The Frank Rush family lived in and around the Wichita
Mountains from 1901 until 1966. During those sixty-five years, it is safe to
say that almost every person living in Southwest Oklahoma visited a site
managed or owned by Frank S. Rush or E. Frank Rush.
Frank S. Rush was the first Forest Supervisor of the Wichita
National Forest and Game Preserve. Starting in 1906, he was in charge of the
reintroduction of Buffalo to their native home in the Wichita Mountains. While
there, he accomplished that task and a great deal more. After his retirement in
1923, he founded Craterville Park near the south gate of the Wichita Mountain
Wildlife Refuge. Craterville Park contained an abundance of attractions and was
the site of historic early-day rodeos and Indian powwows.
His son, E. Frank Rush inherited Craterville Park in 1933
and continued to enhance and promote the park's family entertainment. During
the "Land Grab" of 1957, Fort Sill's expansion forced the park to
close. E. Frank Rush relocated the park to the "new" Craterville Park
site near Quartz Mountain State Park. He also owned two Rocking R Ranch
locations. The first ranch was part of the original Craterville Park property.
In 1957, the ranch was reestablished near Meers, Oklahoma. That same year, the
park's rodeo operation and the Indian Curio store were reestablished at Cache,
Oklahoma.
Preserved in the collections of the Rush family are hundreds
of original photographs, news stories, written accounts, and memorabilia. The
goal of this book is to share those personal keepsakes with the public.
The book is fun, entertaining, and occasionally traumatic,
but, for the most part, historic. Frank Rush III has composed the intriguing
heritage of his family and their connections with the Wichita Mountains.
Frank Rush III notes, "I love what my friend Red
Steagall said about them, 'They were ordinary people doing extraordinary
things."
