Oakie's Heart to Heart - August, Rodeos & School

August is here at last! Rodeo contestants, old/new cowhands, rodeo queens and country music should be flooding the air, streets and communities in the next few weeks in NW Oklahoma. Especially, around Waynoka and Freedom.

In the old west-styled town of Freedom you will be able to enjoy the "Old Cowhand Reunion & Chuck wagon Feed" at noon, 19th August (Saturday). Then later that same afternoon a staged bank robbery and shootout is usually held on the Main Street with the final day of the rodeo Saturday night.

Before I get started here with August, Rodeos & Schools... I want to thank ALL the cub-reporters who have sent in info and photos of the ghost towns legacies in their areas. All of the ghost town info will be going up in my NEW Ghost Town Section. Thanks for your participation and for helping me with my Collection of Ghost Towns! I could NOT do it without you!

We (David & I) celebrated our 31st Anniversary up around Historical Guthrie (Oklahoma) the early part of this week. We paid our five dollars ($5) and took the two-tour at 2:00PM to see the Scottish Rite Temple that was built on the same land and connected to the building that once housed the Oklahoma House & Senate during the early years of statehood.

The capitol & seal of Oklahoma remained in Guthrie from 1907 until 1910 when the capitol seal and the capitol were moved to Oklahoma City. I didn't realize that one of the two things taken from Guthrie besides the capitol and the seal was the Methodist University around 1919, which was housed in the old capitol building until 1919 then it too was moved to Oklahoma City and became what is now "Oklahoma City University (OCU)."

This web site says, "When Oklahoma became a State (1907), the capitol building housed the Senate and House of Representatives. In 1910 the State Capitol was moved to Oklahoma City. Shortly thereafter the property was sold to the Methodist Church, which established the "Epworth College" on this location, where it remained until 1919. Officials of the church discovered a flaw in the title to the land and the property was returned to Guthrie. The imperfection in the land title was corrected by the United States Congress and the property was resold by a vote of the citizens of Guthrie to the Scottish Rite Building Association on June 22, 1919 for the sum of one dollar and 'certain improvements.'" They told us there that the improvement amount was around $10,000 back in the 1920s. Today with the furnishings and buildings are valued over $6 million.l (Scottish Rite Temple)

The Scottish Rite Temple is a magnificent Greek style building. You can view some of the history and rooms on the web, but this is a Temple you need to see in person. Book your Group Tour and take in this must see sight up around Guthrie, Oklahoma. I'm in awe and impressed.

While I was in Guthrie, I really wanted to stop by the Sports Museum in Historical downtown Guthrie, but it was closed while we were there on Monday. We did ask and drove around Guthrie looking for possible early 1900 baseball sites. Someone thought that Mineral Parks, in southern Guthrie, might have had a baseball site at an early time. Guthrie had a Negro baseball park, also. I'm going to have to head back that way another day to found out more about where all these ball parks are located.

Well! It's Rodeo time... The 63rd Annual Freedom Rodeo & Old Cowhand Reunion will be held August 17, 18 & 19th, 2000. The Waynoka Rodeo & Stampede begins a week earlier, August 10 thru 12th, 2000. You can buy your advanced tickets to Freedom's "The Biggest Open Rodeo in the West" from the Rodeo Queen any of the Contestants. (Freedom's 62nd Old Cowhand Reunion & Rodeo) & MORE Info of Freedom's Biggest Open Rodeo.

Besides being Rodeo time, it's time for schools to open their doors for the 2000-2001 school year. I am reading the Freedom newspaper and see where August 10th is the first day of the 2000-2001 school year up in NW Oklahoma. The Freedom Students do get out for "The Biggest Open Rodeo in the West", from August 17 thru 19, 2000, with classes resuming the following

I have added some Historical Guthrie photos to Oakie's Photo Album. Follow the link below and maneuver over to the "Pictures" -- "GuthrieOkla" and take a peek at some of the sights you might find around the great Historical Restoration of Downtown Guthrie, Oklahoma.

Oakie's Ghost Towns Collections... The definitions of Ghost Towns could be applied to hamlets, villages, towns, and cities that are no longer in existence, all buildings and indications of existence having been either destroyed or covered by water; where the remains of business and/or residential structures still stand but are largely unused; and where the population has decreased at least 80% from its maximum. This Section is still under construction and with your help we can make it work.

"Linda, My grandson gave me a copy of the book entitled "Ghost Towns of Oklahoma" back in 1978. It is a very interesting book but is not all inclusive of such towns. It is true that Fairvalley is not listed in that book but it appears in "Oklahoma Place Names" by George H. Shirk. "Fairvalley, in western Woods County, 5 miles southeast of Freedom. A post office from October 4, 1895, to January 31, 1948." Also a booklet entitled "Town and Place Locations" Oklahoma Department of Highways." The place names in this list include town and cities that exist today, towns that have since vanished, and names of landmarks, road junctions, or railroad sidings that were known enough at the time to be recorded."

"Linda, I really don't know of any except Three Sands which you already have on your sight. If I think of anymore I will let you know. Thanks again for the Alabaster I really do enjoy looking at it in my office everyday."

"Hi Linda -- I am scanning an article from today's "The Oregonian Metro Section. Keep in mind we live in Southwest Washington but we are serviced by the Portland Metropolitan area."

"Hi Linda, I personally don't know of any ghost towns, but that does remind me of an Air Force base or two that I was stationed and is now no longer around. I guess that doesn't really count, but it does make one feel a whole lot older...if you know what I mean"

"Hi, Linda!!! Just want to say hello... We were at Calico, a ghost town in the Mohave Desert, CA, and we have a couple of pictures but it is really a commercialized place now and probably not worth the trouble. On the other hand, there is a REAL ghost town on Route I-10 at the NM-AZ line, owned now by a proprietor who is trying to restore as much as possible. He has built up the museum there and contribution is voluntary. The owner likes to talk about it too... no extra charge. Place is on the map and

The Freedom Rodeo and Old Cowhand Reunion, "The Biggest Open Rodeo in the West", August 17, 18, 19, 2000 - The 63rd Annual Freedom Rodeo - Rod Murrow's Freedom web site Rod Murrow's Web site

ZULA, HOMER & DAKOMA?... Are they the same town or different towns? "Linda, I have been back in your site snooping around. Again, I don't have details about the history of Dacoma any more than you already have, but... wasn't the town originally called Zula? Seems like I recall a story about Zula being the original townsite (don't remember where, though) and it was moved "early on" to be on the railroad line. Also, seems like I recall mention somewhere that the RR station was originally called Homer, but PO officials changed it because Homer was already in use elsewhere. You already know the story of the original spelling of the town being DAKOMA (Dakota + Oklahoma) and the error made by the PO in transcribing it. The bank was officially the State Bank of Dakoma, and for a long time my dad had an old kitchen match holder that had the name of the bank on it." Rod Murrow, rod@murrow.com

"Linda, I didn't see AUGUSTA on your list. It was located just a few miles west of Carmen. I have no photos of the town, but will be in touch with a few cousins I know who might have. I think Augusta was in Alfalfa county, as it was about halfway between Carmen and the Eagle Chief creek west of Carmen. There was a railroad crossing there for years and years, but the

Here is some links to places to eat and stay while you are in Guthrie. If you love antiques, walking the antiques shoppes that line the downtown streets should be your cup of tea. And don't forget to visit the Saloon where they say Tom Mix bartendered at one time. Guthrie Oklahoma || Where to Eat in Guthrie || Where to Stay in Guthrie

Realage says, "The next time you curl up with a good book, you may be working out more than your creative imagination. Research shows that not only can reading yield beneficial structural changes to the brain, but it also may play a role in delaying the onset of cognitive decline as you get older. Education and the continuous use of the brain have been shown to decrease that amount of cognitive decline associated with Alzheimer's disease and aging. As with any muscle in the body, when it comes to your brain, "use it or lose it" certainly applies."

The Okie Legacy

August, Rodeos & School