tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60701920034563211012024-03-14T08:33:55.943-07:00Three Rivers MuseumThree Rivers Museum in Muskogee, Oklahoma is a local history museum that collects, preserves, and exhibits the history of the Three Rivers area of northeastern Oklahoma.Sue Tolberthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06192389428938688610noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6070192003456321101.post-91889396221155048612015-05-20T08:56:00.000-07:002015-05-20T08:57:03.260-07:001911 Oklahoma Aviation Firsts<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Muskogee’s 1911 Free State Fair was the scene of several
firsts in Oklahoma’s aviation history. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The story begins with the Muskogee Commercial Club, the forerunner
of today’s Chamber of Commerce. The club
contracted with the Curtiss Aeroplane Company to send a biplane to the fair. The Curtiss aircraft, a Model D, had a single
propeller in the back. This “pusher”
plane was scheduled to make at least three afternoon flights each day during
the fair, Oct. 9 - 14.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Originally, Hugh Robinson was to be the pilot, but the
company at the last minute sent their youngest pilot, Beckwith Havens. He probably arrived by train and was able to
make at least one flight Monday afternoon, the first day of the fair. The “paddock,” i.e., the center of the race
track on the fairgrounds, was used for the landing field. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Miss Olive Adair, the society reporter for the Muskogee Daily
Phoenix, interviewed Havens. She learned
that “Becky,” as he was called, was 21 years old, having just the previous May
received his pilot’s license. She
learned that he had already survived several crashes. Miss Adair said she found Havens to be “one
of the best” pilots flying. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">After asking about several of his exciting adventures, Olive
asked if Becky would take her for a ride as a passenger. This posed a problem with Havens because his
aircraft only had one seat: the pilot’s.
He agreed provided the weather remained calm.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Between flights the next day, Havens and his assistants improvised
a second seat for a passenger. Then late
on Tuesday afternoon, after he had already flown the contracted three flights
for the day, Havens decided to make a trial flight to test the new seat before
he took Olive aloft. Being cautious,
Havens asked his second assistant, “Tommy,” to ride in the new passenger seat
located slightly to the right and behind the pilot’s seat. Olive had come prepared to be the first
passenger, but had to watch as Havens took off without her. Tommy thereby became the first <i>passenger</i> to fly in the state.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The flight did not go well.
The engine ran rough after ignition.
The Curtiss bi-plane started down the paddock ground gradually gaining
speed. Then it rose slowly into the air. The test flight was expected to be a short
one because all flights were less than a half hour in length.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">After circling over the fairgrounds a time or two, Havens set
a course that took him and his mechanic away from town. When Havens failed to reappear at the
fairgrounds watchers became concerned that there had been a crash. Tom Smith, president of a real estate firm, offered
to go looking for the plane in his automobile.
With Smith at the wheel, searchers found Havens and the mechanic in the
middle of a country road.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Havens had flown southwest to the Muskogee Oil Field where he
buzzed an oil derrick and then over a pool of oil. The engine misfiring got worse, probably
because of water mixed in the gasoline. Finally,
Havens was forced to land two miles south of Muskogee. He barely missed a fence in the process.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">When the search party arrived, Havens was about to take off
again to return to the fairgrounds. The
approaching darkness prompted the searchers to urge the pilot to wait for
daylight. A tarpaulin to cover the plane
was brought out from the fairgrounds and a guard was posted for the night.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Havens made no additional attempts to carry a passenger during
the fair. There are two possible
reasons. The passenger seat may have
proved to be unsafe. Or else, the
aircraft did not have enough lifting capacity for safely carrying passengers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Earlier that same Tuesday, the Phoenix newspaper office
received a phone call from a man at the fairgrounds who said he was an
aviator. Leonard W. Bonney had arrived
in town in a Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railway boxcar with a Wright Brothers
biplane he called “Miss Cheyenne.” Bonney and his plane had arrived uninvited,
but the Commercial Club welcomed it at the fair.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Bonney’s arrival produced another “first” in Oklahoma
aviation during the fair. There were now
two “heavier-than-air” planes in one location in Oklahoma and later there would
be two in the air at the same time as well.
This resulted in the state’s first aviation “meet” occurring.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Interestingly, Cal Rodgers was expected to arrive during fair
week. Like Bonney, he was flying a
Wright Brothers plane. His arrival would
have also resulted in the state’s first meet.
Unfortunately, Rodgers in his “Vin Fiz” airplane was delayed. He arrived the week after the fair ended.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">During the next four days, both the Curtiss plane and the
Wright Brothers aircraft gave exhibition flights that demonstrated their
respective strengths. Havens’ plane was lighter
and smaller than the Wright Brothers.
Because the Curtiss plane was more advanced in design, it made sharper
turns and flew higher.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The Wright Brothers started selling their improved Model B
twin propeller, pusher biplane in 1910. The
new plane was big enough to now have two seats facing forward with the pilot
sitting in the left seat, a practice that continues today. In design, the plane resembled the original
Kitty Hawk flier. Bonney made more
gliding descents. The bigger wings of
the Wright Brothers airplane allowed for slower flights.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The spectators were amazed in seeing machines flying in the
sky overhead. Some of the younger fair
attendees went so far as to lie on the ground so that they would not miss a
moment of the aerial shows.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Wednesday was the day a bet was won. While riding to the fairgrounds, A. J. Emery,
a Food Service Inspector from the Oklahoma Health Department, said that he
wished he could fly. Hyman Otto Tener,
an Oklahoma City lawyer, overheard his fellow passenger’s comment and bet $100
that the 219 pound state employee wouldn’t or couldn’t fly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Bonney in the larger Wright Brothers plane was willing to
give Emery a ride but there are only a few brief references to the flight. Emery likely had a short flight, apparently
without any problems. Thus, Emery became
Oklahoma’s second passenger to fly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The paddock area had been crowded throughout the fair because
it was also the location of a four-story diving platform and a twelve foot deep
half-barrel of water. Space was also
taken up by two large tents that covered the planes at night. The area in the center of the race track was
constantly a beehive of activity as diving men, women and a horse jumped off
the high platform. Race officials
started and clocked horse races. All the
while mechanics refueled and worked on the two airplanes before pushing them
into position for takeoff.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">On Saturday, after several horse races before noon, the
attention shifted to aviation. Bonney took
off in the “Miss Cheyenne” at least three times that afternoon. Two men had agreed to fly as passengers with
Bonney. But, when it came time to sit
down in the passenger seat, both got cold feet and suffered some good natured
kidding.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Two young women reporters wanted to fly. Miss Adair had already tried to fly with
Havens. Miss Kathryn Hull of the
Muskogee Times-Democrat newspaper also wanted to go flying. In order to be fair as to who flew first,
Bonney took a coin out of his pocket and flipped it into the air. Kathryn Hull won the coin toss and took the
passenger seat beside Bonney. The Wright
Brothers plane rose to a low altitude, probably about 500 feet, for a couple
circuits around the fairgrounds.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">This 18 year-old, slender brunette became the first woman to
fly in Oklahoma. Only at the last minute did her mother learn of her daughter’s
escapade. She also became the first
newspaper reporter to fly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">After Miss Hull landed, Miss Adair produced a bottle of Mumm's Champagne<span class="apple-converted-space">, and
despite the fact that the fairground was situated on Indian land where it was
illegal to have liquor, broke the bottle on the foot rail of the biplane. She christened the Miss Cheyenne. <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a> Bonney then took her
on a flight establishing her as the second female passenger and the second
reporter in the state to fly.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span class="apple-converted-space"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">Bonney was not finished
hauling passengers. On one last flight,
he took a Mrs. W. L. Goodycoontz aloft.
Little is reported about this passenger other than she was a resident of
Williams, AZ and was in town visiting friends.
She was Oklahoma’s fifth passenger.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">The Three Rivers Museum
has two photos of the Wright Brothers biplane at the fair. In one, Bonney is shown alone in the plane as
he is taking off, kicking up dust in the paddock. The second photo shows him sitting aboard the
“Miss Cheyenne” with Miss Kathryn Hull as a passenger while a mechanic is posed
to spin a propeller to start the motor.</span></span><a href="file:///C:/Articles/1911%20Oklahoma%20Aviation%20Firsts.docx#_edn1" name="_ednref1" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">[i]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div>
<!--[if !supportEndnotes]--><br clear="all" />
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<!--[endif]-->
<br />
<div id="edn1">
<div class="MsoEndnoteText">
<a href="file:///C:/Articles/1911%20Oklahoma%20Aviation%20Firsts.docx#_ednref1" name="_edn1" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[i]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
Checotah [OK] Times,Oct. 13, 1911, p. 1, c. 3</div>
<div class="MsoEndnoteText">
Daily Oklahoman, Oct. 15, 1911, p. 4</div>
<div class="MsoEndnoteText">
Daily Oklahoman, Oct. 22, 1911, p. 1, c. 5 </div>
<div class="MsoEndnoteText">
Ft Gibson [OK] New Era,Oct. 19, 1911, p. 1, c. 1</div>
<div class="MsoEndnoteText">
Muskogee Daily Phoenix,Oct. 11, 1911, p. 1, c. 5</div>
<div class="MsoEndnoteText">
Muskogee County Republican, Oct. 19, 1911, p. 4, c. 1</div>
<div class="MsoEndnoteText">
Muskogee Times-Democrat, Oct. 7, 1911, p. 1, c. 4</div>
<div class="MsoEndnoteText">
Muskogee Times-Democrat, Oct. 9, 1911, p. 1, c. 1</div>
<div class="MsoEndnoteText">
Muskogee Times-Democrat, Oct. 10, 1911, p. 8, c. 2</div>
<div class="MsoEndnoteText">
Muskogee Times-Democrat, Oct. 11, 1911, p. 1, c. 5</div>
<div class="MsoEndnoteText">
Muskogee Times-Democrat,Oct. 12, 1911, p. 5, c. 1</div>
<div class="MsoEndnoteText">
Muskogee Times-Democrat,Oct. 17, 1911, p. 5, c. 3</div>
<div class="MsoEndnoteText">
Muskogee Times-Democrat,Oct. 19, 1911, p. 5, c. 3</div>
<div class="MsoEndnoteText">
Shawnee [OK] News,Oct. 12, 1911, p. 1, c. 3</div>
<div class="MsoEndnoteText">
Three Rivers Museum.
The Barney Williams Collection.</div>
</div>
</div>
Wally Waitshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17371231891451797055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6070192003456321101.post-49349085687147879192014-08-31T16:08:00.002-07:002014-08-31T16:09:00.231-07:00Plowing behind a Mule?My neighbor grew up in Pennsylvania. We were talking the other day and he bet that he was the last person in Muskogee who knew how to harness a mule for plowing. I doubted the fact, but thought I would check to see if anyone else in the area knew how to hitch a mule to a plow.<br />
<br />
The last mule I saw pulling a plow was south of Magnolia Arkansas about 1966. Has anyone seen a farmer plowing behind a mule since then?Wally Waitshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17371231891451797055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6070192003456321101.post-78812431911355527832014-04-09T18:05:00.002-07:002014-04-29T16:29:07.438-07:00Picnicking at Spring Creek<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBq1k71sg2-cr6SKExrbigwxgwxzVclYURzXkh6turYBSSob42VDcg5BuyN77S5R6t007sH3-9Myc4sQ7dn9izMjbTSMTyfZhZD2WleSISbSw-UcD_zhivQD0CCfjI3E8DdN9OLQfe_Bk/s1600/A149+96JC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBq1k71sg2-cr6SKExrbigwxgwxzVclYURzXkh6turYBSSob42VDcg5BuyN77S5R6t007sH3-9Myc4sQ7dn9izMjbTSMTyfZhZD2WleSISbSw-UcD_zhivQD0CCfjI3E8DdN9OLQfe_Bk/s1600/A149+96JC.jpg" height="208" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Pictured here are picnickers who have just gotten out of the
passenger cars for a day of relaxation.
They are employees of the Kansas, Oklahoma and Gulf railroad, a
short-line transportation company based in Muskogee.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The occasion was the summer picnic at Spring Creek, a train
stop about twenty-five miles north of the home office on the way to Miami. In the early 1920’s, the KO&G ran
excursion trains twice a day around July 4th to Miami and back so that individuals
and families could have a break from the summer heat. The fare to Spring Creek cost between a
dollar and $1.13 per person.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">At the Spring Creek stop, there was no depot. The shed on the left provided some relief
from the elements. For the railroad,
there was a wooden water tank and trestle across the creek that offered cool
spring water brimming with fish.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">One of the railroad employees was Mary Beulah Hannah who took
her camera along for capturing for posterity the gaiety of the occasion. She eventually became the Administrative
Assistant to the railroad president. In
that capacity, she oversaw the payroll, often signing the paychecks in her own
name.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Mary was Kevin Hannah’s aunt.
He has loaned his aunt’s photos to the Three Rivers Museum for
digital preservation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Wally Waitshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17371231891451797055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6070192003456321101.post-62907229835164638682014-03-11T13:18:00.001-07:002014-03-11T13:19:40.464-07:00WPA School Construction<div class="WordSection1">
<div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">By Marjorie Barton<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">and Wally Waits<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">From 1935 until 1943 a work-relief program known as Work
Projects Administration (WPA) changed the face of Muskogee County and put
hundreds to work in what became known as the Great Depression. Only if you have been nationwide or
researched the topic can you realize that Muskogee County had a similar number
of projects as other like-sized populations in the United States. That such a variety of jobs secured national
approval and was completed is “mind-boggling.”<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Building schools was only one type of WPA project, but
Oklahoma excelled in that category. Schools
were built in all sizes, including one-room schoolhouses, and many are a part
of the WPA accomplishments. Throughout
the WPA era, there was a focus on stopping the drop in school attendance. The Great Depression was a time when some
families were sending their children to dilapidated schoolhouses.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">In the 1930s, there were about 100 school districts in
Muskogee County. Each district had its
own schoolhouse. During the decade of
financial stress, the county had little money for school maintenance.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">This is where the WPA helped.
One “make work” project in the county was the construction of sixteen
one-room schools to be built in rural Muskogee County. In these cases, it appears that the
schoolhouse were being replaced. In
other cases, the school building was structurally sound, but was fast
approaching the point of needing major repairs unless action was quickly taken.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Many of the surviving WPA school buildings are made of stone,
or was encased in a stone exterior. Local material, when available, was used
because it was more “labor intensive.”<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Here are the schools in Muskogee County where WPA work
occurred:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br clear="all" style="mso-break-type: section-break; page-break-before: auto;" />
</span>
<br />
<div class="WordSection2">
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Banks<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Boynton<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Braggs<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Briartown<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Brushy Mountain<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Buck Horn<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Council Hill<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Dubois<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Elm Grove<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Fort Gibson High School<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Haskell<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Heff School<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Hickory Ridge<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Keefton<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Lone Star<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">McClain<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">New Hope<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Oak Grove<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Popes Chapel<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Pumpkin Center<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Sally Brown<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Sequoyah<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Sims<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Sunny Slope<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Valley<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Wainwright<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Warner<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Webbers Falls
Junior/Senior High School<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Zore<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br clear="all" style="mso-break-type: section-break; page-break-before: auto;" />
</span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">Although the WPA was “reorganized” in 1939 into the Federal
Works Agency. the new governmental structure
continued to function pretty much as the WPA had. Inside the entrance at the Alice Robertson
school in Muskogee is a plaque indicating the presence of the Federal Works
Agency. As the Indian Bowl stadium was a WPA project
in Muskogee, likewise, many of the schools listed had Gym/Auditorium or a
stadium built.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Some schools were also upgraded with better “outhouses” or
sometimes, indoor plumbing. Another
frequent aid to school districts was that of building a “teacher cottage” to
provide housing. A few schools saw the
construction of houses for administrators and teachers. Rural schools had a difficult time attracting
teachers, unless there was a place to live.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Many of the listed school buildings are still in use, though
not always as schools. Homes, community
or senior centers, and churches have taken advantage of the soundly constructed
buildings.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">It is significant to note that Oklahoma built 825 schools,
far outnumbering other states. Another
175 additions were WPA projects for schools already in acceptable
condition. No other state came close to
building the number of schools that Oklahoma WPA produced, and Muskogee County
received its fair share.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Wally Waitshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17371231891451797055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6070192003456321101.post-45803243093798078692014-02-19T17:21:00.001-08:002014-02-19T17:21:09.214-08:00Frozen Rock Notes<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">During the Civil War, Confederate troops fled across the ford
at Frozen Rock in an effort to flee Union forces then making a drive to retake
Fort Gibson. Two dozen bodies of Rebel
soldiers were found dotting the ridge at the end of hostilities.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">A year after the end of the war, a Saint Louis book<a href="file:///C:/My%20Documents/Three%20Rivers%20Museum/Blog%20Articles/NOT%20Frozen%20Rock's%20Later%20History.docx#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
reported that Frozen Rock was six times as likely to be a steamboat destination
as was heading for Fort Gibson.
Merchants were advised that Frozen Rock was located 714 miles above the
mouth of the Arkansas River on the Mississippi.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
</div>
<div>
<!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><br clear="all" />
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<!--[endif]-->
<div id="ftn1">
<h1 style="background: white; margin-top: 0in;">
<a href="file:///C:/My%20Documents/Three%20Rivers%20Museum/Blog%20Articles/NOT%20Frozen%20Rock's%20Later%20History.docx#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
<b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">Annual Statement of
the Trade and Commerce of Saint Louis for the Year 1865.</span></b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;"> </span><span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 8.5pt;">By Merchants' Exchange of St. Louis, p. 17.</span><o:p></o:p></h1>
</div>
</div>
Wally Waitshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17371231891451797055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6070192003456321101.post-39683742975125837392014-02-05T16:32:00.000-08:002014-02-05T16:32:00.356-08:00Local Dentist Was War Hero<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The US Congress declared war on Germany and their allies on 6
Apr 1917. Ten days later, Dr. Otto L. H.
Hine volunteered for military service.
This was almost exactly two years since he passed the Oklahoma licensing
examination and began practicing dentistry in Muskogee.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">His volunteering effort sent him to Oklahoma City where he
took an oral exam and passed. Shortly
afterwards, he was sworn in as a First Lieutenant in the US Army’s Dental Corps
Reserves.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">In the middle of July he was drafted into active duty. He spent the rest of 1917 in uniform awaiting
orders for debarkation for the European Theater. He served in the Second Battalion, 139th
Infantry.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCCC0AZXqzAetK5jBkodhxxhw4SRLm3cKzfaNFEXkk5u-fN_3EjTvchAiTMmzhkAzsQlKF2y0m81ZFlbTfR2-RYeTAWgN0kYSZttX8LGVGnkpRIOosStURMJIsUxKTk0Esd8sAh2ukJyE/s1600/2013225.076.001JW+Hine,+Otto+c1918+photo+in+uniform.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCCC0AZXqzAetK5jBkodhxxhw4SRLm3cKzfaNFEXkk5u-fN_3EjTvchAiTMmzhkAzsQlKF2y0m81ZFlbTfR2-RYeTAWgN0kYSZttX8LGVGnkpRIOosStURMJIsUxKTk0Esd8sAh2ukJyE/s1600/2013225.076.001JW+Hine,+Otto+c1918+photo+in+uniform.jpg" height="320" width="254" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">This is Lt. Hine in a more peaceful moment. However, the war in France was a brutal one of attrition as each side
tried to wear its opponent down to the point that they gave up. Trench warfare caused horrendous losses on
both side. The infusion of American
soldiers shifted the balance of power to the British-French-American side.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">No Man’s Land existed between the trenches. When the whistle blew to send GI’s out of
their trenches, and “over the top” into No Man’s Land, they entered a zone that
was raked by machine gun fire and exploding artillery shells. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Naturally, chaos regularly ensued as soldiers tried to avoid
being killed while advancing forward.
One time, Lt. Hine became lost. Another
time he found himself in the vanguard of the attack and he captured 32 German
soldiers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">On September 29th, this Muskogee dentist followed the
advancing 139th Infantry into No Man’s Land.
He was assigned supervision of a
field first aid station located at Chaudron Farm. There wounded soldiers received basic treatment
before being sent to hospitals behind the front line.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Finding German resistance to be too great, American troops
were withdrawn in this area leaving only 25 American infantrymen to protect the
aid station. This aid station with 94 wounded soldiers happened to be very far
forward and soon became the focus of German gunners.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">At great personal risk, Lt. Hine returned through No Man’s
Land to American trenches about 2:00 in the morning of the second day. Reporting the danger wounded American soldiers
faced, he requested artillery fire from the 129th Field Artillery to prevent
the Germans from overrunning the aid station.
Otto returned to the forward aid station, again having traversed the
deadly terrain called “No Man’s Land.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; tab-stops: 292.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The American artillery barrage to
suppress the Germans lasted nine hours.
It took that long to carry those wounded soldiers back to the American
trenches.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; tab-stops: 292.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; tab-stops: 292.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Lt. Otto Hine’s account of these
events became a footnote in Jay McIlvaine Lee’s 1920 history of his service
during the war. But to the men whose
lives he saved, Lt. Hine was their hero who deserved more than a reference at
the bottom of a page.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; tab-stops: 292.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; tab-stops: 292.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">In July, 1919, the US Army agreed
with these wounded men and awarded Capt. Otto Hine the Distinguished Service
Cross. The DSC is given to soldiers who
at great personal risk in combat, performed gallantly. It is ranked next under the Congressional Medal
of Honor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; tab-stops: 292.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; tab-stops: 292.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Dr. Otto Hine returned to Muskogee. Two and a half years after volunteering for
service, he restarted his dental practice.
He was Dr. Ted Hine’s father.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Wally Waitshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17371231891451797055noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6070192003456321101.post-64992860985313717462013-08-06T09:58:00.000-07:002013-08-06T09:58:42.793-07:00Muskogee's Auto Tourist Camp <br />
<br />
by Glenn Smith, Muskogee, OK<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5_rFaZfI1u65kId5Zt1fNKfnXOWoFlN79utZUY8E-EGhaHNnqKemUoM0xdjn-zlH47eyx4OaOXEdlk_KxO6wmYgmJXRGhp9QSVJ0P8PlnRxdQRE5fNDR4PhG8ryYCfkh4_dDwyjPWIUg/s1600/P1011283-1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5_rFaZfI1u65kId5Zt1fNKfnXOWoFlN79utZUY8E-EGhaHNnqKemUoM0xdjn-zlH47eyx4OaOXEdlk_KxO6wmYgmJXRGhp9QSVJ0P8PlnRxdQRE5fNDR4PhG8ryYCfkh4_dDwyjPWIUg/s1600/P1011283-1.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Muskogee's Auto Tourist Camp</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
In the earliest days of long distance travel by automobile, motorists who ventured very far from home faced a problem at the end of the day: where to spend the night? Hotels were expensive and inconveniently located in downtown business districts, and after a hard day's drive few motorists were comfortable traipsing across stuffy hotel lobbies in their road-worn touring clothes. Pitching a tent out along the road was soon perceived by many to be a better alternative.<br />
As autocamping rapidly increased in favor after 1915, many communities along the major highways, hoping to lure motorists and their dollars, built municipal camps and made them available at no, or for a modest charge. Road associations also touted the many public tourist camps on their favored routes. In 1923, for instance, the Jefferson Highway Association published a "tourist camp manual" describing the features of over one hundred municipal camp sites that had been especially built for the accommodation of travelers on the Jefferson Highway.<br />
<br />
One of the largest and best appointed tourist camps listed in the JHA manual was the camp at Muskogee, Oklahoma. Built in 1921 by the Muskogee Kiwanis Club in Spaulding Park at the then-hefty cost of $3,000, the Muskogee camp could accommodate 200 cars and provided a screened building containg electric lights, twelve gas plates for cooking, and four large tables and benches for dining. Other crucial amenities provided for campers included sinks with running water and bathrooms containing toilets and showers. A pond was available for swimming during the summer months, and band concerts held in the park provided free entertainment.<br />
Muskogee's tourist camp was an immediate big hit with motorists, one of whom--Frank M. Smith of Dallas, Texas--described his favorable impressions in a 1921 letter: "When we reached the park we hesitated to go in as the lawn and everything about it was so well-kept we thought we must have made a mistake. In a few minutes, however, an officer approached us and invited us in. We were directed to a large building where we found bathrooms, reading and rest rooms, and also a place to cook meals. A registration fee of 25 cents is charged for each car utilizing the camp. There were probably 50 cars in the park the night we spent there. We found Muskogee highly praised during our trip and every tourist had a good word for the city on account of the excellent arrangements made for their comfort."<br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi75MoUjTqhq5CKimyHhYApIEq9JUMSPAmk4rkf56ZYaN97-4zaS1cDfu3PvcYpmR9ATLl_7M2DuO87DZnYrVP0byzFVW4sML1xdRYLXHW9M3gNgHirbBiRu3lfZ0ZytKRVlVd5GjPaA1M/s1600/P1011279-2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi75MoUjTqhq5CKimyHhYApIEq9JUMSPAmk4rkf56ZYaN97-4zaS1cDfu3PvcYpmR9ATLl_7M2DuO87DZnYrVP0byzFVW4sML1xdRYLXHW9M3gNgHirbBiRu3lfZ0ZytKRVlVd5GjPaA1M/s1600/P1011279-2.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of the Camp from across the 'pond' in 2013.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
According to a <em>Muskogee Times-Democrat</em> article, as of July 15, 1922, over 1,400 tourists had already stayed at the Spaulding Park camp during that season, a big increase over the previous year's total. Noting that the camp's users came from all over the U.S., the article concluded that "the univeral lure of the open road and purring motor is best attested by the diversity of the people who make this outdoor camp their temporary haven." Within only a few more years, however, most of those fetched by the "open road and purring motor" no longer cared to put up a tent at the end of a day, preferring instead the convenience of a tourist cabin. In Muskogee and elsewhere in the U.S., most travelers very quickly abandoned municipal camps in favor of private cabin camps and, subsequently, tourist courts and motels. By the mid-1930's, no fewer than eight private camps, all offering cabins, were in business in Muskogee.<br />
In the early 1930's, the Kiwanis Club gave the camp building to the Girl Scouts, who remodeled it and for many years used it as a meeting place and camping house. Known as the "Little House," the building was recently remodeled again and, now in the care of the city's Park Department, can be rented for meetings and family gatherings. Although several historic buildings in Muskogee have been torn down, the "Little House" in Spaulding Park remains as a memento of the earliest days of motoring on the Jefferson Highway.<br />
Sue Tolberthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06192389428938688610noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6070192003456321101.post-49278516255833825062013-05-21T20:17:00.000-07:002013-07-02T08:36:57.511-07:00Muskogee and the Jefferson Highway<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLAvCQQyHSyXiwQMZn6Xt-j5P5Z3XhY_panr3nSdo0ucENNWMNJSPUIM0ymLTBMYvg5NcjZ6m6yk5WuOEGi-WqDkTfK-44Xp3zbweSrsFsxgw1nZggBq-d8MvaOhWUOgnhHnj67Qdw2GA/s1600/8-14-2012+10-07-09+AM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLAvCQQyHSyXiwQMZn6Xt-j5P5Z3XhY_panr3nSdo0ucENNWMNJSPUIM0ymLTBMYvg5NcjZ6m6yk5WuOEGi-WqDkTfK-44Xp3zbweSrsFsxgw1nZggBq-d8MvaOhWUOgnhHnj67Qdw2GA/s200/8-14-2012+10-07-09+AM.jpg" width="136" /></a>Muskogee, Oklahoma is proud to have played a founding role in the establishment of the Jefferson Highway across the state of Oklahoma. The many active boosters and promoters of the city included a large number who gave their total support to new road-and bridge-building programs.<br />
<br />
When the first organizational meeting of the Jefferson Highway Association was held in New Orleans on November 15 and 16, 1915, organizers had expected to attract about fifty delegates, but over six times that number attended! In fact, more than fifty delegates showed up from Oklahoma, many of them from Muskogee. All delegates wanted the new highway to run through their states and cities. Route selection yielded the most contentious issue of all: would the new highway run through Arkansas or, less directly but on better roads, through Texas and Oklahoma?<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGPKiID1dDoisk8V5Q8hczsx0KroNUqTQD7voa1cEKYltIHvVfkptaTKz2tPiWZA0WRJjR1l-3agkcgicaRxaStyMLaRiEPAGEtO_BLtz6jcTaH0yapqGQ1GOu-7nK2ZZz4yMvYXsbvsM/s1600/fink-dn0001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGPKiID1dDoisk8V5Q8hczsx0KroNUqTQD7voa1cEKYltIHvVfkptaTKz2tPiWZA0WRJjR1l-3agkcgicaRxaStyMLaRiEPAGEtO_BLtz6jcTaH0yapqGQ1GOu-7nK2ZZz4yMvYXsbvsM/s200/fink-dn0001.JPG" width="130" /></a>David N. Fink, president of the Commercial Bank of Muskogee, quickly emerged as the leader of the Oklahoma delegation, which succeeded in getting the highway routed through Texas into Durant, Oklahoma, then north through McAlester, Muskogee and Vinita to the Missouri state line. At this <br />
meeting Fink was also elected JHA vice-president. further reflecting the great enthusiasm for the new highway coursing through the state, several months later Fink and approximately two hundred other delegates from seven Oklahoma counties met in McAlester to organize the Oklahoma Jefferson Highway Association.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSsraziPZzaC1sOxv85IITaPacuAd2tdHZVdM3tfn5uvSiprkc5pS1Cf2WCYK-qzOqB8QGTz8plyEEvSedLolaauYjUeniPsm7gcE4SSQxq9CIUxYSEZy8Ey84f-xlDMXxQy4Vpf1kVLU/s1600/10-2-2012+9-55-58+AM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSsraziPZzaC1sOxv85IITaPacuAd2tdHZVdM3tfn5uvSiprkc5pS1Cf2WCYK-qzOqB8QGTz8plyEEvSedLolaauYjUeniPsm7gcE4SSQxq9CIUxYSEZy8Ey84f-xlDMXxQy4Vpf1kVLU/s200/10-2-2012+9-55-58+AM.jpg" width="125" /></a></div>
In late November, 1916, the JHA held a meeting of the board of directors at the Severs Hotel in Muskogee, on which occasion Fink was unanimously elected as JHA president for the following year. At a concurrent meeting of the Oklahoma Jefferson Highway Association, Fink proposed a plan to build a new bridge of concrete and steel over the Canadian River near Eufaula, in order to prevent the JHA from altering the highway's route in Oklahoma. A non-profit company was organized and authorized to issue bonds to finance the $125,000 cost of the bridge, which was completed in April 1920.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRR4n6AhUIKQHLUjygVVUyxO65L5HSHMP8pSlx7FL4QhTRXG8yjFmSbcQenppgZFZqazR3AkRCqyo3HZnEBDwqWaw0PGxtyTeKKmS7veTroNK_FF7fWXtRpcyeirhl3aO3CEjVpQD69HE/s1600/P1010785.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRR4n6AhUIKQHLUjygVVUyxO65L5HSHMP8pSlx7FL4QhTRXG8yjFmSbcQenppgZFZqazR3AkRCqyo3HZnEBDwqWaw0PGxtyTeKKmS7veTroNK_FF7fWXtRpcyeirhl3aO3CEjVpQD69HE/s200/P1010785.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">This is the original road where the Jefferson Highway <br />
came into Muskogee from the south side. <br />
It is now South 24th street and only used by local traffic. <br />
Photo taken by Glenn Smith September 2012. </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The highway through Muskogee County was completed and opened in the summer of 1918. the public's interest in automobile travel continued to grow by leaps and bounds as the Jefferson Highway and other improved roads were built. Not only did car ownership increase rapidly in the Muskogee area, but as the largest city on the Jefferson Highway between Kansas City and Dallas, Muskogee benefited from lots of tourist traffic, an outcome that city fathers and business groups had eagerly anticipated from the start. To foster and accommodate that ever-growing automobile traffic, the local Kiwanis Club in 1921 built in a Muskogee park a well-equipped state-of-the-art tourist camp able to accommodate 200 automobiles.<br />
<br />
Muskogee had led the way to get the Jefferson Highway built in Oklahoma, and the leadership of David N. Fink (1868-1927) was an important part of the highway's successful completion.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">This article by Glenn Smith was originally published in the <em>Jefferson Highway Declaration</em> Newsletter of the Jefferson Highway Association Vol 2, No. 1, Winter 2013</span>Sue Tolberthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06192389428938688610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6070192003456321101.post-9741791642668613072013-04-20T08:48:00.000-07:002013-04-20T09:29:52.862-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgFTqjxvtQLMBL-zjutPcm3ZQqIjbt29BRalLW4meTdIMTU4TLe6cWskjbsIwscp_grn-LWtDLx_TqcvkzQ5o-Q_2z9SPv9hbSdh6PI_TH4QdaBgxJl2ppEwwC_UlmjCLdULmzqguyxnE/s1600/torson+hotel-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Muskogee's Torson Hotel" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgFTqjxvtQLMBL-zjutPcm3ZQqIjbt29BRalLW4meTdIMTU4TLe6cWskjbsIwscp_grn-LWtDLx_TqcvkzQ5o-Q_2z9SPv9hbSdh6PI_TH4QdaBgxJl2ppEwwC_UlmjCLdULmzqguyxnE/s1600/torson+hotel-2.jpg" height="199" title="Muskogee's Torson Hotel" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Muskogee's Torson Hotel</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
The opening of the Torson Hotel at 6th and Boston in Muskogee was reported in the Muskogee County Republican newspaper on 15 September 1910. The brief announcement said: "It is a modern hostelry, and will be conducted with an eye single only to the comforts of its guests." Thomas A. Johnson and J. B. Torrans built the structure and operated the hotel.<br />
<br />
The Torson was considered a family hotel, temporary home to Muskogee visitors including traveling theatre troupes, as well as permanent home for local families and businessmen. Frequent events occurred at the Torson, including bridge parties, wedding and engagement receptions, and numerous meetings and conventions as well as private parties in the family suites.<br />
<br />
In March of 1911, such a large event was held that a riot almost ensued. An article in the Muskogee Times-Democrat shouted: "Cabbies Run Over Lawn" and explained: "So sharp was the competition for trade among the cabbies lined up on the street in front of the Torson hotel last night that it required the presence of police to quell the small riot that threatened as each and every cabman insisted on driving his carriage in the same location, the walk leading to the entrance of the hotel. A reception was on at the Torson and the guest list was large and distinguished. When the festivities were over and the guests called for their carriages, the cabbies all came in a bunch, until the street entrance was congested with hacks and even the lawn was driven over by the ambitious cabbies who saw visions of short drives and big tips. Patrolman Bailey headed the platoon of police officers who tried to straighten out the muddle between the cabbies." .....Muskogee Times-Democrat.<br />
<br />
Large conventions at the hotel were common. On 27 March 1912, The Muskogee Times-Democrat reported: "Floating above the stately entrance of the Torson hotel, the stars and stripes waved in the breeze today while within one hundred women, members of the Daughters of the American Revolution were entertained. The occasion was the coming of the state chaper of the D.A.R. which convened in Muskogee today."<br />
<br />
The Torson was a busy place in bustling downtown Muskogee until in early 1917 the owners began negotiations with the Bedouin Temple for purchase of the "famous hostelry at the corner of Sixth and Boston for use as a home for the shrine" for $43,000.<br />
<br />
By 15 May of that year, the deal was completed and the hotel tenants were moving: "Mr. and Mrs. H. H. Ogden, who have had a suite at the Torson hotel, are moving to the Hotel Severs....Thomas A. Johnson and J. B. Torrans will be at the Hotel Severs after Wednesday, having sold the Torson hotel to the Bedouin patrol of Shriners....Mr. and Mrs. John Flenner, who have been at the Torson hotel, have moved and are temporarily at home with Mr. Flenner's parents Mr. and Mrs. J. R. Flenner, 525 South Fourteenth.....Mr. and Mrs. C. W. Hathaway and children have moved from the Torson hotel to the Mayland apartments on South Seventh street." .....Muskogee Times Democrat.<br />
<br />
Today, the Torson Hotel is gone from the south west corner of 6th and Boston but the property is still used by the Shrine.<br />
<br />
<br />
Sue Tolberthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06192389428938688610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6070192003456321101.post-45162803550892449012012-06-25T11:11:00.001-07:002012-06-25T11:11:06.398-07:00Three Rivers History Explorers<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcn9r4bbnVXy8cB2a_IceHr2aCPWeYY_tXu6g64Qi__hyphenhyphenWM-NNTbmuc0FYlupnT30p7Ddmoe84yPDATiCYEqvxNbr9NAC3NvbI9H9GYRSsmfU-N1ntXR0Ru2cRZWYEYgvXA5mSbsSWQ8s/s1600/usmarshalsmuseum.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcn9r4bbnVXy8cB2a_IceHr2aCPWeYY_tXu6g64Qi__hyphenhyphenWM-NNTbmuc0FYlupnT30p7Ddmoe84yPDATiCYEqvxNbr9NAC3NvbI9H9GYRSsmfU-N1ntXR0Ru2cRZWYEYgvXA5mSbsSWQ8s/s200/usmarshalsmuseum.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Planned U.S. Marshals Museum</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span>Three Rivers History Explorers Meeting Tuesday Evening</span></span></span><div style="font-size: 19px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">The US Marshals Museum will be the program presentation by Jim Dunn when the Three Rivers History Explorers meet on Tuesday June 26th at 7:00 p.m. in the meeting room of the Three Rivers Museum, 220 Elgin.</span></span></div>
</div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"> </span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Mr. Dunn is President and CEO of the planned <a href="http://www.usmarshalsmuseum.com/" target="_blank">Fort Smith museum</a> to be located near the Fort Smith National Historic site in downtown Fort Smith. </span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;">The public is welcome to attend the History Explorers events and meetings on the last Tuesday of each month. For more information, call the Three Rivers Museum, 918-686-6624 or see our website at www.3riversmusem.com.</span></div>
</div>Sue Tolberthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06192389428938688610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6070192003456321101.post-31430770726610687312012-06-20T13:12:00.002-07:002012-06-20T13:12:17.016-07:00Fun, Food, and Music at Disney on the Dock<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Three Rivers Museum brings you great family entertainment Saturday June 23rd at 7:00 p.m. Disney on the Dock is a FREE outdoor concert and sing along with outstanding Muskogee area performers. Bring your lawn chairs and join us! Hot dogs, cotton candy, popcorn and soda will be available for purchase.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Kids will love the Disney space jump and Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and Goofy will make an appearance too!</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;">We thank these great musicians for so graciously volunteering their time for this event:
</span></div>
<div>
<div style="display: block; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span> </span></span></span></div>
<div style="display: block; text-align: left;">
<span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span>Tyler Acord, Brady Allen, Michael Dunn, Abbie Faith, Colten Fitzgerald, Shalyn Gallaway, Bill Gardner, Cathy Hayes, Kim Jaquez, Jeremy Jones, Dana Lane, Tyler Maruca, Katie Matthews, Tim Matthews, Jericha McGill, Brittany Mealer, Amber Morton, Tanner Morton, Joy Nelson, Madeline Parks, Stephanie Payne, Jessica Potter, Marsha Reynolds, Janie Riddle, Madison Riddle, Muriel Saunders and Nate Tolbert.</span></span><br style="font-size: 16px;" /><span style="font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="display: block; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: 16px;">For further info, please call the museum at 918-686-6624 or email: 3riversmuseum@sbcglobal.net or visit our website at: <a href="http://www.3riversmuseum.com/">www.3riversmuseum.com</a> </span><span style="font-size: 16px;"></span></div>
</div>
<br />Sue Tolberthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06192389428938688610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6070192003456321101.post-13378877920325003792012-02-20T15:36:00.000-08:002012-02-20T15:37:51.473-08:00Beardless President Truman Gets Shaving Permit During Muskogee Visit<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKLEv1HHdw_iGsxhUG94FtAA9SmZinqG6sPETs5-8GsD_wc0WE4DOWm1XbJVlzFjO-qAhNu1b7BtGimWtVakz_OUzennxSdbKRD_rVmSqhI-V0Yvj3xuHYwuaxcacpXX88JG2z58b5y9U/s1600/truman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKLEv1HHdw_iGsxhUG94FtAA9SmZinqG6sPETs5-8GsD_wc0WE4DOWm1XbJVlzFjO-qAhNu1b7BtGimWtVakz_OUzennxSdbKRD_rVmSqhI-V0Yvj3xuHYwuaxcacpXX88JG2z58b5y9U/s200/truman.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Chief Injustice" Bob Hurst pins a shaving permit<br />
on President Harry S. Truman</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Muskogee was busy celebrating the Indian Centennial when the nation's 33rd President Harry S. Truman rode into town during his whistle stop presidential campaign on September 29, 1948.<br />
<br />
Truman's special eighteen car presidential campaign train arrived at the KATY Depot about 12:35 p.m. and Mayor J. Ollie Lee officially greeted the President, who then shook hands with members of a reception committee.<br />
<br />
The Secret Service set the estimated number in the crowd gathered at the depot, along East Okmulgee Street, and in Spaulding Park at 50,000 strong, swarming into Muskogee to see the "warhorse whose favorite rhetorical pastime was to "give 'em hell.' " "Just how many persons saw or heard the President during his 45 minute visit couldn't be accurately judged, but indications were that local Democrats hadn't been overly optimistic in predicting a crowd of 25,000" reported the local newspaper.<br />
<br />
In keeping with the spirit of the Indian Centennial celebration, beardless men and women wearing cosmetics were considered to be "villains." At the depot, Truman was confronted by a group of bearded men, members of the "Court of the Brush," which was organized for the celebration. But, Bob Hurst, the "Chief Injustice," allowed the nation's commander-in-chief to "escape from justice" while in Muskogee by pinning a shaving permit on the beardless U.S. President.<br />
<br />
Truman received repeated applause as his forty-three vehicle "auto-caravan" moved slowly along the East Okmulgee route from the depot to Spaulding Park accompanied by shouts of "There He Is!"<br />
<br />
Arriving at Spaulding Park, Truman was greeted by costumed Indians from Bacone College. The group reportedly included two nationally known Indian artists, Dick West and Acee Blue Eagle and the President shook hands with them. Truman's wife Bess and daughter Margaret were greeted by the "Hazing Harpies," the feminine equivalent of the "Court of the Brush." The "Harpies" gave feathers to the Truman women which entitled them to wear cosmetics while in Muskogee "without fear of punishment."<br />
<br />
Governor Roy Turner and former Governor Robert S. Kerr who was running for a U.S. Senate seat at the time shared the platform in the park band shell with Truman. "I certainly am most happy to be in the wonderful town of Muskogee." Truman told the very large crowd. "I don't know where all these people came from, but there must be everybody in Oklahoma here."<br />
<br />
Sources:<br />
Muskogee Phoenix and Times DemocratSue Tolberthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06192389428938688610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6070192003456321101.post-36823876314248461162012-02-16T16:08:00.000-08:002012-02-16T16:08:40.946-08:00<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/> <w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/> <w:OverrideTableStyleHps/> </w:Compatibility> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267"> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0in;
mso-para-margin-right:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0in;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
</style> <![endif]--> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Thomas J. Presley</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNgSAEgZweDBshZ0p00KI4JCXy30Cbdn_lcqLoVGSHvl21gct0kj7C-JjWUNVSiY0cBQ-c1bVL04pLInGtsgZMoNO92Q0foZDYpR8GU-Du8P31hyBuQgHW_-wOHlOR-7Nj8SfgxT0MQkc/s1600/Pressley.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNgSAEgZweDBshZ0p00KI4JCXy30Cbdn_lcqLoVGSHvl21gct0kj7C-JjWUNVSiY0cBQ-c1bVL04pLInGtsgZMoNO92Q0foZDYpR8GU-Du8P31hyBuQgHW_-wOHlOR-7Nj8SfgxT0MQkc/s1600/Pressley.JPG" /></a><span style="font-size: small;">He was 17 and in the ninth grade when he began service for Grant and Carolyn Foreman in 1916. Presley heard about the job through his uncle W. C. Esco, a friend of Judge Thomas. <span> </span>Back then, the home was on the edge of town and Presley milked the family cow, fed 250 chickens and 175 pigeons and cared for the large yard, and also kept an eye on things at the Foreman home while they traveled during the summer months.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Presley was born in Broken Arrow and came to Muskogee with his parents in 1908 when there were no paved streets and 12th Street was considered out in the country. He attended Tullahassee Mission School and Muskogee schools.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Working and finishing his education wasn’t too difficult for Presely because he had grown up on a farm where there were eight to ten cows to milk every morning and evening.<span> </span>The Foremans only had one cow. <span> </span>A good student, when he graduated from High School the Foremans encouraged him to go to Meharrys Medical College in Nashville where he studied dentistry.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Paying his way through college by waiting tables and working summers as a Pullman sleeping car porter on a run from Chicago to Portland for the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad, he enjoyed traveling to large cities.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Setting up an office in Bristow in 1927 after taking the general board, he struggled for a few years then returned to Muskogee where the Depression brought an end to his dental career. In Muskogee he worked with a Dr. Wallace for a short time but when the Foremans decided to take a trip overseas they asked him to stay at their house as a caretaker.<span> </span>He decided to take the job.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Foreman’s came to depend on the quiet, man as the years went on. <span> </span>Their dependence was so great that Grant Foreman went to great lengths to get a deferment for Presley when World War II broke out.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Presley lived in the out building on the property until marrying his wife Irma in 1943. After that he rode his bike or walked to the Foreman home each day.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Cooking was another of the chores handled by Presley at the request of Carolyn Foreman.<span> </span>Although he had no special training or instruction, he managed to prepare good food regardless of what was ordered.<span> </span>Carolyn was very frugal, keeping supplies in locked cabinets.<span> </span>She was also very particular about the cooking, voicing her criticism when it was necessary.</span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">Thomas Presley cared for both Grant until he died in 1953 and Carolyn until she died in 1967, using the medical knowledge from his dental school years to tend to them.<span> </span>For several years after Carolyn died he continued to care for both the house and the yard until his own failing health forced him to stop.</span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Sue Tolberthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06192389428938688610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6070192003456321101.post-27049145392152457132011-12-10T16:56:00.000-08:002011-12-10T17:19:21.593-08:00Local Authors Showcase Their New Books<div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><b>Irish O'Malley and the Ozark Mountain Boys</b></span></div><div><br /></div>Three Rivers Museum is honored to host author R.D. Morgan for a book signing during our Holiday Open House on December 17th. Area authors will showcase and autograph their newly released books from 1 to 4:00 p.m.<div><br /></div><div>This event will be the only book signing for R. D. Morgan's newest book, recently released <i>Irish O'Malley and the Ozark Mountain Boys</i> published by <a href="http://store.newforums.com/Irish-OMalley-the-Ozark-Mountain-Boys-OKLO008.htm">New Forums Press</a>. The book is available for purchase in the museum's gift shop.</div><div><br /></div><div>R. D. Morgan is the author of six non-fiction books dealing with early day Oklahoma lawmen and outlaws. He has also written numerous articles for Oklahoma newspapers and historical magazines on the subject.</div><div>Morgan spent his childhood in the East Texas oil patch country and his teen years living in a small Iowa farming community. Upon graduation from high school, he knocked around a year or so working construction before entering the U.S. Army where he served as a law enforcement officer. After his military career, he attended the College of the Ozarks before being employed as an electrician and maintenance supervisor for many years in Missouri and Arkansas. On retirement, he moved to Oklahoma to fulfill his life-long desire to commit his energies full time into writing and researching depression-era American history. Morgan developed a passion for the subject as a teenager listening to his Grandfather's tales of life and culture in Middle America during the 1920s and 1930s. Morgan and his wife Naomi currently reside in Haskell, Oklahoma.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Sue Tolberthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06192389428938688610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6070192003456321101.post-14746247734457971102011-11-15T19:16:00.000-08:002011-11-15T19:33:07.103-08:00New Book Illustrates the History of MuskogeeCome and celebrate the release of <b><i>Muskogee</i></b> with author Roger Bell, Saturday November 19, 2011 from 1-4 p.m. at Three Rivers Museum. <div>New from Arcadia Publishing's <i>Images of America</i> series is <b style="font-style: italic; ">Muskogee </b>by local author Roger Bell. This pictorial history boasts more than 200 vintage images, giving readers a unique opportunity to reconnect with the history that shaped their community.</div><div><br /></div><div>On New Year's Day in 1872, a Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad (Katy) track crew reached a point just a few miles south of the confluence of the Arkansas, Grand, and Verdigris Rivers in Indian Territory and established a depot it called <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Muscogee</span> Station. A ragtag settlement quickly developed nearby, and the name was eventually changed to Muskogee.</div><div><br /></div><div>By the turn of the century, Muskogee became the center of political and commercial activity in the territory. Nicknamed the "Queen City of the Southwest," Muskogee was a boom town and expectations were high that the city would develop into a large metropolitan area. However, by the 1920s, after the oil boom in nearby Tulsa, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Muskogee's</span> growth waned and it became a working-class Oklahoma town.</div><div><br /></div><div>The city was thrust into the national limelight in the 1960s by country music star Merle Haggard and his song "<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Okie</span> from Muskogee," which described Muskogee as "a place where even squares can have a ball." An ethnically diverse community, Muskogee has a rich history of developing artists, musicians, politicians, and entrepreneurs.</div><div><br /></div><div>Author Roger Bell is a local historian and longtime supporter of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Muskogee's</span> Three Rivers Museum, he has served as the museum's chairman for the past 16 years. Highlights of the museum's extensive photographic collection were selected by him for inclusion in this book to create a visual journey back in time. Bell, who is a banker by profession, lives in Muskogee with his wife, Tammy and their two children.</div><div><br /></div><div>Muskogee is available at the Three Rivers Museum and Armstrong Banks in Muskogee, independent and online retailers as well as Arcadia Publishing. Arcadia Publishing is the leading publisher of local and regional history in the United States, whose mission is to make history accessible and meaningful through the publication of books on the heritage of America's people and places. You can visit Arcadia Publishing at www.arcadiapublishing.com.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Sue Tolberthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06192389428938688610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6070192003456321101.post-27679981475432386132011-01-16T17:18:00.001-08:002011-01-16T17:30:01.888-08:00This Place Matters<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoI8P25L48XhwSnESri49Km5jf_YscGnDz78yTBnuXNLFjNWQwu81qMTho_8aYaMT7_Wxh4X9_qc5MW1edwBnxlNi2SfcH1mIBLeSYd1EPqZEBYYNKZe6ybzbOExVdJrImYv8exX7grmw/s1600/IMG_3878.JPG"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 133px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoI8P25L48XhwSnESri49Km5jf_YscGnDz78yTBnuXNLFjNWQwu81qMTho_8aYaMT7_Wxh4X9_qc5MW1edwBnxlNi2SfcH1mIBLeSYd1EPqZEBYYNKZe6ybzbOExVdJrImYv8exX7grmw/s200/IMG_3878.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562958250729973186" border="0" /></a>The restoration of the exterior of the Thomas-Foreman Historic Home is almost complete. Recently the workers posed for this photo with the sign from "This Place Matters". Check out the <a href="http://www.preservationnation.org/take-action/this-place-matters/TPM-slideshow.html">link</a> for the This Place Matters slide show. We believe that the Thomas-Foreman Historic Home is an asset to the Muskogee community!<br /><br />Events are being planned to showcase the home and its new 'clothes'. We hope you will attend some of them. They are:<br />April 5 - 3:00 p.m. Ribbon Cutting<br />April 9 - 1-5 p.m. Grand Re Opening - Program at 2:00 p.m.<br />May 16-20 - School Week<br />June 11 - Neighborhood Picnic<br />September 12-16 - School Week<br /><br />If you are looking for a place to have a small wedding, let us know (call Three Rivers Museum at 918-686-6624) The parlor and the beautiful covered patio are the perfect spots!<br /><br />Donations are always appreciated: Friends of the Thomas-Foreman Home, 1419 W. Okmulgee, Muskogee, OK 74401<br /><a href="http://www.preservationnation.org/take-action/this-place-matters/TPM-slideshow.html"></a>Sue Tolberthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06192389428938688610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6070192003456321101.post-86209060682332526092011-01-13T13:49:00.001-08:002011-01-13T13:49:55.111-08:00Coffee House Evening January 22, 2011Three Rivers Museum presents: Love Songs and a Cuppa Joe Coffee House Evening<br />7:00 p.m.<br />Saturday January 22, 2011<br />220 Elgin<br />Muskogee, OK<br />Enjoy the coffee house atmosphere with beautiful love songs by some of Muskogee's most talented vocalists, introduced by personality Kathy Hewitt. Several different flavors of coffee, tea and a variety of different desserts will be served. Intermissions provide a relaxed tour of the museum if you wish. $5 per person at the door. Information: 918-686-6624 and www.3riversmuseum.comSue Tolberthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06192389428938688610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6070192003456321101.post-49256140132598941812010-06-15T14:12:00.000-07:002010-06-15T14:24:29.689-07:00USS Oklahoma Mast to Arrive in Muskogee<meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 12"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 12"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5Ctrevor%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="City"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="PlaceType"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="PlaceName"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="State"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"></o:smarttagtype><link rel="themeData" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5Ctrevor%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_themedata.thmx"><link rel="colorSchemeMapping" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5Ctrevor%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_colorschememapping.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves/> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:donotpromoteqf/> <w:lidthemeother>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:lidthemeasian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:lidthemecomplexscript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> <w:splitpgbreakandparamark/> <w:dontvertaligncellwithsp/> <w:dontbreakconstrainedforcedtables/> <w:dontvertalignintxbx/> <w:word11kerningpairs/> <w:cachedcolbalance/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> <m:mathpr> <m:mathfont val="Cambria Math"> <m:brkbin val="before"> <m:brkbinsub val="--"> <m:smallfrac val="off"> <m:dispdef/> <m:lmargin val="0"> <m:rmargin val="0"> <m:defjc val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent val="1440"> <m:intlim val="subSup"> <m:narylim val="undOvr"> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" defunhidewhenused="true" defsemihidden="true" defqformat="false" defpriority="99" latentstylecount="267"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="0" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Normal"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="heading 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 7"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 8"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 9"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 7"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 8"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 9"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="35" qformat="true" name="caption"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="10" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Title"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="1" name="Default Paragraph Font"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="11" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Subtitle"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="22" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Strong"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="20" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Emphasis"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="59" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Table Grid"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Placeholder Text"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="1" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="No Spacing"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Revision"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="34" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="List Paragraph"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="29" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Quote"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="30" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Quote"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="19" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Subtle Emphasis"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="21" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Emphasis"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="31" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Subtle Reference"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="32" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Reference"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="33" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Book Title"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="37" name="Bibliography"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" qformat="true" name="TOC Heading"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><object classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id="ieooui"></object> <style> st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } </style> <![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Cambria Math"; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:roman; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-1610611985 1107304683 0 0 159 0;} @font-face {font-family:Calibri; panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:swiss; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-1610611985 1073750139 0 0 159 0;} @font-face {font-family:"sans serif"; mso-font-alt:"Times New Roman"; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:auto; mso-font-signature:0 0 0 0 0 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"sans serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; color:black;} .MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; font-size:10.0pt; mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal">The Air Force Reserve just announced this weekend that a 40 foot section of the mast of the USS Oklahoma will be flown from Hawaii to Tinker Air Force Base. This is part of a tribute to be made at the Muskogee War Memorial honoring the USS Oklahoma and her crew. The Air Force Reserve will be flying the mast from Nellie Air Force Base on Ford Island to Tinker Air Force Base as part of a training mission using a C17 cargo aircraft. The mast will arrive at Tinker on June 21st and then be transported by truck to the <a href="http://www.ussbatfish.com/wm-park.html">Muskogee War Memorial Park and Museum</a> in Muskogee, Oklahoma.
<br /><a href="http://www.ussbatfish.com/wm-park.html"></a> </p> Sue Tolberthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06192389428938688610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6070192003456321101.post-88054011433144112692010-06-15T09:48:00.000-07:002010-06-15T09:49:37.418-07:00National Trust for Historic Preservation Offers Historic Homes WebsiteIf you own a historic home or plan to in the future, check out the website <a href="http://www.athomenation.org/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">@home</span></a>-every home has a story. This site is a project of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, a non-profit organization helping people protect, enhance and enjoy the places that matter to them. .<br /><br />The introduction to the page states: "Home. It's not just where you live – it's a reflection of YOU – your personality, your passions and your unique style. It's also where history is made – family history, neighborhood history, American history. Whether you're looking to take a crack at rehabbing an older home or a seasoned house junkie, we've got the place for you to share restoration tips, home renovation war stories, and before-and-after pictures of your home projects."<br /><br />The site offers a myriad of resources for historic home owners including weatherization tips, tackling tear downs, going green, as well as products and services. You will enjoy browsing the gallery of homes to see what others are doing or have completed. You can also include your own home project including pictures. Also included is an area that lists historic homes for sale.Sue Tolberthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06192389428938688610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6070192003456321101.post-27007044211167683882009-10-23T20:01:00.000-07:002009-10-23T20:07:23.261-07:00Heritage Days in the Depot DistrictDon't miss out on a fun day in the Depot District tomorrow Saturday October 24th. There will be a parade, Native American drums, dancing, singing, food and craft vendors, stick horse construction and races, pony rides, photos of you on a real horse, story telling, pony rides, shoot outs and much much more! In the evening you can enjoy beans, cornbread and cobbler cooked over an open fire next to a real chuck wagon, while listening to live music from the dock of the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame. Come on down from 9:30- dark thirty. All the fun will be on Elgin street between 2nd & 5th. Free admission to Three Rivers Museum and the Hall of Fame as well as all activities. Proceeds for Downtown Muskogee, Inc.Sue Tolberthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06192389428938688610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6070192003456321101.post-2603913221151384302009-10-23T19:56:00.000-07:002009-10-23T20:01:15.304-07:00Friday Night Ghost Stories Caravan TourA great group left Three Rivers Museum about 6 p.m. today, about 47 people in all. I'm sure they have had a wonderful time touring the great sites in the Ft. Gibson area and learning about the history and stories of the people and places. Hopefully some will post comments here about what a good time they had.Sue Tolberthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06192389428938688610noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6070192003456321101.post-30045470208642122182009-09-22T11:25:00.000-07:002009-09-22T11:31:06.241-07:00Ghost Stories Caravan ToursTickets are now on sale for the Ghost Stories Caravan Tours. Tickets are $8 per person and must be purchased in advance. Drop by the museum to get yours or call us at 918-686-6624 to purchase with your credit card by phone.<br /><br />The tours start at 5:30 p.m. on Friday October 23 and Saturday October 24. Participants will drive their own vehicles (get as many in your car as you can!) and follow the group Leader to selected historic sites in and around Muskogee. At each stop tales of truth and legend about the historic site will be related by the Leader. Wear comfortable shoes, bring a flashlight, and be prepared to be scared!Sue Tolberthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06192389428938688610noreply@blogger.com4