The Great Gate of Hollister, Oklahoma

This is the earlier shot. The sun was in front of me so the detail of the structure was obscured. Great Gate of Hollister originally uploaded by anyjazz65 The Great Gate of Hollister? Who knows? In Hollister, Oklahoma, population 60, stands this wall. Brick and stone and concrete. Just this wall. In a small town made up mostly of mobile homes and a post office, there is this wall. At the end of a nearly deserted street, a reminder of something completely forgotten. It was too late in the day to get a good photograph. I'll have to go back. soozika says: ... maybe the Romans once paid Oklahoma a visit after all ...? It sure looks sort of like a naturalistic Magritte ... anyjazz65 says: Thanks soozika. Magritte! That's true! Romans, not so far-fetched. It has been proven that Vikings roamed the eastern part of Oklahoma in about 600 AD. Why not Romans in the western half? I have no idea what the original purpose was. Both times I have been there the ground was too muddy to explore the area behind it. I might get some idea of the size of the building or maybe the number of ground floor rooms if the floor is still there. Maybe this wall is all there is. In a town of only 600 residents, no convenience store or gas station or cafe or any public place, it is difficult to find someone to ask about it. And they might not know anyway. It is impossible to imagine the town needing a building of this size for anything. soozika says: This is so intriguing -- that no one cared to record the history! Sounds like a weird place alright - no gas station, no stores ... no McDonald's even? ;) The brick structure behind the columns - it would be interesting to know whether this has been erected to prop up the original structure at some later stage or whether it was part of it from the onset. But then, it's an integral part of two columns already ... Maybe one from-railway-tracks-to-riches wealthy family wanted to erect a memorial and went bankrupt before it could be finished ... or maybe it has something to do with the railway that seems to have been the reason for Hollister coming into existence (or flourishing) in the first place. Hm. I must admit I'm almost tempted to drop the OK Historical Society a line ... with a link to this photo and a big question mark. On the other hand, maybe some things don't need to be known ...... ... ... ? Anyway, I already know more about Oklahoma now than I ever knew ... before lunchtime. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Oklahoma en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tillman_County%2C_Oklahoma en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hollister,_Oklahoma Oh Boy (Gary) says: Very nicely done, do you have any idea what it was? anyjazz65 says: Not a clue. My only guess is that it might have been a hotel for railroad workers in times past. The town does not seem to have ever been very large. There is a grain elevator and a single rail line now. The town is too tiny for a library or a courthouse or a police station. The post office is a small mobile home on the other side of the highway. I don't know. I plan a return trip earlier in the day so I can get a better shot. Maybe I can round up one of the 60 locals who might know what it was and where it went. Lucky Clov says: Interesting- erected in the manner of a Doric temple. My guess is for the post office, library or other civic bulding. Who knows- could have been a movie set! anyjazz65 says: Thanks. I MUST go back there. We Googled the town and found absolutely nothing that would tell us about this. The building is just too big for the town. There are currently only 60 residents but it could have been larger in the past I suppose. It would have to be 10 times or more larger to merit a brick building this big. As you can see, the streets are just rocked in lanes. There are as many empty buildings are occupied. The only activity seems to be the minor highway that passes directly through it. There is a grain elevator, a rail siding, a water tower and a tiny post office. Very unusual. Oh Boy (Gary) says: With the coming of the Katy Railroad, Loveland, Hollister, and Tipton sprouted on the prairie. About the only objections that the settlers in this rich new land had were that Oklahoma was still a territory, and it was at least a two-day trip to Lawton, the county seat, since this was a part of Comanche County then. These situations were remedied by 1907 statehood and the creation of Tillman County, with Frederick as the county seat. Seven bustling towns were thriving in the new county: Davidson, Frederick, and Manitou on the Frisco line, Grandfield, Loveland, Hollister, and Tipton on the Katy. Tillman County entered the twentieth century with great expectations! anyjazz65 says: @oh boy photos: Hey that's very informative! Somehow I figured you would know something about it. Your research clears up a lot of suspicions and indeed, questions that I have about the area. I plan a return trip soon because there was so much recent history just sitting around, waiting. And thanks for the reminder that Oklahoma is not even a hundred years old yet, barely two and a half generations of people endowed with the fearless spirit of adventure in a quest for happiness and freedom. My wife, who spent most of her life in England, stands a bit amazed at us. While we marvel at buildings a scant 100 years old that we abandoned, England has many structures 500 or more years old abandoned by the Normans and the Romans. Some of these are still in use. Thanks to you for your informative comment! Lucky Clov says: Great to read the info! Thanks! anyjazz65 says: The wall in Hollister. I have been wanting to return to Holister for a better shot of this mysterious wall. The chance finally came. The light was much better on this trip; this is a much better shot. I still don't know why this is here. Return to Hollister. originally uploaded by anyjazz65 soozika says: ... maybe the Romans once paid Oklahoma a visit after all ...? It sure looks sort of like a naturalistic Magritte ... anyjazz65 says: Thanks soozika. Magritte! That's true! Romans, not so far-fetched. It has been proven that Vikings roamed the eastern part of Oklahoma in about 600 AD. Why not Romans in the western half? I have no idea what the original purpose was. Both times I have been there the ground was too muddy to explore the area behind it. I might get some idea of the size of the building or maybe the number of ground floor rooms if the floor is still there. Maybe this wall is all there is. In a town of only 600 residents, no convenience store or gas station or cafe or any public place, it is difficult to find someone to ask about it. And they might not know anyway. It is impossible to imagine the town needing a building of this size for anything. soozika says: This is so intriguing -- that no one cared to record the history! Sounds like a weird place alright - no gas station, no stores ... no McDonald's even? ;) The brick structure behind the columns - it would be interesting to know whether this has been erected to prop up the original structure at some later stage or whether it was part of it from the onset. But then, it's an integral part of two columns already ... Maybe one from-railway-tracks-to-riches wealthy family wanted to erect a memorial and went bankrupt before it could be finished ... or maybe it has something to do with the railway that seems to have been the reason for Hollister coming into existence (or flourishing) in the first place. Hm. I must admit I'm almost tempted to drop the OK Historical Society a line ... with a link to this photo and a big question mark. On the other hand, maybe some things don't need to be known ...... ... ... ? Anyway, I already know more about Oklahoma now than I ever knew ... before lunchtime. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Oklahoma en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tillman_County%2C_Oklahoma en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hollister,_Oklahoma anyjazz65 says: Ah soozika. Thanks for your interest. And thanks for the links too! I should have thought to add those. It is fascinating, isn’t it? Even standing a few feet away from this structure I cannot imagine its purpose. I am certain there is a story, even a sensible explanation but it remains a mystery for now. It has the look of some libraries in the mid-west, but the town was never populace enough for a library that size. Also it has the look of schools that some small towns still use. It may have been a hotel for rail road workers as it appears that it possibly had a second storey. But I can find nothing of similar constructions in other, older rail towns. And it is actually quite a distance from the rail line. And you are right; there is no evidence that it was ever a FINISHED building even. It is also on what I would speculate as the edge of the town. It is well off the main state highway and a good distance from the rail line. In most small towns, the main buildings would be right next to one or the other. In this picture you see nothing behind it but open field. The entire town of about 20 residences is behind the camera. This building is on the highway, perhaps four blocks east, directly behind the camera. As for the history of the state of Oklahoma, the most startling fact for me is that it will be just one hundred years old, November 16, this year. There is so much of the history of the old west still just standing around. This is a fine example. I promise, on my next trip I will wear some hiking boots and try to get closer. (The current occupants of this field would probably not care to be disturbed.) Maybe I can find a corner stone or something that will help identify it. Also, maybe I can find some activity around a grain elevator over near the rail line and engage in an informative conversation. I will avoid knocking on any of the 20 or so doors in the community. These people probably live in this rather remote, un-commercialized area because they LIKE their privacy. And possibly it might be just as much a mystery to them. I was hoping by now someone on Flickr might know. But in a town of only 60, it might be a rather slim hope that someone from there would stumble upon this picture. Even the near-by towns are small, a scant few at that. Frederick is probably the largest at a population of above 4,600. The area is largely rural, cotton and cattle land, connected by two-lane state highways. I have looked through historical pictures in books and on web sites at every opportunity; I have not found even a similar building. Here is a more common type building for the era and area. And in the end, someone will clear it all up and it will be a mystery no more. Ha! A query to the Oklahoma Historical Society coming from your part of the world; that would be rich. I bet that would make their day. I see I have used up my morning too. I will probably transfer this to the blog because it is such interesting conversation. soozika says: Well, Mister -- that's another load of bits and pieces of information ... thanks! I must look on my US map to find out whether I ever and if yes, where I passed through Oklahoma in 1978 (when I traveled from east to west in 2 months). Yes, 100 year anniversary in 2007 ... a mere blink by European standards, I guess. Augsburg, arguably one of the oldest cities in Germany (a title which, understandably, is heatedly disputed, but ...) was founded in 15 B.C., Munich ("my" city) in 1158. In England, as your wife probably knows, it's the city of Colchester (43 A.D.). Oh, and in France it's Marseille (600 B.C.). But hey, it's just a different historical path and development ... with all that comes with it. ... I'm still pondering about approaching the OK Hist. Soc. ... if I can't hold myself back, would you mind if I used your picture? And if they can actually solve the mystery, I will first ask you whether you REALLY want to know .... or leave it in the realm of imagination ... :) To boot :): images.google.de/imgres?imgurl=http://pics.city-data.com/... anyjazz65 says: You are welcome to it! I would love to know the answers and tell the tale of how I found out. It would make a great blog page. And hey! That is an interesting link! I think anyone interested should follow that. It really tells a lot. My next trip through there should include some pano shots so one can get a better idea of the remoteness of this quiet little town. anyjazz65 says: Hollister, Oklahoma (Clicking image takes you to Flickr for a larger version) Look at it in large. You can see the shadow of the pillars. Then zoom back and note the size of the town; six blocks high and four blocks wide and most of that is open field. This must have been a much larger town at one time to need a building that size for anything. In the color version you can just make out the floor plan outlined by dark green trees. Oh Boy (Gary) says: A very intriguing structure, I am still very curious as to what it was also. anyjazz65 says: Thanks. Me too. I am hoping someone of the 58 residents of the town has a computer and visits Flickr and visits this stream and then actually SEES this picture....pretty remote chance. soozika says: ... I daresay!

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