Sunday we ventured down to the south central Oklahoma town of Chickasha to visit our son who is in college there. It was a nice day so after eating we decided to check out Shannon Springs Park in the town.
It was a nice park and I found out that there were originally artisian springs there and that it was a stop on the Chisolm Trail for herds to stop and water on their way along the trail from Texas to Kansas. History in Oklahoma is worn kind of lightly because it wasn’t that long ago. Jesse Chisolm developed the trails. I found his grave out in the middle of nowhere a few years ago. People still really believe in the old west here.
So later on a park was started and in the 1930’s the WPA built an amphitheater and other improvements to the park that still around today.
I loved this caretaker’s cottage at the park. I don’t think anybody lives there any longer. I love the concept of a caretaker. A designated person who is paid to care.
I am linking to Our World Tuesday, come check it out.
I think being a caretaker in a park would be a wonderful job
I went back to your older post to see Chisolm’s grave–so interesting! I wonder when that stone was laid and how it got so chipped. I’m imagining he only had a wooden cross at one time. The west is youg but sadly I see so much hostory being lost to development.
Hope your son is enjoying college, the caretakers house did you happen to explore it or was it all boarded up, nice to find that old grave.
Caretaker sounds like a retirement plan to me 🙂
Have a great week.
It is a shame no one lives in that beautiful house.
A lovely historical place to visit. Love the old buildings. It’s interesting where you find graves from the past–there are a few here in New Zealand out in the middle of nowhere, too.
Feel free to share at My Corner of the World
I hope Logan is enjoying college. I like the stone they used for the amphitheater and the home. The WPA also built Red Rocks in CO.
A lovely drive on the way there and back to see your son. I enjoyed the photos, have heard about the Chisolm Trail but not much of its history and the man it was named after. Thanks for the link and enjoy the rest of your week 🙂
Alan – last week, my family made an inventory of all the States that we have visited. Oklahoma is one that none of us (four) have experienced. Thanks for continuing to build the list of things that we should do when we eventually travel there (for indeed, I am passionate about visiting all 50 States sometime during my remaining years!)
Nice park. Agree, all parks should have caretakers.