Remembering Our Heritage...

The Cimarron Cowboy Monument

by Kay Decker, Freedom Call, Vol. 82, Iss. 32, Aug. 14, 2003 -- The Cimarron Cowboy Monument, which is located in the American Legion Park in downtown Freedom, depicts the early history of the Freedom area and the cattlemen who helped to settle the Cimarron Valley region. The monument is nine thousand pounds of red granite and commemorates with text and art the hard life of the Cherokee Strip cowboy. The idea of the monument was conceived during the late 1940s by several area cattlemen who realized that the cattle companies of the late 1800s were an important aspect of Oklahoma history. These cattlemen formed the Cimarron Cowboys' Association to help memorialize the efforts of these cowboy pioneers.

With direction from the Cimarron Cowboys' Association and at a cost of $20,000.00, the huge granite monument was built, inscribed, and polished by R. C. VanNostrand, of the Woodward Monument Company. VanNostrand obtained the raw granite from quarries on Elk Creek, northwest of Roosevelt, Oklahoma. VanNostrand then interviewed all of the veteran cowboys who remained in the area, studied old maps, and poured through countless historical books and old newspaper files to compose the text for the monument. Buddy Endersby and Thad Leachman both of Woodward made the drawings for the murals. The monument illustrates with a map and pictorial history the numerous cattle companies which settled in the region. Shown, too, is the first building erected in the Freedom area, which was the ranch house of the Gregory Eldred ranch, along with portraits of C. H. Martin, Amos Chapman, Jim Dalton and J. O. Selman.

The Cimarron Cowboys' Association arose out of a custom of area cowboys to have a reunion once a year for visiting, singing, roping and stunt riding. The group's officers at the time the monument was commissioned included: Tom Stout, President; Roy Hill, Vice-President; John D. Hinton, Secretary; and J. C. Powers, Treasurer. J. O. Selman, Rudy Eden and Jim Dalton served on the committee to erect the monument. A formal dedication ceremony was held on April 14, 1950 with nearly 2,500 honored guests and visitors present. Mac Q. Williamson, State Attorney General, delivered the keynote address along with many other dignitaries. The all-day celebration featured a free chuckwagon feed, rodeo, dance, and tours through Alabaster Caverns. At the close of the ceremony, one old-timer was overheard saying, "That granite rock will be here just as long as these ol' red hills."

The monument serves as a constant reminder the amount of time and hard-work it took to settle this part of the country and visitors to Freedom can often be found stopping by the park to see it.

Many thanks goes to Louise Hunter (daughter of R. C. VanNostrand) for her valuable information and knowledge of the history of the Cowboy Monument. Mrs. Hunter said, "My father passed away two weeks after the monument was dedicated and I always felt as though it was not only a dedication to the old cowhands but also to my father."

The Cimarron Cowboys Association...

Brief History of the Organization of the Cowhand Association - from the August 25, 1966, Freedom Call -- Members of the Freedom Chamber of Commerce decided in the summer of 1939 to sponsor an old cowhand reunion and chuck wagon feed in honor of the old time cowhands of this vast area, who braved the perils and hardships of the range; cowhands in search of fun and fortune.

Previous to the big day that has made Freedom a well known town in Oklahoma invitations were sent to all old cowhands whose names and addresses could be obtained. One hundred twenty-five letters were mailed inviting the old cowhands to come to Freedom on September 15, 1939, for the first reunion and old-time chuck wagon feed. Back came enthusiastic assurances that nothing could keep the old boys away. And come they did, from Wichita to Woodward, from Arknasas to Ft. Supply. A splendid group of old time cattlemen met in a happy reunion.

The day was a grand one for such an event, with Leon C. Phillips, Governor of Oklahoma, and many other notables present. The reunion was called to order by Governor Phillips and on a motion made by J. O. Selman of Woodward, the organization voted to be known as the "Cimarron Cow Punchers Association." First officers elected were Frank Kamas, president; Walter Fulton, Wagon Boss; Sam Updegraff, Secretary/Treasurer; and Tom Dyer, Historian, all now deceased.

Music was furnished by the Gyp Hill Band. This band was composed of Wyman Blevins, Tony Bradt, Lee Trammell and Jimmy Murrow. Following the chuck wagon feed and business meeting the old cowhands formed a section of the big parade to the rodeo grounds where they were guests of the junior Rodeo management.

As the years passed, the name of the group has changed from Cimarron Cow Punchers, to the Old Boys Reunion, to Cimarron Cowhands and now Cimarron Cowboys Association. But the purpose has remained the same - to remember how this part of the state was settled and to honor the past and present of ranching and cattle-raising.

In the early years of the association much discussion centered on cowboys and old timers telling about their way of life during the late 1800's and early 1900's. In 1943, Fred Hornbeck suggested that Freedom was the proper place for a large stone memorial honoring cowboys. Charlie Martin, born 1869, was the oldest cowboy present.

For many years, discussion followed on the topic. In 1947 Governor Kerr was at the meeting and urged the group of about 400 to erect a memorial .. and as they say, the rest is history.