I love history – especially that which involves the Red River Valley between Texas and Oklahoma (loosely defined, of course). To that end, I teach history at a college, have my own site devoted to Red River history, and take WAY too many road trips. I love to photograph ghost towns and decrepit old buildings. I also like to ride my bike, day dream, read, live a simple life, and learn all I can about the Southern Plains Indians (especially the Kiowas).
My goal in life is to be creatively self-employed. And to move to a house that has a front porch.
Hi, Robin,
I’m 99% sure you remember me. We worked together in Paris, Texas about 15 years ago. Are you still chasing tornadoes?
By the way, have you ever researched the Kiowa? It seems there was a chief of some stature named Spotted Tail. He is burried in Buckner, Texas. That’s where you’ll find me.
Hello Chris,
Of course I remember you! It’s nice to hear from you again. I’m going to look up Spotted Tail, because I haven’t heard of him. Chasing tornadoes is something we still do when there’s occasion… our son likes to do with us.
Thanks for dropping by!
I do not have a website yet, but want to set one up very soon. Interestingly enough a friend found this website and shared it with me because I have just written a book to be published in the fall. It is name “Sharecropping in North Louisiana: A Family’s Struggle through the Great Depression.” It is the true story of my mother’s family whose parents were sharecroppers in Caldwell and Richlard Parishes in Northeast Louisiana in the early part of the 1900s. Mother told me the story and we wrote it together last year. She is now 82 and lives with me in Camden, AR. She will be moving back to Louisiana soon (to Bastrop). Your website is very interesting and I hope you will watch for our book as I think it will interest you as well. I will be watching your website for your interesting travels. I love to travel too and will be going to Alaska next spring with my husband in our motorhome. Good travels to you!
Robin, I’m compiling a bibliography of “Texas Historical and Literary Blogs,” got about 75 so far, and yours is one of those. I’ll publish the list as the August issue of my e-journal “Will’s Texana Monthly,” annotated and illustrated. Can we email about your blog? Thanks. Will Howard
hello – I found your website while doing a little research on my grandfather – he wrote quite a bit about his life, along with a good number of poems, and it all centered on or close to Jefferson County in Oklahoma – his farm and dairy was west of Ryan and ran along the Red River – he came to Oklahoma from Sunset, TX in 1892, crossing at Red River station, and settled east of Comanche – I am looking for any books or information about Jefferson or Stephans county history – thanks for all the work you have done – this is an amazing website – I recently visited Ryan, Terrall, and Duncan and was surprised at how empty Ryan was in particular – well, I’m just droning on – thanks again
Bill Pearsall
Hello Bill,
I will see what I can dig up about the county and towns. This is the area right around the Chisholm Trail, so there is a good bit of information. I’ve also had several readers who have had ancestors that lived in or around Sunset, Texas.
I’ll be in touch with you again soon!
Love your blog, great photos.
I just stumbled upon your blog and found it interesting. Seems your interest parallel mine – my grandparents and dad grew up in Marietta, Oklahoma and I spent many years in that area exploring the Red River Vally and Love’s Valley with my family. My dad was the minister of Eastside Baptist Church there in Marietta in the late 70’s and one of the member’s of the church Ralph Evans was a historian of Love’s Valley/Love County. He would take us all over that area to see Indian burial grounds, old forts, old skirmish areas and places where he found a lot of artifacts. He had a huge collection of historical items from North Texas and the Love County area. I often wonder if he left any remnants of all his knowledge or if you had ever heard about him.
I also wondered if you had ever read Butch Bridges webpage – he’s a historian out of Ardmore with a ton of weath as well. Below is the link to his site.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/newsletters/TT659.htm
Keep the stories coming………..it’s like reading about home and if I were closer I’d probably be doing the same thing you do!! Love the blogs and pics!