Lula Brannon Briscoe, ca. 1903. Courtesy of the Brannon/Briscoe family
It’s time for Episode 19 of “Voices from the West,” our blog series featuring audio recordings of historical documents from the Museum’s Dickinson Research Center.
Our goal is to show that history is more than a timeline. At its core, it’s about people. And not just the famous and infamous, but the everyday and ordinary. If you missed previous episodes, you can start here.
About Lula
The oldest of six children, Lula had moved with her family from Texas to the Chickasaw Nation in 1898. They settled in Sugden, a small community near today’s Texas border that consisted primarily of farmers. She married Robert Willis Briscoe and together they had five children.
Listen Now
[audio mp3="https://nationalcowboymuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/19-12281903.mp3"][/audio]
Sled and Doll from Sears, Roebuck, and Company Catalog, ca. 1902. Glenn D. Shirley Western Americana Collection. Dickinson Research Center. National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum.
Fun Facts
Oklahoma isn’t an ideal place for “coasting” or sledding as we call it today, but Lula’s little brother Frank discovered the joy of it after moving to Washington. Coasting was so popular that some cities had to ban it within the city limits because kids were coasting down sidewalks and major streets. Lula was excited to hear all about the winter fun and also hoped that Winnie liked the dress and doll she’d sent for Christmas.
