| Type | Oil Ranch |
| Location | Doodyville |
| Owner(s) | Pink Cloud |
| Featured in | Howdy Doody Comics |
Pink Cloud's Oil Ranch was a petroleum business featured in the comic book adaptation of the 1947 children's television show Howdy Doody, having first appeared in the comic's 19th issue released in 1953.
Overview[]
The Pow-Pow oil tycoon, Pink Cloud
Pink Cloud's Oil Ranch was a highly profitable petroleum industry founded by the friendly native elder known as Pink Cloud of the Pow-Pow Tribe, who one day discovered a deposit of oil beneath his land and struck it rich, becoming the richest oil tycoon in Doodyville. While initially happy with his grand fortune and lavish mansion and property, his industry would continue to expand further and further as oil wells kept popping up all over his land, eventually destroying the natural beauty of the land and driving away all the animals and even his own kin, and eventually Pink Cloud as well grew lonely in his new life, as all the money, mansions and servants in the world couldn't bring back his ruined land and simpler days.
History[]
Originally the land upon which the ranch rests belonged to the natives of the Tinka-Tonka Tribe, but they eventually got into a dispute with the Pow-Pow Tribe, resulting in a war between the two tribes that led to the loss of the Tinka-Tonka territory to the Pow-Pow. One day though, the elder Pink Cloud discovered a lone Tinka-Tonka baby had been left behind in a cave during the war and, having taken pity on her, decided to adopt her, raising her as his niece and naming her "Summerfall Winterspring".
In the years that followed, peace had now been made between the two warring tribes, allowing the leaders of the Tinka-Tonka to enter Pow-Pow territory, now seeking their long-lost daughter who turned out to be Summerfall, making her the Tinka-Tonka princess. Pink Cloud reluctantly returned his adopted niece to her parents, but Princess Summerfall would never forget her dear uncle.
Pink Cloud's mansion estate
Not long after Summerfall left, Pink Cloud gained control over the Pow-Pow land and made a deal with an oil company to set up an oil well on his land. It immediately struck a huge well spring and over time more oil wells were added which made Pink Cloud a fabulously wealthy billionaire, allowing him to afford his own mansion, limos and luxurious furniture, but still kept his old teepee around out of sentimentality. However, as the years went by, Pink Cloud soon discovered that much of his old land had now been destroyed in his pursuit of wealth, and all those around him had now left, leaving him alone and yearning for better days.
The gang flees for their lives as the oil ranch burns down
On one fateful day though, a now older Princess Sumerfall, who was now affiliated with Howdy Doody's Circus, had her friends from the circus help her find her long-lost adoptive uncle, eventually locating his oil ranch, much to the surprise of Summerfall. Upon their emotional reunion, Pink Cloud told Summerfall about what had happened since she had left him, and told her and her friends of his predicament. He then showed the gang around his property and the oil well that started it all, however, Pink Cloud accidentally threw his cigar into his oil well causing a tremendous explosion. Luckily everyone survived, but the mansion, ranch and all of Pink Cloud's money was burned up in the process, leaving nothing behind but his old teepee. Thought things were grim, Pink Cloud admitted that he was happy to just have his old teepee and simple life back, but realized it would be harder to make a living now.
The ranch is restored to its original natural splendor thanks to Summerfall
Thankfully, Princess Summerfall had a solution to her uncle's predicament. Using her mystical Tinka-Tonka necklace, she was able to revitalize the polluted and destroyed land, transforming into a lush hunting ground once more, allowing Pink Cloud to live as he used to. To celebrate, he invited his niece to go fishing with him like in the old days and hoped they could stay together forever. Although she already had the circus to return to, Summerfall promised that she would always come to visit him.