The Okie Legacy: No Man's Land

Soaring eagle logo. Okie Legacy Banner. Click here for homepage.

Moderated by NW Okie!

Volume 3 , Issue 2

2001

Weekly eZine: (364 subscribers)
Subscribe | Unsubscribe
Using Desktop...

Sections
Alva Mystery
Opera House Mystery

Albums...
1920 Alva PowWow
1917 Ranger
1926 Ranger
1937 Ranger
Castle On the Hill

Stories Containing...

Blogs / WebCams / Photos
NW Okie's FB
OkieJournal FB
OkieLegacy Blog
Ancestry (paristimes)
NW Okie Instagram
Flickr Gallery
1960 Politcal Legacy
1933 WIRangeManuel
Volume 3
1999  Vol 1
2000  Vol 2
2001  Vol 3
2002  Vol 4
2003  Vol 5
2004  Vol 6
2005  Vol 7
2006  Vol 8
2007  Vol 9
2008  Vol 10
2009  Vol 11
2010  Vol 12
2011  Vol 13
2012  Vol 14
2013  Vol 15
2014  Vol 16
2015  Vol 17
2016  Vol 18
2017  Vol 19
2018  Vol 20
2021  Vol 21
Issues 2
Iss 1  1-1 
Other Resources
NWOkie JukeBox

No Man's Land

This week's epistle, as some would say, concerns some history of "No Mans Land," tidbits and pictures of Slapout (aka Nye), southeast corner of Beaver County, easterly part of the Oklahoma Panhandle, along highway 270. Slapout, OK

BUT... Before we get to Slapout in nowhere, let us explore some history of this place they call "No Mans Land." Where Buffalo used to roam, before squatters, cattlemen, farmers, and homesteaders seeked this area for new adventures. Speaking of buffalo, I just had to throw in a picture of a white buffalo that I captured in Colorado and brought back to Oklahoma. Of course it is NOT a real buffalo, but what a beautiful rendition of this famous white rarity of good luck that now graces my fireplace mantle with honors. White Buffalo white buffalo

According to "The Panhandle History - Northwest Flats Heritage, 1890-1990", published in 1990, the panhandle is a little more than 34 miles wide and a fraction longer than 168 miles. It contains 5738 square miles and is larger than Connecticut and 4-1/2 times the size of Rhode Island.

The Panhandle is bordered on the east by Oklahoma; the north by Kansas and Colorado; the west by New Mexico and the south by Texas. It was a part of the Texas territory until 1850, when Texas gave it up because everything north of the 36th parallel went with the Union and Texas permitted slavery.

The south boundary line of the Kansas territory was established around 1854... The east and west lines established previously by land grants. The Act establishing the Kansas southline completely legislated the panhandle strip of land out of the Union and left "No Mans Land" to fend for itself.

By 1885... The Supreme Court decision come out stating that this strip of land was NOT part of the Cherokee Outlet. The Secretary of Interior at that time stated it was "Public Domain" and subject to "Squatters Rights."

Until 1891... The six-shooter was law of the land and the strip became a "No Mans Land" haven for criminals and outlaws. May 2, 1890 and the Enabling Act signed by President Benjamin Harrison attached the strip to Oklahoma Territory. Then the farmers and the ranchers were at it because of the fence the farmers were building around their crops.

Finally, "No Mans Land" found it's permanent home and was the last territory to be given final claims and ownership in Oklahoma. It was divided into three (3) counties -- Cimarron, Texas and Beaver.

Cimarron County... Is on the westerly side of the strip with Boise City as the county seat. Cimarron County is known for good farm lands and rough rugged grassland. There are only 3070 counties in the USA, but only one called Cimarron County. It touches four (4) states and in 1990 there was NOT a stop light in the county. Also thirty (30) miles northwest of Boise City you will find the "Black Mesa State Park"; Dinosaur bones that have been dug up and tracks still visible in the creek beds. Did you know that Boise City is the only city in the continental USA that was bombed during WWII? Sounds like another mystery to unravel, huh? I am NOT sure why it was bombed, but maybe someone out there reading this could enlighten us with their own little "epistle of knowledge."

Texas County... After traveling through Cimarron County, we come to Texas County. It is the middle county and one of the most prosperous counties in the midwest. It is the center of the largest sweet gas field in the USA. They do cattle feeding, irrigation and dryland farming. The main line of the Rock Island RR from Chicago to Los Angles runs through Guymon, which is the county seat. Highways 54 and 64 also intersect this panhandle metropolis in the middle of nowhere. Texas County was the geographical center of the 1930s Dust Bowl. Parts of "Grapes of Wrath" were filmed north of Guymon.

Beaver County... If you keep headed east on the highway in No Mans Land, you will reach the easterly county named Beaver. The town of Beaver is a small agricultural community with it's share of oil & gas production and is also famous for it's "World's Champion Cowchip Throwing Contest." It is also the county seat of Beaver County. If you head east along highway 270 in the southeastern part of Beaver County, you will come to our next stop... Slapout (a.k.a. Nye).

As the story goes... According to a written family history of one of the pioneers (Joseph L. Johnston), written by his son and namesake, Joseph L., for the "History of Beaver County Pioneer Families," Vol. I & II, published in 1970 by the Beaver County Historical Society... Joseph L. Johnston came to Beaver County in 1902 and filed on a quarter section now known as the Slapout community. He brought is bride, Edith, to the claim in 1904. They raised wheat, dairy cattle and six sons and one daughter... Sidney N., Maxwell L., Jessie M. (daughter who married Grover Mettler, 1st male child born after statehood), Joseph L., James F., Arlie W., Donald E.

Slapout was built on part of Joe and Edith's claim. Joe was one of the early store owners of the General Store and Gas Station. Joe and Edith were well known throughout the country for helping travelers, friends and neighbors in need during WWII. Joe died in 1950 in an untimely auto accident and Edith died in 1965.

November 1, 1997, http://www.kwtv.com with Randy Renner reporting, aired a segment on "Oklahoma's Strangely Named Towns" concerning Slapout (a.k.a. Nye). Follow the link to see how Joe "Slapout" Johnston and Tom "Nye" Lemmons were both stubborn enough that neither of them would give in. How in 1949, a tornado blew through the town... All of Tom's "Nye" signs were blown down and Joe's "Slapout" signs survived through a divine intervention which settled the issue once and for all in Slapout, Oklahoma.   |  View or Add Comments (0 Comments)   |   Receive updates ( subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe


© . Linda Mcgill Wagner - began © 1999 Contact Me