Oklahoma Today Volume 41 Issue 1

52 Pages·1991·11 MB·English

by  Oklahoma Today

--
A MYSTIC TEMPLE REVEP'~5D WINTER GARDENS
h - D \ - - A

OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA
OKLAHOMA

Vnl.41.No. 1
F E A T U R E S
AN EAGLE EYE 8
Oklahoma is a kind of winter resort for bald eagles, who fly down for the fishing and
mild weather. Here's where to look for them. By Susan Witf
INTO THE MYSTIC: THE SCOTTISH RITE TEMPLE 14
After years of secrecy, the epic architecture and symbolic decor of the Masonic Lodge in
Guthrie are unlocked. By David Kulick, photographs by Jostph Mik
GARDEN GETAWAYS 30
Visits to four warm spots where flowers bloom all winter long. By C a dC ampbe1
STAGE-STRUCK 35
Oklahoma has the third largest number of community theaters in the nation. If our
winters were longer, we might be number one. By Barbara Palmer, photographs by Stme
Sisney
1
TURNING THE LIGHTS BACK ON
- 40
In towns lucky enough to have them, the movie palaces of
the 1920s are being recycled as community arts centers for
the 1990s. By Barbara Palmer, flhotographs by Steee Sisney
THE MAGNIFICENT COLEMAN 42
In 1929, mining magnate George Coleman took some of

his lead and zinc money and built a landmark theater. The

mining boom has come and gone, but the Coleman is a

stunner yet. By Barbara Palmer
Page 21
D E P A R T M E N T S
1UUAY 1lY UKLAHUMA 't
IN SHORT 5
LETTERS 6
OMNIBUS The Boise City Bombing, by Jeanne M. D d n 7
PORTFOLIO 24
FOOD Indian Beef Jerky, by Sumtfe Bmer 43
WEEKENDER Trout Fishing Basics, by M. Scott Carter 45
ARTS Shoebox Songwriters, by Jim Stafford 47
ENTERTAINMENT CALENDAR A guide to what's happening 49
COVER: The 63-year-old Poncan Theater at 106 E. Grand in Ponca City is being
restored. Photograph by Steve Sisney. Insidefrontcover: The unnamed bronze sculpture
that sits at the entrance to the capitol in Oklahoma City was presented to the state in 1930
by creator Constance Whitney Warren. Photograph by Casey Carlton. Back cover:Tulsa's
skyline at sunrise. Photograph by David Vinyard.
January-February 1991 3
11
Today OOlahoma

T
hirty-fiveyearsagoOkIahoma volunteers usually work thousands of
Today began telling readers hours scrubbing and cleaning, raising
David Walters, Governor
about the state's scenic money for roofs and air conditioning. In
beauty, its unique history and Ponca City and Miami, the theater
interesting places to visit. Truth to tell, owners donated the old buildings to
the scenery wasn't so beautiful then, the city.
there were not that many places to visit Community theater sometimes gives Hished by the OkIahoma
as now, and highway travel was limited. a boost to hidden talent. Last fall, Clin- and Recreation Depamnent
After all, Oklahoma was only 49 years ton pharmacist Patricia Rodgers went
old in 1956, and it takes time to plant to auditions for "The Last of tl;re Red net. Editor-in-Chief
trees and to build parks and lakes as Hot Lovers" to offer her services as a hl Devl~nM. aneging Editor
Design, Inc., Art Direction % Production
well as highways. Oklahoma Today has member of the crew. Shyness turned
grown and evolved along with the state. Rodgers back at the door two times. Palmer, Assistant Editor
Changes in the She did go in, fi- ie Mayberm, Subscription Services
reckenridge, Events Calendar
printing industry nally, and director
and photography Mike Perkins
have been phe- asked if she would ourism and Reereation Directors
enn Sull~vanE, xmfme D~mior
nomenal. We'll like to stay and ael L. Mocaa, Deputy Dtrector
write more about watch auditions.
ns M arek, Plunning bDeetslopmtnt
these changes "Then he asked
leen Marks, ~WanbetinSge&ru
and what the me if I would like
magazine has ac- to read. I said,
complished in the 'NO!' ism and Recreation Commission
77
March-April 35th Two months
Gui... .I .. --v...u. i Rite ML -. ~ight. later ROdgers
All the maga- made her debut as
zine's past covers have been framed one of the leads.
and are on exhibit at thecapitol through Although 69 years old, one of the
May. Unfortunately, no copy of the state's largest and most elegant build- nc L.Wtll~ams
t. Gov. Jack hitldren, Ex @ffkio
very first issue, dated January 1956, ings until recently has been closed to
exists in our office files. We'd sure like the public. The mammoth Masonic Okiuhomu Todny (ISSN0030-1892) is publ~shed
to show off that first copy in an en- Temple in Guthrie covers 252,000 May.July,Septem-
ahoma'l'ourism and
closed display case at the Capitol if you square feet on five levels and sits on
Will Rogers Bldg.,
have one to loan. If you do, please give 10.5 acres. We go on tour in this issue. icy, OK 73152. (405)
.
us a call and we'll workout an appropri- Kym Wilson began submitting his Subscription pnces:
ate reward. beautiful photographs of southeastern
by Okbhoma T&
We also would like to honor those Oklahoma in 1983. A dedicated pho-
loyal, longtime readers who began tographer, he was best known for his ctlon in whole or in part without
subscribing in 1956. Drop us a note if photographs of eagles. Everyone in IS proh~brted.T he magazine is not
for unsolic~tedr narer~alf or editorial
you began subscribing in the 1950s. McCurtain County, says his mother
As civic leaders in small towns have Mary Wilson, knew that the Kiamichi
Pr~nteda t PennWell Pr~nt~ngT,u lsa.
become interested in renovationof their Mountains were covered with "Kym
downtowns, some have discovered their Wilson's blinds" from which he
best designed building is an abandoned watched eagles feeding and in flight.
"."
movie theater. And now, the old thea- Kym died last winter, shortly after
ters are once again the town's cultural completing his assignment on eagles
center with plays performed by the for this issue. Kym and his photography
local community theater group. will be missed.
Before the grand opening, however, -Sue Carter
Oklahoma TODAY
-

A Building Main Street Program and a fervent brick was saved. Another point of pride
preservation advocate, was impressed that for Frantz: Antique sandstone moldings
the bank is the site of O,kmulge e's first came from area salvage yards, a
Makeover:
commercial stone building, a trading post McAlester company made the wood
built by the enterprising white settler windows, and another Okie firm tinted
From Plain to I ~rederickB. severs ,,,, ,,,,,,,,,, , and cast the
in 1868. But he also / decorative concrete
I 1
Plain Beautiful remembers thinking molding.
that not enough The finished
money existed to product also laid any
T hree years ago, the Mabreys of recreate the brick questions about the
Okmulgee decided to spend bank as it appeared Mabreys' sanity to
$350,000 to strip their modern, stucco- in the old photo- rest.
encased bank down to its quaint 1901 graph the Mab-reys so The Severs'
After. 1904fmiSited. Building has
brick self. proudly showed him.
The decision caused a local stir. "I originally thought triggered 28
Downtown Okmulgee in 1987 was a even if we had a million dollars we restorations in the downtown (an
street of nondescript buildings with aging couldn't do it,'' Frantz recalls. investment of $2 million) and half of the
metal facades that looked as down-and- He agreed, however, to withhold his $1.7 million needed to restore the Creek
out as Oklahoma's COURTE~YOKUHOMAMAIN STREET PROOW final diagnosis until Nation Capitol Building across the street.

economy was. he had performed In 1990, the building won Oklahoma

(Weeks earlier, the exploratory surgery to Main Street's first "Best Historic Reha-

town's other bank see if the building's bilitation" award, as well as one from the

had escaped down- stucco was plastered Oklahoma Chapter of the American

town for a new on a frame (good) or Institute of Architects. It also graced the

building near a strip on the original brick pages of Historic Preseteration magazine,

mall.) Needless to (bad). "We chipped and so captured the fancy of staffers in

say, "The people of off 4- to 6-feet of the regional office of the National Trust

Okmulgee were Before, &a 1954facade. stucco and realized for Historic Preservation in Denver that

concerned about we could go all the they now send people down just to take a

our sanity," says Bruce Mabrey, executive way with it," says Frantz. gander at it.

vice president of Citizens National Bank And SO they did. For the Mabrey family, however, the

& T rust Co. In the end, tons of stucco came off the real payoff is measured in the long-term
Preservation experts were, too. row of buildings that is known as Severs' health of their downtown. "It just looks
Ron Frantz, architect for the Oklahoma Block, and ninety percent of the original alive again," says John Mabrey.
Slumber and Learn at the Omniplex
0nce upon a time, spending the night "Gee that wasn't so bad." globe. They've partaken of chemistry ex-
in the Omniplex was the stuff of Since then thousands of kids have periments, observatory outings and plane-
fairy tales, as unlikely (and thus as desir- plopped pillows down in the crystal mole- tarium shows. In the process, the
able) as being locked in the Swiss Family riilp the charlnw h na~nd 11nder the hi? Omniplex has become a more special
Robinson tree house or Toys 'R Us. "For m place for Oklahoma children.
years, I don't think it ever occurred to "There's no pressure," explains
anyone that you could stay all night in a Bussey. "If they want to spend two hours
museum," admits Beth Bussey, Omni- riding the moon swing, they can spend
plex's education director. two hours riding the moon swing."
Then, in the same month in 1986, it In an unexpected bonus, the camp-ins
occurred to both her boss (who had heard have helped teachers and scout leaders
of a Seattle science museum trying it) and stretch miserly field-trip budgets. Groups
an Oklahoma Camp Fire leader, a woman explore the Omniplex by night and then
with 112 girls specifically in mind. the nearby Cowboy Hall of Fame or zoo
Those girls came, camped, explored Redlandscouts Melanie Wesseh, Danielle by day. "I think it's something we're

and disappeared with the morning sun. Rippetoe, Nicole Cunningham and Lynsey going to see more of," predicts Bussey.

The verdict? Leach stake a choice spot at the Omnipla. For information, call [phone].

January-February 1991 5
LETTERS

You said you might be interested in pendable coal mines and the farmingof
our Dick Tracy mural-if we got it. We another man's land as accurately as if
got it. And everybody in Pawnee is he had lived through it. I appreciated
proud as punch. Dave Crenshaw's photographs also.
Ijust received your September-Octo- One woman took her five grandkids Edna Douglass Frederick
ber 1990 issue. Your article on "Saving to the t-shirt store-had Chester Gould Mesa, Arizona
Our Trees" was beautiful. printed on the front-then took them
I used to live in Oklahoma, but now to the new mural to have their pictures Although I live in Texas at the pres-
I live in New York. When I tell folks taken. Makes it all worthwhile. ent time, I have always claimed Okla-
that I lived in Oklahoma, all they pic- Got to go-got a call on my wrist homa as my home state and have been
ture is a dustbowl. They never believe telephone. taking Oklahoma Today for many years.
me when I try to describe the state as Darrell Gambill The Rainy Mountain story (May-
having trees, rivers and other scenic Pawnee June 1990) was very interesting for we
views. Now all I have to do is show (Birthplace of Chester Gould) lived only two miles southeast of the
mountain on an eighty-acre farm, my
them your magazine. Now they'll know
what I have known for years-that Mr. Cambill's enthusiasm was so father purchased in 1903.We were well
acquainted with the Momaday family,
Oklahoma is a beautiful and versatile inf ectiou staffphotographer Fred W.
especially Aho.
state. Marveldashed off to Pawnee to capture the
I get back to Oklahoma every few new muralonf ilm so we couldsharei t with The old Indian school building is
now in ruins, but your article brought
years but your magazine keeps me from you.
back many memories of the Kiowas
missing it altogether.
Keep up the good work. and their way of life.
Lisa Gambuti Merlin L. Cook
Goshen, New York San Antonio, Texas
Your September-October 1990 issue In our November-December issue on
is wonderful and revives many memo- American Indian art, we mistakenly
ries in a long-lost but loyal Okie born in identified painter Shamon Ahtone Harjo
the Territory. (About 1923 my sister 1 as a Shawnee. She is afull-Mood Kiowa.
Marie Buel Alison took me to a cere- We also left the impression that Done-Pi
mony dedicatinga marker at the Coun- , ?g$gL'' was Alice Littleman 's grandfather; he was
cil Oak tree.) her pat-grandfather. In our September-
Great story about my cousin Carl Al- Pawnee Oklahoma,, October issue, the famous potter Maria
bert. Martinez was idmttjiedas a Navajo, she is
Col. Arnold V. Wyss USA Ret The Hale buildinggets a mural. San Ildefonso P d o . W e reptt he errors
Luray, Virginia and hope this sets the record straight.
You destroyed my boast that I went
SMAI'ANA'I'(BiMEEMENNI'IO'F& (:OIRWCNIIEIR.SKH~IIPO,N
to school with Carl Albert. In 1912, at
(I) lhrr c~fA lin~Sc pc. 27. IW the age of 7, I attended the Bug Tussle NEXTISSUE:The arrival of March
(2)'l'itlc of Puhliertit,n: Oklrhoma'l'uduy Mi~prine
(3) Fwqurnry #sf ikruc: Bi-Mcmthly School. Now, I learn that Carl was only means it's time to get down to seri-
14) Ofivc ef Puhli~wricmO: klahoma Tcday Maga~ineT. cnurism &
Rrcreariun Ikpc.. P.O. Box 533114. OKC. OK 73105 four years old in 1912 so he couldn't ous vacation planning. As you and
(5) Mailing Address: Lmc
(6)Name and addrrs, of publisher. edirnr and mmsgingedimr: have been there that day. My younger yours haul out the road maps, travel
Sue (:mrr. Okluhoml'linlay Map~aainsP. .O. Box 533114. OKC. OK
(7) 7PO.3wOll.nl%&er>M. xSm 5ta3rtg.eWi no.fg OO BKkdl<iuw:.h rOa: mJKcr r 7'In3'on1u0rn 5Ds mcv l&in .R Oekclruehaotimonu D 'Iicnplar.y. Maprinc. wsibitlhi nhgism ,a bttuetn bdye dth aMt ctiAmlee sIt ewra ss cah rouoralsl btrriobcuhtue rae ss paencdi aclo tmrapvaels siesssu, we eo'fll Ockofna--
P.0. &,x SJJW OK<;. OK 7.31115 homa Today to the discussion. This
(U) Rcmdhdder*: Nonc teacher.
(9)Non-profit status: Hu norchangcd during pwcsdinp 12 mrmthr. expanded issue will guide you to area
(10) Extcnr md narurc ef puhlicarion: By the time he ran for office, I was in
I2 Monrh Acruai Nearest powwows, idyllic bed-and-breakfast
Avrragc Filing Dare Arizona so can't even claim the honor
A.'I'owl numkr ~dr~,picr: 43.583 43.51Wl inns and places where you can rent
R(. PI)a likd; lrlncrds/.uer; lrrcrgicunc. r mvdc nedirvcnal amtid#m
: of voting for him, though our families the family a teepee, pick a bouquet
(2) cMmasiln stcurh whlecrsip: ri#,nr: 242..473755 .W5,.7W4I6
were friends from the time the Alberts, of wildflowers or careen down sand
(:.'liswl paid mdkr wquerrcd circulrtic~n37 ,210 40.687 Scotts, Douglasses, and Humphreys dunes. All this and a glorious photo
I). Free dirrrihutiun hy mail, EITT~FT.
E.oTro 'nrr~hdclris mtruihnusr:io n (Sum sf(:and I)): JY2..573477 U2...0U1K3 l migrated to the territory. essay of five photographers' idea of
I;. (bpicr nmdimihuwd; Your talented Danney Goble de- the most beautiful spot in our state
(I)O fim esc, left uvcr. an;l~xosnred: 715 ZIXI
(i.('2lY) YKIc'AtuIr. n( frBusmm N#eswfE .. FAIg acnndr* 2: -shvuld 3.121 0 scribed the discouragement of shut- in the March-April issue of Okfahoma
cqurl ncr prers run shown in A): 43.58.3 4JJlKI tling back and forth between the unde- Today.
Ieenify that the rvrremcnn made hy mc ahwe are ctmecr and
c<.omplerc-.Sue (bner.Edin~r-in-(:hid
Oklahoma TODAY
The Bombing of Boise City

A once in a iiJettime bioopez (H~p~idi'y.)
S
ometimes a town has to dig called Dalhart screaming, "We're being
deep to find what makes it bombed." Instead of offering help, the
unique. Other times, the an- officer requested a status report. Only
swer drops from the sky. after the fifth explosion did he take pity
Literally. on the caller and say, "'Turn the damn
For Boise City, fame fell into its lap lights off in the city."'
on July 5,1943, the night it became the Aboard the Thundermug, bombar-
only town in the United States to be dier William Bickler assumed he'd hit
bombed-by our side. "It's a standout the controls on the target's lights. He
point in our town's history," brags aimlessly dropped a sixth bomb before
Stanley Manske, a lawyer who has aborting the mission and heading home
persuaded locals to erect a memorial to with four bombs left over.
the incident on the courthouse square. The Thundermug crew returned to
The memorial is geared to the bomb- Dalhart to find a major inspecting each
ing's 50th anniversary in 1993, but this of the 35 bomb bays as the planes
spring it will be put on view, along with landed. All were empty, except one.
photos, "Boise City Bombed" head- The next day, the Thundermug crew
lines, and a gussied-up bomb that has N o m6 ene (~uttwbaudY)o ung,ridt,and awoke to banners that read: "Remem-
been floating around the community Ellis Ma& (Adee) Ward. ber the Alamo. Remember the Maine.
for years. "We took it to the body shop Remember Pearl Harbor, and For
and took the dents out of it and then to drop every bomb. God's Sake. Remember Boise City!"
had it painted," confides Manske. The community of Boise City (pop. Assimotos checked out of the hospi-
His efforts to understand what went 1,761) sits 40 miles north of the Okla- tal only to learn he and his crew had the
awry that night have led to the bombar- homa-Texas line. The bombing range choice of being court-martialed or sent
dier who lit the fuses, townsfolk who was 40 miles north of Dalhart. Assimo- into combat. "Having so nicely quali-
were awakened by the explosions, and tos figures the navigator took his first fied with their accurate bombing of
a reporter who called it "the greatest reading from the border, instead of the Boise City," he quips, "they chose to
comedy of errors of World War 11." base, putting Thundermug 80 miles, go (overseas)."
And to think it all started with a bad instead of 40 miles, north of home. Back in Oklahoma, folks calculated
cold. That night, Lt. Col. Samuel As- In the end, however, Boise City the damage (one roof, one church wall,
simotos, navigator for the Thunder- sealed its own fate. one sidewalk, three lawns) and filled
mug, a sturdy AT-1 1lovingly named Town lights do not normally re- the bomb holes as if they were any
and appropriately painted with a pic- semble the cross lights of a target- pesky pothole. Forty years later, the
ture of a chamber pot spitting out even at 20,000 feet. But that night, only incident still inspires floats in the
bombs, was grounded with a head cold. four street lights in Boise City were on, town's annual Santa Fe Trail Daze pa-
Another man, now dead, took his post. and with the courthouse they formed rade.
The Thundermug crew left Dalhart a cross on the square. "Later we saw As for the Thundermug crew, it went
Air Force Base in Texas with 35 other pictures of the night bombing range on to man the lead navigation plane for
aircraft headed for a bombing range and the blacked out courthouse," re- 800 bombers the day the Allies flew
near Conlen, Texas. Each bomber car- calls Assimotos. "Nobody could tell the into Berlin on March 4,1944. The crew
ried ten men, ten 100-pound bombs- difference. I guess the bombardier is known in officers' clubs the world
made of 95 pounds of sand and four couldn't either because he went ahead over, however, for six bombs that found
pounds of gun powder (enough to and dropped six bombs on the town." their &a1 resting place in Oklahoma.
ensure a modest explosion) and orders After three explosions, someone Jeanne M.Devlin
January-February1991
A
winter day in Oklahoma. 'l'he wind is sharp, but A Guide
the sun inviting. It's Saturday, and 27 explorers
have journeyed to this mystical jumble of rugged
boulders rising incongruously from the flat farm-
land near Lone Wolf. They've assembled at the
magical place that once was a winter camp and
sacred ground to the Kiowa and Comanche Indians.
The visitors gather at the lodge to form a search party and
then march to the mountain to stalk those of ancient Ameri-
can heritage who still find a winter haven at the mountain's
Twin Peaks and the blue waters of Lake Altus-Lugert.
Who makes winter camp at QuartzMountain in this day and m Oklahoma
age? The American Bald Eagle. About eight to ten Bald
Eagles roost at Quartz Mountain State Park each year from
late November to March. The majestic birds come here to
escape the harsh winters of their northern nesting grounds
and to find easy fishing in the free-flowing warm waters.
But the scouting party, led by Quartz Mountain naturalist
Vickie Mason, is getting restless. They've been searching the By Susan Witt
skies for quite some time now, and the only eagles they've
seen were on the film she showed before they left the lodge.
"Unfortunately, I can't train them,'' Mason tells her impa-
tientcrew. "They're not like my dog. I can't whistle and make
them do tricks.
"It just takes patience. It seems like sometimes they're
playing games with us, waiting for us to leave before they
come out," she said.
"If we don't see one here, you mi-ght want to drive around
the lake when we get back. That's when I see most of them,"
she said. "I usually drive around with my head out the truck $ ~ ~ , ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ a ~ ~ p " ~ $ ~ ~ ~ f " ~ e
window, looking at the sky. You have to be careful, though.
foodsupply isgood Eagles that hew
You don't want to get so interested in the eagles you drive off /erne t/lesfafefort/reG wat Lakes or Canada
the road." by March.
8 Oklahoma TODAY

To get this shot last January, photographer David Vinyard dug an undepundb lind, camoufhged the top and waited insidef or ten hours with
I
his camera trained on the tree. The immature eagle was good at catchingf uh (he caughtf we), but not as pmfin'ent at eating them (he dmpped three).
I
Her anxious followers place a hand offer plentiful food-fish, deer, and
In contrast to their
over their brows to shield the morning waterfowl.
sun as they strain to search the skies territorial behavior Although the American Bald Eagle is
some more. Still no luck. One by one, still listed as an endangered species in
during breeding season
the would-be eagle watchers begin a 43 states, the future of the eagle is less
dejected walk back to the lodge. up north, eagles are very bleak than it was two decades ago,
They've almost reached the parking social during their when widespread use of the pesticide
lot when someone yells, "There!" DDT had stymied the species' repro-
winters in Oklahoma.
The huge raptor soars over the tops duction, development had destroyed
of Twin Peaks, his seven-foot wing- They roost in trees near nesting areas and the powerful birds
span leaving no doubt that he is an often were hunted and killed. Thek ey
the rivers and lakes
eagle, even though he is an immature to saving the eagle was the banning of
one. Too young to have the distinctive where they feed. Up to DDTin 1972and the restrictions placed
white head and tail that mark eagles at 200 eagles have been on the use of other pesticides. In addi-
about five years of age, he is a mottled tion, stiff state and federal penalties
known to use a single
brown. have been imposed for killing the
The eagle watchers are thrilled, but night roost in Oklahoma. eagles, and public and private wildlife
silent, captivated by the grace and refuges have provided habitat for nest-
power of this enormous bird. They trail ing and roosting areas.
the eagle as it soars down from the An estimated 800 Bald Eagles are Today, Bald Eagles can be seen at
mountain and over the blue water in a lured to the state each year by Okla- any of Oklahoma's large lakes or major
show so picture-perfect it belongs in a homa's mild winters and the miles and rivers from November to March. Peak
Sierra Club calendar. miles of shoreline and pastureland that season is January through February.
10 Oklahoma TODAY