Day 101 Talimena, Ok-Fort Towson, OK

Day 101 Talimena, Ok-Fort Towson, OK 11.09.16
Today, we explored the towns of Hugo and Fort Towson.  We visited the Frisco Depot museum and learned the history of Hugo.  Hugo is known as the Circus City as three traveling circuses over winter here.  We learned the story of the escaping elephants and how they were recaptured.  Many of the circus performers are buried in the cemetery here.  Kevin's mom was born in Fort Towson and she grew up in Hugo.  We found an empty lot at the place that used to be her childhood home.  A neighbor happen to be out doing yard work so we asked him what happened to the house. He said it had been torn down as it was falling apart.  Lynell Webster, the neighbor, had lived in Hugo when he was a kid but then his family moved to Ohio. He worked in California as a cement mason and moved back to Hugo in 2001. As we talked with Lynell, we learned he laid the cement in many of the prisons in California including the cement in Charles Manson's cell.  He is a proud fisherman and gave us pictures of the fish he had caught. Lynell is retired, 80 years old and he loves telling stories. He was very entertaining.  We visited MT Olivet cemetery where Kevin's grandparents are buried. Their markers had moss and dirt on them so we gave it a little cleaning. They happen to be buried right next to the Showman's rest where many circus performers are laid to rest. The circus performers have many unusual monuments on their graves. Also buried in this cemetery are world champion cowboys and bull riders such as Lane Frost and Freckles Brown.  We even found Ed Ansley, buster brown's grave. We enjoyed walking around Mt Olivet.  We are camped at Raymond Gary State Park which is located on a lake that as a kid Kevin fished with his grandfather.