Katie DeWitt had come to the Oklahoma Territory to get herself a piece of the disappearing American Frontier. She taught school there in what would become Dewey County, perfected her claim to a farmstead,married and had a child, all by the age of 29. On July 6, 1905, She made the trip into Taloga, the County Seat, to file for divorce from her husband Luther James. Two days later during a trip to visit relatives in another part of the Territory, Katie and her baby disappeared. Plenty of heartbreak and tragedy in this tale.
Displaced Okies and Frito Chili Pie
Traditions have to start somewhere. I was present at the birth of a new tradition for a bunch of fellow Okies living in Kansas involving a favorite food from our home state. A few things had to fall into place before the tradition was born – like the invention of the Frito and for the daytime high temperature not to exceed a certain limit!
The American Elm
The American Elm was the “go to” tree as the thing planted for shade in the mostly treeless Great Plains. As those Plains gave way to villages and towns and then to cities, the American Elm was the favored “street tree” that lined the streets in idyllic neighborhoods. There is an American Elm that has stood in Oklahoma City since before statehood, overlooked an ignored, that is, until April 19, 1995, when it’s sturdiness became a prominent part of a story that shook and restored the faith of a nation.
Night School and a Driver’s License
All the kids had been raised and the youngest grandkid was starting school, it was time for a new chapter for Emma Belle. The next big step required a high school diploma and a driver’s license, two things she didn’t have. What she did have was a lot of grit and determination…throw in a used Nash Rambler and the rest was history!
The Alvarez
Sometimes it takes decades for a story to come around. Years ago I made a deal to acquire a particular guitar, the 12 string pictured here, and though many a day has passed since the agreement was made, the instrument has made it into my home. It’s a story of youth, hopes, dreams and loss…but mostly about the friends you find through music.
Within the Realm 