The Pioneer Woman's City

On first view, it seems like the whole main street of Pawhuska is owned by Ree Drummond - famous "Pioneer Woman" (left pic) - well-known as a Food Network TV chef, with her own magazine, her own clothing line, her own housewares collection, her own barbie doll, etc. She married into an old, established rancher family in Pawhuska and, probably, thanks to her the little town is thriving now. 

 We stayed in the beautiful historic Frontier Hotel in an "flatiron building" on Main Street (photo far below).

 

 

In the evening, we checked out one of the chef's restaurants, P-Town Pizza, and had "Not Knots" (pics above) - little dough knots, fried and sprinkled with cheese - and pizza, which was excellent. In the morning we checked out the Mercantile (picture above, right) and had pancakes for breakfast. Huge portion with a great selection of different sirups, plus "Cowboy Coffee" and a Sticky Bun.  

"Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI" is a book by David Grann, which was recently turned into a movie, playing in Pawhuska and the Osage Country. Directed by Martin Scorsese and with actors Leonardo DiCaprio, Brendan Fraser, Jesse Plemons and Robert De Niro it was a big happening in town when filming took place. Once, the movie will be released, it will certainly draw even more attention to the town and region.

The Ben Johnson Cowboy Museum, our next stop in downtown, was a big surprise! In a great setting (barn-like, rustic) not only the famous Western movie actor is honored, but first of all the world’s greatest cowboys and cowgirls. In addition, there is a Western Art Gallery with lots of artwork by John D. Free. 

The museum focuses on the western heritage of Osage County, the birthplace and home of Ben "Son" Johnson,  actor and cowboy, and, the only man to has ever won an Academy Award and a Rodeo World Championship.  Over 25 other World Champions from every discipline of equine sports: Rodeo, Race Horses, Polo, Jockeys and many others, are represented as well.  

Compared to that, the Osage Nation Museum was small, but  had an interesting changing exhibition about drums. The museum was already founded in 1938 and sits on a large campus with a memorial (pic below) tribal headquarters, clinic, school and other institutions up on a hill above town. 

 

    

A little out of town: Old West Buffalo, a "historic bison entertainment park". There is a Trading Post, an Apothecary, a Saloon and a bank as well as a jail. Visitors learn the epic tale of the American buffalo and hear about the folks who saved the buffalo from extinction. Also, part of the "encounter" is to feed the buffalo herd, riding in a hay wagon. Woody, half Canadian Woods Bison, half Plains Bison, is the friendliest of the whole bunch (pic below) and the star of the herd.

 

  

 

It took us about 1 1/4 hours to get to Tulsa, where we found the Fairfield Inns & Suites - our home for a full four nights! -, very conveniently located in the Tulsa Arts District, immediately.