One advocate of the dancing ban was the Reverend from the nearby town of Hennepin, F.R. The population was 697 in the 2010 census. “What made a lot of people against it was that it was preached from the pulpit.”, One of the most quotable opponents was the Rev. When big city teenager Ren moves to a small town, he finds that wide open spaces sometimes come with very narrow minds. email. So on April 7, 2000, for the first time in its 85-year history, the Graham High gym was decorated for a dance. Cloudy day in Elmore City, it was my next stop before Pauls Valley. If you have a dance somebody will crash it and they’ll be looking for only two things – women and booze. – Bring Your Own Snake. I used to enjoy dancing and I reckon I know how these kids feel. Ren McCormack (Kevin Bacon) moves to a small town that has banned dancing and rock music, thanks to … The event made front page news from New York to China, including a feature in People magazine. Town that banned dancing for 80+ years inspired Footloose. “Doggone it. A small town in Oklahoma has cancelled a Valentine’s Day dance because of an arcane city ordinance enforcing a strict moral code, echoing the story line of 80s movie Footloose.. The next year, it hosted its first Footloose Festival. Headlines about the town’s ban on dancing inspired a Yale-educated writer to create the screenplay and lyrics for what would become an American cultural juggernaut. The first business in Elmore City was opened by Jasper N. Black in an area just northeast of what is now Elmore City. 653) had no movie houses, no bars and 1 tiny liquor store. The plot: A perceived danger is banned for decades only to become, once allowed inside the city limits, the very thing that brings the community together for generations to come. January 9, 2016. Not a bump or grind was seen. Did you know that the movie "Footloose" was based off of the town of Elmore City? It’s a snake stomp.”. The full series is available at sliceok.com/travel/, Black-Owned Businesses to Support in the 405, The Cool, Tasty, Medicinal Cannabis of OK Nice Cream, A New Federal Initiative in the Effort to Find Missing NativePeople, Remembering Jim Blanchard at the new Jimmy B’s Culinary + Krafted, An Architectural Tour of Neighborhoods in Oklahoma City. Dancing really was outlawed, until the juniors at the local high school asked to allow dancing at their prom. When the students from Elmore City’s Class of 1981 petitioned to overturn the ban, traditionalists dug in their heels. The town had banned dancing since its founding in 1898 in an attempt to decrease the amount of heavy drinking. All but one of the 25 members of the junior and senior classes attended, as did some of the alumni who never had the opportunity to experience the rite of passage. The original Footloose (1984) was in a fictional town of Bomont, UT and was filmed in various locations in Utah. Its immortalization in “Footloose” made Elmore City’s prohibition the most famous dance ban in Oklahoma. Dancing was banned from its founding in 1898. A call to the Chamber of Commerce refers me to a compliance officer at city hall, who pauses and snorts: “Dancing ordinances? This event commemorates the famous 1980 prom that ended the ban on dancing and inspired the community to get up and dance. Thirteen miles west of Pauls Valley. Elmore City is a growing community with an excellent school system. A time to laugh, and a time to weep. Johnson of the United Pentecostal Church in the nearby town of Hennepin: “No good has ever come from a dance. A ban on any type of moving to music had been on the books in the city from before the turn of the century. The 1984 movie "Footloose" is about a big city kid who moves to a small town where dancing has been banned. But it was not the only town making headlines as prom prohibition came to an end: at least four other Oklahoma towns made national headlines when they lifted dancing bans. Change came in 1987, after arguments that pitted neighbor against neighbor. For 66 years, dancing was not allowed in the town of Ames. The dance would be the first since Elmore City was incorporated in 1898. At the height of the disco craze, a dance was planned for the old J.C. Penney building on Main Street in Henryetta, a city of 6,000 or so. Dancing – which had been forbidden for 82 years, through 15 presidencies – is now the town’s point of pride. Even though I've long since moved away it still holds many fond memories and some not so fond. Upon his return to Los Angeles, he tweaked the dialogue, filling the story with details. Principal characters in the movie "Footloose" are based on Oklahoma natives Mary Ann Temple-Lee and Leonard Coffee who posed in the studio, Friday, April 9, 2010. Inspired by Oklahoma’s own Elmore City and featuring the chart-topping hits “Holding Out For A Hero” and “Let’s Hear It For The Boy”, FOOTLOOSE proves that a little teenage rebellion and love of music can open hearts and transform a town. Pitchford wrote the screenplay (his first) and most of the lyrics however, Fox put it into turnaround. That part of "Footloose," the 1984 movie inspired by the southern Oklahoma And they do, on the street and into the night. Wittman was arrested at the stomp, although charges eventually were dropped. At the time, Ames had five Protestant denominations in a town of 312, and 15 seniors in the graduating class. I went to high school in Elmore City. After a rowdy dance at the 1974 Watermelon Festival, the citizens of Rush Springs voted 266-181 to revive a 1919 ordinance against public dancing – and to expand the ban to include private dancing as well. Videos. The story goes that the deed for the land where Okfuskee County’s Graham High School stood specified a ban on dancing. The working title of “Cheek to Cheek” was changed to “Footloose” and the movie was filmed in and around Provo, Utah, for $8 million, and earned back more than 10 times that amount. It was named after J. O. Elmore. And there was a time for this law, but not anymore. Home of Footloose. Lee was crowned and changed out of her glittery silver contest dress into a mini-skirt and pink Elmore City T-shirt to wander among the hot dog-eating and pie-eating contests, lawnmower races and contests for best chicken dance, electric slide, line dance, wobble dance, cupid shuffle and twist. A reporter interviewed City Clerk Joyce Knapp as she danced with her husband, Gene: “I’m out of breath! At "the buckle" of the Bible Belt, Elmore City, OK (pop. Funnily enough, Footloose itself was loosely based on real-life events that took place in Elmore City, Oklahoma where dancing was outlawed until high school juniors fought to have it … Every graduation students walk away with memories which are carried well past those days in the classroom, but for a small town in South Central Oklahoma, there’s one chapter still Elmore City getting Footloose in Pauls Valley | Local News | paulsvalleydailydemocrat.com BY Roger Cormier. ... One such town that did just that was Elmore City, Oklahoma, ... Elmore City though didn’t wait for rock to take a no-dancing stand. The seniors of Elmore High School wanted to plan a senior prom, but dances were against the law thanks to a not-forgotten ordinance from the late 1800s that forbade dancing within the city limits. You can believe what you want, but one thing leads to another.”, The question of allowing a prom was brought before Elmore City’s five-member school board, and the vote came back 2-2. Footloose inspired by Elmore City prom - Photo Gallery. It’s not a dance. “I gotta be honest, I’m not asked that question a lot. More Videos. In 2010, the town made national headlines again when it re-created the famous prom on its 30th anniversary. See All. It was named after J. O. Elmore. I’m about as excited as the kids. When negotiations with Herbert Ross initially stalled, Michael Cimino was hired by Paramount to direct the film, his first film since He stayed for a week, talking to Oklahomans about their lives. 18 Catchy Facts About. In the original movie, in his climactic speech before the school board, “Footloose” hero Ren tells the town elders, “Ecclesiastes assures us that there is a time for every purpose under heaven. The company's filing status is listed as In Existence and its File Number is 3512851647. 'Footloose' Town Celebrates 30 Years of Proms Teens in Elmore City, Okla., held town's first prom 30 years ago this weekend. To infuse the project with realism, he flew to Oklahoma City, rented a car, and drove to Ardmore and Elmore City. Among them was Debbie Puckett, Class of 1971, who sat in the gym bleachers wearing a new dress and new hairdo, smiling as she watched her two daughters dance with their classmates: “I have never been to a dance in my life. But it was not the only town making headlines as prom prohibition came to an end: at least four other Oklahoma towns made national headlines when they lifted dancing bans. Unlikely as it seems, it really happened in the small town of Elmore City, Oklahoma in 1980. “Footloose”—Kenny Loggins (1984) Added to the National Registry: 2017 . The idea was backed by the teachers and leadership of local churches. 1. Photo by Jim Beckel, The Oklahoman ORG XMIT: KOD. It was named after J. O. Elmore. He … ELMORE CITY, Okla. -- In the spring of 1980, many Elmore City juniors and seniors felt like they were actually on a "Stairway to Heaven" as they swayed to the High School Reunion . The health and safety of Chickasaws, employees and patrons is our main priority. email. Like many small towns in Oklahoma, Elmore City is largely a farming community. Geographie. Elmore City though didn’t wait for rock to take a no-dancing stand. The population was 756 at the 2000 census. I’m the judge here and I’m not about to fine anybody if they want to cut a rug or two in private.”, In September 1991, after being presented with a petition spearheaded by 80-year-old Gertrude Sweeny, the town council voted 4-1 to repeal the ban. Our subscribers’ most requested return engagement! 1. Henryetta’s dancing ban was lifted in 1979, and the law changed to prohibit dances within 500 feet of a church or school. April 10 - June 2, 2019. But a lot of people considered it petty, small-minded foolishness.”, Three days after the ban was lifted, 200 people showed up on a Thursday night for dancing in the streets. Parents danced with children, little girls ran around with hula hoops and teenaged boys stood awkwardly around the perimeter of the makeshift dance floor. The population was 756 at the 2000 census. But the officer is stumped. None of the money made it back to Elmore City, but some of the fame rubbed off. Cost: Free. Elmore City, OK 73433. That’s the dumbest thing I ever heard of.”, He suggests the Henryetta police department might know more. NBC’s national newscast summarized the scene: “Despite a local ban against dancing, Henryetta residents move to the disco beat … and 82-year-old Mary Davis joins the gyrating group. My camera doesn't focus very well and apparently my thing is movies with music now. Angela repairs a chip in her brand new windshield . Fifteen years ago, a group of juniors petitioned to hold a prom. Footloose in Elmore City Elmore City is a town in Garvin County, Oklahoma, United States. When boys and girls hold each other, they get sexually aroused. Hennessey’s 40-student show choir recreated the movie’s climactic dance finale on Main Street in 2012, complete with choreography, a smoke machine, vintage prom attire and a confetti cannon. See All. 40 -Year Anniversary Of Elmore City Prom That Inspired Movie ‘Footloose’ News 9 It's been forty years since a group of Elmore City students fought and won the right to dance at their prom. Thirteen miles west of Pauls Valley. A ban on any type of moving to music had been on the books in the city from before the turn of the century. F.R. My mom will be joining me for a bit of my trip . NewsOK: Oklahoma City News, Sports, Weather & Entertainment. His attorney, Tom Stringer Jr., called the event “an obvious satire on this silly dance ordinance. Footloose is based on a TRUE STORY. 2. I’m finally getting my prom.”. shares. There isn't a lot for me to say about Elmore City except that they are home to the Footloose Festival and the movie is based upon this town. One such town that did just that was Elmore City, Oklahoma, a town deep in the heart of America’s Bible Belt. Die Hauptstadt des Countys, Pauls Valley liegt etwa 25 km nordöstlich; die nächsten größeren Ortschaften sind … In 1982, Paramount Pictures made a pay-or-play deal for the film. Ruby Peck, owner of the Ames Cafe and mother of senior Johnny Peck, told The New York Times that after most graduations “the kids would have a banquet and then come racing down Main Street. City of Elmore City. The story was loosely based on real events that happened in Elmore City, Oklahoma. Footloose is based on a true story. And so it came to pass in Elmore City, a farming and oilfield town halfway between Oklahoma City and the Texas state line. For those who don’t know, Elmore City is the Oklahoma town on which the movie Footloose is based. The plot of the 1984 movie, Footloose, is loosely based on events in Elmore City since dancing was banned for almost 100 years in this city. Kick off your Sunday shoes with us this summer as the 1984 Oscar nominated blockbuster bursts into Tulsa! For the last 10 + years, I have solely ran and operated the 1st ever Elmore City Chamber Of Commerce when Bob Wheeler(R.I.P.) Sits at a four-way stop sign. The population was 756 at the 2000 census. Footloose — Craft Productions of Oklahoma. At this year’s Footloose Festival, the pancake breakfast and 5K run was followed by a car show and crowning of the 2015 Footloose Festival Queen. The story caught the eye of Dean Pitchford, who was about to win the Academy Award and Golden Globe for best original song for writing the title track from “Fame.” He drafted a script and lyrics built around a big-city teen reluctantly transplanted to a small town that had banned music and dancing. ". Lee’s interests include “hanging out with her friends and family, playing with her animals and art.” Hicks’ sentence-long bio concludes with “hobbies include sleeping.”. Generations of students passed through its doors, with nary a prom or homecoming dance. A petition to the school board asserted that “dancing, drugs, alcohol and sex go hand in hand.” Fred Detrick, an 82-year-old resident, took out paid advertisements warning that “Three-fourths of the fallen girls in America attribute the beginning of their ruin to dancing.”, Others, including many parents, disagreed, citing fears of unsupervised parties and drunk driving. In 1979 the small town of Elmore City, Oklahoma faced a community crisis. Never had been. In an unlikely turn of events 35 years ago, the Garvin County town of 700 souls made national news when its high school junior class won permission to host a prom. So is it still illegal to dance in Henryetta? Footloose inspired by Elmore City prom - Photo Gallery. Thinking back 31 years, Leonard Coffee can recall the first prom in Elmore City's history starting off slow. The date for the 2016 festival was set for April 23. See, this is our time to dance.”. Review of Footloose 2011. Saturday 9:00 am 11:00 pm. The city has a 300 acre lake which is enjoyed by the community during the annual Community Fireworks. Footloose Farms, LLC is an Oklahoma Domestic Limited-Liability Company filed on June 30, 2020. ... Elmore City, home of the Footloose Festival Chickasaw Country. Summer 2021. Photos. These days, public dancing is not only permitted, but encouraged! All Rights Reserved, Chickasaw Nation Cancellations & Closings. There is no record of the number of snakes that made it into town. So, Elmore City is located on Highway 29, it is east of the towns of Marlow, and Bray also on Highway 29. You can tell it’s been 17 years.” She added, with a smile: “This is kind of fun.”, GRAHAM HIGH SCHOOL, near Weleetka: Okfuskee County. Dean Pitchford, an Academy Award-winning lyricist for the title song for the 1980 film Fame, came up with the idea for Footloose in 1979 and teamed up with Melnick's IndieProd who set the production up at 20th Century Fox in 1981. Kick off your Sunday shoes with us this summer as the 1984 Oscar nominated blockbuster bursts into Tulsa! Footloose Festival in Elmore City - Chickasaw Country. Based on the hit film, and the true story of Elmore City, Oklahoma which banned dancing for 90 years, Footloose is back! Elmore City is a town in Garvin County, Oklahoma, United States.This town is fifty-eight miles south of Oklahoma City.The population was 697 at the 2010 census. And my parents. Footloose's Bomont is loosely based on Elmore City, a town in Oklahoma known for the saying "If the South is the Bible belt, then we are the buckle." Tales of Fallen Girls, Snake Stomps and the Ban That Didn’t Exist. City Manager Chester Sims arrives to view the makeshift disco.”, In December, Henryetta’s old ban on public dancing and new ordinance forbidding keeping poisonous snakes within the city limits inspired Jim Wittman to organize the “Greater Henryetta Snake Stomp.” National wire service stories quoted, Wittman as saying “whoever wants to show up will stomp snakes in time to the music,” adding that the event was B.Y.O.S. The curious name of Ren – portrayed by Kevin Bacon in the movie – is an amalgam of the first names of prom organizers and junior class officers Rex Kennedy and Leonard Coffee. This ban was lifted in 1980. Don't forget. Definitions of elmore city oklahoma, synonyms, antonyms, ... Footloose. Taking a bath at Turner Falls . Principal characters in the movie "Footloose" are based on Oklahoma natives Mary Ann Temple-Lee and Leonard Coffee who posed in the studio, Friday, April 9, 2010. Mary Ann Temple-Lee, junior class officer and daughter of the school board president, remembered years later that opposition to legalizing dancing was headed by the clergy. Vying for the title were six contestants, including two-year-old Maci Wilkerson, whose favorite activity was listed as “likes to fight.” Seventeen-year-olds Micah Hicks and Savannah Lee were the oldest participants. I’d rather see them dancing.”. Holding things in your van with Command hooks on the windows (https://amzn.to/34anQyZ) Beth sees a cow . Elmore City is a town in Garvin County, Oklahoma, United States. It was named after J. O. Elmore. Footloose. A time to mourn, and a time to dance. was the chamber president, he and the chamber asked me if I could start up a major website and a social media page for the them, the City of Elmore City and the surrounding communities, I said sure and was not a problem at all. In 2013, dancers in garb ranging from camo to pink tutus did the Elmore City version of the Harlem Shake. Footloose is loosely based on the town of Elmore City, Oklahoma. Arguing for the prohibition, Darrell Haynes, president of Citizens for a Better Rush Springs, said it was not the dancing itself that is objectionable, but rather “the bad environment it creates,” which would foster a “drug culture” that would “degenerate the morals of our youth.”, A national news story the next year noted that City Judge William Pilgrim planned on taking off on the day of a high school dance, which was to be held in a private home within the city limits. Tornado Spotted in Elmore City, Oklahoma. See All. The film is loosely based on events that took place in the small, rural, and religious community of Elmore City, Oklahoma. Population 700-something. The Footloose Festival is Elmore City’s way of celebrating its place in Hollywood lore so cut loose at the Footloose Festival for a foot stompin’ good time! April 18, 2010— -- In the spring of 1980, high school students in Elmore City, Okla., successfully lobbied for the first prom in a community that banned dancing. Graham Superintendent Dusty Chancey located the original deed to look for a loophole — and discovered there was no ban after all. I have no idea.”, Editor’s note: This installment is part of author M.J. Alexander’s “77 Counties” series, chronicling her travels across Oklahoma.
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