My Story - WashingtonIrvingWest.com

My STORY
My Natural Cathedral

      Washington Irving came to Oklahoma in 1832. Our family lived on the trail that Washington Irving followed on his way through Tulsa. My dad and my grandpa told me all about him, often. Grandpa in particular loved Fort Gibson the first stop on Irving’s trail, but for dad it was our neighborhood. Every time my dad and I came over the ridge east of the river, I would hear about the Robin Hood Scene that Irving saw. Dad would say that Mr. Irving came over the same ridge into the Arkansas River Valley. Dad would talk about the huge fires and the tents and the young rangers that Irving and his friends saw in 1832. He would encourage me to think about the smells of the fires and the roasting venison. We would wonder together about what men would smell like who didn’t use much soap and had no washing machines. While we talked and he told his stories, I would imagine.
      Since Irving’s Tour was in autumn, that time of year would bring it back to mind. On Halloween we had huge bonfires in our back yard. There we would roast wieners and marshmallows on long, strong sticks. My dad and I would take the short walk down to the river to find and whittle those sticks. The trip to the Arkansas River through golden trees and leaves as crisp as the weather, always got dad in the mood for stories. He would ask me if I thought the huge trees arched above us, looked like the roof of a cathedral. Of course I did. Certainly it was as beautiful and sacred as any church I’d ever been in. And the trees with their deep shadows at noon were just the least bit scary too. Daddy would suggest that maybe Irving camped right at this place on the river, right where we were whittling sticks. Later in the evening darkness as we placed the food on the sticks, as we roasted and ate, the firelight would bounce off the huge trees in my yard and again I would remember Irving and I would imagine.
      I hope that as you enjoy this 21^st Century Tour that recreates Washington Irving’s 19^th Century Tour, you can imagine too. I hope you can enjoy today and get delightful glimpses into yesterday.

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