True Grit Trail

              In 1968, Charles Portis, an Arkansas native, published True Grit as a serial in The Saturday Evening Post.  The plot: “In the 1870s, young Marie Ross learns that her beloved father was gunned down by his former handyman.  But even through this gutsy 14-year old is seeking vengeance, she is smart enough to figure out she can’t go it alone with a desperado who’s hold up in Indiana territory.  With some fast-talking, she convinces mean, one-eyed US Marshal ‘Rooster’ Cogburn into going after the despicable outlaw with her.”  (Google Search, True Grit book).  In 1969, the famous actor John Wayne starred as ‘Rooster’ Cogburn and Kim Darby played the role of Marie Ross in the movie based on this story; today this book is considered one of the great American novels.

              In the early 1970s I was looking for a book to assign for my sophomore students to read; True Grit was an ideal choice.  Portis had written the book in the style of a young person with no more than an eighth-grade education.  Thus the sentences were short and the vocabulary was simple, making the book easy to read; there was no foul language, and besides, it’s a great story, “a page –turner.”  I was sure the kids would like the story.  It worked! It also helped to picture John Wayne as “Rooster” Cogburn.

              During this time, our son-in-law was just finishing his training to be a court recorder.  He received a call from his court recorder training school that a judge in Arkansas was looking for a male recorder.   It sounded good; his wife (our daughter) agreed; he took the job.  Our daughter called to say, “Mom, we’re moving to Yell County, Dardanelle Arkansas.”  What a surprise! That’s where Marie Ross, from the book, had lived!  I thought the place was just part of the author’s imagination.  But, no, there really is a Yell County, Dardanelle, Arkansas.  Our daughter and one of her three children still live there with her family.  Unfortunately, our son-in-law has passed away, but he remained a court reporter in Yell County, Dardanelle, Arkansas, until his death.  

              In 1946, the people of Dardanelle started a local fish fry.  In 1948, a broiler industry became involved and added chicken to the gathering.  It has grown to such a point that many people running for political office in Arkansas announce their candidacy at the big Chicken Fry7 in Dardanelle.  In 2019, John T. ‘Wayne, grandson of “The Duke” John Wayne attended the Chicken Fry on August 10th promoting the Ture Grit Trail, a section of a highway made famous by the 1969 film; True Grit.  A ceremonial bill was sponsored by many legislators of the Arkansas Legislature and it passed without a single negative vote; the Governor signed the bill on March 20, 2020.  The bill states, “The popularity of the tale and the attention it brings to the state make a compelling case for renaming the portion of Arkansas Highway 22 between Dardanelle and Fort Smith the True Grit Trail. “  Appropriate signs have been placed along this highway designating the name.

              The Dardanelle Post-Dispatch commented on July 24, 2020 that John T. Wayne, an American Civil War author “Is a chip off the old block (his grandfather, ‘The Duke), believing in God, individual responsibility and the idea of a new America. . .He plans to write a new western serial inspired by the True Grit Trail.”

              I share this because I think it is fascinating how sometimes completely unrelated circumstances may come together and can become a part of our lives.