This image is the cover for the book Oklahoma Tall Tales Uncovered, Forgotten Tales

Oklahoma Tall Tales Uncovered, Forgotten Tales

From Amelia Earhart's arrest to the croquet mallet that foiled Bonnie and Clyde, Joe M. Cummings reveals the hidden depths of Oklahoma's tall tales.

Oklahoma has no shortage of tall tales chock full of truth, however unlikely it might seem. Puzzle over Geronimo's three skulls. Examine the beer bottle that suckered town leaders on April Fools' Day or join the mad rush of a hundred thousand person race. Accompany the governor who went to the White House and boxed the President. Untangle the hideouts and shootouts of notorious outlaws like the Dalton Gang. Retrieve the kind of lore that is buried alongside Oklahoma's legends.

Joe M. Cummings

Joe M. Cummings has authored history articles for Oklahoma Today, the Chronicles of Oklahoma, the Texas Director, the Enid Daily Eagle and the Stillwater News Press. His history podcast, Tall Tales Uncovered, is on Apple and most other platforms, with four thousand-plus followers. He earned a BA and an MA in English from Oklahoma State University and a BS in funeral service from the University of Central Oklahoma. An Enid native, he spent forty-two years as a funeral director/embalmer in the Enid community, which established deep and lasting community relationships in the area. Joe lives in Enid with his wife of fifty-one years, Becky. They have three children and seven grandchildren.

The History Press