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dwtaylor999
Location: Unassigned Lands, Oklahoma Gender: Male
| | Maramec, OK: Ghost Town < on 3/6/2011 4:35 AM >
| | | It's been probably 20 years since I was last in Maramec, and while looking for old schools, I was close, so thought I would swing by. Some of its old main street remained, but much that I remember is gone. Thought I would capture what was left as it doesn't look long for this world either. This town is a black hole when it comes to information. When I get back to Oklahoma I'll swing by the county historical society and see what they may have. Maramec is located in Pawnee county in north central Oklahoma. It was originally about a mile away from its current location and was originally called Crystal, for a nearby spring. Crystal's post office was established in 1894 but when the town moved to be close to the rail line in 1903, it was renamed to Maramec. Legend has it the name was for the civil war ship the U.S.S. Merrimack, but if so, they had a spelling issue. The town had the typical businesses for the time frame, a couple of banks, hardware store, etc. Though it did experience some spurt during the oil boom, it was and remained primarily an agricultural based community. Some shots of the old depot, and like the rail line, long gone.
The town once had a large high school, for the era, and this was the last school the town had. A nice local lady was able to point me in the right direction or I would never have found it, or the remnants of it. She thought it was built in 1924 or 1925, but wasn't sure. The last record I can find of it as a high school is 1949, though it may have continued on as a grade school for several years after.
All that remains is the chimney and basement. Its pretty overgrown and there's not much left.
Many of the "downtown" buildings are gone, some completely, some with foundation evidence. The First National Bank building was identified on the list of 2006 Oklahoma most endangered places. It was listed on the NRHP in 2007.
Bank of Maramec, Maramec Over the years, this structure has been home to several occupants, including the original bank and a US Post Office, which also sold over-the-counter medications and was called the P.O./Pill Shop. The bank is threatened by demolition. |
A photo of the bank in 2006 and today.
If there where any hopes of saving it, that ship has sailed.
In the rear section which was still standing, it looks like the bank had still contained much if its original woodwork.
The bank, as was typical, was on the corner. I could tell from the old sidewalks and foundation remnants there had been several buildings to its left and across the street.
The bank was the last "surviving" building in that section on both sides. A few more buildings remained in the middle section. This shot was from a small park, which was comprised of the old playground equipment from the school.
The buildings were constructed of sandstone, probably quarried locally. Based off my limited experience, this dates them in the 1900s or teens. Most of the brick building didn't start showing up until the early 1920s. The building facade was enhanced with stamped tin pieces, common for the era.
The fact that the old pump was still there was interesting.
No trace of the original interiors remained.
The drums at the top of the drains was interesting. I'm not sure if that was original or not. If not, they've been there a long time.
The old doors look like they may have been original.
The last section only had one building remaining. Unfortunately its placard had been removed or crumbled and fallen out, so no info the original construction date. Since it was brick, I'm assuming 1920s. The brick color and texture matched the brick remnants at the school. This one also still had its hand pump still remaining.
It appeared the lower section was still used for storage or something. The windows where covered. The old Baptist Church, still in use.
The old playground equipment from the school.
This was sitting behind one of the buildings.
The last thing of interest, though it actually was a couple of miles from town, was the town cemetery. It is an I.O.O.F. (International Order of Odd Fellows) cemetery, which was a common organization in these towns in the early part of the last century. The organization has been around North America since 1819 but can trace its roots back to the 1600s. Google them if you're interested. They did and still do a lot of charitable work, and there were chapters in many towns. There is an old IOOF orphanage in Checotah from the early part of the last century thats supposedly still standing I want to check out. The cemetery gate dates it from 1907, but there are graves from the late 1890s, so I'm assuming the IOOF took it over. The cemetery was probably closer to the town before it was moved. This grave was dated 1898 and is a Woodsmen of America head stone.
This was an unexpected find. The goverment marker was much newer than the other headstones. Google info advised he got his medal for capturing a confederate General. Supposedly the only time a General officer has ever been captured by a private. I found it notable that he became a doctor after the war and while that was shown on his marker, there was nothing indicating his medal. The goverment marker was added by the MOH society.
I'm assuming he made the land run and settled here, as Maramec was in one of, if not the very last. land run. One last little piece of history before I left town.
Ruins, the fate of all cities. |
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CatalogOfCulture
Location: All over the northeast Gender: Male
| | | Re: Maramec, OK: Ghost Town <Reply # 1 on 3/6/2011 5:05 AM >
| | | Thanks for the great info, pictures and stories. It is sad and intriguing. [last edit 3/6/2011 5:06 AM by CatalogOfCulture - edited 1 times]
If it rusts I will find it |
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Imbroglio
Location: DFW Gender: Male
The glass is twice as big as it needs to be.
| | | Re: Maramec, OK: Ghost Town <Reply # 2 on 3/6/2011 7:30 AM >
| | | Yup, another great explore. Really appreciate what you're doing; great stuff! Can't wait to see the next place!
http://www.noelkernsphotography.com |
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WEKurtz
Location: Western MA Gender: Male
| | Re: Maramec, OK: Ghost Town <Reply # 3 on 3/6/2011 10:33 AM >
| | | Rockin' travelogue. Thanks.
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Dripik
Location: Carson City, NV Gender: Male
UE is my nightlife
| | Re: Maramec, OK: Ghost Town <Reply # 4 on 3/6/2011 5:28 PM >
| | | Amazing post again, sad that they could not save the bank. Its sad how much history we lose to people not caring, all the while what the average person would try to fight to save is a TV show or gas prices(excluding Wisconsin).
“We must go beyond textbooks, go out into the bypaths and untrodden depths of the wilderness and travel and explore and tell the world the glories of our journey.” John Hope Franklin quote (X)(DRIPIK)(X) |
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Orangedrink
Gender: Male
Phobiaphile
| | | Re: Maramec, OK: Ghost Town <Reply # 5 on 3/6/2011 5:59 PM >
| | | Posted by Dripik Amazing post again, sad that they could not save the bank. Its sad how much history we lose to people not caring, all the while what the average person would try to fight to save is a TV show or gas prices(excluding Wisconsin).
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It's great to see people find their voice and stand up for their civil rights!
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Dripik
Location: Carson City, NV Gender: Male
UE is my nightlife
| | Re: Maramec, OK: Ghost Town <Reply # 6 on 3/6/2011 6:29 PM >
| | | Posted by Orangedrink
It's great to see people find their voice and stand up for their civil rights!
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I hear that brother.. And it seems to be happening everywhere all at once. But its long over due and I hope its just the beginning.
“We must go beyond textbooks, go out into the bypaths and untrodden depths of the wilderness and travel and explore and tell the world the glories of our journey.” John Hope Franklin quote (X)(DRIPIK)(X) |
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yeya
Location: La La Land, TX Gender: Female
| | Re: Maramec, OK: Ghost Town <Reply # 7 on 3/7/2011 7:50 PM >
| | | Nice set and great history. Thanks for providing all of this. I really miss the old type of playgrounds. Don't find merry go rounds anymore, which I REALLY miss and the see-saws too. So sad that they no longer exist. Along with the metal slides although they burned the crap out of you when it was hot out. I'm wondering if that one pic with the seat and wheel was for sharpening objects!?! Am I right or wrong? Overall, a lot of cool stuff and sad to see it in the state it's in. Oh and btw, we have an Odd Fellows hall here in Houston. I actually had my quincenera (15th Bday Party) there, lol
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Cheez--it
Location: Right here Gender: Male
If I could say it in words, I wouldn't need to photograph.
| | Re: Maramec, OK: Ghost Town <Reply # 8 on 3/7/2011 8:08 PM >
| | | Nice post. Looking forward to the next one!
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Mr_Fiend
Location: Tulsa, OK Gender: Male
Infiltration Expert...
| | | Re: Maramec, OK: Ghost Town <Reply # 9 on 3/8/2011 1:45 AM >
| | | Idk, it's hard to believe that is all that is left of that massive brick school...
https://abandonedo...bout/the-aok-team/ |
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dwtaylor999
Location: Unassigned Lands, Oklahoma Gender: Male
| | Re: Maramec, OK: Ghost Town <Reply # 10 on 3/8/2011 2:43 AM >
| | | The basement area was quite large, but I agree, the amount of brick remaining does not equal what was there, though there was quite abit scattered around not shown in the pictures. I'm assuming its been hauled out over the years. Is there a market for used bricks?
Ruins, the fate of all cities. |
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WEKurtz
Location: Western MA Gender: Male
| | Re: Maramec, OK: Ghost Town <Reply # 11 on 3/8/2011 3:16 PM >
| | | It's great to see people find their voice and stand up for their civil rights! |
Collective bargaining is a civil right?
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cr400
Location: Los Angeles, CA Gender: Male
| | Re: Maramec, OK: Ghost Town <Reply # 12 on 3/8/2011 3:42 PM >
| | | You've been gettin' around a lot as of late. Love all the new postings, thanks.
You can see a million miles tonite, but you can't get very far. Honorary member of UER lifetime acheivement award winning, 2Xplorations and Guide Services, Texas. |
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Explorer Zero
| | | Re: Maramec, OK: Ghost Town <Reply # 13 on 3/9/2011 12:05 AM >
| | | some good shots in there
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