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Rattlesnake
Kate
Rattlesnake
Kate got her name from a day when she had to fight off 140 rattlesnakes.
Kate
had ridden to a pond with her 3 year old son, Ernie, to gather any
wounded ducks from hunters. She had to climb down from her horse
to unlock the gate. That is when the first snake appeared.
Kate was a good shot.
Kate's husband, Jack Slaughterback, was the person
who taught her how to ride and to shoot. She was able to take care
of herself and her child as a dirt farmer because of those skills.
Those skills are also what saved her and her son from the snakes
on October 28, 1925.
Kate
saw the first snake by the gate and shot it.
The noise brought out 3 more snakes from nearby
brush. Kate was able to shoot those snakes, as well. More snakes
crawled out and Kate did not want to use all of her bullets so she
looked for another weapon to use.
Kate found a No Hunting sign that she was able to use to fight off
the snakes. It took her 2 hours to fight off enough snakes to get
back on her horse to ride home.
A neighbor found her passed out with blisters on
her hands and her face swollen from the heat.
The battle with the snakes had been a tough one.
Kate's experience that day made her famous.
Kate
went back and collected the dead snakes.
She used over 50 of the skins to make a flapper style
dress. You may see the dress on display at Centennial Village.
Kate
would wear the dress to many functions. She later kept it inside
a trunk where curious family members would sneak peeks at it.
Centennial
Village has also bought Kate's old farm house.
The museum purchased Kate's old home during the summer
of 2002 for $495. The house is in poor shape and will need quite
a bit of work to be ready for visitors.
The
plan is to take pictures of the house, take it apart and number
the pieces. The pieces are then put back together on the Centennial
Village site. The house will be a part of the Prairie Section. The
house is planned to be left unfurnished so the space can be used
for classes.
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