Stillwater). He is good! I know I am a bit prejudice! He is the Jock Reporter and some others rolled into one at AFTSports. He also has a mailing list for AFTSports Updates. It sounds like Coach Wagner's Fierce Federalies in the Athletes Fantasy Football League could use all the cheering it could get from the armchair browsers out there. Not to mention some advise for his non-scoring players that are in last place.

Hey! If OU can make a comeback this year with a new coach and a promising team, so can Coach Wagner and his "Fierce Federalies." IF... you have any advice or suggestions to give Mike, Email MikeMcWag@aol.com and tell him his mother sent you. :^)

Remember... Nothing is impossible! Everything is obtainable! You just have to want it and work for it!

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"Linda, Your Heart to Heart today, did jog my memory banks again. Didn't take long to lay hands on the photos from my parents. Will send an attachment of a photo which is of myself (Marvin), my brother (Gail) and Stan Paris. The picture was taken in the 200 block of Choctaw, in the street in front of the old Armory building. During the war, the armory building was used as a storage for wheat as the 45th Division was away fighting the war, and the rest of the block which I think presently has some baseball fields, had the white buildings which were granaries for wheat storage, also. We lived across the street, and Alvin Paris lived on the corner of Choctaw and 3rd Street. The picture is dated July 1944, was developed/printed by Collier -- anything in photographs -- Alva, Okla. There are a number of photos with the Collier imprint on them, and they all are dated between about 1942-1944. Enjoy reading and having my memory rattled about NW Okla. Almost forgot, remember the Carmen home. Had some second-cousins whose parents abandoned them to the Carmen home. When the home closed, one of the ladies who worked there took them in and raised them. Not sure, but think at least some of them are still in the area, Woodward and Enid."

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"Linda, Thank you. The FRANCE family moved to OK in the Cherokee Strip Run. around 1892. They founded Cleo Springs and around 1903/4 moved to Alva. My gfather was born there and when he died in 1982 he was transported from here in NM back home to be buried with his family. My gmother, his wife, was a CHEW. She too was taken back to Alva to be buried when she died in 1992. "

OAKIE'S COMMENTS: If anyone has any information on the FRANCE or CHEW's that moved to Oklahoma and settled around Cleo Springs, please contact Bill at mailto:bboyle@NMSU.Edu.

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"Dear Linda, Sounds like you had a Great vacation. Right-on Gal!! I am happy for you. I read your weekly letters with relish. It does my heart good to see someone have much joy. George"

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"Dear Oakie, I have enjoyed your site but still didn't tie in the Gwin/Guynn line. My great-great grandfather was John Guynn, born around 1798 in Patrick Co. Va. Some of the family may have gone West with the Cherokee Nation and we have had a lot of trouble finding info on them. I have nothing on John except his 3 sons who all fought in the civil war. Do you know if your line ties into this one? Thank you. Carolyn - kylewm@aisva.net"

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"You may have already been here, but I liked the links to state and county graveyards and the links to and with everything. I checked out the Orion and the Fairvalley cemeteries with the mapping feature. Click here: The Political Graveyard."

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If you need an online language translator, Try this one out and choose the language that you want to Translate from and to:

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"A site (Curtis Media Publishers of Genealogy and History Books") listing several different Oklahoma family history books gives titles, prices, and brief description of the location and/or type of information contained in each book. Curtis Media sold all their stock to Henington Publisher's in Texas. So, if you want to purchase any of the books or need info on them, you will have to contact Henington Publishers (1-800-441-9706 between 7:30a.m. to 4p.m. CST)."

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Remember the giant "Townley's Milk Bottle" that sat ontop of a little building at the intersection of 23rd & Classen Blvd. in Oklahoma City? It still stands as a past landmark of yesterday, but has a new Logo afixed to it... The name of "Braum's".

 

 

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The Mount Washington Observator in North Conway, New Hampshire has a website. Mount Washington Observatory opened December 1, 1870 as the the world's first well-equipped mountaintop observatory. For 22 years, the Observatory collected weather data for the National Weather Service. It closed in 1892 and reopened again in 1932 by private individuals inspired by the majesty of weather at what is known as the site of the World's Worst Weather. The Observatory uses year-round tours of the station, a summit museum, and educational outreach programs such as The Weather Notebook to educate, inspire, and create understanding of the interrelationships of weather and our world. The Observatory's newest initiative (American's first science discovery center devoted entirely to the topic of weather) opened in 1999 in North conway, N.H.

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The Mount Washington Hotel nearby is another site to behold.

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This one is for you, Lanie! Bringing Buffalo Back. A National Wildlife Federation initiative dedicated to restoring wild buffalo to tribal and ultimately to public lands in the the West.

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I would like to send Best Wishes to "The Freedom Call" (a NW Oklahoma weekly newspaper) and the Town of Freedom for the award their weekly newspaper won recently. For those outside Oklahoma who don't know yet, "The 1999 Oklahoma Press Association (OPA) better Newspaper Contest awards were presented to daily and weekly newspapers September 17 at the opening day of the State Fair of Oklahoma."

It was co-sponsored by the OPA and the State Fair. The Freedom Call placed 4th out of 103 OPA member newspapers, which submitted 940 entries and were judged by the members of the New Mexico Press Association. The Greatest, Open-minded Little City in NW Oklahoma, Woods County should be very proud of their weekly newspaper and citizens for the support it gives to each other.

Thanks for letting me come into your life and share some Okie Memories with you all. Have a great Fall weekend and enjoy the the best of the rest of your lives with your families and friends! AND... I wish only the best to OSU (Stillwater) and their Homecoming football this weekend. Have a safe and great "All Hallows Eve" coming up next weekend (October 30 & 31), especially to those friends heading out to discover the mysteries of the Brown Springs area near Thackerville, in south-central Oklahoma. Some Brown Springs History can be found at a friends site. Here is a map of the Browns Springs area in case you get lost.

Let me leave you with this one thought, "We never know how much impact we have on people in our daily lives. Even the littliest of smiles, a gentle ((hug)), or a simple "Hello, How are you" can make someone's day special. Even the slightest bit of encouragement can go a long way to making this world a better place for all of us. Give your heart a break and let it leap up and enjoy the little things that surround you."

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