We have been busy this week adding back Issues of The OkieLegacy Newsletter to our database. We have all of Vol. 7 put into the database. That NW Okie is still working on Vol. 6 and has upto Issue 7 done. Yep! We Pugs just sit back here in our rocking recliner, smilin' and let her do all that kind of stuff. Except, Sadie the funny Pug and one of her sidekicks, Ruff, made a video with a crawdad that ventured into our front yard this morning. [SEE Sadie & Crawdad Adventure - Sadie-Crawdad.wmv] View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Freedom OK Honored Old Cowhand 2005...

We hear that the Community of Freedom, OK fed over 900 at their annual "Old Cowhand Reunion" last Saturday, August 20, 2005. AND... Vernon Bliss was this years "Honored Old Cowhand." You can read about Vernon's Story that appeared in the "Freedom Call" (newspaper) and the Freedom Rodeo Program. [Vernon's Story, page-1 and Vernon's Story, page-2].

One of our readers did make it to Freedom's Rodeo, Old Cowhand Reunion and Staged Bank Robbery & Shootout on Main Street last weekend. Jan sent us some pictures to share with you all. Thanks, Jan! We have put those Freedom pictures on Oakie's Webshots - Freedom, OK Rodeo & Shootout 2005. Wish this NW Okie could have been there to meet you all!

We understand that $23,000 of advance tickets were sold by the queen candidates this year for the Biggest Open Rodeo in the West. All those involved should be proud of themselves for the hard work they put into orchestrating the Old Cowhand Reunion with afternoon entertainment of a staged bank robbery & shootout on Main Street. AND... three days of the Biggest Open Rodeo in the West. We applaud everyones hard work and dedication! Thanks! View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

1930's Dacoma OK Elementary Students...

Some of you NW Oklahoman's and former NW Oklahoman's might be interested in this next Old photo shared by Rod Murrow. Especially, the families of Dean Murrow, Merle Joachim, Cahrlie Kassik, Verl Egner, Earl Johnson, Nelson Haley, Marion Gately, Danny Hapke, Wayne Massie, Bruce Polson, Mark Hiatt, Dean Leslie, Gerald Ikler, Frank Hubbard, Clayton Walderich, Charles Cline, Ray Lanman (teacher), Helen Bruner, Dolores Riggs, Traca Fern Walderich, Carl Coale, Ellen and Evelyn Carrier, Betty Hubbard, Pearl Holder, Doris Linfoot, LaTresa Carter, Glenna Jean Lee, Eldon Leeper, Leslie LeDou, Dean Carter, Thoy Helms, Lester Farris, Melvin Hoyt, Russell Oakley, Dale Long, Robert Hood, Marjory Lockhart, Dana Glasgow, Nada Myers, Faith Coldiron, Thelma Myers, Graceva Oringderff and Glen Vore.

It is a 1930's photo of the boys in Ray Lanman's classroom (early 1930s), Dacoma, Oklahoma, Elementary School. Rod believes he has everyone figured out, except for the young boy on 2nd row, right side, peeking out from behind Charles "Junior" Cline.

You can view Rod Murrow's other Dacoma Elementary photos from the 1930's in Okie's Mailbag below. View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Hankinsville Area in Alva, OK in 1930's...

Have you ever heard of "Hankinsville" area in Alva, Oklahoma? Remember Lloyd W. Huff, Oklahoma Tire & Supply and the Chief of Police from 1935 to 1942? We learned about an armed robbery that occurred one night at the Deluxe camp in the Hankinsville area of Alva, Oklahoma in the 1930's. Would we love to know more about this robbery. If you run across any newsclippings, send them this way. Thanks! View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (1 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Old TV Memories...

Hey! Anyone out there remember the days when we had only black & white TV's with Antenna reception instead of cable? You could get the local channels if you adjusted your antenna just right. Remember 3D-Danny, Saturday Night Wrestling? Remember the TV set that was displayed in the window of Gleryre's TV & Radio Store in downtown Alva and you could walk downtown and set on park benches in the evening and watch TV. View/Write Comments (count 1)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Gas Prices In SW Colorado...

Here's what Gas prices are in Bayfield, Colorado this week (per gallon):

Unleaded = $2.78
Unleaded Plus = $2.88
Super Unleaded = $2.98
Diesel = $2.74
AND... This week you can also get an 8PC Chick Dinner for $9.99.

We are told that unleaded gas prices in Southern Oklahoma are $2.54 per gallon. Ignacio, Colorado had unleaded gas for $2.77 per gallon.

Let us know what the Gas prices are in your neck of the woods. Leave a Comment or send us an email to share with ALL our readers. Thanks! View/Write Comments (count 3)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

NEW Search Tool...

We have just added a great search tool to our OkieLegacy eZine database. It searches the "features" and "comments" of back issues (the issues we have put up so far, anyway). Try Searching for something from back issues. [Tip: looking for multiple words, it searches for the first word then it looks for the second where it occurs after the first word in the body, teaser, or title.] Hope you like it and it makes it easy to search our ezine archives. It will be even better when that NW Okie gets all the issues into the database. View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Vallecito (Pine River) Dam...

[SW Colorado -- Vallecito Lake photo view of Vallecito Resort, 2004, looking NW from SE corner of the Vallecito Dam] -- The news was on the horizon of a major development that would change this quiet wilderness valley forever.

In the mid-1920's, news shocked the people in this great valley. A Dam was going to be built. A reservoir would displace some of the ranchland in the bottom of the valley. If this happened, life at Vallecito would never be the same.

It was after the mining years at Vallecito, the population was holding steady. The High Country's melted snow was heading downstream and causing the Vallecito and Pine Rivers to overflow. Water was not a problem in the Spring and Early Summer. The late Summers in dry years, farmers crops would be burning up in the sun when no irrigation water was left in the ditches.

There was an influx of white settlers (farmers, ranchers) who needed water for irrigating crops. Also, it was becoming a critical issue. The US government moved Southern Ute Indians to the reservation on the lower Pine River Valley. They needed water.

The 1868 Treaty between the government and Utes was basis for the Utes to have first priority water rights. There was a Colorado water law, which was established first in Eastern Colorado -- the first persons to put water to beneficial use were the first in line in the chain of water users. The ranchers put in irrigation ditches, but didn't have water flowing.

One year "Buckskin Charlie" brought his tribe clear up to Columbus bridge area to find water to carry back to the reservation.

In October 1911 a flood washed out part of Bayfield. After June and September floods in 1927 did their damage of washing out bridges, it was agreed that something needed to be done.

Ranchers, Farmers and Utes decided to work together on a solution to the water shortage and the flooding. A Dam would solve all those problems and help control the flooding on the Upper & Lower Pine River Valley.

After years of studies, meetings, a Pine River Valley delegation worked to reach top officials of the government and negotiated the Pine River Project that was drawn and signed on June 17, 1937 by President Franklin Roosevelt. It was also the tail end of the Great Depression and meant jobs for the local people.

The Bureau of Reclamation was in charge of planning and building the project. They secured title for lands from present owners. Not all landowners were pleased to have land taken from them, but they went along and accepted government offers of payment.

Charlie Dunsworth was a holdout and the government eventually took part of his land by "right of condemnation." Sullivans, Deckers and Dunsworth's owned most of land needed. Other owners were Pearsons, Wilmers, Oberts and Curries.

The Bureau awarded a contract for logging timber from the dam and lake site to Western Lumber Company. 5 million feet of timber (logscale, merchantable timber) was to be removed. It was done in 1000 days.

The Martin Wunderlich Company was awarded dam construction which was estimated to take 3-years to complete. They arrived on site May 1938 -- setting up offices, schools and cabins -- where Vallecito Resort is now.

The Bureau of Reclamation set up its offices and cabins on the west side of the road. Some cabins were used for CCC (Civilian Conservation Core) camps at the northend of the valley and were moved to the area used for new government employees.

Wunderlich Company established a employment office to aid local labor. A special patrol was established to keep out outside men. Special Deputy Sheriff Norman Young's duty was to explain to outsiders that local men were given available jobs. Wunderlich employed 75 men by the end of May. More men were hired and employee housing and cabins were thrown together to accomodate the workers. The meadow around Red Creek took on the appearance of a small village.

The road from Bayfield to Vallecito was merely a narrow dirt road. It was determined it would never stand up to the weight of the heavy equipment. So contracts to build roads were needed. There was a huge old pine tree, which the previous road had been built around, had to be removed from the middle of the road. The curve straightened out by Black Dog Corner to make way for big machines.

Besides dam workers, there were those who put together a grocery store, a liguor store, a dance and gambling hall. AND... even rumors of a house of ill-repute. Tom Marshall put together the Grocery & Liquor Store. Bill Miller & Bill Orchard ran a dance & gambling hall. Some workers provided meat and supplies to contractors camps. Reed & Lucy Hammond opened a little restaurant close to the worker's camps. There were also two schools below the Dam: one for grades 1-4; one for grades 5-8. They eventually combined into one.

The Cole brothers started the Vallecito Transportation Line that carried workers from Ignacio and Bayfield to the Dam site. There was also a Bus that started at Durango and came to Vallecito by way Florida Road.

The Dam took 3,738,000 cubic yards of crushed stone and earth to finish the Dam structure. 345,000 pounds of steel was hauled from Ignacio to Vallecito. The gravel and rock was taken from the NW end of the valley, close to the Vallecito campground. The Dam stretched over 4000 feet across, 162 feet high. The width at the top is 35 feet. The base width is 900 feet at the thickest point. The reservoir's capacity is 129,700 acre-feet and covers 2720 acres.

Some of the old irrigation ditches put in by the earlier ranchers didn't survive their watery graves, though. BUT... the Patrick Ditch built around 1885 did survive and continues to wind its way from Grimes Creek to supply surrounding areas with water. Many more ditches were built.

The Vallecito Dam (a.k.a Piner River Dam) was completed in 1941 with 7000 people at the dedication ceremony. Carl Goshorn was the first security guard and lived in the first government cabin. It wasn't until January 16, 1983, that farmers & ranchers paid the government the final payment on the debt occurred in the 1938 construction of the Vallecito Dam.

The Vallecito Lake is here because the "Old-Time" farmers, ranchers and the Ute people had the foresight and exerted tremendous effort to get it accomplished. There is ONLY one road in and out of the Vallecito Lake area.

Let's NOT loose this beautiful, quiet, mountain valley wilderness retreat & lake to over-crowding and golf courses! Do Deer, Elk, Mountain Lions and Bears play golf? View/Write Comments (count 2)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

1906 Woods County Atlas...

"I would love to have one of the Atlas Books if we could find one. The names are John S. Hamilton, Township 20N-Range 15W of the Indian Meridian, Page 15; John I. Hamilton, Township 21N-Range 15W of the Indian Meridan, Page 23.

Thank You Linda for putting the blurp in your newsletter. Possibly one will turn up. I guess the society is not going to publish anymore. It took too long for them to get their money back from them. They didn't sell like Hot Cakes, but they are gone.

Paul & Betty Martin are related to the Hurt's and have the Hurt Cemetery on their property. I'm sure that you are aware of that. She was a Grand-daughter of Henry Walter Hamilton." -- Teresa View/Write Comments (count 1)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Martin Luther Mitchell - Lookout, OK....

"My great-grandfather, Martin Luther Mitchell, lived in Lookout Oklahoma. I believe he had a business there. He was married to Mary Frances Cleveland. They had several children, one of whom was my grand father, Raymond Valance Mitchell. Records show that Martin Luther died in Alva, but was buried in Lookout." Patsey L. Gentry - Elizabeth, Colorado - Email: Patsey625@msn.com View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Dr. Dan Shorter's Death...

"I read your Okie Legacy and like what I find. With that in mind I provide the following. I thought there might be some of your readers who either knew this educator or may even have gone to some of his classes. This is taken from his Obituary and you might want to include in the next Okie Legacy.

[On Tuesday, August 2, 2005, Daniel Albert "Dan" Shorter died at an Oklahoma City Hospital at the age of 78. Dr. Dan Shorter, PhD, OSU in 1966. He was Graduated from Northwestern State College in 1949 with a Bachelor of Science and received his Masters of Science from OSU in 1960. He served in the US Navy. "Dr. Dan" taught school in Anthony, KS, teaching mathematics and tennis. He became Professor of Biology at Northwestern Oklahoma State University. He retired in 1987. Dr. Dan was born in Goltry, OK.]

I have known Dan all my life, as I was born and raised in Goltry also. Never a smoker, his death was caused by Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis. Thank You." -- James Bradley - Email: jbrad723@bluevalley.net View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Deluxe Camp (Motel)...

"My parents managed and lived here, 1934,35. there were several cabins in the back. This area in Alva was called Hankinsville, There was an armed robbery one night, resulting in a shootout between my Dad and two masked men, the police found and convicted them, sent them to McAlester. Dad quit this business and became a police officer and was elected Chief of police from 1935 to 1942. Later he started and owned the Oklahoma Tire & Supply for several years. His name, Lloyd W. Huff." -- Bob Huff - Email: bob.huff@sbcglobal.net View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Hello AHS Class of '73...

"Hello class of 1973. I am hopeful that there will be a reunion in the near future, and would love to hear from anyone out there that was a part of the class of '73. I live in OKC and work in the oil & gas industry. I have two grown beautiful daughters and three precious grandchildren. If there isn't a reunion planned, let's plan one." -- Debbie (Stokes)Wilson - Email: debbiewilson1973@yahoo.com View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

GRAY-MITCHELL Family Reunion...

"Hi, just wanted to say that Sheryl, from Midwest City, last name is Rudolph, not Randolph. Carol and Austin of Sparks are my Aunt and Uncle. Carol and my mom, Joyce (Rauch) King, are sisters. I am glad to know that the reunion went great! Mary and Everette are greatly missed!" -- Lori (King) Brown - Email: artcarpenter@sbcglobal.net View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Antelope IOOF Cemetery...

From the OKWOODS Mailing List - Woods County, Oklahoma OKGenWeb Message Board Post: "The Avard IOOF cemetery was sometimes called Antelope Cemetery, From Avard, Oklahoma. It is one mile north, two and one half miles east, on the south side of the road. Or from Alva, OK go six miles south on highway 281, then four and one half miles west. Avard Cemetery is also known as the IOOF cemetery and sometimes is referred to as Antelope. The Anterlope School - District 16 was located just to the east of the cemetery in the same section." -- as posted by Marty Myers on Woods County OKGenWeb Messageboard View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Ware Cemetery, Alfalfa County, OK...

"Ware Cemetery (Vining Cemetery) (Union Valley Cemetery) Alfalfa County, Oklahoma - Lat: 36°50'23"N, Lon: 98°10'20"W - T27N R9W Sec 9 -- From Enid, Oklahoma take Hwy 64 north, about 27 miles, go west on Hwy 64 to Jet, Oklahoma, go north on Hwy 38 2 miles, turn west 1/2 mile. This is the road to the Salt Plains Fish Hatchery. The cemetery will be on the south side of road. Contributed by Charlotte Keen, Aug 29, 2001. Total records = 117." View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

1950's TV Memories...

"As I finished writing the last payment check (over $130) to the local cable company for over 100 channels and high-speed internet service, I started thinking back on the early TV watching days for me while growing up in Alva, Oklahoma.

I remember the day back in 1954, that our first 'set' arrived. It was a huge, blond (remember blond furniture?) cabinet that took quite awhile to warm up. My dad had erected an antenna mast on top of the house with an array of antennas pointing in different directions. That was because we could get Channels 4 and 9 from Oklahoma City; Channel 5 from Enid (later to move to OKC); Channels 3 and 10 from Wichita; and Channel 12 out of Hutchinson (also to move later to Wichita).

If you could afford one, you might have a motorized rotor on your antenna to physically move the antenna to bring in better reception from the various stations. I remember one enterprising Dad who made an antenna mast that could be moved via a lever, while someone in the house yelled when to stop.

TV in those days was black and white. Although, I remember people buying plastic add-ons that gave a blue tint to the top of the screen, a pink tint in the middle, and a green tint to the bottom. Watching shows was a family event (to include TV dinners) with nightly favorites.

I also remember locally produced kid shows such as Danny Williams on Channel 4 as 3-D Danny, a space traveler with a sidekick robot. Incidentally, on a trip with Newman's Boys Choir to perform on Channel 4, we discovered the robot costume sitting in the corner of a studio and were somewhat devastated that he wasn't walking around.

Danny also hosted Saturday Night wrestling, which caused great excitement in my grandparents home when the bad guys would sneak foreign objects out of their tights to do harm to the good guys. Danny would always end the program by saying, 'Watch out for flying chairs!' I remember Gleyre's TV & Radio store having a 'set' displayed in the front window, and locals hauling park benches across the street so that they could watch it from the sidewalk.

This was also an occurrence when Alva Community Television came to town with cable; so that you could get better reception of the local channels, not the hundreds of channels that I pay for today, and only watch maybe ten at the most. Although, I don't remember, I'm sure the monthly cable bill was under $10 in those days.

In those days, we only had one TV in the house, and it was a family affair. Now my wife and I have four televisions in the house, plus two in our cabin at the lake (which also has cable service), and both watch our separate favorite shows. With all of those channels to choose from, we also have VCR and DVD players to watch rented movies on. We have both because we have loads of VHS tapes on hand that, in some cases, we haven't watch since we bought them, and because now the video stores have stopped stocking anything but DVD's. I guess the VHS tapes will sit around a few more years until they find their way to the trash like my treasured '8-track' tapes did a few years back. I'd write more on this subject, but I've got some channel-surfing to do......" -- Terry View/Write Comments (count 1)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

John Lewis Kachel...

"An excellent web site. John Lewis Kachel was my great-grandfather's brother." -- Bill Sisson - Email: willsisson11@comcast.net View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Freedom, OK Shootout - 2005...

"Just got time to read this week's ezine and saw that you didn't make it to Freedom. I was looking for you to finally meet you. I am sending some pictures that I took from a distance. Please let me know if I sent them the correct way. If not, I will try any suggestions you might have. I know they are a lot of pictures for one email. The rodeo Friday night was fantastic and all of Saturday was so much fun! You missed a great time. Driving back to Alva to our rooms we drove in some really heavy rain for about 15 minutes. Alva got some good rain; but I heard that Freedom missed out this time, which helped the rodeo and the Saturday festivities.

We didn't go to the rodeo Sat. night, so don't know how it turned out. Maybe we will both be at the 2006 rodeo and I will get to meet you. Alva did get strong thunder/lightening. The lights flickered several times, once when we were in Walmart; but they didn't go off. And once the lightening was so close, it caused a car alarm to go off in a vehicle parked next door to us. That was quite a surprise." -- Jan View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Old School Pics - NW Oklahoma...

"I'm posting a few pictures (4) for you to consider for a future issue (or issues) of Okie Legacy. The one marked 1934 is actually a tentative date. Dad wrote on the back that it was taken in 1935 or 1936, but he clearly identified the fact that he and my mother (Dean Murrow and Dolores Riggs) were in the 6th grade in this picture, so it had to be during the 1933-1934 school year, as they graduated with the senior class of 1940.

At any rate, everyone is identified. If any of your readers can confirm the year of the photograph, I can easily change the date on the photo and repost it, if anyone is interested in copying the photo. I do have a higher-resolution copy that I'll send to anyone who wants one (I can send it WITH or WITHOUT the names added).
     Ask your readers if they can identify the kid peeking out from behind Junior Cline in the Elem-2 Photo. [Click here for elem-1 & elem-3.]
     In the meantime, if I learn who it is I will post the info on your site (the ability to leave notes is pretty cool - I'm glad you were able to add that capability). It was upwards of 100 degrees here this afternoon (Thursday)." -- Rod Murrow - Freedom, OK View/Write Comments (count 1)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Warwick, OK were Hugh Farmer HURST...

"Hello. My relatives from Warwick, OK were Hugh Farmer HURST and his wife, Wealthy Missouri (JONES) HURST, and all their children. Their son, Clyde Franklin HURST was my grandfather. My father was one of Clyde's sons, Lloyd Franklin HURST. Some of my HURST relatives are still living at Warwick. I would like to hear from anyone that might know of the HURST, HAWKINS, or JONES family. You may email me at saundraok1@yahoo.com." -- Saundra Gail (Hurst) Melton View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Past Week Comments (Iss. 13, 30, 33)...

We learned a few things from your comments left in last weeks newsletter/ezine. Especially concerning the Deluxe Motel. We heard from a lady whose mother worked as the Tanner's maid at the Deluxe Motel in Alva, OK. Another reader stated, "That would be the same motel that later known as the Townsman, owned by the Keltner's. I also remember Gary and his brother, Rudy. I was in the Boy's Choir with them."

We also know that the Harlem Globetrotters used to stay at the Deluxe Motel when they came to Alva for their performances on the Northwestern campus.

You can also check out Issue 30 - Clara Gorsching Grave Marker, you will find that we made another connection and learned a bit more about Clara and her death of pneumonia in 1929. Also... Checkout Issue 13-McGill Swimming Pool Memories about memories of Max McAlister's granddaughter. View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Bounced Emails Last Week...

Last week we had some trouble sending our newsletter database mailings to our subscribers who use "Pioneer Internet" with pldi.net extensions. Hopefully, we think that we have worked through those bounced back messages after contacting Pioneer Internet and our hosting server at okielegacy.org. Like we said... we contacted Pioneer Internet to see why the emails bounced back and what it meant by the following Diagnostic-Code: smtp;504 : Helo command rejected: need fully-qualified hostname. AND... we asked what we might need do so our pldi.net subscribers receive their weekly newsletters when the other subscribers do. Pioneer was very informative and sent us the following information copied from this link: http://www.desknow.com/kb/idx/11/026/article/.

AND... just to let you know that if you see a different email address in the FROM: field, we are using postmaster@okielegacy.org for sending out our newsletter from our subscriber database. You might want to add that NEW email to your address book so it will go through to your INBOX and NOT your SPAM Box. Thanks for your understanding and patience! View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Woods County OKGenWeb Messageboard...

Have you signed up with the Woods County, OKGenWeb mailing list yet? It has lots of information out there for genealogy minded persons searching their roots. You can learn so many things there on their messageboard. Such as... information about Antelope IOOF Cemetery. We did not know that Antelope Cemetery even existed, but it does exist around the Avard area. AND... Did you know that Martin Luther Mitchell owned his own grocery store in Alva, Oklahoma about 1910? His two sons were Charles (a baker) and Raymond (owned a horse ranch) about 1910. View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe