Sojourn 2021: Bearing Witness or seeking truth to power at Indian Territory: Part 4, Fairfax, Oklahoma, We hardly knew you (July 2022)
“Fairfax will become a destination for thousands who want to know more about what happened here in the 1920s...”
There is this strange phenomena that occurs when you go searching for history. Especially now that we have the internet. You could (and do) spend way too much time chasing down information. And so true to what I had learned early on about the dangers of this endeavor= always consider your source, the date of the publication, and who wrote the publication. The schisms between the indigenous and white settlers are both deep-seated and often resulted in terrible and tragic events.
This internet archive gem was written in 1906 by Philip Dickerson. Hmmm, I first wonder, "who is this dude and why did he get to write and publish a 156 page history of an group of people with a long history on the land that became the United States?" The second thing, remembering that Oklahoma didn't become a state until 1907 was thrown up there to float around into my brain.
I got angry and lost just at the introduction, which is likely a love letter/bragging letter written by the author himself- attesting to his long credentialed list, affirming the justification that he, a white dude from "Old Dominion" Virginia, was going to be writing "literary, historical, and true as any other history."
"The writer's purpose is to give in a literary brief, in plain style, the true facts of the resources and opportunities of the Osage."
By page 3 and with paragraphs like this:
"The Osage never had a written language, completed. A priest of Neosho, Kansas, once wrote a dictionary of the language, but died before it was printed and somehow got destroyed before publication. Elex Tall Chief a highly educated young Osage, of the Tall Chief family near Fairfax, is said 'to be now compiling an Osage dictionary, but the writer has not yet gotten any part of it, nor met this lexicographer. Nor does he consider it of sufficient importance to publish one now, as it will be only a generation till all Osages will know English, the universal language of the future. There is such a thing as dialectic economy of time and energy in educating the world as in other things."
It is incredible what this man wrote! I almost tore my hair out reading the bullshit. That this account was published (and continues in print, purchasable on Amazon, despite being in the public domain for free) blows my mind.
Here is another little treat from Mr. Dickerson:
"The preceding cut shows some of the beauties of the building and improved grounds, with the happy little Osage girls, mostly under 16 years of age, and the Sisters who teach them all the arts of domestic life and literature and music, for which they have the very best facilities for studying under the kind and efficient instruction of the Sisters."
Some of the information, tainted and skewed by the biographer, is still interesting. I often wonder about "transitional times" in our country's history. Change is often subtle and unrealizable except from a longer range view. Like home construction. Here Peterson gives an example:
"Saucy Chief was the first chief to come to an Indian Agent, Laban J. Miles at that time, and declared that he wanted to walk in the way of the white man and desired to have a house built for him. Such was the general antagonism to his action, that his band split up, and one faction elected a chief over them during the '70's. But when they did become reconciled to have houses nearly all wanted the best house, best land, best horses instead of mules. They never used oxen. They manifest much pride in having the best of everything. But the houses were generally rented to the whites while they live in their tents or wigwams."
Another area of interest covered by Peterson is almost comical in its bullshit rhetoric, especially in light of all that we have learned about the white-run institutional boarding schools in the U.S. as well as Canada:
"For more than a half century they have had all the modern privileges of a literary education. They have had schools in their midst for many decades and all who have desired to go, have been sent to Carlisle, Penn., or Lawrence, Kan., to graduate, or to other institutions equally famous."
Is it time to say, "enuf said?" Readers getting the point? Really it is about mindsets and background knowledge. Did I know enough to be traipsing around in these places that were so foreign to me? My heart kind of said, "no." My curious mind said, "yes."
So let's get out of Philip Dickerson's narrative, and back to more neutral history. Let's see if I can summarize a bit:
Pawhuska became a central space for both Osage Nation folks as well as settlers, sooners, or whatever they were called. Alliances began to form and 2-way beneficial relationships as well, be it business or pleasure. I already wrote about and shared my pictures from this place/space.
On the outskirts of this area, other outposts existed- pockets of/groups of Osage who lived according to their native and cultural ways. Again white men were able to assimilate into these communities to set up trading posts.
By the late 1800's/early 1900's, a white man, Lew Wismeyer, had leased from the Osage a small plot, started a townsite, and convinced the RR to build a stop in this town. That would be Fairfax. By 1907 there were almost 500 folks there along with stores, farms, ranches, and oil. And many wealthy Osage folks who leased the land and also had head rights and allotments from the oil pulled from the land.
Things changed in the boom days. Capitalism changed many things for many people, as it did all over the country. This little corner of the vast United States became nationally known for the period of time between circa 1910-1930.
The open views, big sky, and silence on the land was incredible.
The entry into the town proper is at this sign. Obviously Maria + Marjorie TallChief were important community members once upon a time. Both were ballerinas in the 1930's/40's/50's. Maria was considered America's first major prima ballerina. She was the first Native American to hold the rank, and is said to have revolutionized ballet. Marjorie was the younger sister, who also was a professional ballerina.
The town sign looked dated, and this field next to it did to.
If you look closely you can see the sign that says "USA 1936 WPA." The Depression hit hard all across the U.S. There were 20 WPA Projects throughout Osage County, and 3 in the Fairfax area.
Here is what was written about the project:
This athletic facility is significant in that it demonstrates the broad interpretation WPA officials gave to their mandate to construct “useful” public works with unskilled and unemployed labor. Recreation and athletic competition fell into the “useful” category. Architecturally the complex is notable because of its use of rusticated concrete blocks, an unusual material not frequently employed elsewhere. The length of the enclosing fence is also impressive. That a baseball field is included in the complex is equally unusual. The stadium and fields demonstrate as well–in the crudeness of construction–that workmanship on WPA projects left much to be desired early on but improved significantly over time.
A few folks were out getting in some practice. We saw very few people around, excepting this sports places.
An Oklahoma bug of unknown origin. I really didn't see much wildlife/fauna besides cattle, cattle, and more cattle!
Salt Creek is a remote wilderness stream that runs for approximately 50 miles. It is natural and untouched by signs of civilization. Very peaceful space.
The 1st Street Bridge. No longer operational. Built in 1916, it is an example of a Warren truss bridge and used to be the Rt. 18 into town (1920's=newly established state highway 18). A more modern replacement is nearby. The street continues on into town, parallel with the Main St. There are houses further on, mostly built in the 1920's + 30's. They now sell for 20K-less than 10K.
This bridge used to connect up to the town, the town used to be be much more prosperous; now it is almost forgotten.
My husband espied this funky sight. Once upon a time, an advertisement on the new Highway 18, now grown into the tree. I wonder what it was advertising.
Somewhere somebody has something more than cattle on their farm!
The telltale sign of depressed towns as we travel= a lone Dollar General around some rundown properties.
I snapped this one because I had not seen anything like it. Incorporated in 1939, it is a member-owned not-for-profit that provides electric service to members in 7 north-central OK communities. I like it!
Somewhere on the ride into downtown is this fence post with the TallChief sisters on it.
FAIRFAX DOWNTOWN:
Once a vibrant boomtown filled with shops and Osage wealth (+ the oil industries that sprang from oil on the Osage land), the population went from 407 in 1907 to 2,400 in 1940. It was also the site of the majority of the murders of Osage people (20+ and maybe more) in the 1920's.
As I mentioned in earlier blogs, we happened to come to the area in the summer of 2021 on the 100 year anniversary of all this horror as well as the filming of the adaptation of the book "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann and directed by Martin Scorsese. What I neglected to tell/show was the reason why much of the film had to be filmed in Pawhuska- recreating Fairfax places.
That's right. The year was 2018, and the following pictures are what downtown looks like now
Back in the day.
Opened in 1928, with 892 seats + a stage to support vaudeville acts, this theater was considered big for a small town.
The community is working to restore the theater. Much of the started work was lost in the 2018 tornado. Such a bummer.
The real deal Prima Ballerina Maria TallChief NYC 1953. Maria is scheduled to be on the US quarter in 2023.
The theater was built by Alex TallChief, father of the famed sister ballerinas Marie and Marjorie.
On the left of the theater is "The Osage Bank of Fairfax,"
SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE IT IS THE OLDEST BANK IN OSAGE COUNTY AND IS THE BEST EXAMPLE OF RICHARDSONIAN ROMANESQUE ARCHITECTURE. LISTED IN NATIONAL REGISTER - 11/23/84
and on the right is the vacant lot where the historic Big Hill Trading Co. once was.
“Fairfax will become a destination for thousands who want to know more about what happened here in the 1920s...”
Also, I tried to film a little clip of the desolate downtown area in which you can glance the 2 aforementioned sites:
We were bummed that this former barbershop storefront/Little Osage Gallery wasn't open. Our timing stunk- the exhibit was being mounted and not fully open anyways until later in the summer (Aug.) anyways.
On the left is a picture of Anna Brown, murder victim (5/27/1921) and on the right is Chief Fred Lookout, who was principal Chief during the "Reign of Terror" time (1924-1949)
Old First National Bank and Masonic Lodge Building
The top floor of this bank/Masonic Lodge housed two doctors that had a role in the Osage murders. For the film, the actual building is used and the doctor's names were painted in gold on the top floor (D.A. Shoun and J.G. Shoun) for the movie.
A sculpture done by late Osage artist John D. Free (we thought it was a tad bizarre) is of cowboy steer roping. Not sure why the cones were around it, but I'd bet that it along with the coned off crane behind had something to do with the Scorcese filming.
This small town looks worn down. Hard to image it being car-clogged in the 1920's when the boom was happening.
Boom times.
Across the street in the 100 block of Elm St. is the City Hall/Police Department. Built 1920
Oddly compelling artwork on a building. I sure wonder what the story is about/behind this painting.
Just as I found this an oddly compelling use of a quonset hut.
One block beyond the main street. We were searching for the Lincoln Colored School on Northeast Walnut St.
And we found it! Sad shape for a National Historic Site. From the register:
THE LINCOLN COLORED SCHOOL IN THE SMALL TOWN OF FAIRFAX IS A SINGLE STORY WOODEN SCHOOLHOUSE BUILT IN 1929. IT IS AN EXCELLENT LOCAL EXAMPLE OF A SEPARATE SCHOOL, A SCHOOL OPEN ONLY TO AFRICAN AMERICAN CHILDREN DURING THE ERA OF SCHOOL SEGREGATION. BY 1929, THE AFRICAN AMERICAN POPULATION IN FAIRFAX HAD GROWN ENOUGH TO CONSTRUCT THIS SEPARATE SCHOOL BUILDING. UNTIL THE SCHOOL WAS COMPLETED, AFRICAN AMERICAN CHILDREN ATTENDED SCHOOL IN A PRIVATE HOME. THE FINISHED SCHOOL HAD ONLY ONE CLASSROOM WITH ONLY ONE TEACHER. IN 1955, THE SCHOOL SYSTEM IN FAIRFAX WAS INTEGRATED AND THE SEPARATE SCHOOL WAS NO LONGER NEEDED. LISTED IN NATIONAL REGISTER 12/5/2003.
So sad to see that this historic site was in such bad shape. It was not the only one we found this way after some serious hunting (some sites we never found).
We clearly felt we were entering a "different" part of town.
Not sure what these marked, but it looks like a once-upon-a-time fancier spot right on the corner of Walnut + First St. (which was the old highway route).
This is directly across from the Lincoln Colored School. I imagine if they had to have a segregated school, they must have lived segregated too.
What follows is the neighborhood we encountered in this area:
I do not think it is an accident that this is the name of the street in the area that we were driving around in.
From a report entitled THE NEGRO IN OKLAHOMA TERRITORY,
1889-1907; A STUDY IN RACIAL DISCRIMINATION.
"The Indians opposed Negro migration to the territory, too. In
response to demands by Osage leaders, United States marshals ordered all
Negroes out of the Osage country, because that tribe considered Negroes
objectionable."
Osage opposition to Negroes was manifested by the following orders; "The Osage Indians have decided to evict all colored
people from their reservation," and "The Attorney General issued a
proclamation notifying all negroes on the Osage Indian reservation to
leave the premises before July 1, 1895."
The Osage lands in 1900 had nineteen Negroes and 5,164
whites
The racial bias of the Osage Indians against the Negro was
well-known throughout the region.
By 1907 there were 77 negroes in Osage.
It was a bit rough having to read and write the above words. Humans are not always kind, the Osage included.
Somehow, by 1929 things had changed slightly, because there now was a sizeable population in Fairfax, and a separate school was built.
The area is a small square on the east side of Main St. consisting of 5 streets.
FURTHER ALONG THE OLD HIGHWAY ROUTE (1ST ST.):
I fell in love with this building. It is on the corner of 1st and Mulberry St. and is indeed a WPA Project building! The town garage.
Constructed of untooled and randomly laid native sandstone, the County Warehouse is rectangular (101′ x 43′) with a stepped gable roof. A one-half moon vent is in each gable. Two garage doors on either side of the building directly across from each other permit vehicles to drive completely through. Window at the ends of the structure, either full or one half size, have sills, lintels and jambs of pre-formed concrete. Door and garage lintels are of the same materials as are the caps of the stepped gable. Windows are metal casements. Architecturally the structure is significant in the community in terms of type, style and workmanship. As a WPA building it is notable in that county warehouse facilities are relatively rare, especially ones with stepped gables and pre-formed concrete window jambs. Construction of the building also provided job opportunities for unemployed day laborers and oil field workers who had been pushed into economic destitutuion by the national depression.
There it is- the official WPA plaque. I wonder who Earl Gray was? Yeah, I thought that too (is it related to the English tea somehow???) The E.G. here was born in 1888/9 + is buried up in the Fairfax Cemetery.
North 1st St.
N. 2nd St. circa 1940
East Locust + North 2nd St. (see description of house below)
North 2nd St. Proud owner.
E Mulberry St. circa 1935
E. Mulberry St. is a mixed street. Lower end= manufactured homes + upper small homes like this, with the dentist across the street. As you approach the new highway (18)= mostly businesses.
160N. 2nd + Mulberry St. Michael Ben, dentist The town is very much on a grid of streets. They run in cardinal directions with the intersection being Main St./Highway 18.
This lower section neighborhood transitioned into larger, fancier houses as you headed up the street. This house, with 6 beds and 2 baths built circa 1960 has an estimated cost of 64K. This house was likely an infill.
Osage wealth increased after the discovery of oil on reservation land (by approximate mid-1910's). This home, built in 1925 w/ 5 bd, 3 ba 2,515 sq ft. on 1.5 acre lot is typical of the homes that were built back then. Today's value= 125k
Next door neighbor, this house was built 1915. 3 bd, 2ba, 2,561 sq ft. on 2 acre lot. Today's value= 87k
This is where we end. For now. We roamed up and down these streets in search of old history, some of it lost, some of it found. I divided the town in my mind, not by the direction, but by the sides of Main St. We'll take it up from the upper side next time.
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