Elk City Museums (Almost Free!)

Elk City's museum complex stretches over a city block, and includes 5 museums, and several assorted buildings. OK, yes, th admission is $5, but that covers everything. If that isn't enough of a bargain, the city also offers 4 free days of camping at its Lake Park.

Museums website

The Old Town Museum is a quaint house, filled with the typical clutter of treasures you find in small town museums,

including a quilt display.

The upstairs is devoted to rodeo. One Elk City boy who became well-known on the circuit was Casey Tibbs.  The Buetler Brothers, which provide many of the bulls and broncos for rodeos, are also from this area.

There is many outbuildings, including a depot, complete with caboose.

There is also a livery stable, 

and a chapel. The organ in this chapel was from an early church, and was rescued and restored by a local citizen.

We're sure it was quite a feat to move this old stone school house!

There is a both a bison and a longhorn in front of the museum, made by local artist Joe Smith.

This one of the first wooden farmhouses in the area. The inside has now been set up to show exhibits from an early hospital.

The Farm and Ranch Museum is hard to miss -just look for the big red barn.

The first metal windmill was made in 1854. The museum has quite a few windmills on display, including one from Argentina.

A 1957 International Harvester tractor.

Quick Digression: Cyrus McCormick started what would become International Havester in the 1830s when he invented a horse-drawn reaper. The story goes that McCormick got the design from an idea sketched out in a Roman book. It would take several decades of improvement and tinkering, though, before he had a product he could sell in the 1840s.

The Blacksmith Museum had an impressive display of tools, barbed wire, and most of the contents of a wagon shop.

Another digression: We found out the word 'tire' originally meant the metal bands put around wooden wagon wheels. 

At one time, Elk City was the broom corn capital of the world.

And another digression: Back when people used to make their own brooms, most folks made a new broom each time they moved to a new house. Why? Because there was a popular superstition that taking a home's broom with you was bad luck. Some people even believed just carrying a broom over the front threshold could cause bad luck!

The green windmill? Is the one from Argentina.

According to this sign, one of the first cable channels was started in Elk City.

The Transportation Museum has many vintage vehicles, including this early bright orange scooter,

and a Depression-Era Ford.

One more digression: Early Ford seats were stuffed with Spanish moss. In fact, this led to Ford's first recall!

Of course, you can't have Route 66 without a vintage Corvette!

So, yes, while the museum complex wasn't free, it was certainly a great bargain and a lot of fun to visit.

After spending several hours at the complex, we were starved. We decided to head to the Cowboy Cafe.

I ordered a turkey club and The Biker ordered a chicken-fried steak. The food was excellent, the portions large, and the price was very affordable. Add in the cheerful and fast waitstaff, and this is definitely a place we would recommend eating at!

Read More

Washita Battlefield National Historic Site (Free!)

 The Washita Battlefield National Historic Site is aproximately 45 minutes from Elk City. Admission is free. Hours may change, depending on holidays and season, so make sure to check their website.

Website

The visitor center does have limited RV parking. If you ask, the park rangers at the center will show you to a small auditorium where you can watch a film about the Washita Battle.

The Washita Battle or, more correctly, the Washita Massacre, occurred on November 27, 1968. This year marks the 150th anniversary of the battle. General Custer and his men attacked a peaceful Cheyenne winter encampment, killing many, including Chief Black Kettle and the chief's wife.

Chief Black Kettle was one of the Cheyenne who had survived the Sand Creek Massacre four years before. Despite the horror of that event, Chief Black Kettle continued to believe in striving for peace, and signed a treaty with the United States. 

At least 40 Cheyenne were killed and 33 U.S. soldiers. Custer took the remaining women and children prisoner, and they would eventually be released and settled on a reservation the next year. Because Custer and his men burned everything in the camp and killed all the horses (around 800) the survivors had nothing left. Their way of life had been forever destroyed. 

There are two different walks laid out at the visitor center. One runs through portions of the battle site.

 The other path weaves through restored prairie, and chronicles the many changes caused by American settlers.  We also saw several signs, thanking the local tribes for their help with the creation of this visitor center. We know there has been a push by many park service employees to change how the department traditionally dealt with Native Americans, and we're glad to see a visitor center embracing these changes.

We were also surprised, and heartened, to see the Oklahoma land reclamation mentioned in one of the displays. Until very recently, this infamous part of Oklahoma's history has been downplayed.  If you are ever on I-40 in Oklahoma, we definitely recommend making a side trip to Cheyenne to see this visitor center.

Read More

Where the Winds Comes Sweeping Down the Plains!

Yup, we are in Oklahoma!

Our first stop is at the Oklahoma Tourist Information Center, and we park under a large plume of smoke. Turns out there has been a grass fire burning for the past four days just down the road. We discuss whether we should continue down the road or camp for the night - and decide to camp. Why? Because this rest stop has a large dog walk and yes, our husky is that spoiled!

The next day, we continue down I-40. This stretch of highway used to be Route 66 and it's just as picturesque now as it was back then.

We eventually pull into our camp for the next few days, Elk City Lake Park. There are storms in the area, which means we get to watch a truly stunning sunset.

We also have guests camping out behind us; a flock of Canadian geese with their goslings.  A local tells us this lake  dried up during the Oklahoma drought, but finally refilled about 5 years ago. The city has done a lot of upgrades and renovations to the park since then.

Elk City was created in 1901 when land was sold to settlers in anticipation of a railroad being laid through the area.

Depending on which story you want to believe, Captain Marcy named a local stream Elk River and the town was then named Elk City. Or-

the town was originally called Crowe, after the area's post office, then changed it's name to Busch. When townfolk applied for their own post office, the town had to change it's name again, this time to Elk City. 

Some claim that the name Elk originally came from a Native American chief who'd once lived in the area, and was later was applied to creek and town. As we said, there seems to some confusion on how the town got it's name!

Quick Digression: Isn't this a great little teardrop? We talked to the couple camping in it, and he made the trailer himself. Love those old-style camper windows!

And finally, a picture of uur favorite feature of this park - the bird 'condo'.  The birds had taken over the shell of an amphitheater. Every time we went for a walk, we were treated to an entire flock of birds flying over the little hilltop the amphitheater sits on.

Read More

Staying at Fountainbleau State Park

(yes, another catch up post from March)

We made a stopover at Fontainebleau on the way to New Orleans. Fountainbleau State Park is a large park that sits on the bank of Lake Pontchartrain. New Orleans, on the other side, can just be seen from the shoreline. Camping fees vary depending on the day of the week, but you can find rates here.

Website

Map

This park was part of the property of Bernard de Marigny de Mandeville, and the remains of his sugar mill are near the visitor information center. 

Dog Friendly: The park does not have off leash areas. There is a beach and walking trails, but we couldn't find a place to walk our dog that wasn't crowded. We're glad to see a park that is clearly well-loved by locals, but it was a little too packed for us!

Good to know: The RV spots are very tight, and too close together. There is also a large pavilion area and beach, so the park has continuous traffic from day visitors. We will also repeat that this park is too busy. We didn't see anyone enforcing the limit number of cars or people at a campsite, and we also saw tents pitched in areas not intended for camping. While we don't mind the occasional person wandering through our campsite, having ten cars at the next campsite and random children blithefully trooping through our campsite was a bit much!

Motorcycle Friendly: There are only a few pull through sites where you can load and unload a bike easily. The roads are paved and well-maintained, but we would recommend using caution because of the large number of day users on the park roads. 

Cell Service/Wifi: Verizon was 2-3 bars, without a booster. The park offers free wifi, but it was too slow to be usable.

Amenities: Campsites have water, electric, and a picnic table. There is also several bathhouses with toilets and showers. The showers were only lukewarm, and the water temperature cannot be adjusted. The park does have washers and dryers. When we stayed, the park had just put in new washers, which were free. The dryers still required quarters. The park does have an information center, but it was closed on the weekend we stayed there. 

Getting There: The park is right off of I-190, and well marked by signage.

Know Before You Go: This is a great park - if you like crowds and traffic! The park is expensive for a state park, and the tight, crowded spots do not offer the usual enjoyment of nature typical of these kind of parks. There seems to be a problem with enforcement; from speeding and traffic, to too many occupants and cars at RV spots

Local Stuff: There is both a Rouse's and a Walmart about 20 minutes from the park. The park is in St. Tammany Parish, and there are quite a few things to do on "the North Shore." The causeway across the lake to New Orleans is also nearby, so it's an quick drive to New Orleans!

Read More

Staying at Big Creek Water Park

(another catch up post!)

Big Creek is one of eight parks managed by the Pat Harrison Waterway District. The District was formed in the 60s for flood control in this area of Mississippi. These parks are very similar to Army Corps of Engineer parks and the cost is the same - $22 a night. We understand the park does offer a  discount for veterans and seniors. Big Creek is one of the District's lesser known parks. The park fills up with locals on the weekends, but is quiet and peaceful during the week. We weren't there during the busier summer season, though!

Website

Dog Friendly: The park does not have off leash areas. There are, however, several wide walking trails behind the cowboy camp. Although these are horser trails, the paths didn't seem to be used much and were perfect for long dog walks. 

Good to know: The lower loop, by the cabins, is mostly long-term residents and several of these residents leave their dogs outside. We would recommend camping in the upper loop, and avoiding the other loop when walking your dog.

Motorcycle Friendly: There are a few pull through sites in the upper loop, if you need to load and unload a motorcycle. The roads in the park are paved, and well-maintained.

Cell Service/Wifi: Verizon was 0-2 bars, without a booster. Several times a day, the signal, already poor, would drop for no apparent reason. We suspect the cell tower in this area is probably old and over-loaded.

Amenities: Campsites have water, electric, sewer, and a picnic table. There is also a bathhouses with toilets and showers for each loop. Each bathhouse does have 1 washer and 1 dryer. There is also a small park at the lake's edge, with a playscape and picnic tables.

Getting There: The park is tucked away by a lake, just off of I-84. It is very easy to get to, but be aware there is not a lot of signage for the park.

Know Before You Go: The park has two loops, as well a primitive area for tents and a cowboy camp for those pulling horse trailers. If you have a bigger trailer or RV, we would recommend reserving one of the pull through spots. Many of the sites are angled a bit oddly, and we watched several people struggling to back their trailers in. This is also not a good park for solar, there has many large pine trees, especially in the primitive area.

Local Stuff: There is Kroger and a Corner Market about 25 minutes away from the park. While we were there, we picked up a nail in a back tire, and Pro-Flow Motor Shop in Laurel got us up and running again. While we didn't check it out,  the Lauren Rogers Art Museum in Laurel is a very well-regarded art museum. Laurel also has a Veteran's Memorial Museum, but the website doesn't appear to be working.

Read More