Red Dirt And Round Bales

The President Who Loved Oklahoma Early

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Before Oklahoma became the 46th state, Theodore Roosevelt came west and found a place that matched the frontier spirit he loved. In this episode of Red Dirt and Round Bales, Dave Deken follows Roosevelt’s Oklahoma story from Rough Riders reunions and whistle-stop speeches to Frederick, Deep Red Creek, Jack “Catch-Em-Alive” Abernathy, Quanah Parker, and the famous 1905 wolf hunt.

The episode also looks at what Roosevelt’s visit left behind, including his role in designating the Wichita Forest and Game Preserve, now known as the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge. It is a story about statehood, conservation, Southwest Oklahoma, and the moment a young, unfinished state found a president who believed in its future.

Key takeaways

  1. Theodore Roosevelt had Oklahoma connections before statehood through the Rough Riders.
  2. His Rough Riders included men from Oklahoma Territory and Indian Territory.
  3. Roosevelt visited Oklahoma City in 1900 for a Rough Riders reunion.
  4. In 1905, he traveled by train through Indian Territory and spoke in several towns.
  5. Frederick became the center of one of Roosevelt’s most famous Oklahoma stories.
  6. Jack “Catch-Em-Alive” Abernathy’s wolf-catching reputation drew Roosevelt to Southwest Oklahoma.
  7. The Deep Red Creek camp connected politics, ranching, tribal nations, and statehood dreams.
  8. Quanah Parker’s presence reminds listeners that this was a complicated historical moment.
  9. Roosevelt’s conservation legacy helped shape today’s Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge.
  10. Roosevelt later signed the 1907 proclamation admitting Oklahoma as the 46th state.

    11. Timestamped rundown

    00:00–00:13 — Dave Deken opens the episode and frames it around agriculture, rural life, and Oklahoma.
    00:13–01:19 — The episode sets up Theodore Roosevelt’s connection to pre-statehood Oklahoma, then divided into Oklahoma Territory and Indian Territory.
    01:20–01:56 — Roosevelt’s Rough Riders connection is introduced, including men from Oklahoma and Indian Territories who served with him.
    01:57–02:09 — Roosevelt visits Oklahoma City in 1900 and tells the crowd he hopes to see Oklahoma become a state.
    02:10–03:12 — The story moves to Roosevelt’s 1905 presidential trip by train through Indian Territory, including stops in Vinita, Muskogee, South McAlester, Atoka, Caddo, and Durant.
    03:12–04:15 — Roosevelt arrives in Frederick and heads toward the Big Pasture and Deep Red Creek for a hunting trip with Jack Abernathy.
    04:16–04:31 — Dave pauses to explain the deeper historical setting: tribal nations, ranching, politics, federal power, memory, and change.
    04:32–05:00 — The wolf hunt becomes legend as Abernathy proves the stories Roosevelt had heard about him.
    05:01–06:18 — Roosevelt’s conservation legacy is tied to the Wichita Forest and Game Preserve, now the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge.
    06:18–07:03 — The episode connects Roosevelt’s Oklahoma affection to statehood, ending with his 1907 proclamation admitting Oklahoma to the Union.
    07:04–07:35 — Dave closes with a reminder to learn more at the show website and wishes listeners a happy Fourth of July weekend.

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    Red Dirt And Round BalesBy Dave Deken