Our Oklahoma magazine

Sept. 29, 30 & Oct. 1 in Guthrie, Oklahoma 20TH ANNUAL

Steve ‘n’ Seagulls

Featuring

The Cleverlys

Hot Club of Cowtown

Also Featuring: Calvin Vollrath, Byron Berline Band, Rushad Eggleston, Burgan & Chan, Chris Henry and Hardcore Grass, Red Dirt Rangers, Turnpike Troubadors

and more!

Tahlequah, Ok OklahOma’s “Gateway tO the Ozark mOuntains.”

POPulatiOn: 16,359 miles frOm JOPlin: 118 miles (2 hOurs, 6 minutes) A UniqUe note: Did you know that nearly one-fourth of Tahlequah’s population doesn’t speak English? Instead, this segment of population speaks fluent Cherokee. That’s because this city is the capital of the two federally-recognized Cherokee tribes, the modern Cherokee Nation and the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians. Because of this, the city’s street and business signs showcase both the English and Cherokee languages.

‘YoU GottA See thiS!’: It’s called “Diligwa” (Dee-lee-gwah), and it’s a name derivative of a long-lost village named Tellico (or what would morph into the present-day Tahlequah) which at one time served as the Cherokee Nation’s principal community. Today, this outdoor living exhibit — located on the grounds of the Cherokee Heritage Center — is a time portal of sorts that takes visitors back to 1710, showcasing authentic Cherokee life and history. Located on four acres, there are 19 “wattle and daub” structures, 14 information stations and two gaming areas showcasing Cherokee-styled games that are still played today. The Cherokee Heritage Center, established in 1963, is the culture center for the tribe and preserves and protects the Cherokee culture. one ‘CAn’t MiSS’ Stop: The Illinois River — or the Ne-eng-wahkon-dah as called by the Osage Indians — is a 145-mile tributary of the Arkansas River and serves as Oklahoma’s most popular scenic river. The river flows into Lake Tenkiller, located just south of the Tahlequah. The river is the city’s most popular outdoor attraction — floating (canoe, kayak or inflatable raft) is its major activity, with a number of rafting outfitters and campsites located northeast of the city on SH-10. The river is rated as Class 2, with only moderate currents and few hazards, so novices can enjoy floating and swimming the waters. Fishing is also popular along the river, with more than 72 species of fish swimming beneath the water’s tranquil surface.

FillinG Up: Rated No. 1 on Trip Advisor is Sam & Ella’s Chicken Palace. Don’t let the “chicken” in the name fool you — these folks serve what some swear is the best-tasting pizza found anywhere in the Sooner State. Their pizza is freshly baked on a semithick crust with a slightly sweet sauce, the salads are flavorful and fresh while the sandwiches are made on house crust. Don’t forget to order the “Big Sloppy Pie!” Sleep tiGht: Tahlequah is home to most of the major hotel chains, but for more adventurous nights, check out the cabin resorts along the Illinois River. One of the most popular is the Elk Creek Resort. It offers new campsites on concrete pads, clean restrooms and showers and a wide boat ramp. The cabins are fully stocked with cookware, dishes and the beds are comfortable. And the view of the lake and the overhanging bluffs from your cabin’s front doors are breathtakingly beautiful.

The Blue Fern Bed and Breakfast is a quaint stop if you don’t want to stay in a hotel room or pitch a tent by the Illinois River. The food is excellent and the landscaping, gardens, the Victorian-style house and private rooms are, as one tenant described, “all gorgeous.” Their rates are also very reasonable.

WhO kneW?

The City of Tahlequah is featured in the popular (and tear-inducing) children’s novel, “Where the Red Fern Grows,” by Wilson Rawls.

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Enter Bluegrass Country (6)

Oklahoma’s International Bluegrass Festival returns Sept. 29 - Oct. 1

Performing are: (1) Calvin Vollrath, (2) Rushad Eggleston, (3) Steve ‘n’ Seagulls, (4) Hot Club of Cowtown, (5) Byron Berline, (6) The Cleverlys ... and more!

Humor, music and local favorites fill festival lineup

When Paul Harris and The Cleverlys hit the stage at Oklahoma’s International Bluegrass Festival this fall, get ready for some side-splitting laughs as the band delivers a joke and a song throughout their performance.

The Cleverlys have a unique ability to make the audience laugh while their bluegrass tunes soar from the band. The Cleverlys family sound was born a long time ago in the Ozarks, near Cane Spur, Arkansas.

Coming in from grandpa’s tobacco fields was often call for an evening pickin’. Their harmonies and daring instrumentals of the Ozarks come to life on both Friday and Saturday nights during the festival.

The festival is the brainchild of three-time national fiddle champion Byron Berline. Berline started the festival to bring world-class musicians together to educate Oklahomans on the bluegrass genre of music, its history and to spread that to younger generations.

Held on the first full weekend in October each year, the dates for this year’s festival are Sept. 29, 30 and Oct. 1. The lineup is strong for the 20 th anniversary of the event with talent including international performers as well as regional favorites.

The international groups are Steve ‘n’ Seagulls from Finland, Canada’s Calvin Vollrath and Blue Side of Lonesome of Japan. Hot Club of Cowtown, the Byron Berline Band, Rushad Eggleston, Burgan and Chan and Chris Henry and Hardcore Grass with Brad Benge round out the national lineup.

Local Oklahoma favorites such as Turnpike Troubadours, Red Dirt Rangers, Mountain Smoke and Bret Graham will also hit the scene. A total of 20 bands are scheduled to perform throughout the three-day event.

With a family friendly environment, OIBF’s youth tent features free arts and crafts for kids along with

special performances by selected performers. Both youth bands and individual instrument contests are held on Saturday morning. Over $1,800 is awarded as prize money to young artists as well as the opportunity to play on stage with Berline.

For those adults who care to showcase their own talent, the Random Band Jam is open to all on Thursday night. In addition, the Cottonwood Creek Stage operates in the campground throughout the festival. It is an open mic stage seeking amateur participants.

Camping for both RVs and tents is available on the grounds. Campsites include full hook-ups with water and electricity.

Oklahoma’s International Bluegrass Festival is a nonprofit organization that provides scholarships to budding student of acoustic music. For more information and to order tickets refer to oibf.com.

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Fans flock to see, hear big-name acts of

G Fest

By Cathy Spaulding, Photos by Mandy Lundy

F

our stages, 85 musical acts, thousands of fans, multitudes of memories.

G Fest brought them all to Muskogee for three days in June.

Festival crowds grew each day, until closing night, when fans packed the 300-acre Love-Hatbox Sports Complex to see Kacey Musgraves perform on the Love Bottling main stage or Tom Skinner’s Science Project on the Currentland-Red Dirt Nation Stage.

G Fest coordinator Jim Blair speculated 8,000 to 10,000 fans came for Friday or Saturday performances.

Such crowds turned the sports complex into the second-largest community in Muskogee County. At G Fest’s peak attendance, the area had more people than all the surrounding communities — Fort Gibson, Haskell, Warner, Webbers Falls, Oktaha, and Porum — combined.

G Fest drew people in with big-name acts: l Texas country singer-songwriter Kacey Musgraves. l Muskogee’s own Swon Brothers, who gained national fame on the NBC reality-variety show, “The Voice.” l Country star Marty Stuart. l Folk rock family band, the Avett Brothers. l Nashville string band, Old Crow Medicine Show. l Texas fiddlers, the Quebe Sisters.

Festival-goers also enjoyed popular Muskogee-area performers, who played at smaller G Fest stages. Selby Minner of Rentiesville jammed with the blues. Jermaine Mondaine cooled things down with his saxophone. Millisa Henderson heated things back up with her electric guitar. Bluefish played classic rock.

A major G Fest draw was to have been Merle Haggard, who rocketed Muskogee to national acclaim with his “Okie From Muskogee” in 1969. However, Haggard died in April, but Merle clearly was there in spirit, in song — and in art.

Tulsa artist Richard Hight painted an oversized portrait of The Hag while Haggard hits, concluding with “Okie from Muskogee” played in the background. The portrait will hang at the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame.

G Fest performers played Haggard hits.

Vian native Heath Wright, who opened the three-day festival with his Hangmen Trio, played a few delicate guitar riffs of “Mama Tried” before fans clapped with recognition.

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Lights of the Love Bottling Main Stage shine on the Avett Brothers during G Fest.

“You know what that means,” Wright said.

“It’s mandatory Merle Haggard time.”

Scores of campers arrived a day ahead of time, securing prime spots in tent campgrounds and along a row of 153 RV electricity/water hookups.

Norman music fan Tyler Shadid said “we moved out here as quickly as we could” as he set up his tent. He said he and his friends got their tickets in February.

A small city sprang up to serve music fans.

Muskogee County Emergency Medical Service and EASTAR Health System set up a mobile medical unit with 16 medics, four nurses, and a doctor.

Blair said 350 to 400 volunteers — including many from service clubs — helped at the festival.

“And I had a hard-working staff,” he said.

Complex grounds became a food truck paradise, offering all sorts of foods and beverages. They included snow cones, po’ boy tacos, Philly cheese steaks and Everything Bacon. The Everything Bacon food truck offered candied bacon and a gut-busting dish featuring french fries topped with macaroni and cheese with crumbled bacon.

G Fest brought more to Muskogee than just music fans from 25 states, Blair said.

Those fans likely made an economic impact of $4 million to $6 million on the area economy.

“It also shows Hatbox as a viable venue for this kind of event,” Blair said. “Hatbox can become a premier festival player in the region — in the state.”

Even so, Blair said there are “100 things we can do better.”

For example, organizers are working to improve access to the main stage, he said.

The gfestmuskogee.com countdown clock already is ticking off the days, hours, minutes and seconds to G Fest 2017. Those dates are June 15, 16 and 17.

And Blair said to expect “more of the same — with improvements.”

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(Top left): Fans lucky enough to get front-row viewing show their enthusiasm during a night show. G Fest offered four venues, including a large field and a couple of tents.

(Top right): Paul DeFiglia of the Avett Brothers does double duty on instruments.

(Above): The Avett Brothers use strings of all sorts to entertain fans at G Fest. The string band performed on the festival’s main stage.

(Left): Kacey Musgraves gives G Fest fans a wide-open taste of her Texas country style.

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#TopTen #ThingsToDo in #BransonMO! Fun is the name of the game in Branson – Fun for Everyone! With every visit we discover something to fall in love with about this small Ozark town filled with Big Time Entertainment set in the gorgeous Ozark Mountains! It’s a virtual smörgåsbord of neon and nature with plenty to do...so much to do that you can come back again and again ... just like we do. Here’s just a sampling of things to do...our top 10 list of Branson Fun!

1

See a live show ... in fact see several shows on every visit. Every Branson Show is unique! While there are a wide variety of shows – magic, acrobats, every kind of musical genre, big productions, intimate stages, and more – the cool thing about Branson Shows is that you’re connected to the folks on stage and they’re connected to you. They’ve got heart ... and a good beat too! Find out about the different Branson Shows at www.ShowsInBranson.com.

2

Soar on a World Class Eco-Adventure at Branson Zipline Canopy Tours. Located at Wolfe Creek Preserve just 7 miles North of Branson you can choose to do several different zipline canopy tours at this themed destination as well as experience two different free fall dismounts. This low-impact immersive eco-adventure is an awesome experience – especially in the fall when you’ll soar through the brilliant autumn colors. Discover your perfect tour at www.BransonZipline.com | 417-561-2500.

3

Be in Branson the week of September 5 for the Falltastic Show Spree.

This amazing event is for one week only!

Purchase a Falltastic Show Spree pass for $125 and then choose 10 shows to see that week! That’s an incredible deal! Find out more at www.FalltasticShowSpree.com

4

Every season in Branson is unique and one of our most favorite times is Ozark Mountain Christmas. Starting November 1 the town lights up and the shows create a truly wonderful time of the year. See the Hughes Brothers Christmas Show! Along with their families the Hughes Brothers deliver the season’s best harmonies, merriment, and festive surprises in the most moving Christmas presentation you’ll ever see.

It’s a triumph of everything you want to feel at Christmas time. www.HughesBrothersChristmasShow.com 417-334-0076.

5

Up Up and Away in the Beautiful Balloon!

Parakeet Pete’s Steampunk Balloon at Branson Landing gives you a 360 degree view of Branson and Lake Taneycomo while traveling 180 feet up in the air. www.ParakeetPetes.com.

6

Celebrate “it” – the “it” show we mean!

Throughout the year the “it” show does special holiday shows – there’s even one on Labor Day that gets you in the door for ½ price if you show your current paycheck stub. Go to www.itBranson.com for the complete schedule...and be sure to check out their regular scheduled shows also.

Call 417-334-0076.

7

Zip & Sip with Parakeet Pete’s Waterfront Zipline. You’ll zip across Lake Taneycomo to Mount Branson where the Sky Deck offers spectacular views of the scenery and majestic sunsets. Weekly Zip & Sips offer music and beverages.

Zip In – Party On – Zip Out! www.ParakeetPetes.com.

8

Dudu Fisher’s Jerusalem show is only in November at the Hughes Brothers Theatre.

Be sure to see this 5:00pm show and then experience the authentic Jerusalem dinner afterwards. In fact ask about the “From the Old Testament to the New Testament” package which includes dinner and two shows. www.HughesBrothersTheatre.com.

9

Throughout the seasons in Branson there are several special events: See the Hot Winter Fun Big Show and the Elvis Festival at Dick Clark’s American Bandstand Theatre – call 417-339-3003 for tickets & information. During Ozark Mountain Shindig (April & May) go to the Hootenanny in the Park, Kayak Branson’s Lake Taneycomo Flotilla, and do the Shindig Shuffle. Find out more at www.ShowsInBranson.com

Hootenanny in the Park

10

Visit one of the awesome museums like the Centennial Museum in downtown Branson, Ralph Foster Museum at College of the Ozarks, and the Veterans Memorial Museum on Hwy 76. www.MuseumsAndAttractions.com.

And while it’s not a top ten things to do, it is certainly something you’ll want to find in Branson – a great place to stay. Check out these excellent accommodations – Grand Plaza, Radisson, Barrington Hotel, La Quinta Inn, Days Inn, Gazebo Inn, and Quality Inn. Go to www.CombsBransonHotels.com

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The Mansion Theatre Branson MO

Sept 20-22, 27-29 Oct 4-5, 11-13, 18-20 • Nov 1,3, 9-10, 15-17 8pm Shows

Oct 21 8pm Show

Nov 2-3, 9-10, 16-17 3pm Shows

Oct 12-13, 19-20 3pm Shows

Nov 4 8pm Show

w/ Guest Comedian Gary Mule Deer Nov 11-12 8pm Show

Visit TheMansionTheatre.com or Call 417.335.2000

Nov 26 8pm Show

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by Bobbie Pottorff If Grand Lake was an ocean, then you could say there was literally a sea of people gathered for what has become the party of the year at Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees, Aquapalooza 2016.

The third Saturday in July each year is now the day when thousands of people in the Four States and from around the nation, come to northeast Oklahoma where they enjoy live music, swimming, boating, friends and fun thanks to the sponsors and organizers at 360GrandLake.

As the boats arrive by the hundreds, and people by the thousands, to Southwinds Marina at Horse Creek, Michelle Prine, owner and president of 360GrandLake, says all the hard work they have been doing

14 n Our Oklahoma

for many months has paid off, making the celebration a success.

“We had a ton of people arrive by land, but most people come by Grand,” Prine says.

Organizers set up a huge floating barge at the center of the party and guests and party-goers can either enter the designated swimming/floating arena or drive their boats up and tie on to one another, creating this magical bridge that joins the throngs of people together for one giant water party.

Prine says over 13,000 people showed interest in attending Aquapalooza 2016, on the event website, and while the numbers are typically closer to 5,000, it was still a huge turnout for the event.

“We estimate three people generally come

for every one person that says they are attending,” says Prine. “In years past we usually have 1,500 people or so (indicate interest), and estimate at the event we have 4-5,000, but this year it has really taken off.”

Even though the number of people is not exact, the pictures from the event are proof positive that it was an enormous success. RC Livesay, a local professional photographer, flew a drone over the event and captured the event from a perspective not many get to see.

Pictures from the drone can be viewed at www.360GrandLake.com as well as Livesay’s Facebook page.

Ted Peitz, owner of Southwinds Marina, said they recently opened a new addition and renovation to the boat yard that helps with big events, even if they aren’t sure how many people attend.

“We deal with however many show up,” Peitz says.

Party-goers who didn’t arrive by Grand, were able to catch a ride out to the floating

party barge on one of the shuttle boats.

Roy Posey, a Southwinds Marina resident, was operating one of the shuttle boats for the entire event and he said this kind of party is good for Grand Lake as long as people “don’t get stupid,” in his words.

Posey, along with several other boats were running back and forth from the docks to the swim area where they dropped off hundreds of people as well as the bands and all the equipment on the barge.

The swim area is cordoned off from boats for the safety of swimmers. Children, 12 and under, are required to wear life jackets or they are not allowed in the swim area and swimmers are encouraged to bring their own floating devices. Some brought inflatables for not only themselves, but also for their drink coolers to hold their refreshments.

“It’s lined with water mats and filled with inflatable toys,” says Prine. “In addition it’s right in front of the band.”

Some dogs even got in on the water sports when people brought their fourlegged friends to join in on the fun. The dogs also had life jackets on for safety.

About ten patrol units from the Grand

River Dam Authority (GRDA) were on hand providing support and enforcing the rules and regulations of Grand Lake.

The live entertainment for the event included Jimmy Blythe and The Midnight Run Band and Damien Gunn + The Bang Bangs.

Helicopter rides were also available to guests who wanted to tour the event and get a bird’s eye view.

This giant water concert and raft up event is free for everyone. 360GrandLake does take donations or contributions to assist with event costs. And next year they predict an even bigger turn-out, which is why they say they happily accept donations.

Next year’s event is scheduled for July 15, 2017.

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Tuesday - Saturday 10am - 5pm

Your Grand Lake Dealer and Full Line Outboard Dealer!

(918) 786-2219 grovemarine.com 9121 Hwy 59 N. Grove, Ok 74344

homesteadamishfurniture.com Grove, OK • 2.5 miles South of Sailboat Bridge 918.787.7610

ON LOCATION DATE ESTABLISHED: 1890S POPULATION: 6,623 PEOPLE MOTTO: “LIVING THE GRAND LIFE!”

GROVE, OKLAHOMA WHAT’S GREAT ABOUT THIS PLACE? Grove officials recently green-lit a $3.7 million park project to attract fishing events to Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees, which helped entice the 2013 and 2016 Bassmaster Classic to the shores of the lake, but Grand Lake’s tranquil waters has already made Grove the Sooner State’s No. 1 destination point. Grand is consistently ranked among the top lakes for bass fishing in the region and is also a haven for migratory waterfowl and other wildlife. And, of course there is also a wide variety of boating and fishing fun to be experienced.

WAIT, YOU GOTTA SEE THIS! Opened in 1968, Har-Ber Village is one of the largest pioneer-era villages and history museums found in Oklahoma. Built as a gift to the public by Harvey and Bernice Jones, and similar to Branson’s Silver Dollar City (sans the theme rides), Har-Ber is a turn-of-the century village home to more than 100 buildings, collections and exhibits. There is a courthouse, a bank, an inn, a church, a jail, a print shop, drug store and dentist shop.

Open from March 1 through Nov. 15, the village is located on the western edge of Grove.

“OH, CHECK THIS OUT!” Without Pensacola Dam, there would be no Grand Lake or Grove serving as Oklahoma’s No. 1 destination spot. The first hydroelectric facility in Oklahoma, Pensacola Dam for 70 years has provided electricity for 24 counties in the Sooner State. Despite its age, the dam is still one of the longest multiple arch dams found in the world. Free tours of the dam, located at Highways 28 and 82, are available daily throughout the year.

HISTORICAL NOTE: Immediately after the Pensacola Dam’s completion in 1940, water began to pool across huge swaths of forests and fields. By the end of the summer, the lake had risen to the heights it occupies today. Some towns were buried beneath the rising waters — the small town of Echo, at the time located between Bernice and Grove, was evacuated, the rest was lost to history. Some towns were moved, piece by piece, to a new location — Bernice is an example of this. Luckily, Grove was high enough in altitude to escape the lake waters. Still, the flooding resulted in the loss of 1,285 acres of Cherokee land and 802 acres of the Quapaw Indian Agency, most of which belonged to the Seneca-Cayuga Tribe. Half of the Seneca-Cayuga Elk River ceremonial area was flooded, as well.

N E W? E HECK K WHO TH the nation’s e of Grove is on ment areas tire five best re ing, e cost of liv th n based o imate cal taxes, cl state and lo usehold l ho and typica rding to city cco earnings, a t end, the tha To officials. wn tion has gro la u p city’s po ce n 8 percent si by nearly 2 2000.

THIS IS JUST BREATHTAKING: Anyone who loves the great outdoors — or wants a perfect wedding spot — should visit Lendonwood Gardens, a threeacre botanical garden offering 1,400 different plants, including one of the largest collections of cypress trees in the United States. Located at 1308 W. 13th Street, it is open year-round with guided or self-guided tours.

NOTABLE NATIVE: Darryl Starbird is an American custom car and hot rod designer and builder, whose best known cars — the Predicta, the Electra, the Cosma Ray, the Big T and the ‘Lil Coffin — had futuristic space-age car designs and bubble tops, many of which were made into Monogram models during the 1950s and 1960s. These cars can now be found inside the Darryl Starbird National Rod and Custom Hall of Fame Museum, located on Highway 85-A outside Grove. Director George Lucas included a reference to Starbird in his 1973 film, “American Graffiti,” in which a character named Toad comments about his friend’s 1958 Chevrolet Impala — “This may even be better than Darryl Starbird’s super fleck moon bird!”

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THE COVES AT BIRD ISLAND

is a 662 acre “gated Community” located on the South end of Grand Lake O’ The Cherokees in Oklahoma. A private 18 hole golf course & 24 hour manned security add value to the community. You will enjoy the natural environment & beauty of Grand Lake. Waterfront homes, Fairway homes, Townhomes & building sites are available.

Call for details.

Grand Lake Sports Center 301 S. Main St. Grove, Ok 74344 918-786-2300 Stop in get a and your fi ll of s suppli hing es!

Join Us for Fall Open House and Check out our Falling Prices!

Serving the Grove Area for 67 years!

New Route 66 Attraction!

The Chelsea Underpass features hand painted murals of Chelsea’s history.

Visit us on Facebook for at Project Chelsea, Oklahoma.

COME SEE US IN CHELSEA, OKLAHOMA!

UNI_16-CNC-071_AdaEveningNews-OurOklahoma.indd 1

CELEBRATIONS ATIONS

of

SUMMER C H I C K A S A W

Explore a replica 1700s Chickasaw village to experience how we lived and thrived.

Discover new exhibits. Revisit favorites. Come!

EXHIBIT NOW OPEN! IKBI: BUILD WITH TOY BRICKS!

ChickasawCulturalCenter.com • S u l p h u r, O K

7/29/16 10:52 A

Alpacas are native to the Andes region in South America, but tourists can find them in Zena, Oklahoma.

Kathleen Callan and her husband operate the Zena Suri Alpacas farm, open to visitors year-round.

Down on the

Alpaca Farm W

By Travis Sloat, Photos submitted by Kathleen Callan

hen it comes to alpacas, Kathleen Callan has a knowledge based in experience most couldn’t dream of.

“For the most part, owning alpacas is a very relaxing thing to do,” Callan said. “In fact, we’re told it will lower your blood pressure by 10 points.

Most days it consists of making sure they have fresh water and grain, but in weather like this, they go get their own food. At night we keep them in the barn or in paddocks, it’s not necessary but I sleep better knowing they’re safe.”

Callan and her husband own and operate Zena Suri Alpacas, an alpaca farm in Zena, Oklahoma. They are open year round, and are available for guided tours with a phone call to (804) 389-2579. The tours consist of walking among the alpacas, petting them, feeding and learning all about the amazing animals that Callan raises religiously.

“You should call and request the

22 n Our Oklahoma

tour, rather than just showing up,” Callan said. “That way we aren’t running around trying to get stuff done, or doing a tour for another group.

We’ll set a mutually agreed upon time, I’ll give you directions and you come down. You need to allot approximately an hour for the tour, longer if you want to learn more. But we tailor the tour to who’s coming. If it’s kids, we don’t talk about genetics and breeding.

If people are interested in the fleece, we talk about that. There are things you shouldn’t touch and places you shouldn’t go, but we’ll take you almost anywhere you want to go.”

Alpacas are native to the Andes region in South America, and are prized for their fleece, which is graded in five tiers by Callan. The fleece has no lanolin, which makes it hypoallergenic and means it can be used on its own or mixed with other fibers to produce durable and comfortable clothing.

Callan said she blames her second grade teacher for getting her into the

alpaca business.

“I was sitting in class drawing sharks and dinosaurs,” she said. “My teacher came by and told me that this was not art class, it was geography class, and I was responsible for a report on animals in the Andes. It just went downhill from there.”

Callan also said one of the great things about alpacas is their ability to be a renewable resource.

“Their fleece is renewable,” Callan said. “We don’t have to kill the alpacas for a beautiful byproduct. They live between 15 and 20 years, and we’re able to shear every year. We have some that have lived much longer, and they have a useable byproduct for their entire life.”

The alpacas are an investment, and Callan said that fencing is a major expense. Their alpacas are also microchipped, and each has their DNA on file, so if one gets lost, finding it isn’t difficult. Callan said their alpacas are “spoiled rotten.”

For those worried about the temperament of alpacas, who are oftentimes shown to be notorious for spitting, Callan said there is nothing to worry about.

“Most of them have very sweet dispositions,” Callan said. “But like people, cats and dogs, some don’t They spit with provocation, but they prefer not to. I think it tastes bad for them when they have to.”

Zena Suri Alpacas also has a shop where tourists can shop after their foray into the alpaca farm. Callan said they send some fleece to other areas in the United States, while some of it stays on site and is spun, or knitted into “all sorts of things.”

“We have sweaters, scarves, socks, all kinds of things made out of the alpaca fibers,” she said. “It’s very lightweight and wicks moisture away from the skin.

It’s antimicrobial, and is warm in the winter and cool in the summer. It can be spun and knit in various ways, and blended with other fibers like cotton. In the winter, it’s often mixed with wool, bamboo, nylon or silk.”

One final thing Callan wants people to know either before they go on a tour or after is a common misconception about the anatomy of an alpaca.

“They don’t have hooves, they have toes,” she said. “People get that wrong a lot.”

IF YOU GO WHAT: Farm tours allowing visitors to pet, feed and learn about alpacas WHERE: Zena Suri Alpacas farm in Zena, Oklahoma WHEN: Year-round HOW: Call Kathleen Callan at (804) 389-2579 to schedule a visit

‘You need to allot approximately an hour for the tour, longer if you want to learn more.

But we tailor the tour to who’s coming.’

— Kathleen Callan, Zena Suri Alpacas

Our Oklahoma n 23

miami, Ok “The CiTy and a naTion” PoPulaTion: 13,570 PeoPle Miles froM JoPlin: 25 Miles (34 MinuTes) A UniqUe note: Nine Native American tribes are located in or near Miami.

These include the Quapaw Tribe, Wyandotte Tribe, Modoc Tribe, Miami Tribe, Seneca-Cayuga Tribe, Ottawa Tribe, Eastern Shawnee Tribe, Peoria Tribe and the Shawnee Tribe. The town is named after the Miami tribe after they sold 588 acres for the town to be developed. The Dobson Museum, located near downtown, displays local Native American artifacts and has over 5,000 historical items.

‘YoU GottA See thiS!’: Miami has gone through quite the transformation over the last 30 years or so; it was once known as a manufacturing hub. But when BF Goodrich plant, which employed 2,000 people, shut down in 1986, the city quickly transformed itself into a “destination spot” town. No town in the Joplin metro area has more slot machines and gaming tables residing within its city limits, or within a five-minute drive, than Miami. It is home to Buffalo Run Casino and Resort, The Stables Casino, Prairie Sun and Moon Casinos and, just outside the city limits, Quapaw Casino to the north and High Winds Casino to the east. one ‘CAn’t MiSS’ Stop: Dominating Miami, Oklahoma’s downtown scene and located along the city’s segment of Route 66 is one the Four States most beautiful structures: The historic Coleman Theatre, a majestic building that’s rarely seen in this part of the country. This 1,600-seat theater opened on April 18, 1929, at a cost of $600,000 (tickets for seats in 1929 were $1); it was proudly billed as the most elaborate “center of entertainment” found between Dallas to the south and Kansas City to the north. Many early movie stars, such as Will Rogers and Tom Mix, have appeared on both its stage and screen over the years. Designed by a Kansas City architectural firm, the building’s elegant Louis XV interior includes gold leaf trim, silk damask panels, stained glass panels, marble accents, a carved mahogany staircase, Wurlitzer pipe organ, decorative plaster moldings and bronze railings. Even today, the Coleman is one of the best surviving examples of Spanish Revival style found anywhere in the Sooner State. The theater is home to five Miami Little Theatre productions, annual Christmas and rare movies, as well as live vocal and instrumental shows, including local school plays. In 1983, the Coleman Theatre was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

FillinG Up: If you see a giant yellow cuckoo bird made of fiberglass as well as a huge green-and-yellow neon sign, you know you’ve found a Route 66 food landmark. At one time during the Route 66 heyday in the 1960s, there were 200 of these restaurants dotting the land. Now, the Miami-based Waylan’s Ku-Ku Burger is the only one still standing — and when it first opened in the early 1970s, it was the very first place in Miami to have a drive-through window. According to www.travelok.com, this restaurant is “one of the best burger joints, and burger experiences, found anywhere on the Mother Road.” Everything on the menu is cooked to order: more than 2,000 burgers are cooked each week.

Sleep tiGht: Located on the grounds of the Miami-based Buffalo Run Casino sits the Buffalo Run Hotel, offering traditional rooms and suites, free WiFi and flat-screen TVs, plus coffeemakers, mini-fridges and microwaves. Suites add wet bars and sitting areas with pull-out sofas. A continental breakfast is complimentary. In addition to the casino, amenities include two restaurants and a bar and grill, plus live entertainment, an indoor pool and a business center.

WhO kneW?

In nearby Commerce sits a single-story house known as the boyhood home of Mickey Mantle, the great New York Yankee and National Hall of Fame inductee. “The Commerce Comet’s” family moved to the Miami area when he was 4. He would go on to later play for the Baxter Springs, Kansas Whiz Kids and the nearby Joplin Miners. The house is located at 319 S. Quincy Street.