When last you read this blog, you’ll remember I mentioned a town in Oklahoma by the name of Gene Autry. In my last entry, you may have noticed that I indicated that it was Gene Autry’s birthplace, but if you look close, the word born was in quotes. Just so I don’t mis-lead anyone, Gene Autry wasn’t born in the town of Gene Autry — even though that’s what I was always told when I was growing up. In case you’re interested, here’s the story:
Gene Autry is, in fact, a town in Oklahoma, located south of, and even smaller than, Maysville where I grew up. The 2010 census listed the town’s population as 158. It was located along the Santa Fe railroad that ran through Oklahoma territory before it became a state. The town wasn’t always named Gene Autry. The post office was established on July 11, 1883 when the town was known as Lou — named by C.C. Henderson for his wife. On November 22, 1883, it was renamed Dresden and later changed again to Berwyn on September 1, 1887. It remained Berwyn until November 16, 1941 when it was renamed Gene Autry, in honor of the singer and motion picture star.
Here’s how the town came to be named Gene Autry even though the cowboy movie star was born in Tioga Texas. Gene’s family moved to Oklahoma when he was an infant, and lived in a couple of small southern Oklahoma towns, but never in the town now named after him.
In 1939, Gene bought the 1,200-acre Flying A Ranch on the west edge of Berwyn and began extensive construction on the property, intending to make the ranch headquarters for his rodeo. Today two 200 by 60 foot stone stables with inlays of the Flying A logo are mostly all that’s left of the original buildings.
In 1941, Cecil Crosby, the Deputy Sheriff of Carter County and a resident of Berwyn suggested that the town’s name be changed to Gene Autry. In order to accomplish the name change, several townspeople drew up a petition that was signed by all (at the time) 227 residents of Berwyn. After the petition was signed, they had to convince the Post Office Department, the Santa Fe Railroad, and the Carter county commissioners to agree to the change — eventually, they all agreed.
The official change from Berwyn, Oklahoma to Gene Autry, Oklahoma, took place November 16, 1941 — Oklahoma’s 34th birthday. The name change ceremony was a big deal attended by 35,000 people, including the Governor. Obviously Gene Autry attended and he even broadcast his CBS radio show, Melody Ranch, live from a flat car on the railroad tracks.
Three weeks after that celebration, the United States entered World War II and Gene enlisted in the Army Air Corps. After the war, he sold the Flying A Ranch.
As I said, today the population has dropped to 158 but in 1990 the town turned an empty school building into the Gene Autry Oklahoma Museum. In September of 1990, the first Gene Autry Oklahoma Film and Music Festival was held and has been held annually since then. The celebration lasts several days and features live musical performances, a memorabilia auction and terrific food. So if you’re a fan of the old cowboy movies, you might want to check it out.
Those of you not cowboy movie fans, may remember Gene Autry’s name associated with baseball. Baseball was alway an important part of Gene’s life — when he was a young man, he received an offer from a professional baseball team to become a player. (He turned down the offer because it would have meant a fifty-dollar-a-month pay cut from his job as a telegrapher.) Later his love for baseball prompted him to acquire the American League California Angels. Gene held the title of Vice President of the American League until his death in 1998.
So you now probably know more about Gene Autry, Oklahoma than you ever wanted to — but, who knows, maybe it’ll come in handy in a Trivial Pursuit game sometime….
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