The Woodward News

Local News

November 7, 2009

Traveling exhibit on POW camps to visit Waynoka

Did you know that Woods County during World War II served as a location for two camps for German prisoners of war (POW)?

A traveling exhibit about German POW camps by the TRACES Center for History and Culture in St. Paul, Minn., will visit the Waynoka Public Library from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday.

“It’s a traveling museum,” said librarian Carolyn Baird. “They use 10 narrative panels and films that tell about the POW camps from World War II.”

Baird said the exhibit was pertinent to Waynoka because of the POW camps in Woods County, including one that was located near Alva.

“The exhibit is trying to get to some of the states who had camps in them,” she said, noting that is why “They thought this would be a good place to do (a showing).”

Baird said there is a following of the history of the old POW camps because people are fascinated by the horrors that went on in the war.

“People are fascinated with the people in the camps,” she said, because “the POWs were German war criminals.”

According to information provided by Baird, by the end of WW II, about 425,000 German, Italian, and Japanese POWs found themselves imprisoned in more than 660 base and branch camps located throughout the the United States.

Millions more Axis and Allied POWs were held in other camps in Europe, the Soviet Union, Canada, Australia and Africa, she said.

The POWs in the United States -- roughly 372,000 of them -- harvested or processed crops, built roads and waterways, felled trees, roofed barns, erected silos, laid city sewers and constructed tract housing, she said.

They also washed laundry for the U.S. Army and performed other wartime tasks.

To learn more about life in the POW camps, visit the TRACES traveling museum at the Waynoka Public Library this Thursday from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. The library is located at 1659 Cecil St. in Waynoka.

Text Only
Local News
  • Winter weather visits Woodward

    Maybe the groundhog was right after all, as Northwest Oklahoma received some winter weather Tuesday and more may be in the forecast.

    February 7, 2012

  • City not footing bill for additions

    The city won't have to foot the bill for an increase in construction costs to renovate the Woodward Industrial Building for use by Siemens Energy.

    February 7, 2012

  • AARP set up in Enid to offer tax help

    TULSA - The American Association of Retired Persons' (AARP) Tax-Aide Program is only coming as close to the Woodward area as Enid this year, says State Program Coordinator Andy Bednarz, who is out of Tulsa.

    February 7, 2012

  • Area legislators react favorably to State of the State speech

    OKLAHOMA CITY - Area legislators were upbeat after Gov. Mary Fallin's State of the State address Monday.
    The News obtained statements from Sen. Bryce Marlatt, R-Woodward; Rep. Jeff Hickman, R-Fairview; and Rep. Mike Sanders, R-Kingfisher, following the address Monday afternoon.

    February 7, 2012

  • Gov. Fallin highlights more cuts to state income tax

    OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Gov. Mary Fallin outlined a budget plan Monday to deeply reduce Oklahoma's personal income tax rate by eliminating dozens of tax exemptions, including many claimed by poor and working-class Oklahomans.

    February 7, 2012

  • Commissioner wants to raise awareness about Agenda 21

    A Woodward County commissioner wants to spread the word about what he believes is an on the American way of life.

    February 6, 2012

  • Recent rain big boost for wheat

    Those who make their living off a healthy wheat crop are singing the praises of the recent rain.

    February 6, 2012

  • WEBvietnammemorial.jpg Special trip honors veterans

    Oklahoma Honor Flights offer free transportation by air and bus to help veterans visit the memorials in our nation's capitol.  To participate in the honor flights, all veterans have to do is fill out an application which is available on the Oklahoma Honor Flights website at http://oklahomahonorflights.org/. 

    February 4, 2012 1 Photo

  • webwickware.jpg “Fightin’ Firefighter” preps for debut MMA cage fight

    Come Feb. 11, Michael "the Fightin' Firefighter" Wickware will fight for a victory in his Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) amateur debut match.
    The match will take place during the Art of War Cage Fights which will be held at the Woodward County Fairgrounds.  Doors will open at 6 p.m. Feb. 11 with the show starting at 7:30 p.m.

    February 4, 2012 1 Photo

  • Ethnic food fair, raffle to benefit Outreach Center

    High Plains Outreach Center’s annual Ethnic Food Fair will be held Feb. 11 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in Clayton Hall at the First Christian Church located at 9th St. and Oklahoma Ave.  At the conclusion of this year's food fair, the Outreach Center will be raffling off a couple of prizes including a pair of Thunder tickets and a photo of Blake Griffin of the LA Clippers.

    February 4, 2012