2nd Sunday at 2 pm
Monthly History and Humanities Series is free to the public
Please join us Sunday, Nov. 11 at 2 p.m. for Ron Boren
Jay Hannah entertains Sept. crowd
Will Rogers' wit and passion for Cherokee history may have been for American's who heard him over the radio a heartwarming experience, similar to what members in the audience enjoyed when Jay Hannah spoke at the 2nd Sunday at 2 program in September. The room filled early in anticipation of Hannah's talk at the Arts Council of Tahlequahs monthly History and Humanities Lecture Series. Across the front of a table, he placed family heirlooms, including a clay pot, double-wall basket, stickball stick and his great grandfather Samuel Still’s Civil War era carved walking stick.
Cherokee statesman, Executive Vice President of Financial Services for BancFirst, local son and performing musician, aka Billy Bob Bovine, Hannah entertained and educated the attendees. Along with friend, band member and University of Central Oklahoma professor of contemporary music Danny Hargis (also a Cherokee Citizen), Hannah interspersed music, stories of family, Cherokee history, Cherokee art history, all with his unique brand of humor.
A native of Adair County, Hannah met, "the love of my life," Valerie Littlefield while president of the Liberty State Bank during its transition to BancFirst in the summer of 1989. She was no stranger, Hannah said, "we were at Northeastern together during the ‘70s and her father Dr. Valgene Littlefield was a valued mentor.”
"There's no greater home place for me than the Northeastern campus," said Hannah, whose family has attended the seminaries for generations. "Valerie and I nowadays always say that we keep our clothes in Norman, but our hometown will always be Tahlequah."
Growing up he often rode with his grandfather Tom Hannah, an original enrollee of the Cherokee Nation to visit cemeteries in several Adair County communities and listen to stories of pre-statehood times. When Hannah earned a driver’s license, he was called upon to chauffeur his grandfather around to visit places where he grew up.
"He took me to a field near Evansville Creek, east of Stilwell and there under an ancient oak tree were burial plots of numerous Cherokee ancestors. Looking around, he said, 'these are your people' he told me, and their story is your story," said Hannah. “This is where your family unloaded their wagon at the end of the Trail of Tears in January of 1839, on a Tuesday." He didn’t know the date, Hannah said, "but he knew it was on a Tuesday."
"We came here with nothing, and so far we've been able to hang on," he said, eyes twinkling as his words settled on the audience, many laughing in response.
"My Mom called trips with my grandad, "the dead ancestor tours." And it was true for wife Valerie’s family. The Littlefield family of the Peggs community had stories of tragedy and triumph as well. The Peggs cyclone in May of 1920 left a lasting scar on that small Cherokee County community that is still evident today- 71 people lost their lives, 100 were injured during that storm. "Valerie’s family lost 15 family members during that tragedy. We often would go to the cemeteries Blue Spring and New Hope where they were laid to rest. It was an opportunity to share family stories of challenge and endurance," Hannah said.
Memories of his granny also were shared. "I grew up on a subsistence farm in Adair County. My Granny reminded us that ‘if it's not clucking or making noise in the backyard it's not for dinner’," he said.
As a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, then Principal Chief Wilma Mankiller tasked Hannah with numerous assignments ranging from officiating at the State of the Nation and Inaugural Ceremonies to co-chairing the Nation’s Private Industry Council. “It has been my honor to serve our people across four tribal administrations,” Hannah said. He would later go on to serve as Chairman of the 1999 Constitution Convention, Secretary-Treasurer of the Nation, and Chairman of Cherokee Nation Businesses.
His talk turned to art. "If you ask a Cherokee elder to describe beauty in our language, they will use a word to describe not only the art object; and the same word will be used to describe the making of that object. Beauty is found in the act of making a piece of pottery, or a basket, or even executing a difficult play in a stickball game. For the Cherokee, the word describes both the act and the end result.”
Hannah has a strong Cherokee linage. His grandmother descended from the Starrs and his grandfather the Stills.
Holding up a clay pot, he talked about the designs on the functionality of the piece, but also the artistic design that interpreted beliefs of the Cherokee. "Within the art forms of the Cherokee are embedded designs and meanings that have resonated across the generations. It was this marriage of art and functionality that transcends across the years," he said. “Bead work, pottery, basketry, weaving; they are each art forms born of practical life-ways, but each by process and product are viewed from a viewpoint of created beauty.”
The beginning of arts in Tahlequah arrived with the Cherokees, said Hannah. He also spoke of early art interpretations of events in the Cherokee Nation and addressed the famous painting by John Mix Stanley of the inter-tribal gathering called by Chief Ross in 1843. “The counsel was held in Tahlequah, not far from where we are gathered today," he said, "in that one historical glimpse into the past you can see the pan-cultural profile in the Tahlequah of that era with soldiers from Fort Gibson, federal agents, mixed-blood tribal leaders, and delegates in more traditional dress representing plains Indians.” As Vice President of the Descendants of the Seminarians, Hannah spoke to the importance of education among the Cherokee and the role that art played in the early curricula of the schools. His talk took a time-line walk through 19th and 20th Century Tahlequah with a focus on art forms as they developed from one generation to another. “We have always had a vibrant art community and legacy can be seen in murals by the Kiowa Five and a wide array of traditional and contemporary art across the years,” he said.
In the spring of 1989 Hannah returned to become the CEO of the Liberty State Bank and subsequently merged it into BancFirst later that summer. With the bank on firm footing, his attention turned to community involvement with arts and music playing a key role. During the early 90s, Tahlequah was an active arts community, Hannah said. As an avid guitar player, he soon met the Farinelli family and formed a lasting bond with Dr. Carl Farinelli and his musical family. "Young Jake worked for us at the bank while attending NSU and was one of most talented musicians I’ve ever known. The entire Farinelli family were a wellspring of song writing and instrumentalists. During the 1990s they were a musical staple in Tahlequah,” he said. Son Matt continues to write and perform in Nashville, and his dad promotes a love of music for all ages with his Angel Band, and as a member of 3F's band.
Also at that time Janet Stucky served as Executive Director of the Arts and Humanities Council of Tahlequah.
“It did not take long for Stucky to link with the resources of our bank.” Hannah said. “Eventually we provided more just monetary support for the arts council, we offered unused office space on the second floor and a larger space for an art gallery that featured works by local artists.” The Cherokee Nation has carried on the commitment to developing dedicated gallery and studio space in Tahlequah for local artist. This building, Cort Mall, with structural roots dating back to the National Hotel of the 1800s was acquired by the Cherokee Nation especially with an art gallery and market in mind. Chief Smith’s dedication to cultural tourism and preservation was key in acquiring and restoring buildings here in the downtown, said Hannah, “this commitment is continued by the Nation today."
"We should be the keepers of our own history," he said. "Museums, art galleries, studios, teaching environments, and a focus on the arts and humanities have played an important role in the re-development of the downtown and how we view our responsibility to tell the cultural story of our city and area.”
"A strong dedication to the arts in Tahlequah has made us better people," Hannah said. "Through art and the Cherokee concept of beauty in process and works is a story that continues to be told.”
"It's a great honor to come home," Hannah said in closing, "There is beauty around us, and it must be kept."
Columnist and historian Brad Agnew discuss Arts
The roots of arts and culture in Tahlequah and Oklahoma was the focus of Brad Agnew's talk for 2nd Sunday at 2 at Arts Council of Tahlequah Gallery in Cort Mall July 8 to a full house. A columnist and historian, he defined the community and climate of the arts in the 1900s. "Oklahoma was referred to as a cultural desert," said Agnew, showing a picture from John Stienbeck's dustbowl depiction in Grapes of Wrath on his slideshow, "but that wasn't true." Park Hill was called the Athen's of Indian Territory, Agnew said, "as some said the country between Philadelphia and LA was. Tahlequah was a very refined place with an opera house and Cherokee Seminary. not a cultural desert." Franklin Roosevelt created jobs, many were pick and ax, but also art, and murals, as part of the New Deal, he said. "The Kiowa 5 painted murals in Seminary Hall, Buffalo Hunt of a Kiowa Buffalo Hunt, and War Dance of a Kiowa War Dance, and one at the building where the Chamber of Commerce is now. Too bad they didn't think to use artists from tribes," Agnew said. The WPA employed musicians including an Orchestra in Oklahoma, photographers, writers like Angie Debo who created a travel guide and Grant Foreman documented through collecting stories about Oklahoman's including Dr. Joseph Thompson, who owned our Thompson House, he said, nodding at Beth Herrington seated on the front row. President Kennedy spotlighted the arts and culture and Johnson had a $10 million plan to promote the arts and created the National Endowment of the Arts and the National Endowment of the Humanities, he said.
Governor Bellman asked the Oklahoma Legislature to form an Oklahoma Arts Council, and Charles Banks Wilson received a grant to depict pioneers around the capitol. Martin Hagerstrand become chairman of the Oklahoma Arts Council and worked to further the growth of cultural life in Tahlequah, said Agnew. And Talmadge Stands was instrumental in shining a national light on Oklahoma arts. Joan Isom was the first president of the Arts Council of Tahlequah, showing the cooperation between the college and arts council from the beginning, Agnew said. The ACT also partnered with the Oklahoma Arts Council, bringing the Oklahoma City Symphony here to perform and Stan Kenton, who also gave a workshop. "The first activity of ACT, a reading by Gwendolyn Elizabeth Brooks of her own work, was October 1, 1973," he said. "I suspect there was effort to comply with segregation, which the area was one of the last and behind on complying." ACT sponsored a variety of programs, theater productions, the University of Oklahoma ballet, a prison art touring show. "Jeanette McQuitty was the second president, that year they featured local talent in King Lear, Dr. Valgene Littlefield and his daughter," said Agnew. "Tahlequah Community Playhouse grew out of that. It has really enriched the community."
From 1981 - 1999 Sound of Music, Music Man, Bye Bye Birdie, Carousel, South Pacific were popular shows, and the Tsa La Gi Amphitheater. "We used the New York City Performing Arts Repertory Theater for years, with programming for the public schools," he said, "Jim Malone was president during that time. We used Art Reach to bring drama to public schools, starting with the high schools to produce shows for the elementary schools."
Music reached many students with the Suzuki Violin method which Dixie Schmidt brought here, he said,
The Cherokee County Art Show was started about this time, and we had the Dogwood Festival between 1983-87, said Agnew, "the Tulsa Civic Ballet Theater performed Nutcracker every year and it was always well attended."
"In 1982 we brought Odessa Balalaikas here, Madame Butterfly, folk dance groups were extremely popular, we had Chanticleer when they were just starting out in 1990, they were very good and the St. Louis Brass Quintet in 1991. Who remembers these shows? And the piano duo Alan and Alvin Chow?"
Jon Finch and the Sequoyah Institute was a wonderful time, with a supportive president at NSU, Agnew said.
"Then government funding was slashed, and the golden age of arts starting in the 1960's declined," he said, "There had been an increase of funding by corporations from $15 to $700 million. And by 1987 ticket sales for arts events out sports!" Shrinking audiences and leisure time, soaring artistic fees, which led to increasing ticket prices all were like a perfect storm to cause a decline in ticket sales, he said. A century of under funding education and the infrastructure finds the Tahlequah of today with a quality of life having a little better ranking today, he said, explaining with a life story. "My daughter lives in California and when she visits, she paid ten times more for her home and ours is bigger and better, and she marvels at how easily we can get to Wal Mart," he said. As Agnew was ending his talk, he looked around the Art Gallery, telling his audience, "we're so glad to see another Arts Council. "
And open for questions and comments. "Tahlequah was never a cultural wasteland while I've been here," said Beth Herrington, "and audience members agreed.
The roots of arts and culture in Tahlequah and Oklahoma was the focus of Brad Agnew's talk for 2nd Sunday at 2 at Arts Council of Tahlequah Gallery in Cort Mall July 8 to a full house. A columnist and historian, he defined the community and climate of the arts in the 1900s. "Oklahoma was referred to as a cultural desert," said Agnew, showing a picture from John Stienbeck's dustbowl depiction in Grapes of Wrath on his slideshow, "but that wasn't true." Park Hill was called the Athen's of Indian Territory, Agnew said, "as some said the country between Philadelphia and LA was. Tahlequah was a very refined place with an opera house and Cherokee Seminary. not a cultural desert." Franklin Roosevelt created jobs, many were pick and ax, but also art, and murals, as part of the New Deal, he said. "The Kiowa 5 painted murals in Seminary Hall, Buffalo Hunt of a Kiowa Buffalo Hunt, and War Dance of a Kiowa War Dance, and one at the building where the Chamber of Commerce is now. Too bad they didn't think to use artists from tribes," Agnew said. The WPA employed musicians including an Orchestra in Oklahoma, photographers, writers like Angie Debo who created a travel guide and Grant Foreman documented through collecting stories about Oklahoman's including Dr. Joseph Thompson, who owned our Thompson House, he said, nodding at Beth Herrington seated on the front row. President Kennedy spotlighted the arts and culture and Johnson had a $10 million plan to promote the arts and created the National Endowment of the Arts and the National Endowment of the Humanities, he said.
Governor Bellman asked the Oklahoma Legislature to form an Oklahoma Arts Council, and Charles Banks Wilson received a grant to depict pioneers around the capitol. Martin Hagerstrand become chairman of the Oklahoma Arts Council and worked to further the growth of cultural life in Tahlequah, said Agnew. And Talmadge Stands was instrumental in shining a national light on Oklahoma arts. Joan Isom was the first president of the Arts Council of Tahlequah, showing the cooperation between the college and arts council from the beginning, Agnew said. The ACT also partnered with the Oklahoma Arts Council, bringing the Oklahoma City Symphony here to perform and Stan Kenton, who also gave a workshop. "The first activity of ACT, a reading by Gwendolyn Elizabeth Brooks of her own work, was October 1, 1973," he said. "I suspect there was effort to comply with segregation, which the area was one of the last and behind on complying." ACT sponsored a variety of programs, theater productions, the University of Oklahoma ballet, a prison art touring show. "Jeanette McQuitty was the second president, that year they featured local talent in King Lear, Dr. Valgene Littlefield and his daughter," said Agnew. "Tahlequah Community Playhouse grew out of that. It has really enriched the community."
From 1981 - 1999 Sound of Music, Music Man, Bye Bye Birdie, Carousel, South Pacific were popular shows, and the Tsa La Gi Amphitheater. "We used the New York City Performing Arts Repertory Theater for years, with programming for the public schools," he said, "Jim Malone was president during that time. We used Art Reach to bring drama to public schools, starting with the high schools to produce shows for the elementary schools."
Music reached many students with the Suzuki Violin method which Dixie Schmidt brought here, he said,
The Cherokee County Art Show was started about this time, and we had the Dogwood Festival between 1983-87, said Agnew, "the Tulsa Civic Ballet Theater performed Nutcracker every year and it was always well attended."
"In 1982 we brought Odessa Balalaikas here, Madame Butterfly, folk dance groups were extremely popular, we had Chanticleer when they were just starting out in 1990, they were very good and the St. Louis Brass Quintet in 1991. Who remembers these shows? And the piano duo Alan and Alvin Chow?"
Jon Finch and the Sequoyah Institute was a wonderful time, with a supportive president at NSU, Agnew said.
"Then government funding was slashed, and the golden age of arts starting in the 1960's declined," he said, "There had been an increase of funding by corporations from $15 to $700 million. And by 1987 ticket sales for arts events out sports!" Shrinking audiences and leisure time, soaring artistic fees, which led to increasing ticket prices all were like a perfect storm to cause a decline in ticket sales, he said. A century of under funding education and the infrastructure finds the Tahlequah of today with a quality of life having a little better ranking today, he said, explaining with a life story. "My daughter lives in California and when she visits, she paid ten times more for her home and ours is bigger and better, and she marvels at how easily we can get to Wal Mart," he said. As Agnew was ending his talk, he looked around the Art Gallery, telling his audience, "we're so glad to see another Arts Council. "
And open for questions and comments. "Tahlequah was never a cultural wasteland while I've been here," said Beth Herrington, "and audience members agreed.
Judge Lynn, Paula Burris share memories, history and fondness for each other at 2nd Sunday at 2 in June
Entertaining those at June's 2nd Sunday at 2 series with stories of Tahlequah over the past 30 years, their marriage, youth and obvious affection for each other were Judge Lynn and Paula Burris.
This monthly history series sponsored by the Arts Council of Tahlequah features different aspects of mostly local history, by both historians and community members. Brad Agnew will be the July 8th speaker, with Ed Fite in August and Jay Hannah in September, kicking off the second year.
Judge Burris opted to speak first, with facts, "I don't know how much you all know about land, but there's been a lot of issues with land over the years. An abstract is a title to your land. All owners need a clean title of record, with no leans of question of ownership. Leans need a release or a quiet title. In the 30s, lots of lean companies went out of business."
"The court house had old characters, odors and smells. Some old characters used to get drunk in the old gazebo and gol to jail, Burris said. "Did you know in the 1920s the cupola burned? My father-in-law [Paul Tarkington] told me about how he was trying to help put out the fire and got put in jail? They kept alcohol up in the cupola so it really burned."
Did you remember in the late 20s the tornado in Peggs? Burris asked, "he was there helping, too."
Paula inserted, "my interest in history is from dad and the stories he told.
"I floated the river with Paula's dad for years, he had a beautiful canoe, and told me many stories and the names of the holes around 1919," said Burris, who also coached high school football and track for three years in Independence, Mo. before law school.
In May of 1979 the old court house was moved into current Cherokee County Court House, he said.
Originally from Muskogee, Burris graduated from law school in 1968 from the University of Oklahoma. He had already met Paula at Northeastern, and they returned here in the 1970s.
"I practiced law in the old juris prudence system, lay people could practice law then," he said.
Since then people have called me every year, "to ask me who to vote for."
"Judge Bill Bliss was our first district judge, I was the second the second district judge, all the district judges have come from the the district attorney's office, it's kind of unusual for it to be a stepping stone from the DAs office to judge," he said.
Now, he said, "I'm going to teach you to think outside the box."
"If you can't do math you have to see it, like a calendar, you can see math," Burris said. "It's important to read, read, read and do a little thinking."
What do December, decimal and decade have in common? he asked.
"Dec, meaning 10," he said, "and what do Julius Ceasar and Augustus Ceasar have in common? Months were named for them, July and August.
Peering a little farther into his past, Burris also shared a few memories of and family and football days.
"I had five sisters, there were six boys. I'm ninth and my twin tenth," he started.
They grew up in Muskogee."
"We were all at OU, they were state champs for several years. In the fall of 1954 I was there and part of the 1956 National Championship team," he said. "In January of '58 I came here [Tahlequah] to play football."
It was a lot of fun at OU, "we spent a lot of time practicing. I had a scholarship."
Football also taught life lessons, like winning and losing.
"There were good football players on both teams, but you could tell a winner by his demeanor after a game, not by who won or lost a game," Burris said. "When you win you don't look back. I looked back when we had a loss to see how people lose."
Bud Wilkinson taught character, Burris said, "and a fine gentleman."
Memories of growing up for Tahlequah native Paula Burris included fun times of youth.
Logan House was city hospital, James and Jane Bond live there now, she said.
"My father loved Tahlequah. My mother was his first love, I was his second and Tahlequah third," Burris said, "my mother and father were educators."
With a glance to the busy Sunday traffic outside Cort Mall along Muskogee Avenue, she said, "there was very little traffic here when I grew up, Main Street is longer than it used to be due to building."
Where Kimberly's is now used to be a soda fountain, Strauss and across the street was another one, Crew's, where Meig's is, and Hind's Department Store used to be, she said.
"We used to go there after school," Burris said, "and to the movies, Thompson, Sequoyah and Dream Theater in town and one drive-in. There were Saturday and Sunday matinees, it was our social hour."
Bagley was in the college Education Building. The high school had no cafeteria at that time, she said, "so we were allowed to walk into town, to Ideal Cafe with Judy Ward, she was a great cook and a character, the Red Man Shop
and Opal's Cafe, Tastee Freeze was another gathering place."
Paula and friends also shopped at Ben Franklins and Towry's Five and Dime.
There were a lot of parades. Burris grew up on a farm in the area where daughter Amber and son-in-law Buck have Spring Hollow Feeds now.
"I rode horses at home and in the parades," she said, the memory recalling happy times and putting a serene smile across her face, "and I was fortunate of having my dad as sixth grade teacher."
What she recalled, though was her only time to get in trouble with him, much to her surprise.
"We had old wood desks, the seats folded up and as I leaped over he came into the room. I knew I could talk him out of it," she said, "but it was the only spanking I ever had in school."
Sandy Fitzgerald shared about the Nasturtium Garden Club in May
Sandy Fitzgerald began her 2nd Sunday at 2 history talk on May 20 at Cort Mall with a question, "what is your idea of a garden club? Maybe a tea party in a garden, or socialites gossiping over coffee, talking about who knows who or what? Not!"
The May speaker of the monthly Arts Council of Tahlequah history and humanities series wove a funny and interesting picture of Tahlequah through its beautification progress from before statehood, then on to how volunteers today continue on that work.
A highlight of the year is a garden tour in June.
"To top off our year we have a tour right here in Tahlequah!," Fitzgerald said. "For our June meeting, we traditionally enjoy a yard and garden tour of three of our member’s gardens. It is fun to see different plant and yard art arrangements. We learn about using new plants and get ideas about landscaping with all shapes and sizes of plants."
The community is invited to participate in the tour, and encouraged to volunteer and learn more about gardening, she said.
"Fast forward today, another face of Garden Club: We love to learn about gardening," said Fitzgarald, from behind a fairy garden and yard glass art piece displayed on the table in front of her.
Hands-on programs have varied from pruning to propagating plants, to identifying drought tolerant plants.
"We have learned how to make our own rain barrels to catch rain water, how to identify and cook wild edible plants, how to use natural ingredients for organic mulch, how to keep bees for pollination and how to set up sprinkler systems in our home gardens," she said.
Workshops to make hypertuffa pots, colored glass garden sun catchers and fairy gardens have been popular, she said, "and fun to enjoy with kids and grand kids."
A plant exchange is part of every meeting, with members bringing free plants from home gardens to give to anyone that wants them.
And the group has visited gardening sites.
"We have had run-outs to OSU to visit their demonstration gardens, or to Tulsa Gardening Center to tour the Linnaus Teaching Garden," she said. "These are wonderful learning experiences!
All summer long, she said, "we love volunteering in gardens, wearing our GCT-shirts."
The Sequoyah City Park, the library gardens and curb-side bump-out gardens on Main Street bloom beautifully, and weed-free thanks to the efforts of volunteers with the club.
"We have recently planted three trees in the park at Bluff and Downing, planted multiple perennials and annuals on Main Street, weeded and mulched at the library, and we have done major weeding in the Hosta/Purple Heart garden at Bluff and Downing," said Fitzgerald, encouraging enthusiasm from passer's by for the volunteers. "We love it when you come by the gardens and honk and thank us. We would love it even more, if you would come join in the fun and volunteer with us."
Volunteers typically work on Thursday mornings all summer, or Thursday evenings at 6 p.m. for working adults.
"One does not have to be a member to come and help, while learning about gardening," she said.
As for the history, it began with a flourish from Fitzgerald's hand, like waving a wand so listeners were transported back in time.
First of all, the history of garden club is tied up with the history of Sequoyah Park and the Cherokee Nation, she said.
"In 1832, at the end of the Trail of Tears, the Cherokees selected Tahlequah as their capital because this area was an oasis, with plenty of water available, and it was in the beautiful foothills of the Ozark Mountains," she said.
During this time Sequoyah Park was a favorite gathering area for Cherokee visitors coming into town for tribal councils and the dispensing of justice, she said, "the Cherokee People camped along a fresh water spring in the park that is still alive and well and running and protected by a spring house."
The wide, shallow creek nearby now known as Town Branch was a favorite swimming and bathing area for the campers, said Fitzgerald.
"Today it is still enjoyed by all ages, especially kids, for wading and cooling off," she said. "Along both sides of the town branch, the area was preserved and named Sequoyah Park in honor of the great Cherokee silversmith who created the Cherokee alphabet."
By the 1900s eight garden clubs had emerged to help beautify the area, named after famous flowers such as Rose, Iris, Geraniums, and so forth. The Nasturtium Garden club, named after the nasturtium flower, was founded in 1932 during the great depression era.
"All the Garden clubs worked together to make the park look good for the benefit of Tahlequah and all its citizens," she said. "The hillside was divided up into eight areas and each garden club had a designated plot to keep the grass and saplings down and mainly planted small flowering trees, dogwood, crabapple, flowering peach and redbud among the indigenous trees already there."
To keep them alive, water had to be carried up the slopes during hot weather. Husbands and families of members helped to haul water. Eventually many of those original trees died. It was difficult to lug enough water up the steep hills to keep them alive during times of drought.
"Then the garden clubs had the idea to begin attending the city council meetings to request a watering system. Eventually their persistence paid off, and today all the gardens in the park have irrigation systems. This is why we are able to enjoy beautiful trees, bushes and flowers blooming in the park," Fitzgerald said.
From September through June the garden club meets at Brookside House in the park, on the first Monday of each month at 7 p.m. to accommodate working adults. Membership is open to men and women. Contact Fitzgerald at 918-931-1075. Read the rest of the history story of the Nasturtium Club at www.artscounciltahlequah.com
The rest of her story!!!
Over time 7 of the clubs stopped meeting as original members became too aged to perform the physical tasks needed to be active gardeners. During the 1970s and 80s Nasturtium Garden club began aggressively soliciting members from younger, more able-bodied age groups to continue the work they wished to accomplish.
Today members are working adults, work at home adults and retired adults, all working together, with a love of gardening, from Ft Gibson to Leach, to Little Kansas.
From the 1990s though 2005 the Nasturtium Garden Club, with the help of Charles Poteet, head of today’s park department, began to design and build many more gardens in the park. Garden club holds an appreciation lunch for him and his crew every December. The accomplishments of garden club in our city park would not have happened without his co-operation and assistance through the years, she said.
Garden Club would come up with the shape and dimensions of a proposed garden, (thanks mainly to her husband, David Fitzgerald,retired NSU Math professor.) He would draw it out on computer and we would then present the idea to Charles Poteet.
"Charles would get budget approval for the lumber and supplies, then have his crew build the new bed, install the watering system, and fill it with soil," she said.
Garden club would either purchase plants for the new garden, or receive them free from a plant nursery. With the help of the park dept, the guys would dig holes, and garden club would help get the plants out of pots and into the ground.
First Azalea Gardens were established, which cascaded all the way down the hill in several tiers, then a big garden on Bluff St was created, built around two ancient rock posts. We call it the Arch Bed because a six foot arch was designed (by her husband on his computer) then built and welded by D&Z Welding, and installed between the old posts. For this garden, plants were purchased from Green Country Gardens. Mr. Carol Germany, owner, came and laid out the design and 10 garden club members and friends helped plant the garden.
Gardens were added one after so that today there are over 20 different ones that bloom at different times all summer, to greatly add to the beauty of our city.
A couple of Fitzgerald's favorites are the 50 feet of Knock Out Roses along Bluff Street. All these roses were given to the city by Greenleaf Nursery. The park dept. dug holes and garden club helped plant the roses. Then there is the large garden of pink, rose and purple Crepe Myrtles at the corner of Shawnee and Bluff. These were purchased by garden club from Lowes in Muskogee before we had a Lowes in Tahlequah and planted by a crew from garden club.
A favorite of many are the large gardens at the corner of Bluff and Downing Streets, said Fitzgerald.
" This garden has been planted with Hostas, and Purple Heart and is graced by several dogwood trees in the middle," she said. "Today garden club helps with weeding, but the big heavy jobs, such as mulching all the gardens and pruning trees and bushes is done by the park dept crew. It is way too much heavy work for garden club. "
As for memberships, said Fitzgerald, "you will be surprised to know, our dues are only $10 per year and have been for as long as any of us can remember. A person can join at any time! We are not a money making organization, and dues are used to pay for signs for Yard of the Month signs and ink for Business Landscape Award certificates, and to reimburse members for workshop supplies."
From September through—June, meetings are at Brookside House in the park, on the first Monday of each month at 7 p.m., to accommodate working adults. Membership is open to men and women, and we have been lucky to have had several men in our membership through the years. Although not a member, Fitzgerald's husband also designed business cards, so they are lucky to have a willing volunteer in the computer dept who works for free, she said.
"We are a very friendly group, from all walks of life, and enjoy gardening, and learning and talking about gardening. We always welcome new members, so we can keep the gardening tradition going, and going in Tahlequah, otherwise we’ll be going, going gone!"
Contact Sandy Fitzgerald, Park beautification- Nasturtium Garden Club, 918-931-1075
April 2nd Sunday at 2 was Jennifer Frazee with Hunter's Home
Jennifer Frazee, on staff with Hunter's Home, was the featured 2nd Sunday at 2 speaker for April. April 8 at 2 p.m. at the Arts Council of Tahlequah (ACT) Art Gallery, the focus of Frazee's talk was over the history of Hunter's Home, the recent name change, and exciting changes in the future!
A Historical Interpreter II at Hunter's Home, Frazee develops living history and educational programming and curriculum as well as manages the care of collections. She received her Associates Degree at Connors State College before attending Northeastern State University, where she received her Bachelor's Degree in History and her Master of Arts degree in American Studies . Frazee has been at Hunter's Home, formerly the George M. Murrell Home Museum, for more than five years and enjoys bringing the history of the site alive for visitors and anyone else she can talk to. She is also on the board of the Arts Council of Tahlequah where she enjoys immersing herself in the local art of the community. Last year many of the painters with Plein Air Red Fern featured the Murrell Home in their art.
A speakers program started in September with a presentation by Beth Herrington, this monthly history and humanities series offers a unique and interesting topic of history each month, and will continue in May with Sandy Fitzgerald of the Nasturtium Garden Club, Judge Lynn and Paula Burris in June, Jay Hannah in July and Ed Fite in August to finish the first year of 2nd Sunday at 2.
The 2nd Sunday at 2 program is free and open to the public. Cort Mall is located in downtown Tahlequah at 215 S. Muskogee Avenue. Membership to ACT is $20 annually. All proceeds go to support area arts, artists and quality of life events like, "2nd Sunday at 2." Also the new Art Gallery will be open and visitors can see and purchase original watercolor, acrylic and oil paintings and prints of 10 artists from around the state or a hand-crafted tank drum made by Bob Taylor.
Entertaining those at June's 2nd Sunday at 2 series with stories of Tahlequah over the past 30 years, their marriage, youth and obvious affection for each other were Judge Lynn and Paula Burris.
This monthly history series sponsored by the Arts Council of Tahlequah features different aspects of mostly local history, by both historians and community members. Brad Agnew will be the July 8th speaker, with Ed Fite in August and Jay Hannah in September, kicking off the second year.
Judge Burris opted to speak first, with facts, "I don't know how much you all know about land, but there's been a lot of issues with land over the years. An abstract is a title to your land. All owners need a clean title of record, with no leans of question of ownership. Leans need a release or a quiet title. In the 30s, lots of lean companies went out of business."
"The court house had old characters, odors and smells. Some old characters used to get drunk in the old gazebo and gol to jail, Burris said. "Did you know in the 1920s the cupola burned? My father-in-law [Paul Tarkington] told me about how he was trying to help put out the fire and got put in jail? They kept alcohol up in the cupola so it really burned."
Did you remember in the late 20s the tornado in Peggs? Burris asked, "he was there helping, too."
Paula inserted, "my interest in history is from dad and the stories he told.
"I floated the river with Paula's dad for years, he had a beautiful canoe, and told me many stories and the names of the holes around 1919," said Burris, who also coached high school football and track for three years in Independence, Mo. before law school.
In May of 1979 the old court house was moved into current Cherokee County Court House, he said.
Originally from Muskogee, Burris graduated from law school in 1968 from the University of Oklahoma. He had already met Paula at Northeastern, and they returned here in the 1970s.
"I practiced law in the old juris prudence system, lay people could practice law then," he said.
Since then people have called me every year, "to ask me who to vote for."
"Judge Bill Bliss was our first district judge, I was the second the second district judge, all the district judges have come from the the district attorney's office, it's kind of unusual for it to be a stepping stone from the DAs office to judge," he said.
Now, he said, "I'm going to teach you to think outside the box."
"If you can't do math you have to see it, like a calendar, you can see math," Burris said. "It's important to read, read, read and do a little thinking."
What do December, decimal and decade have in common? he asked.
"Dec, meaning 10," he said, "and what do Julius Ceasar and Augustus Ceasar have in common? Months were named for them, July and August.
Peering a little farther into his past, Burris also shared a few memories of and family and football days.
"I had five sisters, there were six boys. I'm ninth and my twin tenth," he started.
They grew up in Muskogee."
"We were all at OU, they were state champs for several years. In the fall of 1954 I was there and part of the 1956 National Championship team," he said. "In January of '58 I came here [Tahlequah] to play football."
It was a lot of fun at OU, "we spent a lot of time practicing. I had a scholarship."
Football also taught life lessons, like winning and losing.
"There were good football players on both teams, but you could tell a winner by his demeanor after a game, not by who won or lost a game," Burris said. "When you win you don't look back. I looked back when we had a loss to see how people lose."
Bud Wilkinson taught character, Burris said, "and a fine gentleman."
Memories of growing up for Tahlequah native Paula Burris included fun times of youth.
Logan House was city hospital, James and Jane Bond live there now, she said.
"My father loved Tahlequah. My mother was his first love, I was his second and Tahlequah third," Burris said, "my mother and father were educators."
With a glance to the busy Sunday traffic outside Cort Mall along Muskogee Avenue, she said, "there was very little traffic here when I grew up, Main Street is longer than it used to be due to building."
Where Kimberly's is now used to be a soda fountain, Strauss and across the street was another one, Crew's, where Meig's is, and Hind's Department Store used to be, she said.
"We used to go there after school," Burris said, "and to the movies, Thompson, Sequoyah and Dream Theater in town and one drive-in. There were Saturday and Sunday matinees, it was our social hour."
Bagley was in the college Education Building. The high school had no cafeteria at that time, she said, "so we were allowed to walk into town, to Ideal Cafe with Judy Ward, she was a great cook and a character, the Red Man Shop
and Opal's Cafe, Tastee Freeze was another gathering place."
Paula and friends also shopped at Ben Franklins and Towry's Five and Dime.
There were a lot of parades. Burris grew up on a farm in the area where daughter Amber and son-in-law Buck have Spring Hollow Feeds now.
"I rode horses at home and in the parades," she said, the memory recalling happy times and putting a serene smile across her face, "and I was fortunate of having my dad as sixth grade teacher."
What she recalled, though was her only time to get in trouble with him, much to her surprise.
"We had old wood desks, the seats folded up and as I leaped over he came into the room. I knew I could talk him out of it," she said, "but it was the only spanking I ever had in school."
Sandy Fitzgerald shared about the Nasturtium Garden Club in May
Sandy Fitzgerald began her 2nd Sunday at 2 history talk on May 20 at Cort Mall with a question, "what is your idea of a garden club? Maybe a tea party in a garden, or socialites gossiping over coffee, talking about who knows who or what? Not!"
The May speaker of the monthly Arts Council of Tahlequah history and humanities series wove a funny and interesting picture of Tahlequah through its beautification progress from before statehood, then on to how volunteers today continue on that work.
A highlight of the year is a garden tour in June.
"To top off our year we have a tour right here in Tahlequah!," Fitzgerald said. "For our June meeting, we traditionally enjoy a yard and garden tour of three of our member’s gardens. It is fun to see different plant and yard art arrangements. We learn about using new plants and get ideas about landscaping with all shapes and sizes of plants."
The community is invited to participate in the tour, and encouraged to volunteer and learn more about gardening, she said.
"Fast forward today, another face of Garden Club: We love to learn about gardening," said Fitzgarald, from behind a fairy garden and yard glass art piece displayed on the table in front of her.
Hands-on programs have varied from pruning to propagating plants, to identifying drought tolerant plants.
"We have learned how to make our own rain barrels to catch rain water, how to identify and cook wild edible plants, how to use natural ingredients for organic mulch, how to keep bees for pollination and how to set up sprinkler systems in our home gardens," she said.
Workshops to make hypertuffa pots, colored glass garden sun catchers and fairy gardens have been popular, she said, "and fun to enjoy with kids and grand kids."
A plant exchange is part of every meeting, with members bringing free plants from home gardens to give to anyone that wants them.
And the group has visited gardening sites.
"We have had run-outs to OSU to visit their demonstration gardens, or to Tulsa Gardening Center to tour the Linnaus Teaching Garden," she said. "These are wonderful learning experiences!
All summer long, she said, "we love volunteering in gardens, wearing our GCT-shirts."
The Sequoyah City Park, the library gardens and curb-side bump-out gardens on Main Street bloom beautifully, and weed-free thanks to the efforts of volunteers with the club.
"We have recently planted three trees in the park at Bluff and Downing, planted multiple perennials and annuals on Main Street, weeded and mulched at the library, and we have done major weeding in the Hosta/Purple Heart garden at Bluff and Downing," said Fitzgerald, encouraging enthusiasm from passer's by for the volunteers. "We love it when you come by the gardens and honk and thank us. We would love it even more, if you would come join in the fun and volunteer with us."
Volunteers typically work on Thursday mornings all summer, or Thursday evenings at 6 p.m. for working adults.
"One does not have to be a member to come and help, while learning about gardening," she said.
As for the history, it began with a flourish from Fitzgerald's hand, like waving a wand so listeners were transported back in time.
First of all, the history of garden club is tied up with the history of Sequoyah Park and the Cherokee Nation, she said.
"In 1832, at the end of the Trail of Tears, the Cherokees selected Tahlequah as their capital because this area was an oasis, with plenty of water available, and it was in the beautiful foothills of the Ozark Mountains," she said.
During this time Sequoyah Park was a favorite gathering area for Cherokee visitors coming into town for tribal councils and the dispensing of justice, she said, "the Cherokee People camped along a fresh water spring in the park that is still alive and well and running and protected by a spring house."
The wide, shallow creek nearby now known as Town Branch was a favorite swimming and bathing area for the campers, said Fitzgerald.
"Today it is still enjoyed by all ages, especially kids, for wading and cooling off," she said. "Along both sides of the town branch, the area was preserved and named Sequoyah Park in honor of the great Cherokee silversmith who created the Cherokee alphabet."
By the 1900s eight garden clubs had emerged to help beautify the area, named after famous flowers such as Rose, Iris, Geraniums, and so forth. The Nasturtium Garden club, named after the nasturtium flower, was founded in 1932 during the great depression era.
"All the Garden clubs worked together to make the park look good for the benefit of Tahlequah and all its citizens," she said. "The hillside was divided up into eight areas and each garden club had a designated plot to keep the grass and saplings down and mainly planted small flowering trees, dogwood, crabapple, flowering peach and redbud among the indigenous trees already there."
To keep them alive, water had to be carried up the slopes during hot weather. Husbands and families of members helped to haul water. Eventually many of those original trees died. It was difficult to lug enough water up the steep hills to keep them alive during times of drought.
"Then the garden clubs had the idea to begin attending the city council meetings to request a watering system. Eventually their persistence paid off, and today all the gardens in the park have irrigation systems. This is why we are able to enjoy beautiful trees, bushes and flowers blooming in the park," Fitzgerald said.
From September through June the garden club meets at Brookside House in the park, on the first Monday of each month at 7 p.m. to accommodate working adults. Membership is open to men and women. Contact Fitzgerald at 918-931-1075. Read the rest of the history story of the Nasturtium Club at www.artscounciltahlequah.com
The rest of her story!!!
Over time 7 of the clubs stopped meeting as original members became too aged to perform the physical tasks needed to be active gardeners. During the 1970s and 80s Nasturtium Garden club began aggressively soliciting members from younger, more able-bodied age groups to continue the work they wished to accomplish.
Today members are working adults, work at home adults and retired adults, all working together, with a love of gardening, from Ft Gibson to Leach, to Little Kansas.
From the 1990s though 2005 the Nasturtium Garden Club, with the help of Charles Poteet, head of today’s park department, began to design and build many more gardens in the park. Garden club holds an appreciation lunch for him and his crew every December. The accomplishments of garden club in our city park would not have happened without his co-operation and assistance through the years, she said.
Garden Club would come up with the shape and dimensions of a proposed garden, (thanks mainly to her husband, David Fitzgerald,retired NSU Math professor.) He would draw it out on computer and we would then present the idea to Charles Poteet.
"Charles would get budget approval for the lumber and supplies, then have his crew build the new bed, install the watering system, and fill it with soil," she said.
Garden club would either purchase plants for the new garden, or receive them free from a plant nursery. With the help of the park dept, the guys would dig holes, and garden club would help get the plants out of pots and into the ground.
First Azalea Gardens were established, which cascaded all the way down the hill in several tiers, then a big garden on Bluff St was created, built around two ancient rock posts. We call it the Arch Bed because a six foot arch was designed (by her husband on his computer) then built and welded by D&Z Welding, and installed between the old posts. For this garden, plants were purchased from Green Country Gardens. Mr. Carol Germany, owner, came and laid out the design and 10 garden club members and friends helped plant the garden.
Gardens were added one after so that today there are over 20 different ones that bloom at different times all summer, to greatly add to the beauty of our city.
A couple of Fitzgerald's favorites are the 50 feet of Knock Out Roses along Bluff Street. All these roses were given to the city by Greenleaf Nursery. The park dept. dug holes and garden club helped plant the roses. Then there is the large garden of pink, rose and purple Crepe Myrtles at the corner of Shawnee and Bluff. These were purchased by garden club from Lowes in Muskogee before we had a Lowes in Tahlequah and planted by a crew from garden club.
A favorite of many are the large gardens at the corner of Bluff and Downing Streets, said Fitzgerald.
" This garden has been planted with Hostas, and Purple Heart and is graced by several dogwood trees in the middle," she said. "Today garden club helps with weeding, but the big heavy jobs, such as mulching all the gardens and pruning trees and bushes is done by the park dept crew. It is way too much heavy work for garden club. "
As for memberships, said Fitzgerald, "you will be surprised to know, our dues are only $10 per year and have been for as long as any of us can remember. A person can join at any time! We are not a money making organization, and dues are used to pay for signs for Yard of the Month signs and ink for Business Landscape Award certificates, and to reimburse members for workshop supplies."
From September through—June, meetings are at Brookside House in the park, on the first Monday of each month at 7 p.m., to accommodate working adults. Membership is open to men and women, and we have been lucky to have had several men in our membership through the years. Although not a member, Fitzgerald's husband also designed business cards, so they are lucky to have a willing volunteer in the computer dept who works for free, she said.
"We are a very friendly group, from all walks of life, and enjoy gardening, and learning and talking about gardening. We always welcome new members, so we can keep the gardening tradition going, and going in Tahlequah, otherwise we’ll be going, going gone!"
Contact Sandy Fitzgerald, Park beautification- Nasturtium Garden Club, 918-931-1075
April 2nd Sunday at 2 was Jennifer Frazee with Hunter's Home
Jennifer Frazee, on staff with Hunter's Home, was the featured 2nd Sunday at 2 speaker for April. April 8 at 2 p.m. at the Arts Council of Tahlequah (ACT) Art Gallery, the focus of Frazee's talk was over the history of Hunter's Home, the recent name change, and exciting changes in the future!
A Historical Interpreter II at Hunter's Home, Frazee develops living history and educational programming and curriculum as well as manages the care of collections. She received her Associates Degree at Connors State College before attending Northeastern State University, where she received her Bachelor's Degree in History and her Master of Arts degree in American Studies . Frazee has been at Hunter's Home, formerly the George M. Murrell Home Museum, for more than five years and enjoys bringing the history of the site alive for visitors and anyone else she can talk to. She is also on the board of the Arts Council of Tahlequah where she enjoys immersing herself in the local art of the community. Last year many of the painters with Plein Air Red Fern featured the Murrell Home in their art.
A speakers program started in September with a presentation by Beth Herrington, this monthly history and humanities series offers a unique and interesting topic of history each month, and will continue in May with Sandy Fitzgerald of the Nasturtium Garden Club, Judge Lynn and Paula Burris in June, Jay Hannah in July and Ed Fite in August to finish the first year of 2nd Sunday at 2.
The 2nd Sunday at 2 program is free and open to the public. Cort Mall is located in downtown Tahlequah at 215 S. Muskogee Avenue. Membership to ACT is $20 annually. All proceeds go to support area arts, artists and quality of life events like, "2nd Sunday at 2." Also the new Art Gallery will be open and visitors can see and purchase original watercolor, acrylic and oil paintings and prints of 10 artists from around the state or a hand-crafted tank drum made by Bob Taylor.
March 2nd Sunday at 2 speaker was Dr. Harold Aldridge,
who performed and discussed History of Blues.
Sunday, March 11 at 2 at Cort Mall, the sixth in the series of history and humanities programs.
The new ACT program offers a unique and interesting speaker each month, and will continue in April with Cultural Interpreter Jennifer Frazee with the Murrell Home, Sandy Fitzgerald of the Nasturtium Garden Club in May, Judge Lynn and Paula Burris in June, Jay Hannah in July and Ed Fite in August to finish the first year of 2nd Sunday at 2.
The 2nd Sunday at 2 program is free and open to the public. Cort Mall is located in downtown Tahlequah at 215 S. Muskogee Avenue. Membership to ACT is $20 annually. All proceeds go to support area arts, artists and quality of life events like, "2nd Sunday at 2." Also the new ACT Art Gallery will be open and visitors can see and purchase original watercolor, acrylic and oil paintings and prints of 10 artists from around the state or a hand-crafted tank drum made by Bob Taylor.
who performed and discussed History of Blues.
Sunday, March 11 at 2 at Cort Mall, the sixth in the series of history and humanities programs.
The new ACT program offers a unique and interesting speaker each month, and will continue in April with Cultural Interpreter Jennifer Frazee with the Murrell Home, Sandy Fitzgerald of the Nasturtium Garden Club in May, Judge Lynn and Paula Burris in June, Jay Hannah in July and Ed Fite in August to finish the first year of 2nd Sunday at 2.
The 2nd Sunday at 2 program is free and open to the public. Cort Mall is located in downtown Tahlequah at 215 S. Muskogee Avenue. Membership to ACT is $20 annually. All proceeds go to support area arts, artists and quality of life events like, "2nd Sunday at 2." Also the new ACT Art Gallery will be open and visitors can see and purchase original watercolor, acrylic and oil paintings and prints of 10 artists from around the state or a hand-crafted tank drum made by Bob Taylor.
