Gateway To San Juans of Southwest Colorado

The pugs and I took a drive through Southwest Colorado on CO550 heading up the million dollar highway from Durango to Silverton. After reaching Silverton, we took the Colorado highway leading towards Ouray, Ridgway, Montrose and back again to Ridgway, Colorado. We even traveled over Red Mountain Pass in this week's journey.

From Ridgway, Colorado we caught CO62 towards Placerville and hooked up with CO145 leading us in the vicinity of Telluride, but not passing through it. That is where we turned the other way towards Dolores and Cortez, Colorado before hooking up with CO160, in Durango and returning to Bayfield that evening. It is a great drive, but a better drive when the Fall folliage is showing its brillant colors.

IF - WHEN - You get to visited this area of Southwest Colorado and Ridgway, Colorado, you must make a stop at the True Grit Cafe. Across from the "True Grit Cafe" is a park with an old tree trunk that has been carved into what looked to this writer as Southwest Colorado's Statute of Liberty. BUT... if you view this carving from all sides, you would get three different views.

One side shows an eagle holding a torch -- another side shows a mountain man holding a torch -- on the third side it appears that a goose is holding the torch with its wing.

Did you ever see the movie, True Grit, with John Wayne playing a drunken US Marshal, Rooster J. Cogburn, looking for an outlaw, killer in Indian Territory?

True Grit's filming took place mainly in Ouray County, Colorado, in the vicinity of Ridgway (now the home of the True Grit Cafe), and near the town of Ouray. The courtroom scenes were filmed at Ouray County Court house in Ouray, Colorado. Ouray, Colorado is located near "Box Canyon Falls & Hot Springs." View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

OkieLegacy's Database Locks Up

All I can say right now is.... "Aaaaaargh" and "Thanks to those who helped get OkieLegacy's database unlocked!"

I am so sorry this OkieLegacy newsletter is so late reaching you this week. We do have an excuse, though.

Saturday evening we were almost done with publishing this week's newsletter... WHEN... for some strange reason our database locked up on me when I was just about to publish, send it out to everyone. YES! ... Everything was not running smoothly this Saturday, BUT... we did gain an hour early Sunday morning when we turned back our clocks!

Anyway, as I was saying our newsletter database locked up on us about an hour before midnight. I couldn't get into the database to refine, publish this week's newsletter on time, because this error message came up that tried to tell me, "It had gone to bed and so should you!" The darn database locked up!

So.... after midnight and feddling with the database, I went to bed, also!

Sunday I sent out for troubleshooting help to my server and friends, while I continued trying to unlock my database. Nothing would budge!

So.... I found some old movies on the telly and curled up with my pugs and watched old black & white movies that were before my time.

Monday morning came and I tried again! Lo and behold! It was working again! Now I am sitting here with my hot tea -- rushing to get this LATE OkieLegacy Ezine out to everyone. I want to thank everyone for being patient with us during this lock-out time with our Ezine database.

NOW... As we continue into November 2007 and 5 days have passed us by this week, we anxiously await, counting the next 11 days as Oklahoma gears up for its "Centennial Celebration" to celebrate their proclamation of Statehood -- making it the 46th State of the United States.

Yes! In eleven days, 100 years will have passed as some lobbyists worked for and others against statehood for the merger of Oklahoma and Indian Territory into one State. Prohibitionist and women's suffragettes were trying to get their own rights added, attached to the statehood proclamation.

Checkout the rest of the OkieLegacy newsletter & Mailbag section for interesting tidbits of Oklahoma history.

What were your grandparents, great-grandparents doing 100 years ago, November 5-16, 1907?
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Calling ALL Alva Boys Choir Members, Past & Present

Calling all Alva Boys Choir, past and present! If you were a member of Neuman's Alva Boys Choir, Church Choir in Alva, Oklahoma, then this news item might interest you. If you know of someone who was a member, forward this information along to them.

We read in the Alva Review Courier this week that Fred Neuman of Alva, Oklahoma will be receiving the Governor's Award For Arts, in Oklahoma City, November 28, 2007, 4 p.m.

Neuman is believed to be the oldest active choir director in the state of Oklahoma.

Fred Neuman spent more than half a century of directing the Alva First Methodist Church Choir; the Alva Boys Choir;, owning and operating a music store and making tons of peanut brittle to raise funds for various projects.

Reunion Planned
Neuman's son, Steve, is planning a reception/reunion following the award presentation at the State Capitol. He hopes former members of the Alva Boys Choir, the church choir, customers from the music store and others will join them for a time of fun and reminiscing.

Steve would like for those planning to attend to RSVP to him by email: sneuman@pldi.net. They are hoping to establish an "Alva Boys Choir electronic database.

If you are a past member of one of Neuman's "Boys Choir" and are interested in helping establish a "Alva's Boys Choir Electronic database," please contact Steve by email: sneuman@pldi.net -- even if you can't attend so your addresses can be added to the list.
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Indian & Oklahoma Territories To Renew Vows

The Oklahoma Territorial Museum (OTM) in Guthrie, Oklahoma unveiled several special exhibits to celebrate Oklahoma's Centennial this week, November 1, 2007.

One of those items was an embroidered silk gown worn at the inaugural ball on November 16, 1907, by Lillian Haskell, second wife of Oklahoma's first governor, Charles N. Haskell.

There is also a twenty-two-foot-long, forty-six-star US flag that was flown over Independence Hall in Philadelphia in 1908 in celebration of Oklahoma's statehood, November 16, 1907.

These items will be available to the public during the Centennial Commemoration on November 16, 2007.

Also... on special loan to the Oklahoma Territorial Museum from November 12 through 17 will be an Embosser and State Seal of Oklahoma and the original Bible used in the Haskell inauguration. These items will be on display during Centennial Celebration week in OTM's Road to Oklahoma exhibit.

Guthrie's Carnegie Library will be the scene of the inauguration reenactments on November 16, 2007.

Dr. Hugh Scott announced the receipt of the telegram informing Oklahomans that they had achieved statehood in 1907. The Statehood Proclamation was signed in Washington, D. C., at 9:16 a.m., and minutes later the news was telegraphed to Guthrie to the State Capital newspaper office. Jack Love, elected as Corporation Commissioner in 1907, kept a campaign promise by bringing a train car full of young ladies from Woodward, Oklahoma to see the statehood festivities.

For more information, details you can call, contact the Guthrie Chamber of Commerce at 405-282-1947.
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Charles N. Haskell, 1st Oklahoma Governor

"Charles Nathaniel Haskell (March 13, 1860 - July 5, 1933) was an American lawyer, oilman, and statesman who served as the first Governor of Oklahoma. Haskell played a crucial role in drafting the Oklahoma Constitution as well as Oklahoma's statehood and admission into the United States as the 46th state in 1907. Haskell is also remembered as a prominent resident of Muskogee, Oklahoma and helped to bring the city to prominence throughout Oklahoma.

Haskell married Lucie Pomeroy, daughter of a prominent Ottawa family, on October 11, 1881. Lucie Haskell died in March, 1888, leaving Haskell with three children: Norman, a Muskogee lawyer; Murray, a bank cashier; and Lucie. He married again the next year, this time to Lillian Gallup. Haskell would have three more children by his second wife: Frances, Joe and Jane." -- Wikipedia - Free Encyclopedia
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1907 - Ms Francis Lillian Haskell

This is a 1907 news photo of Miss Frances Lillian Haskell, oldest daughter of the first governor of the state of Oklahoma. Frances Lillian Haskelll was a prominent figure in Oklahoma society the Winter of 1907.


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Little Sahara Camels Revisited

"I am amazed that I ran across this photo showing one of the Little Sahara camels. I think it would have been taken around 1960 or 1961. That is me holding my son Jon Cook who was born in 1957. Golly! I wonder what ever became of that young father. I don't recall who the man behind us was. I remember that there was a tumble weed 'hedge' along there. It is not a good photo, but it does record one of those camels. They would come to the fence and eat grass from one's hands. I wonder what the odds of someone in Houma, Louisiana having a photo of that." -- Charles M. Cook in Louisiana Bayou Country
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Clara Gorsching, 1926-1929

"I think that my Great-Grandmother is Clara Jane''s sister! She is currently living in Oklahoma. Deanna Griffin I'd like to email you!" -- Ciera Pearson - Clara Gorsching, 1926-1929
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Growin' Up In Oklahoma & Texas

We are in the process of taking down Kenneth Updike's stories and ramblings of "Growing Up In Oklahoma" because Kenneth asked us, "To remove all of my previous writings to you about my Ramblins. Personal stories that I told you and your readers. My Son has had all of my writings, and notes copyrighted so that we can put them in a book or booklet. His idea. I really have no objections to this, but he insists we can be viewed by more people. I leave it up to him. Thanks for your help in the past, and I still read your Okie Legacy nearly every week."

If you find some of Kenneth's Ramblings that I have missed, Please email me the link with Vol. and Iss. numbers so that this NW Okie can remove them. Thanks for your help!
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Oklahoma Centennial

"Oklahoma is celebrating its 100th anniversary of statehood this year. Because most people think of the stage play Oklahoma when they hear the state's name mentioned, citizens are attempting to update the state's image by sharing interesting state facts with others as we celebrate our centennial.

Oklahoma is not only the home of Ado Annie and Aunt Eller from "Oklahoma!" but of the parking meter (invented in OKC) and the shopping cart (invented in Ardmore).

The electric guitar also was invented in Oklahoma, by a Beggs musician named Bob Dunn . The first "Yield" sign was installed in Tulsa.

Shawnee is home of the first SONIC drive-in.

Environmental Protection Agency recognizes Oklahoma as having the most diverse terrain of any state in the nation. The state, according to EPA, boasts 11 distinct eco-regions.

The state has more man-made lakes than any other state, which give us more than a million surface-acres of water and 2,000 more miles of shoreline than the Atlantic and Gulf coasts combined.

The Sooner State has produced more astronauts than any other state in the union. Owen Garriott is an Enid boy, of course, while Tom Stafford is from Weatherford, Shannon Lucid from Oklahoma City, William Pogue from Okemah and the late Gordon Cooper from Shawnee.

Oklahoma is home to the Amateur Softball Association and Hall of Fame, a world class zoo in OKC and more F4 and F5 tornadoes than any other state.

Oklahoma is the third-largest gas-producing state in the nation and ranks fourth in the production of wheat, cattle and calves, fifth in the production of pecans, sixth in peanuts and eighth in peaches.

The state's colors are neither OU's crimson and cream nor the orange and black of OSU but green and white.

Oklahomans practice 73 major religions. The largest is the Southern Baptist Convention, with nearly 1,600 churches and more than 960,000 members.

Oklahoma gave birth to Dick Tracy (cartoonist Chester Gould is a native of Pawnee) and Donald Duck (Clarence "Ducky" Nash, the original voice of Walt Disney's Donald, grew up in Watonga). Not to mention, Garth, Reba, Toby, Ron Howard, Troy Aikman and BRAD PITT!

Oklahomans have survived the Dust Bowl, any number of killer tornadoes, the 1995 bombing of Oklahoma City's Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building and various oil booms and busts. Oklahoma is populated by people who are caring, giving, hard-working, patriotic and fiercely independent. Oklahoma is a good place to live, work and play.

The challenge in this, our centennial year, is to make the rest of America aware of what Oklahoma has to offer, besides "beautiful mornings," "fringe-laden surreys" and "a girl who cain't say no."

The official statehood celebration is November 16, 2007 (13 days from now). In the meantime, individual cities are re-staging various events associated with statehood and the settling of Indian Territory which eventually became our state. It's a great time to be an Oklahoman and I wanted to share this with you!" -- submitted via Rod Murrow
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The Oklahoma Red Book

"That is a RARE hard to find book(s) from 1912. I guess the Alva college library has, or did have, this book for reference. I found 2 or 3 for sale on the net.... about $65 each. There is a set of 4 it seems, this one is Vol 1. Sure wish we had a copy here in Ardmore.

Do a search for "Oklahoma Red Book" at this NWOSU Library database: Northwesten Oklahoma State University, Alva, OK 73717 United States. Library Information.

We are having some beautiful weather here. Warm, around 70 or more in the afternoons. Going to be like that all next week, and dry." -- Butch

[Editor's Note: Here are some links to the book entitled The Oklahoma Red Book - 2 Vols, by Corden, Seth K.; Richard, W. B.; Oklahoma Red book - Vol I, II]
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Democrat of the Year Conference

"I apologize for the error in our PO Box in the earlier email. I appreciate Jennifer at John Mark Young's office for her sharp eyes and phone call. If you have not ordered your tickets yet or sent a donation, please send to the correct address below:

The Little Deep Fork Democratic Club, PO Box 1144, Bristow, OK 74010-1144.

If your check was returned please call me so I can hold tickets for you. Thank you." -- Nancy Van Orden

We're Just Wild About Harry. The Little Deep Fork Democratic Club is proud to announce our Banquet honoring our DEMOCRAT OF THE YEAR, Harry McMillan, On November 13th at 7 PM, Bristow Community Center, 10th & Chestnut. CATERING BY BEVERLY. Tickets $15 each - 2 for $25. Tickets available at Lawson's Grocery, Or reserve by calling: (918) 367-7094. SEATING IS VERY LIMITED. If you cannot attend, donations can be mailed to "The Little Deep Fork Democratic Club," PO Box 1144, Bristow, OK 74010-1144. Donations support our Club activities including Scholarships available to Bristow and Depew Seniors.' -- Little Deep Fork Democratic Club, Nancy Van Orden, Chair
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Noodling, Catfishing

"WOW! IF my dad was telling me the truth (when I was a teenager), and I had no reason to doubt him, the fish shown in a certain video online were only about half the size that were caught by noodling when he was a young man. He (J.Chasteen Kendrick), his twin brother (W. Chester Kendrick), their dad (Ernest C. Kendrick), and their mom's dad (William Harvey Burdick) noodled and caught HUGE catfish somewhere around the Arbuckle Mountains back in the 1920's. As I recall, he said they'd run a broomstraw up the nostril into the fish's brain to kill it and then 3 of them would drag it on shore to cut catfish steaks to cook over a campfire.

I can remember when my brothers and I saw two huge (at least 5 feet long) catfish in the private lake at Springlake Amusement park in OKC. and we threw them pieces of bread to feed them (no fishing was allowed there)." -- Roy K.
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Billy Wayne Whittet

"Thanks for posting this on my grandfather, it really means alot." -- Christopher Kit Carson - Tribute to Billy Wayne Whittet
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Haunted Hotel In Guthrie, OK

"The Stone Lion Inn, Guthrie, Oklahoma was built in 1907 by F.E. Houghton, the founder of Cotton Oil Company and owner of the first car dealership in Oklahoma.

The Houghtons started out in a little house that once was located on the lot next door on the east side of the Inn.,br>
The Houghtons had 12 children, and all survived childhood except for one daughter, who died before the family moved into the Stone Lion Inn.

Becky Luker purchased the Stone Lion Inn in 1986 and converted the house into the first bed-and-breakfast in Oklahoma.

Back in the 1920s, the house was leased to Smith's Funeral Home and was used as a mortuary. Can you imagine what comes next? The Smith's lived upstairs and the embalming was done in what is now the Inn's kitchen.

Today, the owner uses the beautiful porcelain embalming table as a hallway buffet where guests can help themselves to refreshments throughout the day.

Supposedly, the Houghton daughter haunts the Inn. The girl was 8 years old when she died of whooping cough. It is believed that the maid overmedicated her with cough syrup. The medication had codeine and opium, which was once common.

Guests have reported being awakened at night between 2 a.m. and 2:30 a.m., when a small child comes into the room and pats them on the cheek, but when they are fully awake, no one is there.

Another ghost is an older gentleman who is recognized by the scent of his cigar smoke. He wears a suit and a derby-like hat.

A ghost woman haunts the wedding suite, and laughter sometimes can be heard around 4 a.m. on a regular basis. For more interesting details and rates see Stone Lion Inn." -- Dale Talkington
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DoubleO Sims Grocery

"Interesting comment Bill. My Mother, Marie Fox Wadleigh, told me that this Store was the only big grocery store in town. Parker Fox her Father and brother, Glen Fox,are in this picture. My Mother told me that she thinks she was within one year of you in school." -- Debbie Lantz - Email: 66604_72714@cox.net - OkieLegacy comment
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Murals In Anadarko, OK

"Thanks for sharing the mural in Anadarko. Beautiful!!" -- annette ralston
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Benjamin "Bo" Winslow

"I was listening to 'Market Place Money' on public radio last week and heard an interview with Benjamin 'Bo' Winslow who is head mechanic and caretaker of the Monster truck for George Balhan. Bo stated he was from North Carolina but graduated from NWOSU but he is not listed in the NWOSU alumni book. Does anyone know of him and when he graduated? Just curious as I was surprised when he said Northwestern Oklahoma State University. This monster truck is an Escalade on 66-inch diameter tires and boasts the world's largest wheel 'spinners'. Really do enjoy the Okie Legacy." -- G. Wessels, Cherokee, OK
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November, 1907 - Alva Is Hopeful

This article was found in, The Daily Oklahoman - Alva, Okla., Nov. 2, 1907 -- With only two more state schools to play, Northwestern Normal's chances for winning the intercollegiate football honors of the state are high and Coach Wyatt hopes to defeat Central and Southwestern normals by decisive scores.

The game with Christian university of Enid last Thursday was played on a muddy field, but demonstrated the strength of the Northwestern squad. The score of 64 to 0 could have been made much higher.
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Fall 1907 - Mob Threatens To Lynch Lawton Wife Murderer

Besides Oklahomans watching the outcome of statehood for this 46th State of the United States, life and death was still evolving. It was Thursday, October 31, 1907, frontpage news, in The Daily Oklahoman, that Oklahoma citizens were reading about murders in the Lawton area. The headlines read: Mob Threatens to Lynch Lawton Wife Murderer - Husband Hacks Woman With Meat Ax Then Bathes Her Face In Carbolic Acid - Militia and Sheriff's Forces, Heavily Armed, Are Guarding Prisoner - John Hopkins, Gambler, of Kingston, Mo., Slays Wife In Most Fiendish Manner.

Lawton, Okla., Oct. 30, 1907 -- "With a mob threatening to lynch John Hopkins, a gambler, who brutally murdered hid wife with a meat ax and carbolic acid here today, Sheriff C. C. Hammonds, his deputies, the city peace officers and a company of militiamen under command of Captain Mackleford are guarding the jail tonight, determined to protect the prisoner even at the cost of bloodshed. "They're quieting down now," said Sheriff Hammonds at 9:30 o'clock tonight, "and I do not believe any attempt will be made to take Hopkins out of the jail. I hope not, anyway, for here are fifteen or twenty of us here and we will keep them busy for awhile anyway should they try to get the prisoner. We will be here all night."

Mrs. Hopkins came here several weeks ago from Kingston, Mo. Her husband had been sentenced to jail there for assaulting her. His sentence expired last Saturday.

Learning that his wife had come to the home of her sister, Mrs. J. J. Gaylon, Hopkins came here. He went to the Gaylon home at 11 o'clock this morning and found his wife here alone.

After a few angry words he attacked her with a meat ax, felling her to the floor and hacking her face and head in a horrible manner.

With his helpless victim lying on the floor, unconscious, he urled open her mouth with the handle of the ax and poured carbolic acid from a bottle into her mouth and eyes.

While engaged in this fiendish work Edgar Gaylon, the 18-year-old nephew of his victim, entered the room and discovered Hopkins bending over the woman. He grappled with him, but Hopkins wrenched himself free and drank the remainder of the acid, falling to the floor unconscious. Mrs. Hopkins died at 6:30 o'clock last night.

That the deed was premeditated, is indicated by the contents of a letter addressed to Hopkins' brother in Missouri, in which he wrote: "I have been treated meaner than I can stand. You will hear from or of me soon -- perhaps for the last time."
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October, 1907 News

Other items that Oklahoma and Indian Territory were experiencing a few weeks before statehood were found in the October 31, 1907, Thursday edition, of The Daily Oklahoman.

• Cheyenne was getting a lot of cotton in the Fall of 1907.
• The North Canadian river, which had been rising steadily for a week, was in such a swollen condition that it was liable to overflow if an El Reno woman weeps into it.
• Ponca City had been converted into a sea of mud, but the courier advises the citizens to take what the Lord sends and pretends to like it -- seeing' as how it cannot be changed.
• G. B. Armstrong, the Tangier doctor, postmaster and editor bought a load of corn for the purpose of getting the job of unloading it as his other occupations does not give him enough exercise.
• There were thousands of tons of hay stored away in barns ready for shipment to the eastern markets, but the shippers were unable to secure cars for transportation, according to the Vinita Chieftain.
• The Ponca City courier advises its subscribers to "keep your shirt on" during the local money muddle. They will probably have to, not being able to get their others from the laundry, if they are in our fix.
• The sky on the evening of October 30, 1907, had no appearance of rain -- the next morning the town was flooded. The way the people will vote isn't the only thing that cannot be predicted in Oklahoma, says the Chickasha Journal.
• The deputies had a man named Hopper, who had been bringing booze by the wagon load to Bartlesville, where he had no trouble in disposing of his loads, in consequence of which many worthy citizens were frequently seen loaded.
• Hobart had raised the ante for the Baptist State University to $117,500 and the necessary land over Lawton's $95,000 and 15 acres and Chickasha's $116,000 and 20 acres. It confidently expects to pot from the meeting at Ardmore today.
• Leslie G. Niblack, the handsome immune bachelor editor of the Guthrie Daily Leader will be the notary who will administer the oath of office to Governor Charles N. Haskell.
• Cotton market was ruled by bulls. Stocks Buoyant; and closing was strong.

Vashti Turner Speer's 1907 Diary

Vashti Turner Speer of Kay County, Oklahoma Territory, kept a diary during 1907 when Oklahoma became a state.

The Cherokee Strip Museum of Perry has mounted an exhibit commemorating the Centennial, using Speer's 1907 diary as a participant's eye view of the events of that historical day. Excerpts from the diary, photographic images, and Vashti Speer's US flag, are on display in the museum's temporary exhibit gallery during November, 2007.

Vashti Speer's diary provides a window into life 100 years ago. It gives us a remarkable glimpse of Speer's love for her family and the land they farmed, her hard work, her sense of humor, and her joy for life.

The exhibit will remain on view through December 21, 2007, at the Cherokee Strip Museum, located at 2617 West Fir in Perry, Oklahoma. You can visit the museum's web site at Cherokee Strip Museum for more information ro call 580-336-2405.
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