101 Ranch Old Timer's Association


	1609 Donald Ave, Ponca City, OK 74604

President's Letter

Dear Members,

Spring is springing up slowly but surely and I have a garden planted but now it is drowning under two to three inches of water with all the rain we have received in northern Oklahoma.

I thought retirement was supposed to be quieter but I find that old father time slips away even more quickly than before. I still have some cows and they are popping little black calves out. They are sure cute little critters when they are little.

We encountered a problem at the ranch site a while back. Some idiot backed a big truck over the lawn area at the 101 grounds and left big ruts in the grass that will have to be filled in and smoothed out before we start mowing. I don’t know what goes through the minds of some people. There is plenty of concrete at the site to turn around on.

We have found a new man to do the mowing this year. His name is Bob Lachey who is retired and very conscientious. We are hoping the ranch site will be in tip-top shape this year.

We are still working on grants to obtain money for our projects but have not had any luck in getting any large amounts. Hopefully some day soon our time will come.

I hope you all are enjoying the sunshine, planting your gardens and looking forward to the summer time.

Sincerely,

Jean Evans
President

Letter from the Vice President

Dear Members,

Our organization has taken a major step forward in our efforts to gain recognition for our association while achieving our goal of helping preserve the memory of the 101 Ranch and the cowboys and cowgirls who were a part of it.

After almost a year planning, the 101 Ranch Old Timers Association has become a part of the World Wide Web through the construction and launching of our web site (www.101ranchOTA.com).

Friends of our organization in the form of Keith Barley and Darlene Platt of Ponca City have been kind enough to supply material on the 101 OTA with their Kay County Information site during the previous few years. But it was felt the time had arrived to develop our own site for the benefit of our membership while expanding our “Global footprint” as an organization.

Just as the Miller Brother’s 101 Ranch Wild West Show traveled over much of the world while touring Europe, South American and across the United States, more information on our club activities and the history of the ranch are now available around the world by way of the internet. We will be working with our design and website construction company, Computer iGeeks (www.ComputeriGeeks.com) of Stillwater, Oklahoma to do quarterly updates which will supplement the distribution of our newsletter.

In addition to our launching our own official 101 Ranch website, we have moved ahead on removing the old pipe and metal rod fencing found at both the north and south entrances to the Ranch driveway. After a lot of sweat equity by board members Jerry Jansma, Richard Whiting along with VP Al Ritter and member James Hopkins and his friend Kathy Pruett, a new attractive white polymer two and three rail fence now grace the frontage of the ranch and both gate areas.

Thanks to an important donation of material by Stan Combs of Rustics Western Southwest & Lodge Supply (www.Rustics.net) the OTA was able to build 326 feet of attractive new white rail fencing across the frontage of the ranch headquarters and picnic site. The new rail fencing complements the newly painted white masonry White House fence.

In addition to our completion of the White House fence preservation effort and the new rail fencing, we have completed our second property acquisition since taking title to the 101 Ranch headquarters site in 1996. An agreement with the Oklahoma Historical Society has been reached which will transfer 5.6 acres of property known as “Cowboy Hill” to ownership of 101 Ranch OTA. Located on the south bank of the Salt Fork River, Cowboy Hill was once the annual meeting place of the Cherokee Strip Cowpunchers Association (1920-1958). The graves of Colonel Zack Miller, Trick Shot Artist Jack Webb and 101 Ranch Foreman Sam Stigall are located there. Legal details of the transfer are pending but completion of the transaction is expected within 90 days.

Until our next report, best regards to our members.

Al Ritter
Vice President

101 Ranch OTA President Jean Evans and OTA Secretary/Treasurer are seen discussing association support for an Oklahoma Department of Transportation plan to replace the 1924 bridge found just south of the 101 Ranch headquarters site on S.H. 156 in Kay County, Oklahoma. Judged structurally unsafe and outdated for modern vehicles, the narrow bridge may be replaced with a modern one without significant impact to the 101 Ranch site or Cowboy Hill. Funding in the amount of one million dollars is expected to be contributed to the project by the Ponca Indian Tribe.

Bill & Velma

During this spring, the 101 Ranch OTA participated at the annual 101 Ranch Collectors Western Show held the past several years in Ponca City, OK. Seen here board members, Bill Balcer of Stillwater, OK and Velma Falconer manned the Old Timers registration table while offering memberships, past OTA photo calendars and metal art.

The new rail fence is seen at the 101 Ranch flag and historical plaque plaza.

Become A Member!

Membership Application Form

The 2008 Annual Meeting is set for Saturday, August 9 in Ponca City.

Every August the 101 Ranch Old Timers Association holds its annual membership meeting and reunion in northern Oklahoma never far from the remnants of the ranch. Clean up and general sprucing up of the 101 Ranch site generally begins in July since the number of visitors increases during Ponca City's Rodeo week.

Nationally featured rodeo specialty performer, John Payne, 'The One Arm Bandit', center of image, (www.101wildwestrodeo.com) is seen with OTA Vice President Al Ritter on the left and Joe Glaser on the right during the recent 101 Ranch Collectors Association western show held in north central Oklahoma.

Painting contractor Ray Hauser began work to renew the White House fence late in March and finished painting early in April. Members of the board of directors had started the preservation effort during the fall of 2007. A successful grant application to Rural Enterprises, Inc. of Durant provided the majority of funding for the project.

Richard Whiting on the left is seen with Jerry Jansma during construction of the new polymer rail fence at the 101 Ranch.

Beginning in April and completed in May, construction of the new picnic site fence was accomplished with volunteer labor. VP Al Ritter is seen in the center with Richard Whiting on the left and Kenneth Evans from Marland, Oklahoma. The 101 Ranch OTA picnic site is located a few miles north of Marland (formerly known as Bliss, OK when it served as the railhead for the 101 Ranch).

Almost 400 feet of new fencing required the removal of metal pipe fencing and gate posts at both the north and south entrances to the concrete driveway at what was once billed as the 'Largest Diversified Farm and Ranch in America'.

Seen center, national book author Jim Fulbright (Mid-South Publications) at the Collectors Show along with Mollie Stehno, a notable ranch historian.

The 2008 101 Ranch Collectors Show was well attended and a number of out of state vendors attended along with visitors from as far away as Utah. The 101 Ranch Old Timers Association enlisted several new members during the show.