In reply to your query, as to why so many oakies came to Ca. There was a thing called Dust Bowl in Ok. the wind blew for a long time, the soil was blown away, people could not farm and raise their families. So they had to go someplace else, they went west. Thousands ended up in the Bakersfield area because,there were farms to work on, and make a little money. But the area was overflowing with them, people looked down on them, thought they were trash, and did not want them going to school with their children. So a labor camp was started 15-20 miles from Bakersfield. They had their own school there due to ones mans effort to get them schooling. They stayed, they struggled, they survived. and were strong people. John Steinbach wrote the Grapes of Wrath, which was a story having to do with that area. He visited the labor camp. The book was banned on our library shelves for a long time. Now there is a celebration each year, at that labor camp, and people from all over CA. go back to where they once lived. and see other folks that they knew back then. Its called DUST BOWL DAYS My family did not come here until 1951 and things were much better. But we were always proud to be called Oakies, it was our homeland, and all these years later, we remember the good days and it is home to our hearts. I know there is a lot more historical articles on this, just a little summary for folks there Thanks for asking Mildred Neeley Tatum

Thank you so much for your answer to my question! I had found it so unusual and interesting that so many Oklahomans went to that one specific spot and I appreciate your giving me the reasons why they did! Several members of my family went to that area as I'm told by family members and I know one part of my family went there but returned to Oklahoma. I've heard about the Grapes of Wrath, but I don't remember reading it...so I'll have to get that book and it should give me more answers. Thanks again - I really appreciate it! Sharon ----- Original Message ----- From: "mildred Tatum" <mftatum@webtv.net> To: <OKMUSKOG-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Sunday, November 10, 2002 7:13 PM Subject: [OKMUSKOG] Oakies > In reply to your query, as to why so many > oakies came to Ca. > There was a thing called Dust Bowl in Ok. > the wind blew for a long time, the soil was > blown away, people could not farm and > raise their families. So they had to go > someplace else, they went west. > Thousands ended up in the Bakersfield area > because,there were farms to work on, and > make a little money. But the area was > overflowing with them, people looked down > on them, thought they were trash, and did > not want them going to school with their > children. So a labor camp was started > 15-20 miles from Bakersfield. They had > their own school there due to ones mans > effort to get them schooling. > They stayed, they struggled, they survived. > and were strong people. John Steinbach > wrote the Grapes of Wrath, which was a > story having to do with that area. He > visited the labor camp. The book was banned > on our library shelves for a long time. > Now there is a celebration each year, at that > labor camp, and people from all over CA. > go back to where they once lived. and see > other folks that they knew back then. > Its called DUST BOWL DAYS > My family did not come here until 1951 and > things were much better. > But we were always proud to be called > Oakies, it was our homeland, and all these > years later, we remember the good days > and it is home to our hearts. > I know there is a lot more historical articles > on this, just a little summary for folks there > Thanks for asking > Mildred Neeley Tatum > > > ==== OKMUSKOG Mailing List ==== > If you wish to subscribe to or unsubscribe from the Muskogee Co., OK list, use > OKMUSKOG-l-request@rootsweb.com or OKMUSKOG-d-request@rootsweb.com if > you are on the Digest list. > Oklahoma Cemeteries Volunteer Website http://www.rootsweb.com/~okcemete/okcem.htm > To learn more about my world visit http://dwp.bigplanet.com/kburnett > > ============================== > To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy records, go to: > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237 > >

My family went also, I have a brother and sister born in Barkersfield, I was just 1 year old then but my family went back to OK thank God, but still have a LOT of cousin there. Sethie ----- Original Message ----- From: "mildred Tatum" <mftatum@webtv.net> To: <OKMUSKOG-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Sunday, November 10, 2002 9:13 PM Subject: [OKMUSKOG] Oakies > In reply to your query, as to why so many > oakies came to Ca. > There was a thing called Dust Bowl in Ok. > the wind blew for a long time, the soil was > blown away, people could not farm and > raise their families. So they had to go > someplace else, they went west. > Thousands ended up in the Bakersfield area > because,there were farms to work on, and > make a little money. But the area was > overflowing with them, people looked down > on them, thought they were trash, and did > not want them going to school with their > children. So a labor camp was started > 15-20 miles from Bakersfield. They had > their own school there due to ones mans > effort to get them schooling. > They stayed, they struggled, they survived. > and were strong people. John Steinbach > wrote the Grapes of Wrath, which was a > story having to do with that area. He > visited the labor camp. The book was banned > on our library shelves for a long time. > Now there is a celebration each year, at that > labor camp, and people from all over CA. > go back to where they once lived. and see > other folks that they knew back then. > Its called DUST BOWL DAYS > My family did not come here until 1951 and > things were much better. > But we were always proud to be called > Oakies, it was our homeland, and all these > years later, we remember the good days > and it is home to our hearts. > I know there is a lot more historical articles > on this, just a little summary for folks there > Thanks for asking > Mildred Neeley Tatum > > > ==== OKMUSKOG Mailing List ==== > If you wish to subscribe to or unsubscribe from the Muskogee Co., OK list, use > OKMUSKOG-l-request@rootsweb.com or OKMUSKOG-d-request@rootsweb.com if > you are on the Digest list. > Oklahoma Cemeteries Volunteer Website http://www.rootsweb.com/~okcemete/okcem.htm > To learn more about my world visit http://dwp.bigplanet.com/kburnett > > ============================== > To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy records, go to: > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237 > >