Last week I posted about SuperPizzaBoy and I driving to Woolaroc as part of a road trip and it was kind of crowded because of the Phillips Petroleum Employee picnic. That post was focused mainly on the critters of Woolaroc. Woolaroc is the former ranch, country home, and private museum of oilman Frank Phillips, founder of Phillips Petroleum Company.
This week’s emphasis is on the museum and other inside displays at Woolaroc.That is the the thing about Woolaroc, it has a great museum planted in the middle of what is essientially a working bison and longhorn cattle ranch out in the middle of nowhere. Don’t count on too many bars when you are there.
I’ve been to Woolaroc many times and I still find new stuff at the museum. It takes several trips for me before I figure out what a museum is all about. What struck me this trip was the contrasts I saw. Especially that of Native Americans.
There is the Native American as great and feared warriors.
And as a defeated people longing for the wonderful past.
There is the Native American as the friendly, spiritual guide to children.
And as savage warriors kicking some major Custer butt at Little Bighorn.
As participants in wild pagan dances.
And performing fine arts in bucolic settings.
These are all romantic views and I think the truth is lost somewhere in there. I didn’t think about it at the time but I don’t recall too many, if any, art pieces by Native Americans on display at the museum. I can tell you that Native American culture including is alive and all about the now.
The other contrast I noticed were in the Pioneer Woman statues. Back in 1927, E.W. Marland a wealthy oilman commissioned twelve sculptors to come up with representations of a Pioneer Woman. The twelve entries were displayed all around the USA. I didn’t take pictures of all of them but the winner was something like this one. A schoolmarmish tough woman. And, I’m sure those pioneer women way back when were tough. You know, no facebook, no pedicure places, or mothers day out or any of that other stuff.
Below gets my vote evvery time. Don’t ask me why.
The other thing about visiting museums often is that after a while you start seeing things you never noticed before. For example three things that will put me to sleep real fast in western museums are displays about guns, barbed wire, and spurs. I mean really who cares? Well I noticed the spurs this time. For example the following. Okay stay awake with me okay. I know it is a real snoozer.
The below was called a “Gal Leg” Spur. I didn’t get it right at first.
I had passed by that display 20 times over the years and never noticed it. So now, you and I both know about Gal Leg Spurs. There are dozens of varieties.
That’s all for now folks.
What a terrific post for the day!! I love it and your captures are fantastic! Thank you!!
I enjoyed your tour. I’ve always admired pioneer women for their strength and courage. I too wish the museums would all start portraying life as it was back then through the eyes of the people who lived there, the Native Americans (NA). Just think how they must have felt with “weird” looking people with weapons that could kill you with one shot and people who thought they just had a right to come and live on their lands. Musta been something. There are lots of NA artists these days so perhaps some day the museum will display some of their works too.
What a fascinating display of pictures and items at the museum.
Interesting post!! Boom & Gary of the Vermilon River, Canada.
I’ve never been a huge fan of barbed wire collections, but the decorative art that can be applied to spurs can be very entertaining.
Like you, I’m not a one to be enthralled by gun collections. After about 15 minutes in the Davis collection in Claremore, I am done. I really need to take a couple of the grand kids to Woolaroc. Thanks for the tour.
I think those pioneer women are romanticized too, just like the Native American paintings… Sod houses, no running water…don’t think they would have looked as good as either of those statues. I’d still go there tho, if I were in the area. But I might have to go alone. Bill is allergic to museums ( and do you think he’d lie to me after 50+ years) ;))))
If I were a horse, I’d definitely prefer the gal -legged spur! That second pioneer woman looks like Eve just out of the garden.
It’s true that as many times as you visit a place, you still miss stuff. I wonder if I’d have noticed the gal leg spurs if you hadn’t pointed them out, but I could tell you why you like that statue – I think Sweetie can explain it better than I can, though.
The statue that gets your vote makes me think of the figures around Rockefeller Center–solid, strong, unflappable. What we do with history….
It really is too bad the museum doesn’t have some art by the Natives. Seems the ‘white eyes’ do romantisize the old wild west.