THE HISTORIC STRATER HOTEL PRESENTS ROOM 326:

AN INDIAN, A , A NATIONAL FIGURE, A LEGEND BORN ROGERS (1879-1935)

WHAT WAS HE DOING AT THE STRATER HOTEL?

Born on a large ranch in the and 71 movies of the men lost their lives. Just three Nation near what and . He was a weeks before that fateful later would become popular broadcaster, wrote crash, Will had spent some Oologah, , Will more than 4,000 syndicated time in Durango at the Strater. Rogers was taught by a newspaper columns, and At the time of his visit, Earl freed slave how to use a befriended Presidents, Barker Sr. (then owner of the lasso as a tool to work Senators, and Kings. hotel) was Durango’s Mayor, Texas Longhorn cattle on and Earl Jr., who was just a During his lifetime, he the family ranch. six year old boy at the time, traveled around the globe was afforded the opportunity Courtesy of Will Rogers Memorial Museum, Claremore, OK As he grew older, Will’s three times, meeting to sit on Will’s knee and hear roping skills were so people, covering wars, a story. developed that he was talking about peace and SPECIAL POINTS OF INTEREST: listed in the Guiness Book learning everything possible. During his stay at the Strater, of World Records for He wrote six books. He Will discovered that the Hotel Will’s father was one-eighth throwing three lassos at was the first big-time radio staff were replacing the elevator Cherokee and his mother was one -fourth Cherokee. once: One rope caught the commentator, and was a car with an upgrade, so with running horse’s neck; the guest at the White House. the encouragement of the He was the youngest of eight other would hoop around His opinions were sought by management, he carved his children. Only three of his sib- the rider; and the third the leaders of the world. name in the elevator wall. He lings survived into adulthood. swooped up under the said that he had always had a While a fast horse thrilled He married Betty Blake on horse to loop all four legs. hankering to do so, and was Will, he also loved flying. It November 12, 1908. They had Will Rogers’s unsurpassed happy to oblige. The section was on a flight to in four children, but one passed lariat feats were recorded with his name was cut out August, 1935, with a daring away at age two. in the classic movie “The and saved. one-eyed Oklahoma pilot Ropin’ Fool.” Betty wrote a book about Will named , that —Courtesy of Rod Barker, The after he died, called “Will He was the star of their plane crashed and both Strater Hotel Story (available for Rogers: His Wife’s Story,” in purchase at the front desk.) 1941 Famous Quotes: POLITICS AND WILL’S “ANTI-BUNK” PARTY "Always drink upstream from the Rogers was a staunch Democrat, money twenty years ago. ing was bunk. To prove the herd." but he also supported Republican Rogers served as a goodwill point he mounted a mock cam- "Good judgment comes from . Democrat ambassador to Mexico, and a paign in 1928 for the presi- Franklin D. Roosevelt was his brief stint as mayor of Beverly dency. His only vehicle was experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment." favorite president. Although he Hills. During the depths of the the pages of Life, a weekly supported Roosevelt's New Great Depression, angered by humor magazine. Rogers ran "Don't let yesterday use up too Deal, he could just as easily joke Washington's inability to feed as the "bunkless candidate" of much of today." about it: the people, he embarked on a the Anti-Bunk Party. His only Lord, the money we do spend on Gov- cross country fund raising tour campaign promise was that, if "Things will get better—despite ernment and it’s not one bit better than for the Red Cross. elected, he would resign. . our efforts to improve them." the government we got for one-third the Rogers thought all campaign- "I never met a man I didn't like."

970-247-4431 WWW.STRATER.COM