News: Oklahoma

Sooner Schooners
Local Chapter
By Reatha Hill

The Okiebago State Friendship Rally was held Oct. 9-11 at Hugo, OK. Nineteen rigs arrived and the group enjoyed a great campout. Friday Walter White, a local volunteer, took the group on a tour of the museum at the Frisco Depot. Following the tour, we had lunch at the Harvey House Restaurant in the old train depot. That afternoon we had a guided tour of Fort Towson. Fort Towson is the location of the surrender of the last Confederate General, Stan Waite. During our stay at Fort Towson, we witnessed a dual firing of the old Confederate cannon.

Friday some of the group attended the Freckle Brown Memorial bull-riding contest.

Saturday we were entertained by three talented local groups before going on a tour of the Elephant Farm. The farm was founded in 1993 to promote human involvement in enlarging the Asian elephant-breeding program. The Miller Circus is the nucleus of this program. We then toured the Hugo Mt. Olivet Cemetery where many Circus Showman rest. World champion cowboys, Freckles Brown, Todd Whatley, and Lane Frost are also buried there. For more than 50 years, Hugo has been the winter home for many circuses.

Sunday we wrapped up a most interesting weekend and some of the group headed for the TX State Rally in Bandera, TX.

Reatha Hill 405-376-4766 rethahill@sbcglobal.net

Winnebago-Itasca Travelers