Description

Travel with Bennett-Watt and discover the legacy of Will Rogers in the Will Rogers Museum, Claremore, Oklahoma.

Transcript

Host: In Claremore Oklahoma, the kickoff parade for a three day Wild West extravagance. For 16 years, the Wild West Arts Club under the leadership of Mark Allen, himself a Wild West performer has actively promoted the heritage, traditional skills and legacy of the American cowboy. Claremore is the hometown of Okalahoma’s most favorite son, Will Rogers. A unique personality held in considerable reverence in Oklahoma. Jim Hartz: He was my hero. My father thought two people had walked on water. Jesus was the first one and Will was the second one. That’s how important he was for the people of Oklahoma. They felt like he was not only their native son but their friend. I am sure he was the first who made Oklahoma big on the national stage. He was the hero of the state. Everything is named after him, turnpike, schools, out of the houses. It’s so good, you know we spent a lot of time here with the school kids and teaching them about the heritage with this man. He was patriarchy of course and so, the Indian legacy is there and something he was very proud off. One of his great lines was, he said, “My folks didn’t come over on the Mayflower but they met the boat.” Michelle Lefebvre-Carter: We welcome you all with the Will Rogers Museum. We’re here 365 days a year from eight to five. We have the Will Rogers Museum here in Claremore where you’re standing right now and then we also run the Will Rogers Birthplace Ranch, 12 miles north of here near the little Count of Oologah, Oklahoma. The museum itself is built back in 1938. It’s a tribute to the man, the international icon, Will Rogers who is Oklahoma’s favorite son. It’s a nine gallery museum. It pertains just to Will Rogers himself. It is his collections, his repository of photographs, his words, his images and on and on. We consider ourselves like into a presidential library as far the number of people that come through and the amount of research that we work with people on. Host: Often participants in the Wild West Expo will drop by the museum to pay homage to this remarkable American hero. Sometimes, even getting roped in so to speak, there are little impromptu performances. Telly Cardaci: It’s just something as soon as you get off the planes, as soon as you’re flying in. It’s also, you know you can feel the great spirit of Will Rogers and it’s just been really inspiring to me and I live in New York now and I start to continue with the spirit of Will, sharing it with everybody and everyone really seems to appreciate it. Len Zaleski: This Will Roger’s Memorial, it is magic. I mean, it just brings tears to my eyes to be here. I’m such an admirer of Will myself being a trick roper for over 58 years from Ohio and I just can’t tell you the joy that I have just being here.