Roosevelt

Continuing on our drive south, we would have reached the town of Roosevelt, Oklahoma.  Although now only about 250 people live there, at the time we passed through the population would have totalled almost 700.   A town founder, Charley Hunter, had been one of the Rough Riders during the Spanish-American war.  

Rough Riders with Theodore Roosevelt on San Juan Hill 

 Originally called Parkersburg, the name was found to be a duplicate of a nearby town, so when the post office was established in 1901 Hunter offered the name "Roosevelt" in honor of his leader in the Rough Riders, Theodore Roosevelt .   Incredibly, the local farmers each donated 40 acres of their own land allotments to the townsite company to encourage development of the town center.  (I can't imagine people donating their own land to a company today).  


Roosevelt became a trading center for the local cotton farmers and a gin was soon built in town.    Cotton may have given way to other businesses, however, since now there are advertisements for "tourists" to spend their afternoons at a local winery (Windmill Winery) and, of course, ranchers continue to raise cattle on the local prairie lands.   I particulary enjoyed seeing a recent  advertisement by the local 4 Star Ranch for their longhorn "Buttermilk".   

Buttermilk

Isn't she adorable?