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Canadian, Texas
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- Written by: Dusty Reins
- Category: Communities
- Hits: 170
Incorporated in 1887, Canadian, Texas is named for the Canadian River, which flows just north of town. Located in the high plains of the Panhandle, Canadian is located 100 miles Northeast of Amarillo, and 200 miles west of Oklahoma City. Nestled beneath towering plateaus in the center of the Canadian River Valley, Canadian serves as the county seat of Hemphill County.
Canadian was largely built by entrepreneurs and dreamers. Today, that spirit is alive and well; Canadian is a stable and diverse community populated by independent individuals dedicated to their families and businesses. Residents enjoy a lifestyle blessed with outdoor, nature-based activities, cultural events, and community resources. (From the Canadian Chamber of Commerce website)
I have spent a lot of time in Canadian and the surrounding area since the 1960s. However, I did not record any videos until 2016 when I started my second YouTube channel to document people, places, events, culture, and history in The American Heartlands.
I returned in 2024 for the annual Canadian 4th of July Celebrations (136th year!) to document many of the community events I hope to return soon to this beautiful location in the Texas Panhandle for more stories.
EVENTS
Canadian 4th of July Celebrations
More are available from the Chamber of Commerce link below.
LINKS
Canadian Chamber of Commerce | Website
River Valley Pioneer Museum | Website
Canadian, Texas History | TSHA Website
Should I visit your community? Contact Us!
Rodeo
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- Written by: Dusty Reins
- Category: Playlists
- Hits: 5467
Look at some of the 725+ videos on the Dusty Reins Stories Rodeo playlist.
I am currently uploading Ranch Rodeo videos on Fridays and Pro Rodeo videos on Saturdays on the Dusty Reins Stories and American Heartlands Channel, Currently posting from the 100th year of the Motley Dickens Old Settlers Reunion and the West Texas Ranch Rodeo.
COMING
Lowell Goemmer Memorial Ranch Rodeo in Wickenburg, Arizona, West Texas Ranch Rodeo in Amarillo Texas, Caprock Roundup Rodeo in Claude, Texas
NOTE: Some rodeo videos are restricted from general viewing by YouTube but you can watch them on American Heartlands. or by joining the Dusty Reins Stories Fans on YouTube. Fans also have access to view full rodeos that are not available anywhere else.
Canadian 4th of July Celebrations
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- Written by: Dusty Reins
- Category: Events
- Hits: 257
Since 1888, Canadian, visitors and locals have kicked their July Fourth weekend off right with the "Best Fourth of July Parade in Texas." The town hosts a watermelon feed, a Fourth of July parade, and an annual turtle race. Throughout the weekend, the oldest public rodeo in the world kicks off. Stay through the evening for live music, dining and shopping, and the best little fireworks show in Texas. (Canadian Chamber Of Commerce)
Celebration events during 2024 included three pro rodeos, a parade, turtle racing, chicken poop bingo, and water polo.
I documented very few of the public events during the celebrations in 2016 but returned in 2024 with many more videos you can watch below.
Parades
Motley Dickens Old Settlers Reunion
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- Written by: Dusty Reins
- Category: Events
- Hits: 4684
I fell in love with this annual celebration of heritage in Roaring Springs, Texas back in 1974. I have been returning whenever possible even though it is held during the last part of what is usually a hot August. Most of the action takes place in the rodeo arena with roping jackpots, ranch horse reining competitions, and qualifying ranch rodeos sanctioned by the WRCA and WRRA organizations.
Then there are other activities such as goat roping in the morning, a live band old-timers dance in the late afternoon along with washer pitching, kids' bouncy fun all day, and a live dance band after the rodeos featuring the best Western Swing bands available.
2023 - 100 years of Rodeo!
As per recent years, this year was a mixture of WRCA-sanctioned ranch teams and rodeo events and several non-sanctioned events.
Friday
Team Sorting
Historic Wheat Growers Hotel
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- Written by: Dusty Reins
- Category: Places
- Hits: 3995
The Wheat Growers Hotel opened in 1890 in the tiny town of Kimball, Nebraska to serve passengers traveling on the first transcontinental railroad in the United States. It was considered a large structure at that time and known to serve wealthy travelers with a plush environment and service. The structure is not open to the general public currently as steps are being taken to restore the hotel as a registered historic landmark.
The Wheat Growers Hotel is a historic hotel located at 102 S. Oak St. in Kimball, Nebraska. It was built in 1918 in the Early Commercial style and was the largest hotel in Kimball at the time. The hotel was added to the NRHP on July 11, 2002.
The Wheat Growers Hotel has 86 rooms, two hallways on each floor, and all rooms have electricity, plumbing, and steam heating. The hotel also has a restaurant, ballroom, kitchen, and heating system that keeps the building comfortable in Nebraska storms.
The hotel is temporarily closed and is being renovated to become a historical tourist destination. The renovation plans include:
10 suites on the second floor
Restaurant, museum, gift shop, and coffee kiosk on the first floor
Ballroom and brewpub in the basement
Courtyard on the south side of the building
The video above is the first part of an attempt to explore the building and some of its stories and more segments appear on this page below.
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