The Okie Legacy

ENERGIZED OAKIE

"Dream what you want to dream. Go where you want to go.- Be what you want to be, because you have only one life and one chance to do all the things you want to do." author unknown. 

That is what this Oakie has been doing lately.  Each week finds this Oakie energized more than ever... And she keeps on going... and going... and going on! Lots of things have been happening around NW Oklahoma this week.  The first half of the week was hot, but by Thursday evening a slight cool front popped in and made things comfortable watching the first couple of nights of Freedom's 63rd Annual Rodeo, August 17th & 18th.

The beginning of the week found Fall enrollment up at Northwestern Oklahoma State University (NWOSU - Alva) with an influx of students enrolling and moving into town and the dorms.  Raising the population of Alva by approximately 2000.

Just around the corner we have Primary elections in Woods County.  One of those races is the Commissioners race, especially in District-#2 between Jim Woodard and Clint Harzman.  Both men are Republicans.  Clint is running against incumbant Jim's District-#2 Commissioner's seat.  I would just like to remind all you Voters out there to exercise your Rights... VOTE Your Choice...  And Your Right!

The streets of Freedom, a unique old west town, will be swelling with 5K runners early Saturday morning, August 19th. The old cowhands and other NW Oklahomans will be gathering for the chuckwagon feed at high noon, around the Cowboy Monument, in Freedom, Oklahoma. If you are in the area around 3PM, you might just happen to be one of those to witness a staged bank robbery and shootout on the Main Streets of Freedom, Oklahoma. The citizens of Freedom will be dressed in their old-styled western clothes -- performing for the onlookers who have strolled into this unique western town -- lining the streets to be a part of the Smallest Certified City's Old Cowhand Reunion on Saturday. 

I have been to Ingersol and Short Springs, in Alfalfa County getting some recent pictures of some known ghost towns.  I have updated my "Oakie Photo Album" with more "Ghost Towns".  Don't forget to check out  Minnesota, New Mexico and a ghost town in south Johnson county Oklahoma (Randolph, Oklahoma). You can also find a few of the Thursday night "Freedom Rodeo" pictures. Just navigate to the Freedom Rodeo & Ghost Town sections for a sneak peak.  Afterwards, make your way over to our "OkieLegacy Ghost Towns" site where we have updated the towns of... Clymer, Augusta, Ingersol, Short Springs, and Randolph.  We have also added a New Mexico and a Minnesota ghost town to our "Ghost Towns" site.

Each year Freedom's Rodeo and Old Cowhand Reunion honor an old cowhand.  This year (2000) the "Old Cowhand" was Chet Dauphin (age 83 years), Mooreland, Oklahoma.  I have added his cowboy legacy  to my "OkieLegacy" site. It was written by his two daughters for the Freedom Rodeo.  Just navigate over to "Woods County" and take a peak under "Freedom" and Click on "Old Cowhand."

Besides the Old Cowhand honored each year, Freedom also selected a Rodeo Queen on Thursday night from the three Queen contestants and attendants.   Congratulations goes out to Tiffini Darr and her assistant, Tahlia Darr. They were judged 50% on ticket sales, 35%  on horsemanship, and 15% on appearance.  The 2000 Freedom Rodeo Queen received a saddle, trophy, silver belt buckle, bouquet of roses, jacket, sash and tiara.  The Queen's attendant received a silver belt buckle and a trophy chair.

Sometime in the middle of the night or early, early morning hours of Friday, August 18th, I was briskly awaken from a sound sleep with the crashing of lightening thundering through the northwest corner of the state.  We needed the rain, but did it have to wake this sleepy head from a sound sleep?  Our electricity flickered on/off a few times and this energized Oakie finally settled down to a sleeping state later after everything drifted to the east quietly. 

One last question before I go, "One of my other readers mentioned that at one time the town of Augusta was thought to have wintered a circus.  Does anyone out there recall the name of the circus that wintered in Augusta, Oklahoma, west of Carmen?" Thanks for letting me share a piece of NW Oklahoma with you all.

o OAKIE'S MAILBAG/LINKS

Oakie's Photo Album Updated -- Freedom Rodeol - Ghost Towns

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OAKIE'S POLLS -- Have you VOTED in Oakie's Presidential Poll?  If you have voted, you can still leave 'Comments' in that Poll.  I have a couple of other Polls that you can check out, also.  Do NOT Forget to VOTE at the Ballot Box!  Let Your Voice be heard!  VOTE!!!!!

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Oakie's Ghost Towns Collections - Check out Oklahoma's ghost towns for more names added to the list.

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"Love the newsletter!  If I'm not already on your list, please "subscribe" me! Thought you might get a kick out of my webpage... specifically my "Oklahoma" page. I hope you don't mind that I borrowed your new water tower image... I will be there Monday and plan to take my own, so I don't have to steal
anyone else's work.  The whole thing (and it's BIG with LOTS of images to load) starts at: Scott Downs mailto:scottdowns@mindspring.com

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My cousin has emailed me copies of your Oakie's H&H from time to time.  Issue 71 had some interesting notes regarding places related to our family heritage.   Clymer was also mentioned in your newsletter.  My father just recently told me that my grandmother (Lulu Frack Veley) worked at a little
store called Clymer's when she was a young girl.  He said it was on the southwest corner of the same section the Green Valley church is on.  Would that be where the townsite of Clymer would have been?  Nola W., mailto:nolaW@aol.com

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"I enjoy your writing.  (Minnesota) Weather Report:  Hot and Humid.  Beautiful in southern Mn. everything is still green.  Take care."

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Tiffany Luchetta mailto:TLuchetta@aol.com is searching for Surnames: Curry, Smith. Can you help?  Here is her inquiry, "I am looking for information on the Curry family of Alva, Woods Co., Oklahoma. William Jacob Curry and wife Ellen Orah Smith both from Green Co. Ky, left Ky after 1880 and settled in Alva. I know of one child born to them that was listed in Green Co. records, Adolphus Arlington Curry born Nov. 11, 1878. I believe Adolphus married and later moved to Clayton, New Mexico and died there. I did find several Curry's in the Alva Cemetery online and wonder how they connect to this Curry family. Ellen Orah Smith Curry was the sister of my Great-Great-Grandmother.
I would appreciate any information on the Curry's of Woods Co., OK."

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Paul & Joseph sent this Info concerning a Ghost Town in South Johnson county Oklahoma, Randolph, Oklahoma... "North of Madill, south of Washita River.  They had a school, which is the only building still standing.  It takes a 4-wheel drive to get there.  The trails go parallel to a railroad track.  It ends at an oxbow lake off the Washita River.  Also, I need to add info about Gene Autry, it is still there.  It has at least one store still.  It is still a community, but may have been absorbed by Ardmore, Springer, and Dickson as far as postal service, schools, and law enforcement.  There is also a Gene Autry museum.  It was north of Madill, south of the Washita River.  It ends at an oxbow lake off the Washita River."  Paul Robinson and Joseph Smith, mailto:jerrellman@geocities.com

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"Linda, Have had this little project of putting some of my ghost town info on my website. I would delay working on it, but your prompts have prodded me to do a bit more. New Mexico has so many 'Faded & Forgotten Dreams'.  The jumping off place for the ghost towns I have on the website can be accessed from the LINK below." Marvin Henry, mailto:figment1@htg.net

"One other side note. When I was a kid, I was told that the town of Augusta, west of Carmen was the winter home of a circus. Don't recall the name of the circus as ever being mentioned, but more than once I recall references being made to the circus that wintered in Augusta.  Enjoy your weekly news,
and thank you for sending it to me."

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Greetings from Minnesota, Jeanine Baringer mailto:lbaring@ibm.net "The only ghost town that I know of is Mavie, MN, in northern Minnesota where my mother was born.  My grandparents homesteaded in 1904 and the town was established legally  in 1914.  Mavie is about 12 miles from Thief River Falls, Mn."

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QUOTE/POEM of the WEEK

"Don't go for looks; they can deceive. Don't go for wealth; even that fades away. Go for someone who makes you smile because it takes only a smile to make a dark day seem bright. Find the one that makes your heart smile." author unknown

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o "Drawing Contest" - Alabaster/Silver Clock
"What is the Legacy of the Ghost Towns in your area?"...

Open to Everyone --- Free Drawing Each Friday, 11:00PM, CDT... Help US keep the memory of the Ghost Towns alive!  If I didn't draw your name this week, Do NOT fret! It is still in the 'Fishbowl'... AND... There is always next week!  Keep sending me your Ghost Town Legacies, Okie Legacies & Ghost Town memories w/photos!

See Y'all Next weekend!
Linda 'Oakie'

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