Retrop, Oklahoma sits just west of the Great Western Trail. However, Retrop is not a trail town - it began with the farm and ended with the farm. Bypassed by the railroads it declined even by the 1940s.
Today the town of Retrop, Oklahoma, sits abandoned along straight dirt roads on level plains. Even in its heyday Retrop wasn't much of a town.
Originally, the town had wanted to be named Porter after the first Anglo family to settle in town, but Indian Territory already had a community by that name. Undeterred, the post master just reversed the spelling, and Retrop was born.
Prior to its existence, the town site sat along the Great Western Trail, a cattle road forged by John Lytle after farmers and ranchers had fenced off the Chisholm Trail. Also known as the Dodge City Trail and reaching all the way to the Dakotas, it ran just to the east of the original town.
Though the post office had been abandoned by 1905, Retrop still maintained a general store, school, and several residences. Like many other Oklahoma towns, Retrop lived through hard times during the Dust Bowl years.
Today, two locations mark the location of Retrop. The newer community lies at the junction of Oklahoma highways 6 and 55. Old Retrop sits a mile off of the highways, its abandoned houses standing in silent testimony of the little town it once was.
The store and the Old Retrop site are one miles east and one south of the cache.
The maker that stands near the cache site commemorates the town. The stone was, “Dedicated to the pioneers who settled this community whose perseverance and courage enabled them to survive the hard times of drought and dust bowl days give us a heritage in which we take great pride.” Please stop and read the rest.
*BYOP – Bring Your Own Pencil*
Make sure you hide the cache back carefully. Thank you
Congratulation to 2Moore on the FTF.
Another Quality Clan Hide