Volume 6 , Issue 27

Do You Remember When...

Dacoma. Oklahoma had a hotel and Mrs. Haines was proprietor of that hotel (Rambler Hotel) in Dacoma, 16 miles southeast of Alva. I wonder if that Haines is the same Haines that had the E. A. Haines store in downtown Alva?

Transcontinental Air Transport... We were glancing through our copy of the Waynoka Chronicles this week to learn about Waynoka's Transcontinental Air Transport (TAT) history. Did you know that the TAT erected a 58'x26' brick passenger station, ticket office south of Waynoka's Harvey house and 1200 citizens were at the dedication of the TAT Airport, June 22, 1929? The passenger building provided a place for passengers to rest between plane and train trips. After the TAT was closed 18 months later, the passenger station was moved to a new location on highway 281, serving for many years as the American Legion Hut until it was torn down in the 1970s. After 18 months of operation, TAT was loosing money. They sought other mergers. On October 1, 1930, a lucrative contract was awarded to Transcontinental and Western Air (TWA). By the end of October an announcement was made that TAT or TWA would cease it operations in Waynoka, Oklahoma.

PFC Simerly & Alva POW Camp... One of our readers is looking for the family of an army private (PFC Conley E. Simerly) who served at the Alva POW camp during WWII. All that is known at this point is that Mr. Simerly lived, at the time of his discharge from the Army, in Hampton, Tennessee. Rod Murrow bought some items on ebay and is trying to located the family of PFC Simerly to return the items. If you can help in this search, contact Rod or email us and we will pass along the information. Thanks!

A NW Oklahoma Ghost Town Mystery... Another one of our readers wrote and asked about a ghost town located northwest of Waynoka and northeast of Mooreland. About 30 years ago there were some foundations -- a stable. The main feature that stuck in this persons mind was a statue or monument that stood about 6 feet tall with a rifle implanted in the top -- the stock on the rifle had worn away but the rest was still there -- it was possibly a Sharps rifle. He recalls climbing down a ridge to get into the town, but that is about all the information that he can remember. Does any of this ring a bell with anyone out there? If you can help, please email us. Thanks.

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