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The Okie Legacy

Vol. 1, No. 31, 6 November 1999, Saturday
by LK Wagner - Oakie's Midibox

Picture Panes of Past & Present

This week has caught me gazing out the Autumn window picture panes of the past and present. Contemplating the future and my next OkieLegacy to share with "Y'all."

Lots of things have kept me busy this week with the gorgeous, beautiful weather we have been having in the NW part of Oklahoma. Nice enough weather to be out painting the exterior trim on your home before the Winter sets in here. Some of my neighbors might have already notice the needed repairs going on over at this Old Reddish-brick House (built in the 1940s).

Do you remember as a child in the Autumn on the weekends or after school when you got to rake the falling leaves into huge piles over the yard? Only to scatter them instantly when you would jump, romp, tunnel and fall into them in whatever make-believe they were at the time. There were times that we would throw an old blanket over the leaves and make a big leafy bed to gaze up at the stars in the evening. What simple pleasures we had as youths, huh? Some might say "Romantic."

The reason I'm remembering that now is because I have been doing some Autumn cleaning around my habitat lately. Mainly, cleaning the flowerbeds and doing some major exterior painting while the weather lasts. I'm saving the leaves for the last. I still like to feel the rustle of leaves under my feet as I glide my feet through the leaves as I stroll down the street.

One of those Legacies that I've been working on that has occupied a lot of my time this week is "Woods County's WWII Prisoner of War (POW) Camp" between June, 1942 thru November, 1945.

In the Summer of '42 the citizens of this small, farming community in Woods County thought they were merely getting a Military Post. What a surprise it must have been when the camp commander announced December of '42 that a hard-core Nazi POW Camp was to be built on a section of prime farm land south of Alva, Oklahoma.

The north 320 Acres of farm ground was acquired from the Wiebener family and the south 320 Acres of farm land came from the Peterman family. The camp set on the westside of highway 281 where the Airport, VFW Post, Softball Field, and the Fairgrounds stands today.

According to the book (First 100 Years of Alva, Oklahoma - 1886-1986), it was called the "Nazilager (Nazi Camp)." The WWII POW Camp was best known to POW's in other camps as "Devil's Island" or the "Alcatraz" of prisoner of war system in the USA. It was built to hold only Nazi's and hard-core sympathizers.

Little of anything remains except for a lonely chimney; an Old Officers Club (now a VFW Post and once a Supper Club); and a round, concrete water tower that at one time held a large wooden tank on the very top.

The US army acquired the land and the Alva POW camp was authorized on 30th June 1942. September 15, 1942 it was under construction by civilians. November 15, 1942 the Army took over from the civilian contractors and the American troops started to arrive. On December 15, 1942 an announcement of it's opening was made. By July 31, 1943 the first 19 German POWs arrived by truckload. Later the POW's started arriving by train and they were marched up Seventh Street from the railroad station to the camp located south of town along the westside of hwy. 281.

There were four POW Compounds holding approximately 5,900 POW's (3 compounds for 4,800 non-commissioned officers & enlisted men; the fourth compound for 1,000 Nazi Officers was built to the east later). The 4 compounds set south of the concrete water tower, 700 feet west, 1100 feet east, and 700 feet south (1800ft by 700ft).

Washington Avenue extended south from the Section Line Road and was the main street of the camp. The VFW Post (Officer's Club and Quarters) set north and east of the water tower and POW compounds. The compound hospital stood just north of the prisoner compounds and west of Washington Avenue with service and supply area between it and the section line road.

Alva wasn't the only Oklahoma town that housed the German POW's. Waynoka had barracks for the prisoners that helped ice the rail cars down north of Waynoka, Oklahoma. July 4th, 1982, "The Sunday Oklahoman" did an article on the Waynoka couple whom discovered some POW's painted murals behind the walls of once old barracks that had been converted into apartments sometime after the war.

Up in Kiowa, Kansas at the American Legion Meeting Hall you can view still another building of Alva's POW Camp. The Recreation Hall was moved up to Kiowa, Kansas after the war when the old buildings were sold and removed from the camp with the land being given over to the City of Alva.

I'm sure there are probably more old remnants and stories of the buildings around. With your help we can discover them together. If you have any old photos, stories or recent photos of the POW Camp, send me a copy to share with everyone.

Don't forget to drop by the "Cherokee Strip Museum" in Alva, Oklahoma the next time you come through town. It is housed in and located on the west edge of town, 14th Street, where the Old Alva General Hospital is still standing. It faces down Maple Street to the East.

The hours for the Museum are from 2:00pm-5:00pm, Saturday and Sunday. You can also call during weekdays and I'm sure these proud folks would love to show off their fantastic collections of our Oklahoma and Indian Territory histories.

OAKIE'S LINKS & MAILBAG:

"Hey Linda, I wanted to tell you that although I don't have any pictures of the old POW camp, I lived there from the age of about 6 months 'til I was about four. I still have many memories of the mischief I got into as a kid! Of course, my parents reminded me of some of the many things I did also. One thing I don't remember, but have been told many times is that I got into so much trouble and also because the airport was so close, (it must have been then that I developed an interest in aircraft) and I would gravitate into that direction if left alone, I do remember going through the "tall" wheat fields to get to the airport and watch the planes takeoff and land. These are just a part of the many memories that I have of that place. When I last went there, last year the place was of course all gone, with the exception of the old tower."

There were also camps in Tonkawa, Ft. Reno, Oklahoma; McClain, Mississippi; and here is one I found in Concordia, Kansas. Have you seen anymore listings out there?

WWII POW Camp, Concordia, Kansas - "...the prisoners as a group of very nice people who were quite happy to be in the camp and away from the war raging in their country. The camp was only in use from 1943 - 1945, but according to one person I spoke with 8,000 people were housed at the camp during that period."

Notes concerning the WWII Prisoner of War Camp, Alva, Oklahoma, Woods County, taken from books, newspaper clippings, and friends.

Alva's POW camp - newspaper clipping, Nov. 10, 1995

More about Alva's POW camp - Notes from books, friends, & newspapers.

"Hi Linda, I do happen to have a white buffalo kicking around, but it's a young one! So, here it is... and the following info: 'Miracle,' a white buffalo calf, nurses from from her mother at the Heider farm south of Janesville, Wis., Wednesday, Aug. 31, 1994. Members of Indian tribes have left medicine bags, turquoise, alabaster and a medicine ring to help protect the calf."

This is the Old Waynoka Telephone Company building that is in the process of becoming a sewing center in Waynoka, Oklahoma one of these days. If anyone has an "Old" Photo" of the Waynoka Telephone Building, I would love to have a copy. Just EMAIL Linda at Oakie@paristimes.com.