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Buffalo Center
was the first attempt to establish a town in Garfield township,
which was then Buffalo county. A.D. Wettick of Cimarron, having
visions of the county being organized, decided to start a town and
make it the county seat. He put up a sod store building on the southeast
quarter of section 36-21-29, and stocked it with goods in 1878 from
his store at Cimarron. He had a man in charge who also handed out
mail to the few settlers and cattle men whenever it was brought
up from Cimmaron by freighters. The country was practically unsettled,
but strangers were beginning to come in, and they were welcomed
first and then allowed to prove their worth afterwards. One day
a bunch of men were loafing around the store waiting for the mail
to be brought in when a couple of young fellows rode up to the store
on horseback. But in reply to the customary "Howdy stranger," they
whipped out their guns and oredered the storekeeper and the patrons
to line up against the wall. They took what they wanted from their
victims and some merchandise from the store. Seemingly satisfied
one held the gun while the other mounted his horse, and then the
other held his gun while his partner backed out and got on his horse.
They made a successful get-away, and soon vanished from sight among
the Pawnee brakes. |
