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15OCTOBER2013closeditbythe1980s.Thetownwaslonggonepostofficemovedintotheschoolbuilding.Therestoftheinterioroftheschoolwasguttedandthewindowsboardedup.Twopeoplecametotherescue.Twoschoolteachershewasawomenbasketballcoachandshewasamathteacherhadadream.ElvinSweetenandhiswifeFlotookalongtermleaseontheleakingoldrockandplasterschoolbuilding.Theceilingsweredroppedthestuccowallswerecoveredwithwoodheatingandairconditioningaddedandasoundsystemwasaddedintheoldgymnasium.Flowasraisedinthistown.Theranchwhereshegrewupisafewmilesaway.YesFloplayedhalf-courtbasketballwhileinschool.ShewantedtheentiremuseumtobeamoviememorabiliatributetoGeneAutryofcourseshegotitdone.FloandElvinSweetentraveledcoasttocoastbordertoborderbuyingupwholecollections.SomethinghappenedthoughtheyhadGeneitemsbuttoachievethistheyliterallyhadalltheotherB-Westernheroesmemorabiliaitemsalso.Someyoumayneverhaveheardof.Toysbigbooksfatbookscomicstricyclespistolsandholsterslikeyouhaveneverseeninoneplace.Thereareover20000itemsondisplayandover100000ft.ofglass.Everysingingcowboyhashisownindividualdisplayarea.Elvinisstilladdingitems.WehavetheonlyfulldisplayofallfourRedRydermoviestars.Itgoesonandon.ThemuseumisownedandoperatedbyElvinandFloSweeten.Theywanttosharetheirloveofabygoneagewiththoseofuswhostillrememberit.Admissionisbydonation.ThemuseumisopenFebruary12012toNovember302012MondaythroughSaturday10AMto4PM.Themuseumwillopenforspecialtours.WedecidedtocelebrateRoyRogers100thbirthdayonhisbirthdayNovember5th.WehadsevenradiostationsthatstartedinSeptemberadvertisingthebirthdayparty.ChildrenfromthelocalMethodistchurchyouthgroupprintedHappyBirthdayRoyRogersonseveralhundredpopcornbags.KCCURadiostationfurnishedfreesarsaparillaandpopcorn.DuringtheshowingofthemovieYellowRoseofTexaschildactorDonK.ReynoldswhowasinthreeRoyRogersmoviestoldofmakingthemovie.DonLittleBrownJugalsohadastudiodatewithCherylRogers.ShementionsitinherbookCowboyPrincessandalsohasapictureofthetwoofthem.TwobirthdaycakeseachwithRoyandTriggerincoloronthemwereservedtoover300people.At4PMwesangHappyTrailsandshedatearandtoldourherogoodbye.WehavealargeRoyRogerscollectionofmemorabilia.Elviniscontinuallyaddingtothecollection.MywifeElizabethandIvisitedtheRoyRogersMuseumseveraltimeswhileitwaslocatedinBransonMO.WeevenattendedaNewYearsPartythere.TherewasneverafullhouseforDustysshoworthemuseumitself.InfactweweretoldthereweredayswhennobodyvisitedtheMuseum.Weweresadtohearthatithadtoclose.WeknowpeopleinouragegrouparedyingfastthosethatrememberRoyRogersandGeneAutry.WearethelastoftheB-WesternMuseums.Wewillnotbeopenmuchlongersocomeonwhileyoucan.Weofferhandicapaccessibleaccess.Comeshareyourdreams.OneofmymanysurprisesinworkingasgreeteratthemuseumisthenumberofpeoplewhowanttotelltheirmemoriesandhaveaphototakeninfrontofthelargeoilpaintingofGeneandChampion.SeveraltimespeoplemostlywomenwillcrytellingtheirloveofGeneorotherstarsallbecauseofseeingthemdisplayedatthemuseum.WehavehadpeoplevisitfromEuropeonewasfromTransylvania.ThevisitorstakelotsofpicturesandmailpostcardshomewiththeGeneAutryOklahomapostmarkonit.Thoseofuswhorememberthosedayswhenwebelievedthatgoodwouldprevailaredyingofffastthosetimesofgoodguysalwayswinwillneverbeback.GeneAutryOKMuseum42PrairieSt.GeneAutryOK73436580-294-3047www.geneautryokmuseum.com