While living in Southwest Oklahoma, we came across a story that never let go of me. We read the available books to our kids and shared with them this remarkable story and now it is time to share what I have compiled with you.

Two boys. Ages 9 and 6. Riding alone from Oklahoma to New York City on horseback in 1910 to meet Theodore Roosevelt. No adults. Just two ponies, open roads, and a dream.
That wild story became Guthrie to Gotham—a book I wrote by digging into century-old newspaper archives to trace their unbelievable adventures.

This summer, that story finally gets to ride again. Guthrie to Gotham: The Epic Journeys of the Abernathy Boys, brings to life the astonishing real-life adventures of two young brothers—Louis and Temple Abernathy—who rode into the national spotlight in the early 1900s. At just 9 and 6 years old, they set out alone on horseback, traveling across vast stretches of the American frontier. No GPS. No cell phones. Just grit, a sense of purpose, and an unshakable bond.
Their journeys weren’t just stunts—they were national events. Newspapers followed their every move. Presidents greeted them. Crowds cheered. And a country on the cusp of modernity found inspiration in two boys who rode with the spirit of the Wild West into the heart of a changing America.

Drawn from 800 pages of compile research and literally thousands upon thousands of firsthand newspaper accounts and historical archives, Guthrie to Gotham is more than a history book. It’s a tribute to our time in Southwest Oklahoma, independence, courage, and the kind of youthful boldness that once captivated a nation.