Will Rogers Days 2009

Birthday at the Ranch

It has become a tradition for Oologah-Talala music teacher Kim Grazier to compose a musical program honoring Will Rogers for a birthday party at the Will Rogers Birthplace Ranch near Oologah. About 100 students participated in the singing, dancing and roping honoring Will’s 130th birthday. The program was presented on the lawn of the house where he was born Nov. 4, 1879. Kowboy Kal, a world’s champion trick roper from Apache, has also become a tradition. He entertains with his trick roping skills, many learned from watching Will Rogers “Ropin Fool.”  This is his third year to be at the ranch for the birthday party. Bette Rogers Brandin, Will’s granddaughter, cut the ceremonial birthday cake. Students from Oologah-Talala and Sequoyah Schools attended the event. Meanwhile, back at the Claremore Will Rogers Memorial, Sequoyah upper elementary students continued their day of Will lore with lunch on the grounds, then a tour of the Claremore museum. 

 

 

Click HERE to see a few more photos from Will's birthday party.

 

Pocahontas Club continues tradition

Indian Women’s Pocahontas Club, formed 110 years ago, has continuously honored Will Rogers (an honorary member) since the Will Rogers Memorial opened Nov. 4, 1938. Will Rogers Days 2009 events includes “Hats Off to Will,” honoring Betty Rogers; Bartlesville Indian Women’s Club modeling Native American dress; wreath ceremony at the family tomb; participation in parade; beans and fry bread feed and program with music by Jana Jae.

 

Children’s Day at the Museum

Visitor count tops 1,000 for Children’s Day at the Museum

More than 1,000 people, about 800 of them school children from Rogers and Tulsa Counties scattered over the 20 acres Will Rogers purchased in 1911 — and where he someday planned to build a retirement home.

He said then he would build a house and look down over Claremore. When he died in the prime of his life and career, his widow donated the land to the state of Oklahoma for a museum. The museum opened Nov. 4, 1938.

During the first ever Children’s Day at the Museum, children, their parents, grandparents and other visitors looked down on Claremore and the swarm of children enjoying a variety of activities.

Julie Luna, Will Rogers Memorial Museum events coordinator, was in charge of planning events of the day.

Oologah-Talala Upper Elementary music students of Kim Grazier presented her original “Life and Times of Will Rogers” in the museum’s theatre. The Will Rogers Memorial Commission and the Memorial honored Grazier before the first of four presentations of the play. Jim Hartz, Commission chairman, presented her with a Will Rogers statue in appreciation for her many years of entertaining during Will Rogers Days.

Children’s Day participants revolved through five activities — the play, Cherokee storyteller Robert Lewis, trick and calf roping with Andy Hogan, Will Rogers interpreter and tour guide, old fashioned games, coloring of Will Rogers’ photos and events of his life, sing-along with guitar players and refreshments.

Will Rogers Ropers, who graduated with the docent class of 2008, and trainees in the present class assisted museum staff with the activities.

 

 

Museum comes to life for “Night at the Museum”

Will Rogers Memorial came to life for family and Friends of Will Rogers (members of the foundation support group) when characters from early day Oklahoma wandered among guests at Memorial for a “Night at the Museum.”

Family members came from California, Tennessee, Oklahoma and Kansas for the event to join the supporters of the Claremore Will Rogers Memorial and Will Rogers Birthplace Ranch in Oologah for dinner and welcome by Steve Gragert, Will Rogers Museums executive director, and his wife, Helen. The event was a part of the Will Rogers Days celebration marking the 130th birthday of Will Rogers on Nov. 4, 1879 on an Indian Territory ranch near what is now Oologah.

Grandchildren Kem Rogers from Tennessee and Bette Rogers Brandin from California and great-granddaughter Jennifer Rogers Etcheverry from California, were joined by Oklahoma cousins. Doris “Coke” Meyer from Claremore was there with her son, Jerry Meyer from Liberty, Kansas. Meyer is Will Rogers’ great-niece. Robert Rogers Lane came From Bartlesville and Carleen and Jerry Burger and their exchange student son from Spain came from Oklahoma City. Other family members were Donna McSpadden, whose husband, Clem, was a great- nephew of Will Rogers and Mary and Virginia McSpadden, daughter of another great-nephew, Trent McSpadden, who was born in the same house (but not the same room) as Will Rogers.

Etcheverry heads the Will Rogers Ranch Foundation, a support group for the Pacific Palisades ranch where Will Rogers lived at the time of his death Aug. 15, 1935. His widow gave the ranch to California for a museum. It is operated by the California parks system.

Members of Friends of Will Rogers and guests, Will Rogers Memorial Commission members, Will Rogers Heritage Trust board, Will Rogers Ropers (docents) and staff of the Claremore Memorial and Birthplace Ranch shared the evening getting to know each other and family members.

 

Two modes of travel pass by Memorial museum

Pony Express riders re-enacting the days of mail delivery horseback passed by a 100-year-old Hupmobile, owned by a Claremore man, on their way to the ride destination. Riders from Will Rogers Roundup Club, led by Mike Ellick, rode down Cooweescoowee Highway (Highway 88) to the Will Rogers Memorial. Rogers County Sheriff Scott Walton took the lead in the last leg of the ride from up Oologah way and handed off the saddlebags to Bette Rogers Brandin, Will Rogers’ granddaughter. The bags contained some of the latest CD created especially for the Will Rogers Memorial museum.

 

Circle G 4-H top Will Rogers Days Parade float

For the third consecutive year, Circle G 4-H has earned the top float in the Will Rogers Days Parade. Circle G created a three-tier birthday cake and went home with the coveted Will Rogers statue, their third first place parade float win.

Winning bands were Claremore High School, first, and Sequoyah High School, second, large bands; and Will Rogers Jr. High, first in small bands. WRJH band was the “Peoples’ Choice.” 

Cherokee Chief Chad Smith, accompanied by his wife, Bobbie Gail, was paraded marshal. Co-marshals were Kem Rogers and Bette Brandin Rogers, Will’s grandchildren, and Jennifer Rogers Etcheverry, a great-granddaughter.

Cara Cowan Watts, Cherokee councilor and Will Rogers Memorial Commission member was horseback behind the Cherokee float.

The Cherokee Nation, Cherokee Casino Will Rogers Downs, Pocahontas Indian Women’s Club, Davis Gun Museum and Will Rogers Squares were among parade entries as well as Rogers County Drug Abuse program.

Shriners, always popular, brought several vehicles including the lead car carrying Paul Kelsey, Claremore, potentate, and the “crazy car,” carrying George Green, Claremore.

Claremore High School wrestlers with their mascot (dog dressed in Zebra wrestling singlet) were in their first parade.

Antique and classic cars from Will Rogers’ era and horseback riders, another connection to Will Rogers’ heritage, added to the parade. From a later era came antique and classic tractors.

Theme of the parade was “Will Rogers Says: ‘Celebrate

 

Vince Gill picked for Spirit of Will Rogers Award

Norman native Vince Gill, country singer, songwriter and guitarist, received the Spirit of Will Rogers award from Will Rogers Rotary of Tulsa. Will Rogers’ grandchildren, Kem Rogers and Bette Rogers Brandin, and great-granddaughter, Jennifer Rogers Etcheverry, were on hand for the presentation at Cain’s Ballroom in Tulsa. Gill, like Will Rogers, is known for his philanthropy and said he hopes he can live his life in the spirit of Will Rogers.