Roots

One hundred and thirty-five years ago in 1880, my G-G-Uncle George Davidson and his brother William left the family farm in northern Delaware and set out to find their fortunes in the American West. Along the way, William woo'd and won the love of Blanche, a southern Illinois farm girl, and along she went on the great adventure.  Arriving in Kansas by 1885, the threesome set to work building a business of provisioning the railroad workers opening up track across the prairies.

For reasons unknown, by 1905 they left Kansas for the newly founded southern Oklahoma ranching town of Chattanooga.  This area was in the early stages of homesteading and even though quite remote, hopeful settlers were arriving from points north and east.

William, Blanche and George spent the next 25 years in Chattanooga opening and running a general store where they resided on the second floor.  First George, then William died in 1929 and 1934 respectively and are buried next to each other in Grandfield, a few miles south of Chattanooga.  Blanche relocated to Montana probably glad to be rid of TWO vagabond husbands who dragged her across featureless Kansas then Oklahoma.  (Hopefully Val won't do the same.)  

Only 2-Story Storefont Left In Chattanooga OK
(Pop. @ 400)

Final Resting Place of George and William Davidson
On a small hill overloking Grandfield Oklahoma
(Pop. @  400 before much longer.)

Enough of the history lesson.  This part of Oklahoma is green rolling hills dotted with spring flowers.  Very bucolic.  (Where did that word come from?  Sounds like someone throwing up.)

Anyway, Oklahoma is absolute Eden compared to north Texas.  Pancake flat and covered with scraggly mesquite, this part of rural Texas is pretty harsh, dotted with small dwindling towns with numerous abandoned buildings and homes.  The wellspring of many a country song, to be sure.

Tonight's stop is a nice little state park on a fair sized lake.  Got the place to ourselves almost, and had a nice walk through the cactus garden that is West Texas.

A Desert sprite?
(Or Doctor Pepper?)

Tomorrow to Big Bend.

Goodnight from Lake Colorado City SP, Texas