Dick
Rice was born in Augusta,
Kansas. His folks
traveled to Faye in a covered wagon in November of 1908 when
Dick was 6 years old. His mother’s brothers were already
located here and they had a bumper crop of corn in 1907.
Dick tells that they thought they were coming to the
Promised Land.
He
tells of their first night in this area. They camped out
east of Watonga before traveling on to Faye the next day.
That night was filled with fears and anxieties as they
dodged a prairie fire and then later had to take cover from
a terrible wind storm. He called it their ‘initiation to
Watonga’.
You
can hear all of Frank Beneda’s interview with Dick Rice at
the Watonga Public Library or you can buy the tape at the
Oklahoma Historical Society by calling (405) 522-0689.
These
recordings are part of an oral history program called Living
Legends sponsored by the Oklahoma Historical Society.
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