The wind was whipping my pants pretty hard and I could hear the dust hitting my car, parked there in front of the courthouse of Cimmaron County— Boise City, Oklahoma. An impressive plaque recounted the date (July 5, 1943) that the Air Force, by mistake bombed Boise City. The bombs did little damage. Each practice bomb contained 4 pounds of dynamite and 80 pounds of sand. None hit the courthouse, but the Baptist church parking took a hit. Not much else had ever happened there in Boise (French word meaning tree) so the local historical society had put up the plaque. So here I was, trying to wipe some panhandle dust out of my eyes. My mission to Boise City Completed. Done. At least for now.

Perhaps I should have been in town earlier. Like in1908.

Historically speaking, something else did happen to this little county seat town back in the early time of 1908. It seems The Southwest Immigration and Development Company had been selling lots (back east) for this “fabled tree city” in the “fabled” west at $45.00 per lot. The pamphlets showed a beautiful town, full of very nice, finished homes, pretty streets and an infinite number of beautiful shade trees. A large artesian well squirted water high up in the air square dab in the middle of the picture. Every street in Boise City was said to be paved and three busy railroads served this town surrounded by fertile fields growing an abundance of crops. It was gorgeous. Of course, the day eventually arrived when Boise City’s newest wannabe residents arrived—all on the same train.

If any of the disappointed lot buyers desired to stay anyway, that was too bad. The promoters didn’t (of course) own any of the land. Later, the phony developers, J. E. Stanley and Mr. J. E. Klien, were arrested, convicted and sent to prison. I don’t know where the wannabe buyers of these pristine lots went but the town went on growing anyway and somehow persisted. It even became the county seat of Cimarron County— eventually. By 1910 this misbegotten dusty little town had 250 people, but still had no paved streets or big trees. It was located 299 miles from Denver and 340 miles from Oklahoma City. And at last reports there still wasn’t an artesian well—which would have been useful later on, such as in 1934. I’ll ask Dennis Sappenfield.

Have a good week and be sure and attend your church next Sunday.

Wayne Bullard, DPh

cwaynebullard@gmail.com