grant for Esta Manthos

[clemson Johnson]

If you are not familiar with Esta then you have not visted the Indian Museum in Springfield, and by all means do so sooner then later. Esta is a one of a kind person. A real fire cracker, out spoken and she really knows her facts. I think we should honor her while we can and have at least one idea of how to do that . When last i talked with her she seemed very interested in the new Brittish National Motorcycle museum and the major restoration that went into its comeback. I think with some of the grant monies avaliable we should send her there for a special Indian celebration, kind of a surprise party for her.
I realise it would take some doing to coordinate, but surley not impossible. There must be some gayla on the calalender there that would dovetail nicely with a guest of honor like Esta.
Anyway I hope this gave some spark to someone and got the gears turning with someone else, enough so to get this recognition rolling.

[Smarty]

Good idea, just one problem though, it wouldn't be very interesting for her as the National Motorcycle Museum here in the UK caters for British bikes and the rise and fall of the British Motorcycle Industry and I'm 99% sure doesn't contain any of Esta's beloved Indians.

[clemson Johnson]

She would dig it

Smarty, Its my understanding that Esta actualy is interested in British bikes because she told me so, there are quite a few british and European bikes in the museum. I also believe that though there may be no Indians in the national, there are quite a few fans of the Indian whom would treasure anything she has to say regarding Indians history.
So what do you say, want to help make this happen or what?
Thanks for the reply

[Baytown]

I met Esta late in 2004 when visiting Springfield. I was aware of her fame, and was advised how to behave accordingly. It was an interesting visit to say the least.
How is she going re her # hip? If she was fit to fly to the UK after this accident, she would have indeed made a miraculous recovery.
Certainly, something from the club (or this group) delivered to her in the US may be more achievable. Even a decent bunch of flowers (read big!) from us. I would donate some cash towards it, as she's part of modern Indian history.
Once again, lots of views, but not much comment!

Best wishes Ken.

[INLINE4NUT]

Baytown,everything else aside she surely has helped keep the INDIAN TORCH alive!

[HarleyCreation]

Has anyone sat down with this lady with a tape recorder and preserved her own story? Plus her views and lore about Indian and other motorcycles?

When people get up in years they like to talk and tell all. This lady sounds like she has some definite views and opinions worth recording. For one thing, women have always been a small minority in our world. For another, any lingering knowledge of Indian in Springfield should be preserved.

[petri]

Yes indeed she is a wealth of information. She can talk and talk about Indians alright and maybe about their interaction with Harley-Davidson. She did start the 1903 Rumor afterall.

It would sure be nice if somebody out there tried do do an oral history with her.The problem will be in separating fact from fiction but that can happen later if only there is a body of information to study.

It's going to take someone knowledgeable to do this as not everything she says will stand up to verification. But there may still be a lot of missing history to uncover. And who knows what records may still be lying around ?

Howard

[HarleyCreation]

Originally posted by petri
Yes indeed she is a wealth of information. She can talk and talk about Indians alright and maybe about their interaction with Harley-Davidson. She did start the 1903 Rumor afterall.

It would sure be nice if somebody out there tried do do an oral history with her.The problem will be in separating fact from fiction but that can happen later if only there is a body of information to study.

It's going to take someone knowledgeable to do this as not everything she says will stand up to verification. But there may still be a lot of missing history to uncover. And who knows what records may still be lying around ?

Howard

You make some very good points about seperating "fact from fiction." When a source seems dubious or can be refuted by primary evidence (courtroom testimony under sworn oath comes to mind), it's appropriate I think to describe it as "according to legend" or attribute it to so-and-so "folk" historian. Close interested readers will get the message while we preserve many interesting and curious beliefs that sometimes might even be true, or at least contain a grain of truth.

A lot of oral or folk history is like that.

There is an added difficulty in the world of American motorcycle history in that earlier writers who should have known better were careless or purposely loose in their handling of the facts as has been clearly demonstrated.

In that manner many myths and fables have gained wide acceptance. That was probably because nobody important was watching and everyone was beating the war-drum to prove their favorite was best in order to sell motorcycles.