[badamomma123]

Actually, the park was desegregated after a court ruling said they did not have to allow African Americans in. The issue was often pushed as a civil rights issue. For the owner's it was actually that they wanted the right to refuse service to anyone. The owner's were angry about being told that they HAD to let everyone in. Ft. Sill played almost no role in the issue at all.

The prices were increased due to insurance prices increasing. The truth of the matter is that Doe Doe Park made almost nothing compared to the cost of running the facility.

There are many rumors and non truths. I have personally known the owners of Doe Doe Park for my entire life. The stories have been blown out of proportion. The owner at the time had his mind set and that led to the ability of people telling half truths and plain out myths. I won't go so far as to say he was a saint. But honestly, the Civil Rights Movement of Lawton, OK was more a personal right to do what one wants with their personal property.

I find it quite funny that people think the prices went up to keep anyone out, when in actuality the cost of entrance was due to insurance prices sky rocketing in the late 60's and early 70's. The park eventually closed due to a lack of funds to keep it running and keep the insurance.

Originally Posted by Reverend_Jones

Doe Doe Park's owners were still refusing to admit black patrons to the pool, the amusement park, or the skating rink in the late 60's. The park desegregated after the post commander at Fort Sill stated that Doe Doe Park would be off-limits to the military unless they desegregated. That's when the owner finally allowed black patrons in. However, and this is a big however, he raised prices on everything so most kids, black, white, or whatever, couldn't afford to swim or ride the rides. By the early 70's the amusement park had been closed up and by the late 70's there was no more skating rink.

Kind of sad that the owner couldn't overcome his prejudiced ways and let the park fall apart rather than let people with darker skin in. He always struck me as a bitter, angry person in the few times I encountered him as a kid and teenager.

I tell kids in this town they really have the army to thank for forcing the town toward progress on race and other issues. This is, after all, a place where the KKK marched through town whenever they felt like it for quite a few years.

[mkfarnam]

Not to change the subject, but now that you mentioned it.
It never dawned on me until now that they disappeared.

But I remember reading disclaimers on all kinds of things saying:

"WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REFUSE SERVICE TO ANYONE"

Anyone remember that?

[Reverend_Jones]

Originally Posted by badamomma123

Actually, the park was desegregated after a court ruling said they did not have to allow African Americans in. The issue was often pushed as a civil rights issue. For the owner's it was actually that they wanted the right to refuse service to anyone. The owner's were angry about being told that they HAD to let everyone in. Ft. Sill played almost no role in the issue at all.

I have seen the documents about the court order, BUT there are Lawton Constitution articles about the post commander using the threat of "off limits" to put pressure on Doe Doe Park. I believe Lawton Public Library has these archived, not on microfische anymore but they still have the articles.

[Reverend_Jones]

Originally Posted by mkfarnam

Not to change the subject, but now that you mentioned it.
It never dawned on me until now that they disappeared.

But I remember reading disclaimers on all kinds of things saying:

"WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REFUSE SERVICE TO ANYONE"

Anyone remember that?

you still see that around. reminds me of that song, "signs". Sign, sign, everywhere a sign....

[badamomma123]

The Lawton Constitution had many facts incorrect. Such as the reporting to this day that blacks marched from OKC. When in fact they started their march on I-44 just outside of town.

Fort Sill could have said all kinds of things. Old Ben was not opening that park until he had won his case. That is a fact. Fort Sill never banned the place. I called relatives and asked. The Supreme Court Order stating that old Ben had the right to refuse service to anyone is what desegregated the park.

Originally Posted by Reverend_Jones

I have seen the documents about the court order, BUT there are Lawton Constitution articles about the post commander using the threat of "off limits" to put pressure on Doe Doe Park. I believe Lawton Public Library has these archived, not on microfische anymore but they still have the articles.

[Reverend_Jones]

Originally Posted by badamomma123

The Lawton Constitution had many facts incorrect. Such as the reporting to this day that blacks marched from OKC. When in fact they started their march on I-44 just outside of town.

Fort Sill could have said all kinds of things. Old Ben was not opening that park until he had won his case. That is a fact. Fort Sill never banned the place. I called relatives and asked. The Supreme Court Order stating that old Ben had the right to refuse service to anyone is what desegregated the park.

Well, I suppose you ought to call the Lawton Constitution and straighten them out. They've been wrong before.

[baymore_linda]

I was just telling my family about Doe Doe Park, I was born In 1959 out at Fort Sill and grew up in Lawton. I skated just about every weekend there and in the summer the pool was the place to be. I remember the Great Halloween parties that was thrown up in the skating Rink, all the pickle juice over crushed ice we could drink. I also remember they had a machine where you could put your name on these little madalions and then put them on a chain and wear them. They had Red A_ _ Baboons ( we use to tease them, lol)and Peacocks and all kind of little rides, it was a Great Time!

[It's Cin!]

I'm 41 and remember Doe Doe park as a child. My Mother grew up in the neighborhood and so did I. As a child I remember riding the train and seeing the animals. Riding the Merry Go Round and playing on the teeter totter and swings. We loved runnning across the bridges that went over the canals. The rides and animals all closed when I was still a child. I remember going there to ride the train and finding out that it was closed. I only went to the pool and skateing rink a couple of times as a young child though. It was scary as all get go!!! The locker rooms were in the building under the skate rink and they were cold and smelly. The pool was DEEP! and COLD! It still amazes me that they had swingsets in the water and that castle thing to swim out to in the deep end. (Which I never was able to get to since I could not really 'swim').

I remember going to the pool and skateing rink as an 11, 12, 13 year old child though. I still have the pressed medallions that I made at 13 professing my 4-ever love for a boy. (Loooong gone now, haha).

[aroy3]

This is a little off the political/civil rights theme here, but...I remember going there in the 90s (when I was a teenager) with some friends on an autumn day. There was an Italian restaurant there surrounded by the old, empty pools. It was always kind of an eerie place to me. It was like a ghost town, or a ghost park I suppose. But, I always liked going, and the restaurant was good. I was kind of sad to see it all torn down. Doe Doe Park always makes me think of crisp, autmumn days in Oklahoma and gives me a peculiar feeling that I kind of like.

[Dez J]

Yes, I remember that park. I actually own the old Doe Doe the Clown outfit. Bought it at the auction when they were selling everything off.