Bonnie and Clyde Ambush Marker
The early 1930’s saw the United States (and the world) plunged into the Great Depression. The middle of our country was being turned into the giant storm of dirt that was the dust bowl. And fascination with flamboyant outlaws exploded. Fueled by lurid pulp tabloids like True Detective and True Crime Mysteries, the public lapped up photos and tales of desperados like “Pretty Boy” Floyd, “Ma” Barker, John Dillinger. It made no difference that these “true” stories were more fiction than fact, they allowed readers to escape into tales of flashy criminals living exciting, dangerous lives.
A favorite subject was the exploits of Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker – better known as “Bonnie and Clyde” (or actually “Clyde and Bonnie” in those days – it would not be until years later with the movie Bonnie and Clyde that the names would become commonly reversed). The duo, and the whole Barrow Gang, were known for being well dressed, polite, and murderously dangerous. Eyewitness tales of those taken hostage, often in theft of a car and then subsequently released, fed the frenzy and served as a counterpoint of police and other crime victims who were shot to death by one or more of the gang members.
Bonnie Parker
The pair were known as avid photographers, taking numerous pictures in their travels as they camped out to avoid the law or gathered with family for get-togethers. Escaping from an unsuccessful raid and shoot-out in Joplin, Missouri their camera was found left behind, along with clothes, guns and Clyde’s guitar. The police processed the rolls of film and released the photos to the (then new) news wire. The public went wild for pictures of the desperados including posed photos of the pair pointing guns at each other. One photo of Bonnie, gun in hand, foot up on a car bumper with a cigar dangling from the corner of her mouth caused a sensation. Furor arose not because of the gun in her hand, nor with the less than ladylike pose, but rather that the photo captured her with a cigar in her mouth – something a proper woman would never be seen with. An embarrassed Bonnie tried to get the world out that she didn’t’ smoke cigars in reality and it was a joke for the photo, so bothered was she by the allegation.
By 1934 the gang had amassed quite a reputation, and a body count, across the country radiating outward from the duo’s home and family in West Dallas, Texas. One of the then gang members, Henry Methvin, was from northwest Louisiana and the gang would sometimes visit the area so he could see his family. Gibsland was out of the way enough of a place, yet only a short drive down US 80 to Shreveport, Monroe and even Dallas. Clyde even talked of buying land there to have a place to stay. Unfortunately it was not to be.
Henry joined the gang when he accompanied several others in a breakout from the Eastham Prison Farm in Texas. His father, Ivy, was concerned about his son’s breakout and his association with the Barrow Gang. So he approached law enforcement officials with an offer – he would let them know when Clyde and Bonnie were in the area in exchange for a pardon for his son’s crimes in Texas. This took place in an era when police jurisdictions usually ended at the state border and the United States Bureau of Investigation, precursor of the FBI, was just starting to gain traction. In the end, local law enforcement along with newly deputized officers from a Texas Rangers task force to capture the Barrow gang laid a trap.
On the morning of May 23, 1934, Clyde and Bonnie roared down Highway 154, a narrow packed dirt road on the way to the Methvin farm to pick up Henry. Approaching a rise in the road, the duo slowed down to talk to Ivy Methvin who was standing by the road with the tire off of his beat up truck. Ivy had been put there by the police to encourage the notorious fast driving Clyde to slow down to help. At that point bullets began to rain down upon the duo’s car as the police posse opened fire. In a manner of seconds, the notorious outlaws lay dead on the front seat.
Every year near the anniversary of their deaths, the locals celebrate a festival marking the event. A small collection of memorabilia of them is on display in the Bienville Depot Museum in nearby Arcadia. Gibsland is also the home of the Bonnie and Clyde Ambush Museum, which is overseen by “Boots”Hinton, son of Dallas Deputy Ted Hinton, who participated in the takedown of Bonnie and Clyde. The museum sits in the former site of Ma Canfield’s Cafe. where they got take out sandwiches just before meeting their destiny. Meanwhile the “death car,” riddled with bullets still is on display 75 years later in a casino in Nevada.
And out on the side of 154, a monument marks the place where the two died. Once simple rectangular marker, over time the monument has shrunk considerably as souvenir hunters have chipped off pieces, bringing home a piece of the flamboyant outlaw’s fame and legacy.
The monument reads:
On This Site May 23, 1934
Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker
Were Killed By Law Enforcement Officers
Erected by Bienville Parish Police Jury
On the back side a fan left his or her own tribute:
Fan tribute in spray paint
Interestingly enough, when the marker was visited a couple of weeks ago (August 2010), someone had been trying to dig around the marker’s base. Not quite sure what someone would actually do with the trophy of that size and weight. One more danger to roadside history.
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Guinn, Jeff. Go Down Together: The True, Untold Story of Bonnie and Clyde (New York: Simon & Schuster, 2009)
The early 1930’s saw the United States (and the world) plunged into the Great Depression. The middle of our country was being turned into the giant storm of dirt that was the dust bowl. And fascination with flamboyant outlaws exploded. Fueled by lurid pulp tabloids like True Detective and True Crime Mysteries, the public lapped up photos and tales of desperados like “Pretty Boy” Floyd, “Ma” Barker, John Dillinger. It made no difference that these “true” stories were more fiction than fact, they allowed readers to escape into tales of flashy criminals living exciting, dangerous lives.
A favorite subject was the exploits of Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker – better known as “Bonnie and Clyde” (or actually “Clyde and Bonnie” in those days – it would not be until years later with the movie Bonnie and Clyde that the names would become commonly reversed). The duo, and the whole Barrow Gang, were known for being well dressed, polite, and murderously dangerous. Eyewitness tales of those taken hostage, often in theft of a car and then subsequently released, fed the frenzy and served as a counterpoint of police and other crime victims who were shot to death by one or more of the gang members.
The pair were known as avid photographers, taking numerous pictures in their travels as they camped out to avoid the law or gathered with family for get-togethers. Escaping from an unsuccessful raid and shoot-out in Joplin, Missouri their camera was found left behind, along with clothes, guns and Clyde’s guitar. The police processed the rolls of film and released the photos to the (then new) news wire. The public went wild for pictures of the desperados including posed photos of the pair pointing guns at each other. One photo of Bonnie, gun in hand, foot up on a car bumper with a cigar dangling from the corner of her mouth caused a sensation. Furor arose not because of the gun in her hand, nor with the less than ladylike pose, but rather that the photo captured her with a cigar in her mouth – something a proper woman would never be seen with. An embarrassed Bonnie tried to get the world out that she didn’t’ smoke cigars in reality and it was a joke for the photo, so bothered was she by the allegation.
By 1934 the gang had amassed quite a reputation, and a body count, across the country radiating outward from the duo’s home and family in West Dallas, Texas. One of the then gang members, Henry Methvin, was from northwest Louisiana and the gang would sometimes visit the area so he could see his family. Gibsland was out of the way enough of a place, yet only a short drive down US 80 to Shreveport, Monroe and even Dallas. Clyde even talked of buying land there to have a place to stay. Unfortunately it was not to be.
Henry joined the gang when he accompanied several others in a breakout from the Eastham Prison Farm in Texas. His father, Ivy, was concerned about his son’s breakout and his association with the Barrow Gang. So he approached law enforcement officials with an offer – he would let them know when Clyde and Bonnie were in the area in exchange for a pardon for his son’s crimes in Texas. This took place in an era when police jurisdictions usually ended at the state border and the United States Bureau of Investigation, precursor of the FBI, was just starting to gain traction. In the end, local law enforcement along with newly deputized officers from a Texas Rangers task force to capture the Barrow gang laid a trap.
On the morning of May 23, 1934, Clyde and Bonnie roared down Highway 154, a narrow packed dirt road on the way to the Methvin farm to pick up Henry. Approaching a rise in the road, the duo slowed down to talk to Ivy Methvin who was standing by the road with the tire off of his beat up truck. Ivy had been put there by the police to encourage the notorious fast driving Clyde to slow down to help. At that point bullets began to rain down upon the duo’s car as the police posse opened fire. In a manner of seconds, the notorious outlaws lay dead on the front seat.
Every year near the anniversary of their deaths, the locals celebrate a festival marking the event. A small collection of memorabilia of them is on display in the Bienville Depot Museum in nearby Arcadia. Gibsland is also the home of the Bonnie and Clyde Ambush Museum, which is overseen by Boots Hinton, son of Dallas Deputy Ted Hinton, who participated in the takedown of Bonnie and Clyde. Meanwhile the “death car,” riddled with bullets still is on display 75 years later in a casino in Nevada.
And out on the side of 154, a monument marks the place where the two died. Once simple rectangular marker, over time the monument has shrunk considerably as souvenir hunters have chipped off pieces, bringing home a piece of the flamboyant outlaw’s fame and legacy.
Guinn, Jeff. Go Down Together: The True, Untold Story of Bonnie and Clyde (New York: Simon & Schuster, 2009)
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