Alva Review-Courier -

In 1886, Gus Hardwired made the race in the Cherokee Strip Land Run and secured a claim 15 miles east and a half mile north of Alva close to Ingersoll. Gus was employed as a trail driver helping move cattle from Texas to Colorado. In 1895 Gus was appointed undersheriff in M County [now Woods County] and also deputy United States marshal by E.D. Nix. Gus was instrumental in the apprehension and bringing down of the infamous outlaw Issac Black, who is buried in the Alva cemetery. Gus is the grandfather of Bill Hadwiger, local attorney.

Issac Black and Zip Wyatt [a.k.a. as Dick Yeager], were famous Oklahoma outlaws who had a hideout in a cave on the Cimarron River. These outlaws were wanted far and wide. Black and Yeager were supposed to have ridden with Quantrill and helped the Doolin gang rob a Rock Island train. Issac was killed around Longdale, Oklahoma, where he and Wyatt had been hiding in a lady's house in the middle of a cornfield. They started to leave the house when the officers called upon them to surrender. Instead, they reached for their guns and a gun battle ensued. Black took a bullet to the head that was fatal while Yeager was able to get away for a time, until he met his demise with a posse of farmers near Enid, Oklahoma.

A lumber wagon transported Black to Alva where he is buried in the Alva Cemetery without a headstone or any kind of service.

These are some of the stories to be told at the first Talking Tombstone event sponsored by the Cherokee Strip Museum. There will be eight characters portrayed in the tour by local people. Among others enacted will be Orange Scott Cummins, [a.k.a.] the Pilgrim Bard, WF Hatfield, one of the founders of Northwestern Oklahoma State College, and a very important man in the history of Alva.

This fun and historical event will take place Oct. 29 at the Alva Municipal Cemetery. Tours will run every 20 minutes.

Attendees should meet at the north end of Hatfield Park for a hot dog meal included in the price of the ticket. People will be shuttled up to the cemetery where they will board trailers with hay bales and begin an old fashioned hay-rack ride. The trailers will be pulled by tractors and stop at the location of each tombstone featured on the tour. The character will come to the trailer and give the presentation. The tour will take approximately one hour after boarding the trailer.

This is not to be scary or have any affiliation with Halloween, but one of historical performances, information and good old-fashioned fun. Attendees will remain on the trailer and not be required to walk across the cemetery in the dark.

This will be a fantastic evening and tickets must be purchased ahead of time. For more information on where to purchase tickets please call the museum at 580-327-2030.