"Twas A Week Before Christmas

'Twas a week before Christmas and all through the lands. Not a creature was stirring... Not even NW Okie's slow, creeping "old" hands.

Doesn't it all start out that way this time of year? Yep! This NW Okie is slow this week. It has been hard for her to sit down and stay connected -- getting this week's "OkieLegacy" deadline out to the presses. We thought about glueing NW Okie's seat to the chair. So... here we (the Pugsters) are working late into Saturday evening trying to keep the news deadline on track for our NW Okie.

Remember last week when NW Okie was asking where the snow was? Well! It seems like all you have to do is ask for it here in the SW Rockies of Colorado. AND... it appears! Especially, Tuesday morning (13 December 2005) when Sadie and this pugster wokeup to 3 or 4 inches of that beautiful, wet, white snow in our front yard. At least it was white until we made some yellow snow of our own. It was beautiful, BUT... How come we had to go out in it? You don't see that NW Okie having to use the "outside" doggy house, do you?

Anyway! You can view some of our snow scenes over at our Vallecito Webshots - 13 December 2005 View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Where's The Wildlife...

Someone asked us earlier this week, "Have you seen any wildlife lately?"

Yes! As a matter of fact, we have. It was Monday, December 12th, when we spotted these bald eagles (photo on the left) soaring the southwestern skies south of Bayfield, Colorado. The two in this photograph just happened to come in for a landing and rest in the tree top.

Our neighbor to the south of us found this big buck (photo on the right) grazing in her backyard earlier this week. Did I count the points correctly? Is this an eight point buck? WOW! Right in her backyard... even!

You can view more photos of Ann's Backyard Buck over at our Vallecito Webshots - Ann Riddle's Deer View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Remembering When...

Remember when the Alva Library was on the third floor of Alva City Hall? Not me! I remember when I used to walk from the corner of 7th & Church Street to the library in the 300 block of Barnes Avenue. That library was located in a two-story house a few doors east of the Devery Emplement store, which was located on the SE corner of 4th & Barnes Avenue. One of our readers remembers the third floor library in the City building on the east side of the government square in downtown Alva, Oklahoma. That's also the building where our fire department was located. You can't find that three-story building there today. It's since been replaced with a modern one-story brick building.

As to the photo last week of the Dacoma Baseball team... someone thought it might be a prison team. BUT... where? View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Wrought Iron Range Stories...

"OK! Linda, Here is another story. Late 1938 or early '39 the group were canvassing the New England States. The group consisted of a Manager, several sales personnel and most had their wives traveling with them. They would spend a month or more in a single location because they also picked up the stoves they sold from the train station and delivered them. Subsequently, the group became very close and shared much, food, companionship and a reasonable living.

Meanwhile, my folks tucked me away in a boys prep school in Plattsburg, NY. During school vacations I would get to travel with my parents. I would go with my father when he was canvassing the rural areas. I believe we were in Conneticutt at that time and I don't remember the name of the community.

Dad drove into the barnyard of one farmhouse and as was his manner got out of the truck and approached the lady of the farm. He explained who he was and who he represented.

They had a small model of the stove on the back of the pickup truck along with a sample of the actual lid from a full sized mode. The husband had been out in the barn chopping wood and he came to the farm house to see who was visiting.

Dad went through his sales pitch with the man who turned out to be a huge swede. He looked ten feet tall to me but in retrospect he was probably more like six feet plus several inches. The man was not interested in buying. When dad explained that the sample of the lid represented the actual one on all stove and was unbreakable.

You could see the man's eyes light up. I bet I can break he said so dad asked if he was a betting man. He said maybe he was and asked why. Dad said if you do break that lid I will give you a stove. If not you must then buy one. The big swede just laughed and said 'OKAY, you're on.' He placed the lid on a big oak chopping block, went to the barn and came back with a huge post maul. I wondered what we got into and maybe dad was even sweating a bit. The swede wound up and he came down on the lid with all of his might force. The lid must have soared 75 feet in the air, spinning like a top and came down .... unharmed. The big swede laughed and said, 'by golly! You are right.' He reached in his pocket an peeled off several bills to pay the up front cost. Dad (a former farm boy) went into the barn with the man and helped milk the cows. As we were leaving, the man and his very happy wife invited us to the first dinner cooked on the stove. My parents made the dinner. A lot of fast friendships were made during this period. Merry Christmas, Linda." -- Bob Chantler View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Visit To Bethelem...

"Folks, Here's My Christmas Story for this year. Merry Christmas! Did you ever have an experience where you felt someone had taken you by the hand and led you through it? I've just been through one and I'd like to share it with you....." -- Bill Barker, written 12/12/05 View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Alva Library...

"Read the article in the Courier (Alva Review-courier - dated 12/11/2005, written by Helen Barrett) about the Alva Library (celebrating it's century of service) and it jogged loose a memory of my mother. She was an avid reader and made good use of the library when it was on the third floor of City Hall.

One day she showed me one of her prize possessions. It was a library card from the Alva Library completely stamped with check out dates front and back. The one reason I remember the library on the third floor is it was over the fire station and one time I got to slide down the fire pole, whee doggies!

Just seeing that card and sensing the deep pride she had in her accomplishment placed in me a desire to one day have my own filled in card.

I got my chance in 1944 when I visited my grandmother in South Pasadena, California. I participated in the summer reading program of the local library where military rank was given for the number of books read. I am sending a scan of my report card where I achieved the rank of Four Star General." -- Bill View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Serrian (Syrian) Store @ Green Valley, OK...

"Not sure of the spelling - very well could be Syrian! As mother was very very small - she doesn't know much about it! We have at one time gone and found what we think is the foundation where the store was - but would like to know more about who owned it and such." -- Tonya Porter View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Linden Hotel - In Nebraska...

"The Linden Hotel may have been in Nebraska. I will appreciate any information from your readers. Your readers have been very helpful!" -- Sandie - Email: sandieo@pldi.net View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Perry, OK Gas Prices...

"Earlier this week (Tuesday) the minimum gasoline prices in Perry, Oklahoma jumped up to $2.13.9, but this morning (Saturday) they dropped back to $2.09.9. We were also supposed to get 1" to 3" of snow today but it warmed up some and we've been getting a light rain (since noon) instead. My rain gauge (at 3:10PM) says that we've gotten almost 1/10 inch." -- Roy K. View/Write Comments (count 1)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Major County, Oklahoma Ghost Town - Phroso...

In Major County, Sec. 21,Twp 21N, Rge15WIM, 1 mile north, 19 miles west of Fairview, was the community (hamlet) of Phroso. On September 19, 1900 thru May 29, 1937 a post office was established.

The Ghost Towns of Oklahoma by John W. Morris describes Phroso as a somewhat typical community like many other numerous hamlets that developed in the dryer and rougher western part of the Cherokee Outlet.

It was soon after the Outlet was opened for settlement, that a small store was started. The area had no roads, and transportation, either on horseback or in a horse or ox-drawn vehicle, was slow going. The store prospered and expanded as those living in the vicinity traded there because of the difficulty of getting to a larger lace. Other businesses were attracted, accordingly. Soon a blacksmith shop had located nearby, and in 1900 a post office was located at the site. By 1905 a second blacksmith, a doctor who also started a drugstore, a shoe and boot maker, and a livestock dealer made their headquarters in Phroso. A few farmers built homes near the hamlet. A school was organized and a church started. In 1908 Phroso had a population of about sixty persons.

With the changing economic conditions and the technological advances since the late 1920s, plus the movement of population from rural to urban areas, hamlets like Phroso have disappeared. Much of the land formerly in crops has reverted to pasture. There is no longer a need for the store or the garage that eventually replaced the blacksmith shop. What does remain of Phroso? Does anyone out there have some recent digital photographs to share with us ALL out there? SEND your jpg files to Linda - Email: mcwagner.lk@gmail.com. View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Texas County, Oklahoma Ghost Town - Mouser...

In Texas County, Sec. 26, Twp 5N, Rge 15E, Cimarron Meridian, 12 1/2 miles north, 2 miles east of Guymon; 12 miles west of Hooker, lies the ghost town of "Mouser."

The railroad that ran through it was the Beaver, Meade and Englewood Railroad (Katy). It was abandoned in 1972.

Mouser was platted in 1928 when the Beaver, Meade and Englewood Railway extended its line through Texas County. The land on which the tracks were laid was given to the railroad by the owners. The streets extending east and west were identified as First, Second, and Third, but those running north and south were more appropriately named: Angora, persian, and Maltese.

The primary function of the village was to serve as a shipping point for wheat and livestock. One large and two small elevators were built, and many thousands of bushels of wheat were shipped each year. Although some cattle and sheep were unloaded for grazing in the area, none were ever shipped out.

The population of Mouser never exceeded one hundred. Two stores and two filling stations made up the retail establishments. The village never had a post office, school, or church. The railway has now been abandoned and the tracks removed. Most of the platted area has been plowed and planted to wheat. The smaller elevators are no longer used, and the stores and filling stations are closed. The land that was given to the railroad was sold back to the original owners. View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Cimarron County, Oklahoma Ghost Town - Mineral City...

Located in Cimarron County, Sec. 13, Twp. 4N, Rge. 1E, Cimarron Meridian, 5 1/2 miles north, 21 miles west of Boise City, was the community of Mineral (Mineral City). Mineral City, had a post office February 6, 1888 thru March 29, 1895; Mineral had a post office from March 29, 1895 thru February 11, 1911.
      Mineral, was located in the far western part of Cimarron County, was laid out as Mineral City in 1886 when two coal mines were opened. The beds of lignite were found in the top of the Purgatoire formation. Coal men from other areas advertised the quality of the coal as equal to that of eastern bituminous. Because the extent and general character of the coal beds could not be determined, it was impossible to trace them for any considerable distance, and the two mines failed. The mines were never worked commercially, and very little of their coal was used for local consumption.
      Mineral City was a boom town for only a short period. With the opening of the mines there was talk of extending a railroad into the area. There were two or three general stores, a saloon, and a blacksmith shop. The largest population attained was about seventy-five. With the closing of the mines, most of the people moved.
      One of the stores moved a short distance southward to a more accessible location and continued to operate. The name was shortened from "Mineral City" to "Mineral." A post office was loacted at the store, a rock school building was constructed, and for a brief period a U.S. land office was located in the town. Church activities, held in the schoolhouse, and community socials drew crowds from homes and ranches fifty miles away. By 1910 the population of Mineral had decreased to ten, and soon thereafter the store and post office closed. What remains of Mineral today? Send us your recent and old photographs of this ghost town and others in your area. Thanks! View/Write Comments (count 3)   |   Receive updates (4 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe