Today's rule was no highway and no tolls. OK has some funky toll roads. I have bad memories of shoving dollar bills (unsuccessfully) into little slots with the wind howling a few years back and swearing never to take another Oklahoma toll road.
Hotel breakfast was so-so but free. Lots of families travelling for July 4th. The kids always zero in on hotel pools and tired parents can't wait to wear them down to a nub and put them to bed, squeaky clean (as I remember anyway..). Our first stop today was the Museum of the Great Plains in Lawton OK. In 1901 or so the US government and the Kiowa, Apache and Comanche tribes agreed that the Indians would move to reservations. The US government then had a lottery to give away 160 acre parcels of land to settlers. Thousands signed up and the entire area became a sea of tents in 1901. The railroad arrived in 1902 and it did not take more than 10-15 years for brick buildings and farmland to be established. Amazing.
The museum focuses on the centuries of the Indians being here and then the explosion of settlers, then the drought cycle(s) that sent everyone off to California, then the modern scientific knowledge that hopefully will allow things to settle down.
We spent the day rattling up smaller 2 lane roads, driving through beat up towns long past their expiration dates (with some exceptions). Some of these town have pretty little downtowns with most of the businesses gone. Big farms eat up all the small farms.
The next museum was the Comanche National Museum and Cultural Center right next door. It was 98-101 all day so even the short walk was kind of miserable. The museum is small but very high quality. Exhibits on how the children were raised, the roles of men and women, and the transition into the modern world help this white boy understand what these folks have had to go through.
The museum even has resident Prairie Dogs thumbing their noses at you as you walk around.
Next stop was Medicine Park just outside of Lawson. This town was created in 1908 as a resort and you can see why. Beautiful water and the tiny town is full of cobblestone houses and these days lots of tourist stuff.
Then we had a failed search for Geronimo's grave. It turns out, it is on Fort Sill's land and you need a pass. Google Maps took us right up to the fence blocking the way. If only I had wire cutters I'd have a picture of his grave, but there would probably not be wifi in the Army brig, so no picture in the blog either way.
Our next failed attempt was to see the giant Lady Leg Lamp in Chickasha OK. We think they removed the inflatable one to replace it with a more permanent one. You go Chickasha!!
We ended the day just outside Oklahoma City, walked to a local place with great salads (in the 98 degree heat). No idea where we are going tomorrow..
And now when I see prairie dogs, I shall think of them thumbing their noses to all and sundry, LOL -- Lindsay
ReplyDelete