Garland Benton: Keeper of Special Places

For all who passed that way along the edge of town or were fortunate enough to have lived there, Kraft’s Pasture holds a special place in our hearts. Beyond the railroad track it beckoned us to come and follow the meandering paths of dairy cows across a bucolic pasture toward the distant tree line to that swimming hole on the far side of the pasture. Beneath shady trees of oak and cottonwood on banks of red and gray shale and brown sandstone the naturally formed pool lay nestled in a bend of Coal Creek at the foot of the rugged hill to the west. Many a young man of Henryetta knew the place and swam there. For all of us it was and is, no doubt, a very special place.

But for one of us, the aura and the intrigue of that place was much more. For Garland Benton, mere memories of those days were not enough. Garland always held big dreams. Owning and occupying this place was the ultimate dream. And own it he did, that and even more of the surrounding area.

What was it about the land beyond the tracks that held such appeal to Garland and so many others who grew up there during those golden days of the 1950s and 1960s? Within the boundaries of that property were many of the elements that appeal to the outdoorsman. The pasture and brush made good cover for quail, dove, and rabbits. The woods along the creek and up the hillside held coon, squirrel, and various other critters. A variety of fish, frogs, turtles, and snakes called Coal Creek home. As the seasons changed Kraft’s Pasture offered new views and new adventures. Spring was always just around the corner.

It is both heartwarming and sad to know how much Kraft’s Pasture meant to Garland. Heartwarming because he preserved that special place and sad that his time there has been cut short. Though we can never bring back those days spent beyond the tracks, we can always be grateful for this unique individual, The Keeper of Special Places.

James Middleton
December 4, 2013