This and That Newsletter
Vol 21 Issue 1,063 Circulation 5,000 June 8, 2017
Ardmore, Oklahoma
My permanent email address: butchbridges@oklahomahistory.net
580-490-6823
A GLIMPSE INTO THE PAST
The face of Ardmore was certainly changing. The Santa Fe Depot was no longer the focal point of the town, although in 1967, an event of some social significance had occurred there.
Alec Waugh, British author, and brother of equally famous writer Evelyn Waugh made a brief appearance which he later described in his book The Best Wine Last. He was winding up his term as writer in residence at Central State College, Edmond, when the affair took place.
In his words.... "I came to feel very much at home there [Oklahoma] and my sojourn was enriched by the manager of the Cellar Club in the Hightower Building [Oklahoma City], John Bennett. Oklahoma had been a dry state until a few years earlier and wine and spirits were only served publicly in clubs, although you could lay in bottles of your own home, from liquor stores, as in the case of several states, Utah for example.
"Bennett and I became good friends. His restaurant had a superb cellar and during Virginia's [Waugh's lady friend from England] last week he gave a remarkable party for us. He hired a private train in which some thirty of us were driven out to the neighboring town of Ardmore. A champagne breakfast was served on the train. And Ardmore station there was an ample luncheon in which ducks and suckling pigs were accompanied by Mosell and Hock. After a tour of the town, a very attractive one, we returned by train on which the sausages were served on Beaujolais".
A far cry from Thunderbird on Caddo. John Bennett was quite capable of creating a memorable expedition from both the standpoint of fine dining and conducting a tour of his hometown. Bennet's parents, Louise and C.K. Bennett ,and his grandmother Myrtle Bennett all natives of the area, and he had made an admirable career for himself as chef in Oklahoma City restaurants and clubs. And for those who did not recognize Alec Waugh, well they didn't know G.K. Chesterton, either, when he hit town in 1921. His name never darkened the ink in the state or local papers.
-Sally Gray, Territory Town, The Ardmore Story published 2006A couple of pavers I sandblasted the other day.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/bricks/VicBeckyPaver.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/bricks/LucasPaver.jpg
We traveled to Sulphur Saturday before last and purchased our $10 at the door ($20 online) lifetime senior citizen's pass to the National Federal Parks. The price will be going up to $80 October 1st.
https://store.usgs.gov/senior-passWhile in Sulphur, Oklahoma we stopped by the Chickasaw Nation Cultural Center. If you never been there, you are missing out on a lifetime experience.
http://www.chickasawculturalcenter.com/Here are a some pictures I snapped at Sulphur.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos17a/ChickasawCulturalCenter060317a.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos17a/ChickasawCulturalCenter060317b.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos17a/ChickasawCulturalCenter060317c.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/bellphotos/ChickasawCulturalCenterBell060317.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/bellphotos/ChickasawCulturalCenterBell060317b.jpg
Of course we had to stop at Turner Falls on the way.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/turnerfalls/TurnerFalls060317.jpg
You can find current gas prices for a particular Oklahoma town by entering the name or zip code in the GasBuddy search box.
http://www.oklahomagasprices.com/Q. Where in Oklahoma is an unusual island called Goat Island?
A. One of the most beautiful lakes in Oklahoma, "Goat Island" is located in the Pettit Bay area of Lake Tenkiller just a few miles SE of Muskogee, Oklahoma. This little-known island is actually inhabited by goats that are often times seen grazing at the shoreline.
http://www.onlyinyourstate.com/oklahoma/unique-island-ok/Q. Where in Oklahoma are the Bathtub rocks located?
A. Answer in next week's newsletterBelow is from This and That newsletter archives of June 2, 2005
"Cecil Crosby is in the picture on the music cover. Cecil Crosby was a guard at the prison at Granite Oklahoma." -Grover Wells http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos5a/CrosbyCecil5a.jpg
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"Butch those rocks look like the limestone rocks that I have on My property. Our land joins the Corp land on Briar Creek. All around the rim of the hill where it drops off in the valley are those rocks. Some are weird shapes with holes all in them. I gave a uncle that one was about 3 ft, wide and 5 ft. long and 6 in. thick to put in his yard in Cow town. As He was setting it up someone stopped and offered Him $150 for it. The rock gets to be a solid layer as you get back from the rim of the hill. A big rock crusher is just south of Me. Its is 4 1/2 miles North of Willis Bridge on 377 HWY. Shay Cut Off Road goes East and a gravel road goes West, it has a little green man with a bow sign, turn West here 6/10 of a mile. I have those rocks very small to the size of a truck. The rocks are white until the moss grows on them. The road to Powell , in 1890, went off the hill where we built our house and you can still see the road where they moved the rocks to make the road." -DeWayne
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos5a/ShayRoadRock5a.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos5a/ShayRoadRock5b.jpg
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"Hi Butch old friend, We still enjoy your T&T, I think the town in the flood picture is Pauls Valley. If so, the flooded street is Highway 77K. When the Washita River got out of banks, it backed Rush Creek up and flooded Pauls Valley many time in 20's, 30's and 40's. They eventually built a dike high enough to hold Rush Creek out of downtown P.V. Keep up the good work." -Bill Uhles
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos5a/MartinDrugFlood.jpg
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"Butch: On getting silted out of existence, that's exactly what happened to one of the best honey holes for crappie on Lake Texoma several years ago when silt accumulated and eliminated the channel or a resort called Butcher Pen, near Bee, on the Washita River in Johnston County. One of the Tulsa District engineers caused a small stir back in the 70s when he told people Texoma would silt itself out of existence within 50 years"
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I got to thinking the other day about a word I havnt heard in years. And I searched on google.com and didnt find anything. But then maybe I don't know who to spell it. The word is infantigo and I only vaguely know what it is.Infantigo, also called impetigo, is a common bacterial skin infection in children, although it can affect adults too. An infantigo rash typically consists of clusters of sores. Infantigo is a bacterial skin infection.
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I received an interesting email last week from Dale Keith Roberts in Texas. Attached to the email were some real historical photos.... photos of a piano he now owns made by Luke's Music Company of Ardmore. Keith was wondering if anyone knows anything about the pianos made by Edward Luke, or other history information on the company.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos5a/LukesPiano5a.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos5a/LukesPiano5b.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos5a/LukesPiano5c.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos5a/LukesPiano5d.jpg
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A couple of weeks ago I told about the the idea of planting tomatoes upside down. We'll I had to try it myself, so I have two planted upside down now. And since I don't have a green thumb, who knows what will happen.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/tomatos.html
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----------------------------------------------------Some mail from this week's MAILBAG.....
"Friends, I have a couple of bookings in June in which you may have an interest. On Saturday, June 10, 2017 I'll be singing at the Reagan Jubilee in Reagan, Oklahoma. Showtime is 7pm in the Reagan Community Center. For more information, call 580-371-9492 or 580-384-3999. Located near the Community Center is Sipokni West, the old western town and movie site. They are currently shooting a movie there; titled "Chickasaw Rancher" Also located in the old western town is the Lost Spur Caf?. We have eaten there and the food and atmosphere are outstanding. The Caf? is open 11:30am to 8:30pm, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Their website is www.spokniwest.com with lots of information. Secondly, I'll be appearing at the Bend of the River Festival in Lake Crystal, Minnesota the weekend of June 15-16-17. The show will be held at the American Legion Building. I'll do one show on Thursday, two on Friday and two on Saturday. For more information, call 406-899-2949. Hope to see you soon." -Les Gilliam
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Seven Sisters Hills road was so named: Bud Young, who owned all of the land, was a Chickasaw legislator, banker and well to do local cattleman. He had seven daughters and one son. The Seven Sisters were hills named for his daughters. It is now the name of the road to the south.
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The 2017 Dougherty, Oklahoma Homecoming and School Reunion will be held on Saturday June 24, 2017, at the Dougherty School. Visiting will begin at 5:30pm. Alumni membership fee and meal are $15.00. A guest meal is $10.00. We welcome Dougherty graduates, former students and teachers, former residents, those who have attended church in Dougherty, and friends. -Kathy Tidwell
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"Always look forward to the newsletters Butch. Guess I should thank you more often than I do. I save them for "review" and to look back at the stories and pics that you post. Just wanted to let you know that you are appreciated and I do enjoy your posts and newsletters." -Larry Johnson
'Oklahoma Hills' -Words and music by Jack Guthrie and Woody Guthrie
Many months have come and gone,
Since I wandered from my home,
In those Oklahoma Hills where I was born.
Many a page of life has turned,
Many a lesson I have learned,
Yet I feel like in those hills I still belong.'Way down yonder in the Indian nation
I rode my pony on the reservation,
In the Oklahoma Hills where I was born.
Way down yonder in the Indian nation,
A cowboy's life is my occupation,
In the Oklahoma Hills where I born.'But as I sit here today,
Many miles I am away,
From the place I rode my pony through the draw,
Where the oak and blackjack trees,
Kiss the playful prairie breeze,
In those Oklahoma Hills where I was born.Now as I turn life a page,
To the land of the great Osage,
In those Oklahoma Hills where I was born,
Where the black oil rolls and flows,
And the snow white cotton grows,
In those Oklahoma Hills where I was born.""Oklahoma Hills" was written by Woody Guthrie, on February 23, 1940. Woody moved with his parents to Oklahoma, settling in Okemah, during the 'great depression'.
See everyone next week!
Butch and Jill Bridges
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net
"Friends Make Life Worth Living"
PO Box 2
Lone Grove, Oklahoma 73443Vicious Dog Attacks in Oklahoma
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/viciousdogs.html
Oklahoma Bells: http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/bellpage.html
Bill Hamm's Cemetery Database
http://www.usgwarchives.net/ok/carter/cartercm.htm
American Flyers Memorial Fund - Administration Webpage
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/crash66.html
Official American Flyers Memorial Website
http://www.brightok.net/~wwwafm
Ardmore Army Air Field/Ardmore Air Force Base Website
http://www.brightok.net/~gsimmons
Mirror Site of the Ardmore Army Air Field/Ardmore Air Force Website
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/airbase/
Carter County Government Website
http://cartercountyok.us
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