The Magic of Magnetic Hill, Springer, OK

A couple of cohorts in crime and I took a "girl trip" to southern Oklahoma this weekend. Driving along, Kelly said, "Hey, we should check out Magnetic Hill!" Not being from Oklahoma, I had never heard of Magnetic Hill. Kelly went on to explain that you drive to the bottom of the hill, put your car in neutral or turn off the engine, and some magical magnetic force will pull the car back up the hill. Heck yes, this is just the kind of adventure I am game to try out.

Magnetic Hill is actually Pioneer (Pitt) Road, near Springer, OK. Located just off Interstate 35 at exit 42 (Hwy 53). Head west on highway 53 and turn right (head north) on Pitt Road. South of the highway Pitt Road is labeled Pioneer Road. Drive north until just past the cattle gate on your right. You will be at the bottom of the hill. Check for traffic around you, put the car in neutral or kill the engine, and the car should begin being pulled back up the hill. Kristina clocked the car going in reverse on its own at greater than 5 miles per hour.



Of course we had to do it three times, just for entertainment. Then we turned the car around and tried it in the other direction, just for giggles. Sure enough, it worked that way too. I noticed the heard of cattle eating in the fields on either side of this stretch of road looked at us like they were quite used to these types of antics, which was also very entertaining.

Evidently there is all kinds of conjecture about what makes Magnetic Hill "magnetic" from aliens, to ghosts, to curses, to an optical illusion (being the well grounded sort, I vote optical illusion), however it was sure an odd feeling. Anyway, if you make it to southern Oklahoma and are looking for something diverting, check out Magnetic Hill. We sure had a fun time.

Human Wolves of Konawa: The Lothorios and Katherine Cross

Konawa, Oklahoma had two claims to fame: In 1930 Pretty Boyd Floyd robbed the First National Bank and Katherine Cross was murdered by "Human Wolves."

Katherine was the oldest of the children born to John Taylor Cross and his wife, Mary Katherine Diehl Cross and teetering between being a child and being an adult. Katherine's siblings were (in order of birth) Ursie Mar, Esther, Ella, Claud, Clyde, Marvin, and Raphen. Leaving their home in Arkansas, the family moved to the new state of Oklahoma in search of greener pastures and farmland. In Konawa Katherine found herself in trouble. Big trouble. Katherine was pregnant out of wedlock. While it may be common today, this condition did not bode well for a girl at that time in history. To add injury to insult, things were about to go from bad to worse.

Konawa, which got its name from the Seminole language, means String of Pearls, and was a trade center in the early days. Boasting steady growth for the better part of the early 20th Century. it was an up-and-coming community growing to around 1,000 folks around the time the Cross family started calling the area home. Sporting a post office, blacksmith, lumberyard, bank, drug stores, hardware stores, and its own newspaper, the town was a nice place to call home. In 1903 the Missouri, Kansas, and Oklahoma Railroad bypassed a neighboring town and more folks moved to Konawa. Like any other town, Konawa also had a school system and a doctors to meet the medical needs of the community. 

Abraham H. Yates was one of these doctors. A respected doctor in the community, Dr. Yates was one patient's could easily trust and approach with even their most intimate of problems. On August 15 1917, another citizen of Konawa, Elise Stone, went to Dr. Yates with a very serious, and shameful, problem. Elise, like Katherine was only 18, pregnant, and unmarried. To compound the problem, Elise was a school teacher. This would be highly unacceptable at that period of time and most likely lead to her dismissal from her place of employment. Further complicating the issue, the rumored father of the baby was none other than school principal, Fred O'Neil, a very married man. 

The procedure was performed on Elise, who was quite far along in her pregnancy, and complications arose. Elise languished for four days in Dr. Yates office before she was returned to her own home where she would subsequently die. Elise's death was listed as "Congestive Chill," translated into today's terms as Malaria with Diarrhea. A common cause of death at that time, her cause of death was declared by none other than Dr. Yates. Elise's family mourned their loss and buried her like so many others in the local cemetery. Did her family know the real cause of her death you may ask? The answer to that has been lost to history. However, Katherine Cross would die next and shed light on the true cause of Elise's untimely passing. Elise would not rest in peace for long.

On October 10, 1917, Katherine Ann Cross went to see Dr. Yates for the very same reason as Elise. Katherine was also familiar with Mr. O'Neal, but it is unclear if he was the alleged father of her unborn child too. Mr. O'Neal none-the-less helped arrange the "criminal operation" that would claim her life that day. Dr. Yates convinced Katherine's parents of the necessity of the operation by stating Katherine was suicidal. Unlike Elise, Katherine's parents were aware of her condition and consented to the operation with the prompting, prodding, and encouragement of Dr. Yates. 

Katherine's death was a red flag to the good people of Konawa. They wanted answers as to why two beautiful young women died while in the care of Dr. Yates. County Attorney A.G. Nichols ordered Elise exhumed and examined. Elise Stone's body was disinterred and an autopsy performed right at her graveside. It was quickly determined she didn't die of "Congestive Chill," but of an abortion gone terribly wrong. Katherine's parents then came forward and reported to authorities about Dr. Yates and gave information about Katherine's procedure. 

Dr. Yates was arrested and the headline of the Seminole County News reported the whole sorted affair, albeit with much more politically correct language than we use today. The newspaper told of the arrest of Dr. Yates and Fred O'Neil. Dr. Yates was arrested for performing the abortion while Mr. O'Neil was arrested for arranging it. Gossip spread about both men who were married and held positions dictating adherence to a strong moral code.

Likewise, the Shawnee Daily News-Herald plastered the headline, "Under Bond, Dr. Yates to Face Murder Charge; Konawa Physician Arrested Following Death of Katherine Cross; Charge Death Result Criminal Operation; Doctor is Brought to This County for Safe Keeping." This headline must have been devastating to the Cross family since it came just one day after poor Katherine's funeral. Dr. Yates had been arrested, ironically, while singing at a church revival.

Both men were being held with charges of Murder, however unclear legal technicalities dropped the original charge down to manslaughter. Friends of Elise Stone testified to the relationship between her and Mr. O'Neal while both worked at Vamoosa School. Surprisingly on February 23, 1918 the jury acquitted the two with a vote of 11 - 1 with regards to Elise Stone's death.  Newspaper after newspaper delivered the dramatic news, "Jury Liberates Konawa Doctor."

It should be noted several articles ended with, "Another charge of the same nature is pending against Yates, but will not be tried in this term at court." However, for whatever reason, which I have not successfully discovered, those pending charges were never addressed in a court of law.

Katherine's parents had enough of the grief and publicity, choosing to move away from Konawa to an area just outside Waurika, OK about 100 miles away to the south. Before they left, they were sure to set a mark in honor of their daughter that would never allow the town of Konawa to forget what happened that horrible October day. Purchasing the headstone for their daughter identical in shape and size of the one marking the site of Katherine's grandmother who was already at rest beside her, Mr. and Mrs. Cross had it inscribed with the following, 

If you look closely you would see the inscription read: 

The parents of Katherine Cross were not to be allowed to let their grief fade and move on so easily because in 1928 political rivals of County Sheriff Fred Bowles decided it was time to ouster him from office. The rivals asked Mr. and Mrs. Cross to sign an affidavit stating Sheriff Bowles was aware and actually complicit in the "criminal operation." Fred Bowles challenged the rivals in court, accusing them of libel and slander, for which they were found guilty. Each got a year in jail and had to pay a fine of $1,000, a very large sum of money in that time.

It has been debated since Katherine's death exactly what Mr. and Mrs. Cross meant by adding "Murdered by Human Wolves." Legend quickly grew werewolves existed in Konawa. Chatter on the internet has people claiming Katherine was ripped apart by mythical creatures supposedly roaming the open plains and thick forest of the Konawa area. Ghost sightings and mysterious lights are reported to be seen in the cemetery after sunset.

However, the inscription is most likely a literary reference lost on the less educated or unfamiliar. The idea of Human Wolves can be tied back to works of literature referring to "Lothario." A Lothario (synonym Wolf), according to Merriam Webster Dictionary, is a man whose chief interest is in seducing women. Elise, Katherine, and even Katherine's parents were seduced, albeit in different ways, but seduced none-the-less. Elise and Katherine had relations out of marriage resulting in pregnancy and the Cross' were convinced (seduced, if you will, by the good Doctor) abortion was the only answer.

Thus the meaning of the "Murdered by Human Wolves" on the grave stone of Katherine Cross is a firm nod and finger pointed squarely at Dr. Yates and Mr. O'Neil whose character, charm, and position seduced and destroyed so many lives.

Interesting, eh? However, this story does not end here.

I couldn't resist. I had to go check out the grave site for myself. I had to see if the grave stone existed. I had to see if the legend was true and visit this piece of Oklahoma history and folklore. I dragged along my friend, Destiny, and we set out to find the site where Katherine has rested for almost 100 years.

Here is what we found:

The headstone is missing! To say we were disappointed is an understatement. Who the heck would steal a gravestone? We are still perplexed. Poking around on the internet for an explanation, I was disappointed to find only one reference to the stone missing and that was dated 2007. What happened to the grave stone of Katherine Cross?

And here is another creepy fact: Dr. Yates is buried close by Katherine! That's right, the man who killed Elise and Katherine is buried a mere 50 feet away. They were connected in life and now spend eternity close by one another. Unlike Elise and Katherine, Dr. Yates lived until the ripe old age of  65. If you stand where Katherine's headstone once stood, you can see Dr. Yates' resting spot.

So there you have a little information on the Human Wolves of Konawa, Oklahoma. I can't wait to see what other legends I can go explore.

Oh, and PS: Remember Duran Duran's hit song, Hungry Like the Wolf? That song is all about a Lathario. Bet you never listen to that again without thinking of Katherine Cross and the Human Wolves of Konawa.

The History of the Ghost Town of Sparks, Oklahoma

A ghost town is an abandoned village, town, or city, usually one which contains substantial visible remains. A town often becomes a ghost town because the economic activity that supported it has failed, or due to natural or human-caused disasters such as floods, government actions, uncontrolled lawlessness, war, or nuclear disasters. The term can sometimes refer to cities, towns, and neighborhoods which are still populated, but significantly less so than in years past; for example those affected by high levels of unemployment and dereliction. Sparks, Oklahoma fits this description.

From Wiki via Oklahoma Ghost Towns on YouTube: 

Sparks lies between Meeker and Chandler in Lincoln county, the town is situated on land that was once part of the Sac and Fox Reservation, which was dissolved in 1890 when the principal chiefs signed an agreement with the Jerome Commission that each tribal member would receive a 160-acre (0.65 km2) allotment. The surplus land was opened to settlement in a land run on September 22, 1891. The original townsite totaled 186 acres (0.75 km2) and was homesteaded by William and Tabitha Baker.

The Eastern Oklahoma Railway (acquired by Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway in 1907) and the Fort Smith and Western Railroad (FS&W) established plans for a town at the junction of the two lines as they began surveying Lincoln County in 1902. The town was named in honor of George T. Sparks, an FS&W director. The first school, known as Ball School, was built southeast of Sparks in the late 1890s. In addition, there were two subscription schools, which charged a dollar per pupil per month. A post office was established on August 30, 1902, and the town eventually had approximately fifty businesses. Soon, two newspapers, the Sparks Review and the Sparks Visitor, were published, both Republican in politics. At 1907 statehood the population was 503.Historical population

When farm prices fell after World War I and during the Great Depression, people looked elsewhere for employment. In 1920 and 1930 the federal census reported 472 and 470 citizens, respectively. The last bank closed in 1938, and rail service ceased in 1939. By 1940 the population dropped to 339. The high school closed in 1957, and the grade school closed in 1993. The number of citizens declined from 233 in 1950 to 183 in 1970. At the turn of the 21st century the town, with 137 residents, had a post office, a few churches, a rural water district, a volunteer fire department, and two community centers, one in the old Sparks school building, which served as a senior citizens' center and town library.

Oklahoma Ghost Towns

Can decay be beautiful?

I love to walk through abandoned places, old cemeteries, and the like. I find myself wondering about the people who once lived there. I wonder how a town that once thrived with businesses, schools, hospitals, and all the trappings of human life only to fade away slowly over time. How does that happen?

I was poking around on Youtube and came across a gentleman who travels all around Oklahoma to document some of the 2,000 "Ghost Towns" scattered near and far. Often he will co-mingle photos of buildings and people from the height of the towns occupancy with photos of the decay decades of abandonment and neglect bring upon man-made structures.

In his About section on his Youtube channel, D.W. Taylor describes his collection of ghost town videos:

I've always had a fascination with things abandoned and a love of history. I found it sad that so many of these places were forgotten..

The definition of a ghost town has always been controversial, and people often take offense having their town classified as such. I decided to use the definition of a ghost town as defined by Oklahoma University professor John Wesley Morris in his 1979 book, Ghost Towns of Oklahoma. According to John, a ghost town is defined as:

1) Hamlets, villages, towns, and cities that are no longer in existence, all buildings and indications of existence have been either destroyed or covered by water; 2) where the remains of business and/or residential structures still stand but are largely unused; 3) where the population has decreased at least 80 percent from its maximum.

Based on his definition, Oklahoma contains over 2,000 ghost towns. I decided to start posting short collections of these towns in an effort to preserve a small piece of history.

History is the best reminder of what works and what does not. Detroit is rapidly becoming one of our largest ghost towns in history. Thousands and thousands of houses and buildings that hold memories and secrets of lives gone past are rapidly falling to decay. I picture Detroit the way New York City was portrayed and as Will Smith's character found it in I Am Legend. Nature will eventually take back what man thought would stand forever. Soon a collection of foundations and crumbling walls will be over-run by trees, brush, and plants of every conceivable form. Only whispers of the greatness that once was will remain.

When we get to the end of our lives we are told material goods hold no value. We can't take it with us when we die is the mantra. Experiences and memories are all we really get to take on that final journey. If we don't share those memories and experiences with others, they will be lost with us. 

I adore watching these videos and taking a tour of the lives of proud people from long ago. I love the energy that still remains regardless of the condition of the houses and buildings. I get an amazing feeling when I try to imagine the pride that the homeowner felt upon taking occupancy of a newly built home so long ago. The feeling they must have had, that this home they labored to build would stand the test of time long after they had moved into the great unknown. I think it a good thing in many ways that enough time has passed that those who would have lived and worked in these great small towns would be long gone as well. What would they say if they could see that the foundation of their dream remains, but little else. 

Go check out some of these fascinating videos at Mr. Taylor's Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/dwtaylor999/videos  and take a fascinating glimpse into the land rushes of the 1890's through the Great Depression of the 1930's. Take a virtual tour down the streets of towns calling softly to you to remember that they once existed too. 

I am Building A Shouse

Rancho No Dinero is evolving. Come discover what a Shouse is and where my new piece of land is located. Welcome to the new and improved Rancho No Dinero!

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Oklahoma and Tornadoes - Homestead Land in Tornado Alley

For the longest time I planned on building my sustainable homestead in Oregon. The land I planned on being in the south-central area of Oregon not far outside Klamath Falls. However, upon closer inspection of building codes and some water rights issues, I have reconsidered and that had me looking for land in places I had never considered.

I follow several podcasts and blogs about both homesteading and tiny houses, and this has connected me with some great new folks who have offered up some suggestions for where to look for land. One has suggested her state, Oklahoma. So, yesterday I began doing some exploring of options in Oklahoma, a state I have driven through several times, but never considered as a place to call home. All I knew of Oklahoma was Indian Reservations and tornadoes.

I was right about Indian Reservations as there were many Native tribes both naturally from the area and forced by our government's misguided attempts at relocation of tribes and peoples back in the dark decision making period of our early history. Oklahoma had land rushes as well, so homesteading in Oklahoma is nothing new, not by far. The dust bowl was a hard lesson we also learned in Oklahoma. 1930's taught us important environmental lessons and resulted in some strategic changes in farming practices.

Oklahoma has much to offer the modern homesteader. Land is reasonably priced, it is not too densely populated, water can be found easily when drilling, there are plenty of natural resources, and for the most part, the land is flat in the west and gently rolling hills in the east. However, there is still the little issue of tornadoes.

Did you know that tornadoes are not unique to America? I was taught in school that they are an American phenomena due to our unique terrain and the size of our nation. Canada, the UK, and the Netherlands all get struck by Tornadoes as well. While they are not as common in other places around the world, our geography makes tornadoes possible with more frequency. Weather moves in from the west, drops down from the rocky mountains dry, gathers strength and moisture from the south and cold air from the north as it rolls across the flat midsection we Americans have affectionately labeled "Tornado Alley." Solar heating the storms causes the right combination of energy and, boom, a tornado forms.

I have never seen or experienced a Tornado, so I asked a ton of questions about them. I poked around on the internet and here is some of what I learned about Tornadoes and living in OK:

• Oklahoma is fourth in line for most frequent Tornadoes. It is behind Texas, Kansas, and Florida.
• Western OK is more likely to get hit by Tornadoes because of it's flatter lands. Tornadoes love flat land and follow the path of least resistance. Tornadoes like to follow Interstate areas since most interstate highways follow the path of least resistance.
• Lincoln Country (where I am looking at land) has only been hit by three F4 or F5 Tornadoes since the 1950's. It is very infrequent and none of the events could be compared to the massive Tornado that hit Moore, OK in May 2013.
• Pay attention to the weather forecasters - OK has some of the best. Take the advice of the weather forecasters - When they say go to a shelter, go. When they say get out of the way of the storm, get out of the way.
• The odds of having your home destroyed by a Tornado are pretty small. There is a lot of land out there. 

What does this mean for me? Well, it means that I am not sacrificing my dreams of a homestead simply because there is the potential for a bad storm. Storms mean rain. Rain means water. Water is life. I have found a new piece of land, one that even has a pond on it, and I think it is a go. My sense of determination and purpose is stronger than an F5 Tornado. Besides, at least with a Tiny House,  I can hook it up to the back of my truck and drive it to a safe area. I can wait out the storm in the living room of my tiny house, chilling in a Walmart parking lot. I am sure there are many who wish they could do the same.

Check out this amazing footage of the Moore, OK Tornado from May of 2013: