Cheyenne Chief Henry Roman Nose and his family selected this land as their allotment. My grandfather, JB Cronkhite, grew up with Henry and eventually bought one of the parcels he'd designated for his son, John. A geologist who loved horses and worked for USGS as a young man before marrying, JB and his brother Cap created Big Springs Resort, complete with a Lake, two stone cabins and approval from the State for Buffalo, a hydro electric generator and fish. With momentum in high gear, tragedy struck when his wife drowned. Giving up the dream and five years later remarrying my grandmother, JB sold the land to the City of Watonga who leased it to Oklahoma State Parks creating Roman Nose State Park with CCC labor. One of Oklahoma's original 7 state parks still in operation.
