Welcome back. Pawnee, Oklahoma was my destination this past Sunday to catch the world premiere of a new movie based on the true story of U.S. Marshall Bass Reeves. Marshall Reeves was from a time long ago when Judge Parker ruled over the Indian territories of what is now Oklahoma. I was lucky to be invited to this screening and when you see it advertised be sure to check it out. The movie is called Hell on the Border and the public release date is coming up soon. I’ll let you know as soon as I get it.
As many of you may know Pawnee has a lot to offer. Gordon William Lillie’s ranch and museum is a must see. Lillie is better known as Pawnee Bill, a star of Wild West shows that were popular in the late19th and early 20th century. Pawnee Lake and the beautiful bath house which was built by the W.P.A. in 1932 is another interesting stop. Another attraction is the Pawnee Agency and Boarding School which was established in 1875. The present native stone building was also built by the W.P.A. in the 1930s and was empty for years after the school closed. Today it is the home of the Pawnee Nation College. Pawnee is the home of four Medal of Honor recipients whose life stories are told in the town’s Veterans Memorial Museum. The museum also houses the largest collection of old military gear in the area. The movie was shown at the historic Buffalo Theatre and as you can imagine from the name, the theatre has some great history of its own.
There is one more thing about this town for you older folks who might remember the name Dick Tracy. This cartoon character was created by Pawnee native Chester Gould. When the Chicago Tribune began running the cartoon strip in 1931 Gould was a young man living six miles outside of town. Eventually the New York Times picked it up along with dozens of other papers across the country. Years later after he became famous Gould surprised many people in town when he told an interviewer that his cartoon characters were based on people he knew in Pawnee. If you want to learn more about Pawnee give their County Historical Society a call at 918-762-4681 or better yet take a drive to town. It is a bit out of the way from everywhere but once you’re there plan on exploring the interesting history and possibly eating at the well-known Click’s Steakhouse.
With Thanksgiving here and Christmas around the corner, you’re bound to have family and friends in town so you might think about an entertaining trip for them to one of the many museums in Bartlesville and Dewey. Woolaroc, the Frank Phillips Home, the Tom Mix Museum, the Dewey Hotel and the Price Tower immediately come to mind but there’s also one that’s frequently overlooked. The Phillips company museum tells the story of the founding of the company, their successes and failures and it’s very, very interesting.
I’ve got to go for now but this is the season so don’t forget to donate to your favorite charity. Happy Thanksgiving and till next time I’ll see ya down the road….. #