Okie's NW Corner

Was it dejavu with what seemed like a scene from the "Wizard of Oz" -- or was it the "Real" thing that hit the small, rural communities of Southern Kansas a few nights ago when dozens of tornadoes were spawn across Harper County, Kansas? The aftermath scenes of the Attica, Kansas farm house/barn being lifted up into the tornadic winds made the television news channels and brought to mind the scenes of -- Dorothy, Toto, in the Wizard of Oz.

Just a few days earlier, before the high winds were passed through NW Oklahoma adding fuel to the tornadoes being spawned in Southern Kansas, Duchess and this NW Okie writer were taking care of business in the urban central part of the state just like other sidewalk suitcase farmers. We have noticed, though, that the wheat is beginning it's golden change in color. It will not be long now until harvest time and combines start rolling into our state.

We have been taking another journey through the 1956 newspaper archives at the Oklahoma Historical Society -- searching for the 1956 March Issues of the Alva Review Courier (ARC). We found the July thru December '56 archives of the ARC, BUT... nothing for January thru June of 1956. We did find some news articles from the 1956 Freedom Call - March 8, March 15, March 22, March 29. What we were mainly searching for was anything to do with the mention of the '56 Avard Unsolved Mystery.

Did You Know...

Waynoka, Oklahoma had plans for a Waynoka Lake Project of 1956? Looking through the '56 newspaper archives, we found out that the Waynoka Lake plans were to be located 14 miles south of Waynoka on Gyp Creek. The lake plan was approved by the state fish and game commission Monday and announced by Ben Easterly (State Senator).

It was known as "Waynoka Lake", but members of the commission voted to name it "Lake Tankersley" after Don Tankersley, Oklahoma City member of the commission. While the commission was waiting for approval by the federal fish and wild life services, the commission had already spent $8,000 for land and engineering on the project and the lake was expected to cost an estimated $85,000. 25% of the cost would have been paid by the state and 75% by the federal government.

We understand from some sources that this Lake Tankersley never materialized. What haulted the progress? Did the Commission sell the land and recoup the money they had already put into it? Was it never approved by the Federal Fish and Wild Life service?

Someone wrote in the other day wanting to know more information about when the Oklahoma Chimney rock finally fell down. Do we have anyone out there with a better memory than mine? I've been trying to search it for a date, but it escapes me at the moment.

They were also wanting to know more about the Waynoka Rattlesnake Hunt of 2004. Does anyone out there have some photos of the rattlesnake hunt this year that they would like to share with us? Thanks in advance.

"Woof! Woof! Oakie, I'm still and need some petting! Where's the country and the horses?" Duchess says trying to get my attention. That Pug is trying to take over again. AND... she is ready to head out of this Urban environment. It's time to go check horses. Hush, Duchess! We'll get out of here later. Just let me finish up a few things around here first. I won't be long.

Duchess has been complaining lately because I called her a suitcase farmer. That was just after we did some checking online and found mention of Sidewalk Suitcase Farmers. Are you wondering what, who were considered Sidewalk Suitcase Farmers? We found out that Sidewalk Suitcase Farmers travel back and forth between the Urban and Rural areas taking care of their sidewalk suitcase farms to rekindle a sense of their rural identity while enjoying the benefits of other incomes in the urban environments. Isn't that what allows most families to continue their long relationships with the ancestral farm, which may have been in the family for generations?

Duchess is a farm Pug and doesn't take to the urban life that much. Lately, she has been bugging me while I sit here writing this week's newsletter. It's as if she is trying to tell me, "Shut-down that dang 'puter and lets go check horses! Woof! woof! Get me to the Country... Right Now! "

Okay! Okay, Duchess! BUT... before we head out of here for a country weekend, we need to leave our readers with a couple of "Old handwritten recipes" that we found in our Home Comfort Cook Book - Lemon Hollandaise sauce and Oatmeal Cake. We are still working on the Home Comfort Hints, but don't have them scanned into our computer yet. Stayed tuned, though!

"Work like you don't need money!
Love like you've never been hurt!
Dance like no one's watching!"

1915 Northwestern State Normal School Bulletin...

"I have just uploaded a new PDF document (22 pages) to my website, as the following URL: NTN_bulletin_1915.pdf. This is a 1915 publication by Northwestern State Normal School which was a directory of alumni from the classes of 1900-1914. I have re-typed the information exactly as it appears in the booklet, which is by year (class), then alphabetical within each class (female students' maiden names are in parentheses). The original booklet is now in the collection in the offices of the Northwestern Foundation and Alumni, located in the Student Center on the Northwestern campus in Alva." -- Rod Murrow Freedom, OK NWOSU Professor of Music and Director of Graduate Studies (Ranger Class of 1971) View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Throw 'er June Photo (dated May 7, 1933 - 71 years ago)...

Oklahoma - "I am not sure whether this will be helpful or not with your photo, Throw 'er June-Feel better?" -- but worth a shot just the same. I have a family history put together by Zellamae Longfellow and I will include and excerpt and a poem written by my great-great-grandfather, Alexander McFadden, below.

"It describes Woodward, Oklahoma and a ritual called The Pie Supper. In it was mentioned a June Renfro. Hope someone is interested in some of the other names mentioned as well!

"Entertainment was what the community made of it in those days. On Saturday afternoons, the townspeople would gather at Parson's Country Store and Post Office. Everyone would come and exchange stories and town gossip. Baseball games were played with one team for the men and one for the women. Each team had their own uniforms.

"People came on horseback, by wagon and on foot to join in the fun. One curious custom back then seemed to be the Pie Supper. From a poem written by Alexander McFadden, it would appear that the women were responsible for baking the pies. The men would buy the pies back from their women. The poem has been included here.

THE PIE SUPPER . . .
You have heard the poem White has read on the joys of eating pies
But I want to tell you, brothers, it's all a pack of lies.
But we can't censor Mr. White, his very life's at stake
He's got to write it just that way although it is a fake.
Cause Mr. White is getting old, has almost lost his muscle
His wife can do the old man up in every single tussle.
We know that White would never read that poem in his youth
But now that he is getting old, he's got to stretch the truth.
Not one of us would come tonight to eat like some starved shoat
But nearly all of us are ruled by some blamed petticoat.
We had to come and buy the pies or the cools would all been mad
We have got to blow and say they're good if they are spoiled and bad
The pie I bought and tried to eat, I tell you it was some
It rolled up in a big tough wad just like a chew of gum.
I chewed with my old grinders till my jaws began to squeak
I'll belch it up and masticate it thoroughly next week.
The pie Sid Scovel got he thought was made of squash
But when he cut the thing in two, he had to laugh, by gosh.
The top was smeared all over with something just like soap
The inside of the doggoned thing was black as wagon dope.
The only one who made a kick was Mr. William Cavett,
The pie he bought they could take back, by ging, he wouldn't have it.
But when that little black-eyed wife of his came walking 'round,
Old Billy just drawed in his horns and calmly wilted down.
June Rentfro's wife had got a heart as hard as any stone
And poor old June's afraid to say that his life is his own.
He tried to make the cooks all think their supper was a treat
But the pie he got he says was scarcely fit to eat.
When Eli Rentfro ate his pie, he made an awful face
He acted just as though his jaw had been knocked out of place.
The blamed thing was so heavy, it made his stomach sag
And every time he belched it up, the poor boy had to gag.
If Mooney's not the last man here, I'll freely go to jail
You'll always find Al in the rear just like an old cow's tail.
He told me that his stomach was as fill as any tick
And that the pie he bought and ate he thought would make him sick.
Old Charley smiled and scratched his head and pulled his long mustache
He said the pie he ate he thought was made of hash.
And even White, who read that piece and the cooks blowed out of sight
He whispered in my ear just now, 'My stomach don't feel right'.
Ed Smith can eat most anything: his stomach's tough as a brick
There never was a thing on earth could make old Edwin sick.
He said no girl that lives on earth in wedlock would him catch
If that's the kind of cooks they are, I'll always have a batch.
I always said if I could call just twenty years back
I'd rustle round and get a wife whose eyes were plum coal black.
But when I look at Charlie Smith and his baldheaded pate
That's just as round and slick as the bottom of a plate,
By ging, I changed my mind and I believe it's true
Black eyes are worse for pulling hair than gals with eyes of blue.
Although the cooks can't bake a pie that's scarcely fit to eat,
Although they pull out all your hair and think it quite a treat,
Yet life would be a failure, this earth a desert drear,
The world to chaos would go back without her presence near.
She shares our sorrows and our joys, our burdens she makes lighter,
Our toil, our troubles and mistakes her winning smile makes brighter.
And, if she sometimes makes us dance to the tune of Yankee Doodle
I've got to say down in my heart, 'God bless the whole capoodle.'

- written by Alexander McFadden

sent in to OkieLegacy by Susan In NH View/Write Comments (count 1)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Fall of Chimney Rock & Waynoka Rattelsnake Hunt...

"Do you have anything on the fall of on Chimney Rock in Waynoka or anything on the latest snake hunt in Waynoka? I am the daughter of Opal Ealey Bates; granddaughter of J. E. Ealey and Florence Ealey; granddaughter of the Hayes of Waynoka." -- Debbie Cavitt - Email: dkcavitt@charter.net View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Did you know...

"Wednesday, April 14, 2004, the governor signed a bill by Sen. Gilmer Capps, D-Snyder, making the Oklahoma Rose the Official State Flower. Capps said many think mistletoe is the state flower, but it is actually the official state floral emblem. The Oklahoma Rose is a hybrid developed at Oklahoma State University and those fond of the flower say its deep crimson represents the blood that was shed when the Five Civilized Tribes were moved to Oklahoma. - OUDaily.com" -- Mike View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Mother's Day Rose Bouquet...

"I was trying to figure out what to send you for mother's day... flowers, card, or unique gifts -- when I had an idea. Shortly after moving into to the house in Odessa, I started a garden. I planted, tomatoes, pablano peppers, cilantro, flowers and other spices. Recently, I noticed the watermelon plants sprouting from the seeds I planted. It seems that not only gotten my love of baking from your mother, but also may have her green thumb in the garden. It is still a little early to tell. I am not having too much luck with house plants though. Instead of sending roses that may last a week, I thought that I would plant a rose bush in the garden. It is an Oklahoma Rose in a garden in West Texas." -- Mike View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

PSO 2004 Youth Poetry Contest Results...

"Click here: PSO 2004 Youth Poetry Contest Results Take a tour!  Co President/Webmaster Billy Pennington, or Webmaster, has updated the Youth Page with a full report announcing winners.  Pass this on to interested youth, teachers and parents--it's not too early to think about next year's contest! Thanks." -- Vivian View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Clymer & Oklahoma...

"As my maiden name is Clymer, I am always looking for the name. I was surprised to see a town in Oklahoma was named Clymer." -- Carolynn Clymer-Grigg - Email: CGrigg208@aol.com View/Write Comments (count 1)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Burnham & Old News Clippings...

"While recently going through some old papers given to me by my great-aunt Gladys (Tot) Burnham, the younger sister of my grandmother, Mama Ruth Darr, I found original newspaper clippings; the crystal and the china wedding anniversary celebrations of my great-grandparents Mr. and Mrs. Howard P. Burnham, the obituary of my great-great-grandfather David Burnham, and the obituary and other articles concerning the accidental shooting of my great-great uncle Joseph C. Burnham. These are all interesting and give me important dates to coincide with geneolgy research." -- Kyle King - Email: kyleking1@cox.net View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Check Out the Windmill Poets...

Click here: Windmill Poets - This is Vivian, saying, "Well, bless his heart!  Our webmaster has improved our already delightful Windmill Poet Page!  Take a look, mark your calendars, and bring a buddy.  We're going to have a good time the 18th.  (Don't you just love his music!)  Billy Pennington, Co-President of the Poetry Society of Oklahoma is our webmaster.  Let him know how much you appreciate this page! He just did our page fout of the goodness of his heart.   Maybe some night he and his wife Mikki will show up and enjoy poetry with us.  Hope so.  His email is   Zodneb@aol.com .  Mine is vivirustew@aol.com." -- Vivian. View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Waynoka Lake (Lake Tankersley)...

"I can only tell you that Waynoka Lake did not materialize!  I've heard of the plan, though.  Interesting. I didn't know it was that long ago that it was considered." View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Mac an Ghoill (son of the Lowlander or Stranger)...

We found this interesting piece of info online about the MacGill's of Scotland at this Link - www.duke.edu/~awiley/ -- MACGILL: This name is derived from the Gaelic "Mac an Ghoill" (son of the Lowlander or Stranger). MacGills were found in the district of Galloway and the Isle of Man at an early date, and during the 18th century others of the same name were recorded in Jura. Perhaps the best known historical character was James Makgill of Rankeillor- Clerk Register and Provost of Edinburgh in the mid 1500's. James,a friend of John Knox, was implicated in the murder of Rizzio, Queen Mary's secretary, in 1566, and subsequently forced to seek refuge in the Highlands. However, in 1568, James took part in a secret mission which brought the famous "Casket Letters" from Scotland to Queen Elizabeth I of England. He also signed the Act of Parliament containing Queen Mary's resignation of the Crown in her son's favour. In 1627 a Baronetcy was given to Sir James Makgill of Cranston-Makgill, and in 1651 he also received the peerage and Viscountcy which were restored recently to his direct descendant, The Viscount of Oxfuird in 1978 was recognised by Lyon Court as Chief of the MacGill Family. Upon the failure of the 1745 Rebellion, some MacGills escaped to Ireland but later returned to settle in Ayrshire, while others made their way to Holland. The family tartan, which originated with the MacGills of Jura, was in use before 1745 but when tartan was proscribed the sett seemed to have been lost until a piece was discovered in Kintyre. It is now in the Museum of Antiquities, Edinburgh. The current version, which first appeared in 1930, is known as the MacGill Society tartan. View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Dr. Charles MacGill's Papers...

Dr. Charles MacGill's Papers... "The 1850s as Experienced by a Prominent Maryland Family of Southern Sympathizers -- The Charles Macgill Papers, housed in the Special Collections Library at Duke University, include more than 1,000 pieces of personal, professional, and political correspondence spanning the period from 1830 to 1878.  The documents that Dr. Macgill, a prominent Maryland surgeon and an outspoken Southern sympathizer, sent and received provide both an intimate account of his family's life and a novel perspective on America during the nineteenth century....." View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

American Forts Network...

American Forts Network... A network of related websites on historic fortifications and historic naval vessels of North America. Are you interested in Oklahoma Forts? View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

The Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture...

The Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture...
Sidewalk Suitcase Farmers -- reside great distances from their land but tend it a few weeks annually at planting and harvesting time. This type of hobby farming lends itself to wheat, one of Oklahoma's most popular crops. Suitcase and sidewalk farms help many of their owners rekindle a sense of rural identity while enjoying the benefits of waged incomes in urban environments. This often allows families to continue their long relationships with the ancestral farm, which may have been in the family for generations. The fact that ties to the land are held today by city dwellers illustrates the strong agricultural roots that were recorded in the census of 1920, when farm population made up half of the state's population.

Fort Supply -- Fort Supply is located in the northwest corner of Woodward County thirteen miles northwest of the county seat of Woodward. The first post office was established on May 12, 1903. On May 1, 1943, the name of the post office and town was changed to Fort Supply. Founder James P. Gandy, a territorial legislator, originally named the town Supply after the frontier military post (1868-94) located one mile east of the town site. Rancher H. H. Halsell sold the land to Gandy who had it platted for a town site in 1903. Most of the original buildings of Supply were moved from the failed town site of Fitzgerald, which had been established two miles southwest in 1902.

Woodward -- "Woodward, located at the junctions of state highways 270 and 412, is the county seat of Woodward County. Woodward began in April 1887 when the Southern Kansas Railway (a subsidiary of the Santa Fe) built tracks to this point from Kiowa, Kansas..... At the time of the Cherokee Outlet Land Run on September 16, 1893, a surveying error caused the government town, and its land office and other public buildings, to be located in the section west of the existing improvements, a good fifteen blocks away from the depot, post office, and stockyards. Two towns resulted. East Woodward (called Denver) began near the improvements, Woodward near the land office. In October 1894 East Woodward businesses followed the depot as it was moved west and relocated between Fifth and Sixth Streets. The land office, jail, and other government buildings were, in time, moved east toward the depot. The towns became one. The curve in the town's long Main Street at Eighth (originally Boundary) is the result of the joining. Woodward remained one of the most extensive cattle shipping points in Oklahoma Territory. Town leaders had made certain that market drives would not be fenced away from the stockyards. In keeping with the cattle marketing tradition, on February 23, 1933, the Woodward Livestock Auction opened. It was the first commercial-grade cattle auction in Oklahoma....."

Chisholm Trail -- "....In 1867 Joseph McCoy built stockyards on the Kansas-Pacific railroad in Abilene, Kansas. He sent men south to encourage Texas cattlemen to send herds to his stockyards. He also encouraged cattle buyers to come to Abilene where cattle would be waiting. Drovers followed assorted minor trails through south and central Texas northward to the Red River crossing and then joined the Abilene Cattle Trail, which later became famous as the Chisholm Trail. After being driven north along the Chisholm Trail to Abilene, the cattle were shipped east to the beef packers. Herds varied in size from five hundred to ten thousand; however, they usually averaged around 2,500 to 3,000 head. A rancher entrusted his herd to a trail boss who would hire ten to fourteen cowboys, a cook and wagon, and a wrangler (horse handler) for the 100 to 150 horses. The trail boss would also provision the wagon and plan the drive. On the trail the cattle were watered in the morning and would slowly eat their way northward. The cowboys kept them from stopping, turning back, or leaving the herd. The herd would walk about ten miles per day, stopping only to water and eat. At night the herd would stop at a watering hole and bed down. These herds were less than ten miles apart and were spaced so that each herd could spend the night at a watering point. As a result of this spacing, if any problems occurred, the herds could stack up and time or cattle might be lost. At the Abilene railhead, the trail boss would sell the cattle and horses, pay the cowboys, and return to Texas with the money for the owner, often repeating the trip year after year...."
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