Happy 2017! Last year was an extraordinarily eventful (and happy) year for me, and I'm starting to settle down into a new routine. My employer, Rogers State University, has been most accommodating and has graciously allowed me to develop a teaching schedule that allows me to spend several days each week in Alva, Oklahoma, where my husband, Dr. Richmond B. Adams, teaches at Northwestern Oklahoma State University.

On one of my first visits to Alva, I noticed the beautiful windows in the United Methodist Church and was startled to see G. A. R. (Grand Army of the Republic) in the center of the large, round window.

There are a number of Union veterans buried in the city cemetery and obviously many were attracted to the area thanks to the opening of the Cherokee Outlet in 1893. The four windows underneath the large, round window are just as fascinating.

Abraham Lincoln:

A pair of American flags:

And, the symbol of the Woman's Relief Corps which obviously sponsored the four smaller windows:

Pryor, Oklahoma: My Gateway to Border War Sites

Recently, I was visiting with a new acquaintance that told me about the various Civil War sites within a day’s drive of their town in an Eastern state. Rather than being struck with envy, I told them about all the Civil War era sites within day trip range of Pryor, Oklahoma, the town that I live in. They were impressed and surprised; actually, so was I because I had never catalogued all the Border War sites within easy day trip range of my home. When I moved to Pryor, Oklahoma, a number of years ago, I had no idea what a great location it is in regard to Civil War places.

Below is a list of places relating to the Civil War era within day trip range of my home. The qualifications that I set for inclusion in the list were 1) the site had to have a strong connection to the Civil War era, 2) the location had to be either a national or a state park, 3) the site had to be within manageable day trip range. Actually, all of the places listed, except for the Mine Creek Battlefield and Marais des Cygnes, are no more than 2 ½ hours away from Pryor one way. The Mine Creek Battlefield is almost beyond my limits for a day trip, but since I did actually visit it and Fort Scott in one day, I have included it.

Arkansas:

Fort Smith National Historic Site

Pea Ridge National Military Park

Prairie Grove Battlefield State Park

Kansas:

Fort Scott National Historic Site

Mine Creek Battlefield State Historic Site

Missouri:

Wilson’s Creek NationalBattlefield

Oklahoma:

Cabin Creek Battlefield

Fort Gibson State Historic Park

Honey Springs Battlefield

The ones that I have listed are the places that I have actually visited. Here are three sites that I’m looking forward to visiting:

Kansas:

Marais des Cygnes State Historic Site

Missouri:

Battle of Carthage State Historic Site

Battle of Island Mound State Historic Site

Twelve Civil War era sites within a day trip of my home—pretty respectable I think!