Comments

Volume 7, Issue 45 - Feature #1043

Kelsey Airfield - Waynoka, Oklahoma...

Thank you, Linda - I hadn't watched this recently. It's great - amazing aviation history in NW Oklahoma. We must include Kelsey Field in our aviation history which includes Lindbergh and Earhart and TAT.

Sandie Olson - 2016-12-28 20:37:58

Thanks for sharing, Barry! Was the other little boy Kelsey (Bill Dean), about your age?

Linda McGill Wagner - 2016-12-23 15:33:26

Thanks for sharing, Barry! Was the other little boy Kelsey (Bill Dean), about your age?

Linda McGill Wagner - 2016-12-23 15:32:30

I'm Barry Kelsey. My Dad was Roland (Punk) Kelsey. The beginning picture of the film, before pushing the arrow to watch it, a face on the bottom left hand corner. The Horse in the background is old Sliver. He was the horse all the younger Kelsey kids learned to ride on.

Barry Kelsey - 2016-12-23 14:23:10

That young face at the beginning of the film (before it's even started is me....Barry Kelsey Thanks Linda

- 2016-12-18 16:27:43

Hey Gene, nice to hear from you also. I know you, Jimmie and Stanley were good friends of J. O. He always spoke high of each one. I sure miss him. However, Richard is still in Texas with his wife. Best Regards, Hannah Maxwell

- 2012-03-06 23:49:28

Hello Hannah Funk Marshall. Nice to hear from U. As U may know your bro or uncle & I were very close friends.....along with Rev Jim Lee (Olathe) and Stanley Fiscus (Dscd) God Bless...

S E Cohlmia - 2012-03-06 16:57:05

One Saturday, my Aunt Della Hodges won a ticket at the Sat. Trades Day drawing for an airplane ride over Waynoka. She didn't want to go and gave me the ticket. I'm sure she must have taken me, and mother no doubt, out to airport or field for the ride. I don't know the pilot, probably a Kelsey. I was just a kid and thought the ride was the most exciting thing I'd ever had at that time. I can still remember being in the air!!! What fun !! Also, I've told you of seeing Indians dance at the Station. I don't know if they were coming or going and to where, I don't know. They were wonderful, full costumed!!"

Hannah Funk Maxwell - 2012-03-06 00:55:37

Gene, Thanks so very much for sharing your memories of meeting the train to see the movie stars! It had to have been a fantastic time in Waynoka. Love the Clark Gable story. Do you remember eating at the Harvey House? Those stars arriving on the train would have had a Harvey House breakfast before flying east from Waynoka. Incidently, Sonya and I email often - she's a good friend! Thanks again. Keep your memories coming, please.

Sandie Olson - 2012-03-05 23:19:09

Get in touch with my niece Sonya (Cohlmia) Grobb. in norman Ok her email is sonyag@norman.k.12.ok.us she stays on top of all things Family....God Bless

S. E Cohlmia - 2012-03-05 19:03:30

I must add to this for I witnessed this event and similar others many times. Upon recieving notice of the arrival of Stars from Hollywood the Station Master at Santa Fe Depot made what was known as a general ring (tele optr would connect the caller to the entire Waynoka, Avard & freedom area) where an announcement would be made re: that arrival. Upon hearing this we would descend upon the Depot awaiting the arrival of #2. I remember a multitude of people would line up facing the tracks (as a child I recall perhaps around 75 or more people scattered all around the outside of the depot. We would simply watch them de-train whild some of them took advantage of the rest rooms whild others simply strechted their legs. ---- A warm day in the spring and we were all awaiting the arrival from the west coast. In the crowd was the Baptist Preacher (Rev. Benson) who himself was a striking, well dressed gentleman of some 6 ft tall and a gent with a sharp sense of humor, near the front line of Waynokians. As the stars filed off the train one by one. There was a pause of stars then suddenly Clark Gable stepped from inside the coach and stood at the back of the car railing looking out over the mass of people. Brother B stepped forward and in a loud voice said, "Well I don't see what he has that I don't." and meandered back to the front of the depot to his car. You can imagine the roar of laughter coming from the crowd. I recall my Dear Mother Mary reciting some of the names of the stars such as, Myrna Loy, Robert Taylor etc etc. I would try to recall more but my 83 yrs prohibits that... God Bless.

S. Eugene Cohlmia - 2012-03-05 08:17:24

Great! Thanks. I have read about a Denver newspaper doing an extensive story about Kelsey Field. Would you have a way to find that story? I wish I could tell you which paper and he date - it must be in my notes from researching microfilms. It sounded like a fantastic article. For many years, Kelsey Field was on aviation maps that Rex had in his plane.

Sandie Olson - 2012-03-04 23:43:30

Sandie, the reason the video did not show up is because I had it mislabled. It should have been leading towards this link - okielegacy.net/movies/KelseyAirfield46-47.wmv - for the 1946 Kelsey Airport Video. I am just uploading the movies directory now, so give me an hour to get everything uploaded. Thanks for letting me know of the broken-link.

Linda McGill Wagner - 2012-03-04 21:20:22

Thanks, Sandie for letting me know about the video link. When I was making changes on thar site I probably moved it to another sub-directory. I will work on that link later tonight

Linda McGill Wagner - 2012-03-04 20:34:14

Linda, thanks for the conversation about the TAT Airport. I would love to see the video again; the link didn't work. It must be one I have - can you tell me? I enjoyed Eugene Cohlmia's story about C. Lindbergh coming to the store! I have heard something about it, and that there was a picture taken. We would love to have a copy of the picture for the museum. Jack was a great resource for history. He told about TAT (predecessor of TWA) asking his dad if they could use his property to give rides in the tri-motor plane, so his dad cleared brush, etc. We have a wonderful photo of the big plane and a big crowd at the Kelseys' farm. This was in 1929. TAT built a world-class airport across the road and east of Bunk Kelseys' farm, but when TAT won an airmail contracct and they could safely fly at night, their route changed, and they flew from Wichita to Okla City instead of Waynoka. In 1939, the company sold the huge hangar to Little Rock (A WPA project) and it is very much in use at the Little Rock airport still today as headquarters of Central Flying Service. The airport was used for practice landings during WW II, and other aviation uses. Jack Kelsey told of seeing Eleanor Roosevelt waiting there - she had had or was going to have a speaking engagement in Alva, I believe. The half-section of land owned by TWA was sold in 1945 to brothers Miles and Harrison Olson. It is owned today by their sons, Chet Olson and Chris Olson. The Waynoka Air Rail Museum has excellent photos and information about the TAT era, as well as Fred Harvey and the Santa Fe Railroad.

Sandie Olson - 2012-03-04 18:48:45

S. Eugene Cohlmia, thanks for sharing that history on the Kelsey Airport becoming the TWA Airport. Great story! Would love to hear more of those kind stories to share with others at The OkieLegacy Ezine.

Linda McGill Wagner - 2012-03-04 16:18:59

I dont know how many of U might know this but the Kellsey Airport became the TWA Airport. My Father Charley Cohlmia and his friend Lindy Lindberg tried to get the City of Waynoka to purchase the TWA Airport for $1 (yes one dollar) but the City fathers didnt think much of flying for the only people who flew were those Movie Stars who arrived in Waynoka on the Santa Fe then took the plane to Chicago or New York. I recall meeting Lindy Lindberg when I was about nine years old. He arrived from the west coast and walked to our grocery store across from the Post Office. Introduced himself to my Father asking if there was a Jewler in town. My father queried Mr. Lindberg and he said he broke his watch and needed to have it fixed whereupon my Father sent him to the jewlery store up the street. He called the jewler and told him to give Lindy a new watch and not charge him for it. That is how my Father and Mr. Lindberg became friends and eventually tried to get the City to purchase the Airport. As most of us know the City said no so it was sold to Wichita Ks for $1. Look it up in the archives. S. Eugene Cohlmia

S. Eugene Cohlmia - 2012-03-04 15:46:54

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