March 12, 2006
Clyde, Oklahoma is a small town (well off any highway) in Grant County.
There's no reason to take a trip to Clyde. No reason not to, either.
Kansas
Stopped at Caldwell, Kansas for lunch.
Oklahoma
Take the highway west out of Medford, Oklahoma, and then watch for the unmarked road to Clyde.
This is Clyde, Oklahoma. I’m afraid that this town has gone the full cycle. It’s gone. All that remains is the name on the grain elevator and a single railroad siding sign.
Clyde, Oklahoma
space of two weeks
the whole
damned town's empty
and the years
roll in
loading
the winter horizon
into a hammered
wheat silo
and the rains
will begin
---Copyright © David Dwinell 2003
Even that siding sign is pointless, as the tracks are long gone. Only the right-of-way remains.
The Clyde cemetery.
Back on the road…
I saw a faded sign for Wakita, which said “Home of Twister.” I thought Chubby Checker? The living room party game?
No. It turns out that the movie “Twister” was filmed in Wakita. As a result of a peculiar bargain (the phrase "Faustian Bargain" comes to mind), the town agreed to have over 30 buildings destroyed in the making of the film.
Wakita, Oklahoma
It’s Sunday afternoon, but this nice lady was happy to walk me through the “Twister” museum.
“Bill Paxton was such a nice man. Always carrying a football with him so he could play catch with the kids. Helen Hunt? --well…”
The wall was covered in signatures of the Hollywood film crew. “Richard was quite nice, but, you know he had a pony tail…”
Back on the road in Oklahoma.
Time takes a toll…
This windmill is in operation and was pumping a fair amount of water into the cattle tank.
The Burlington, Oklahoma grain elevator.
Kansas
The Bank of Hazelton, Kansas
Riding north into Kansas on an unmarked road.
Norwich, Kansas. The old General Mills elevator.
Downtown Norwich, Kansas.
The winter wheat is coming up.
Note: Clyde, Kansas can be see here.