Interesting Facts About La Rue
By Jim Anderson – Local historian and life-long resident of La Rue
La Rue was home of the Oorang Indians, the N.F.L.’s most colorful franchise. The Oorang Indians football team was founded by La Rue native Walter Lingo (1890-1966) owner of the Oorang Airdale Dog Kennels. The team, comprised of Native American Indians, played in the N.F.L. in 1922 and 1923. The star player and coach was Jim Thorpe. A Sac and Fox Indian, Thorpe gained international fame as a two-time gold medal winner in the 1912 Olympics and was acclaimed the world’s greatest athlete. The team gave La Rue the distinction of being the smallest community to ever have an N.F.L. football franchise.
Dr. Charles Sawyer was physicians to president Warren G. Harding and Calvin Cooledge. He practiced medicine in La Rue at one time.
President William McKinley, while campaigning for President, gave a front porch speech in La Rue.
The World’s largest yo-yo was built in La Rue by Beth Johnson. Her parents (Herriet and Donald Sprague), particularly her father loved LaRue dearly and she made the yo-yo partly in honor of him and partly because of her battle against breast cancer.
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