Hello & Goodbye To NW Okie

As NW Okie and her Pugs arrive in NW Oklahoma last weekend, we hear the Fairvalley, OK residents as they gather at the watering hole whinning, "Hello!" and "Goodbye!"

The Fairvalley, OK residents were glad to see NW Okie and those delightful, curious Pugs. Even though it was a short visit.

NW Okie did get a digital photo of NWOSU's New monument entrance that faces North down Seventh Street, in Alva, Oklahoma, on Oklahoma Blvd. A few weeks ago we mentioned the new monument entrance donated through the efforts of the Ryerson family.

It really is something else to help grace NWOSU's campus. Thanks to the Ryerson family and all those who worked on this new monument entrance.
View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Our Journey Back Home

The Pugs and I woke up around 7 a.m. CDT and headed West on Hwy 281 to catch the highway Jct. just west of Buffalo and connect with Hwy 160 West through SW Kansas, this Saturday morning. We ate breakfast in Meade, Kansas around 8:30 a.m. [The photo on the left was taken at Wolf Creek Pass, Colorado, late afternoon, Saturday.]

When we headed out of Meade, Kansas, we missed our turn north to connect to Hwy 160 and ended up following Hwy 54 to Liberal, Kansas. Putting us about an hour behind schedule. We finally got back on the right path (Hwy 160) north of Liberal.

With Duchess as my co-pilot, we made it to South Fork, Colorado towards late afternoon to a fine rain and 60 degree temps. South Fork sets on the north side of Wolf Creek Pass where you climb the mountains to reach my part of the SW Colorado near Pagosa Springs, Bayfield and Durango.

As the Pugs and I continued up the mountain from South Fork, CO and over Wolf Creek, we reached the ski resort where the temps dropped down to 34 degrees and the rain turned to wet snow and began accumulating. By the time we reached Wolf Creek Pass the snow was coming down pretty good. Stopping and slowing trucks on the roadway as we began to make our descent down the mountain. We got behind a semi-truck traveling at 1 to 2 mph. We continued that way down the south side of Wolf Creek Pass until we got about 5 miles from the scenic turnout on the other side where the snow changed to really heavy fog 4 miles north of the turnout and cleared partially and turned to rain only around the scenic overlook as we continued driving to the bottom of the mountain and on into Pagosa Springs and Bayfield, Colorado. We arrived home a little after 8 pm Saturday night with Duchess on her alert perch between the two front seats of my Tundra pickup. Duchess is my co-pilot when we are on the road. I could not do it without her!

On this Sunday, October 5, 2008, there is a winter snow storm watch in the San Juan Mountains of SW Colorado on this cool, wet Sunday as October arrives this weekend in Colorado. I just love this weather and time of year.

Alva (OK) gas prices were $3.15.9 when the Pugs and I left there this weekend (Saturday) morning. Kansas' gas prices along hwy 160, towards SW Kansas was around $3.39.9. SE Colorado around Springfield was $3.49.9 at the Loves store in town. BUT... the truck stop on the southend of town was considerably higher. That's why I headed into Springfield, Colorado's Loves Store.

I see our gas prices in SW Colorado have not changed much, though. They are still hanging around $3.72.9 for regular here in Durango.
View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Growing Up In Oklahoma & Meatless Tuesday

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!
View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Sheriff D. C. Oates

"Linda, I saw where a descendent of D. C. "Pat" Oates was looking for information about him. I'm currently a board member of the Cherokee Strip Museum in Alva, and have recently put together a collection of over 300 photos on a CD that is currently being offered for sale at the museum. I'm attaching three photos of D.C. Oates for that person.

The first photo shows Oates as a comparatively young man.

The next shows Oates and his deputies (Woods County included all of present-day Alfalfa and Major counties, so many deputies were necessary in horse and buggy days), and the third photo shows Oates at work in his office. This office may have been in a residential-looking house just east of the court house on the court house lawn that I have seen in one early Alva picture.

The 1904 Tenth Anniversary Souvenir Edition of the Alva Pioneer states: "D.C. OATES - Sheriff. Native of Alabama: came to Alva, Sept. 18, 1893; secured a farm in southeast part of county (NOTE: This would now be Major Co., OK); was deputy sheriff 1895 to July 16, 1898; when he enlisted in the first Oklahoma regiment, tried for 9 months to get to the front in the war with Spain; elected sheriff in 1900 by 106 majority, and re-elected in 1902 by 1175 majority, which is ample evidence of his excellent official ability and general popularity."

Other items I have read about Pat Oates stated that he served as a Sergeant-at-arms at the Statehood convention and was later made an assistant warden at the State Penitentiary at McAlester. He lost his life there during a prison break.

For anyone interested, the CD collection can be purchased at the museum or by mail. It's cost is a ridiculously-low $10.00 (just over 3 cents per picture), but we would have to charge an additional $5.00 fee for postage and handling if by mail. STILL a HUGE bargain! Mail a postal money order with your name and address enclosed to:
Cherokee Strip Museum Association, 901 Fourth St. (that's the old general hospital for you Alva folks in the know out there), Alva, OK 73717.

I would caution that this is a CD and not a DVD. Do not expect to be able to run it on your DVD player! We have a DVD in the works, but it will be a while before it's ready. The CD would be mailed by regular mail. Enclose an appropriate amount for any preferential mail service you prefer. Also enclose extra funds if you want the item insured. Thanks!" -- Jim Barker
View/Write Comments (count 1)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Old 45's & Rock 'n Roll

" Linda. You just keep getting better. This brings back so many great menories. (NO ORDINARY JUKEBOX) is also good for playing old music from 1950 to 1982. Go toTropicalgen.com. As you will see when you click on this site, there is a Jukebox- but it is no ordinary jukebox. It will play all of your favourite songs from 1950 through 1982. Each year has a scroll or drop down box that shows all the great songs for that year. Most years have over 40 songs. Once you click on a song it will play and when it finishes it automatically plays the next song in the list and continues until it has played all the songs. This is really cool. Have fun with it.....!! It has a volume control which you should use in conjunction with your computers volume control." -- E RAYMER
View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Col. Kirkbride of Alva, OK

"When I was about 4 years old, we lived in the Kirkbride Apartments. My clearest memory of that time is the taffy pull that he hosted in the back yard of the apartment building. The children were given lollipops made of bright red unpulled taffy. Too bad there's not much of the same kind of camaraderie today between landlord and tenant!" -- Barbara
View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Concerning Alva Name

RE: Emmett "Alva" Walker -- "If Mr. Walker is of Scottish descent, there is a town near Edinburgh named Alva. Perhaps that's where his name came from." -- Barbara

[Editor's Note: Check out this URL: undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/alva/alva/ Alva lies at the foot of the Ochil Hills where the Alva Burn emerges from Alva Glen. In an age when rapidly flowing water was a valuable resource, it was inevitable that ways would be found of harnessing the power of the burn. In Alva''s case it happened early, and a settlement with a church was already established here by 1260 when control of the local estates was granted to Cambus kenneth Abbey near Stirling.]
View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Middle Name Was Alva

"According to George H. Shirk's Oklahoma Place Names, the City of Alva was named for Alva Adams, railroad attorney, who later was governor of the state of Colorado. This would indicate that the person name Alva was in use by the 1850s (Alva Oklahoma was founded in 1893), and possibly earlier. You might want to look to a family friend or relative as the source of your middle name." -- Al
View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Wm Michael Lewis Family

"I have attached a picture of "The William Michael Lewis Family" here. This picture shows my great-grandfather Wm. Michael Lewis next to his wife Mary Ann "Molly" (Mills) Lewis in the front row, and (left to right) in the back row, my grandfather William Orville Lewis next to his sister Louella, and then the oldest brother Herbert H. and last, the youngest brother June Levene Lewis. I would guess that the picture was taken about 1905 - 07.

All of the people who are recipients of this email are descendents of the Chenoweth line, with the exception of William Neal Lewis who was descended from my grandfather's second wife Mary E. (Hiatt) Lewis, and who might also be related through the Hiatt connection referred to at the Chenoweth website. This indeed becomes more interesting the longer I study it (and can find the time). It never occurred to me that the Chenoweth of Chenoweth & Green Music Store in Enid was ALSO related to our family. That store still exists and Enid is only 42 miles from here (in Perry). Our world is getting smaller all the time." -- Roy Kendrick
View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Anadarko OK Info

"Pochoir Prints of Ledger Drawings by the Kiowa Five, 1929 from the National Anthropological Archives, hosted by the Smithsonian Institution Research Information System (SIRIS). From the SIRIS catalog entry: The Kiowa Five were a group of painters who earned national and international acclaim during the early twentieth century. The group actually consisted of six individuals, Spencer Asah, Jack Hokeah, Stephen Mopope, Monroe Tsatoke, Lois Smoky, and James Auchiah. A number of the artists attended St. Patrick's Mission School in Anadarko, Oklahoma, where they received art instruction from Sister Olivia Taylor. Susan Peters, a government field matron, also took an interest in the young artists' work. She arranged for an artist from Chickasha, Mrs. Willie Baze Lane, to provide art lessons." -- N. Talkington -- See Also: Robert Goldwater Library blog
View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Indigo Snake Pictures From A Friend

"From a friend in west Texas: I always heard my Dad talk about the Blue Indigo Snakes (Black Racers or Cow Suckers in KY) he used to know while ranching in the Brackettville/Spofford area before moving to the present ranch in about 1932. He always said, no one bothered them, because they killed and ate rattlesnakes. Of course I thought it was a tall tale, because I never saw one on the present ranch. But while working for the King Ranch down in deep South Texas , I saw several of these snakes. They were big, long and the color of Indigo or Blueing they used to use in dying clothes. Never saw one eat a rattler, but I guess the truth does come out now and then. Enjoy the attached photos. Send to all your friends in South Texas and those who hunt down that way to let them know there are good snakes out there." -- Steve N.
View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Oklahoma Gas Prices Drop Again

"Our highest prices for regular gasoline today were $3.15.9 at the Sinclair station. Conoco again had the lowest at $2.99.9 this evening (Friday). Conoco dropped another penny to $2.98.9 today!" -- Roy

"Gas was 2.89 at Lawton (OK) stores. Same a Duncan. 30 cents a gal cheaper than Ardmore." -- BB
View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Hlasatel Kalendar (Czech)

"I don't know if you or any of your family researchers might be interested in these. I'm a genealogy person also, but all my folks are western Europe. I found a reference to this publication on your website.

I just acquired a stack of them from the 1940's. They are very interesting except that I can't read Czech. The illustrations from the community (ads for memorial chapels, grocery stores, furniture stores) are pretty cool. For what it's worth!" -- Susan Embler - Email: silverart@usa.net
View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe