If you've been keeping up with me, you may know that I love the city of El Reno, Oklahoma, and I may actually end up moving there in May of 2026. I may end up in Yukon, which is just 9 miles east of El Reno and 6 miles west of Oklahoma City, but I'm hoping I can get a good deal in Canadian County's seat, which is El Reno. That's the plan, but if it ends up being Yukon or even Mustang, I'll be one happy camper. It really is a lovely, quieter, nicer place to live, and I'm looking forward to it. (not moving, but living there.)
Today, I visited the Canadian County Historical Museum, located in the historic Rock Island Depot in El Reno. There are several buildings in the museum, and I went into three. I was going to go into them all, but I want to save something for when Jeannie can go with me. I'm sure we'll go again sometime soon. If you're in the area, it's only $5 and it's worth every last penny!
I am not kidding when I say I took over 300 photos today of the wonderful collections from so many people and places. It was amazingly interesting from the standpoint that all of what I saw took place years and years ago, and it literally occurred on the grounds and surrounding areas where I was standing. I love a good museum, and this one does not disappoint. If they had a building 3x as large, they could fill it up with all the things crammed into that one, and no doubt do each exhibit justice. I would love to fund that if I ever get rich enough!
I went through the depot, and I went through the red barn. I'd love to upload all the photos somewhere and provide a link to them, but to be honest, you really need to visit there yourself to see everything. I bought a coffee mug for $5! You can't do that in most places. I will say that the place is dusty, and if they had a dozen workers or volunteers, they could keep it a little cleaner. However, there are only volunteers there, and I assume the county dusts it from time to time. You'd have to be really careful with so many of the exhibits.
One of the main reasons I went today was to gather as much information as possible about what Nick Posh would have seen, heard, used, or experienced in 1934 in El Reno. I saw many photos of children wearing overalls and little frilly dresses. I saw something I guess I never knew existed, and that was a carpet sweeper; the type you push. I don't know why I never knew they existed before the 1970s! They did.
There is an old hotel there, but I couldn't go up the stairs. My sciatica was killing me, and I just couldn't force myself to do it, not safely. I wish I wasn't old and breaking apart, but as long as there is breath in me, I will praise God that there is breath in me! Speaking of that, I came across an old 1919 autograph book with people's names and sweet sayings inside. You didn't just sign them, you wrote notes, really kind things to people. One of them was a hymn from around the turn of the 20th Century. It's a lovely song, and someone wrote the refrain in the autograph book.
"Living, He loved me. Dying, He saved me. Buried, He carried my sins far away. Rising, He justified, freely forever. One day He's coming, oh glorious day!"
To see that written in ink over 100 years ago, in an autograph book in a museum, simply made my day. I know someday I'll meet the woman who owned the book, and I'll tell her I appreciated her faith. So many days, nights, lives, and stories are wrapped up inside each of the exhibits. Cowboys, Natives, children, grocers, rail workers, soldiers, and so many more. Canadian County hosted (and still does) Ft. Reno, and the Rock Island railway. It's known for having been the place where onion burgers were invented, too! Such diversity.
No matter where I end up moving, I will always cherish El Reno and love its history, present, and people. I will likely be seen wearing an El Reno Indians sweatshirt rather than a Yukon Miller's sweater, but that's a preference thing; it goes back to when I attended Putnam City West. Yukon was a rival; El Reno was not.
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