This and That Newsletter

www.OklahomaHistory.net

Vol 11  Issue 529     Circulation 5,000      March 15, 2007

Ardmore, Oklahoma


When I was in Healdton, Oklahoma back in 1998 I saw on the corner by the only traffic light in that town, a piece of oil field equipment cemented into the corner sidewalk. The sign next to this piece of equipment stated it was the first wellhead in this county back in 1913 when oil was struck at Healdton.

Back in 1971 The Daily Ardmoreite had photo of the first wellhead in the county back in 1913.  I assume the piece of equipment on Main Street Healdton is just symbolic of the event that took place in 1913. But I guess the wellhead shown in the 1971 photograph, is the actually wellhead from 1913.  Does anyone know where this wellhead was located, and if it's still out there in the oil lease today?

Here is a pic I took in 1998 of the well marker in Healdton.

http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos7a/HealdtonWell.jpg

And this is the wellhead photo from The Daily Ardmoreite.

http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos7a/HealdtonWellHead1971.jpg

Chuck Stallcup is almost ready to upload the final version of the Google Earth overlay for the school locations in Carter county. Chuck has really put a lot of work into this project, and its going to be a piece of history that will be used for generations to come via the internet. Chuck said to tell everyone how much he appreciated all who have contributed so far, but he still needs a few more pieces of info before creating the final overlay for upload. Here is the list, along with the ones still needing locations:

Amarada School LOCATED (need photo)
Ambrose Ward CLOSE. 3/4 - 1 mile west of Dillard (need photo)
Barrett School. LOCATED
Baum School. LOCATED
Berwyn School LOCATED
Black Jack School (1) LOCATED
Black Jack School (2) LOCATED on Provence Rd. (need photo)
Blue Ribbon School LOCATED
Board Tree School. LOCATED
Brock School. LOCATED
Brown School VERY CLOSE. school in "center" of 3S 1W sec. 32 & 33, 4S 1W sec.4&5.
Bryant School LOCATED possibly also called "Bryant Red" Buckhorn School. LOCATED (need photo)
Bunker Hill School. LOCATED
Camp School District boundaries defined. Need exact school location. NW of Fox

Cannon School LOCATED
Carter-Humble School "near Dillard" Cheek School. CLOSE, but not sure of exact location.

Cisco School. LOCATED
Clinton School "Out on the Tishomingo road 6 miles east of Ardmore" Cool Branch School LOCATED
Crinerville School LOCATED
Cullins School "on Snodgrass Road (Grasslands Rd)"
Deese School LOCATED
Dundee School LOCATED
Durwood School somewhere on Durwood Rd, probably in Marshall County
Eaves City School. LOCATED (need photo)
Enterprise School LOCATED
Equal Rights School VERY CLOSE, not sure which side of road. Fox School LOCATED

Glenn School. CLOSE, found "town" of Glenn.
Graham School LOCATED
Harmon School in the Tatums school district
Healdton High School LOCATED
Hewitt Ward School CLOSE, but not sure of exact location.
Homer School "sections 10,11 1S,2W" Hoxbar School CLOSE, but not sure of exact location.

Lone Grove School LOCATED
Mary Niblack School LOCATED
Milo School LOCATED
Mount Washington School LOCATED
Mulkey School LOCATED
Nelda School. LOCATED
New Zion School LOCATED
Norris Chapel School LOCATED
Parker Hill School LOCATED (need photo)
Plainview School. LOCATED
Pleasant Hill School "about five miles SW of Ardmore on Stapleton Highway. Apx 3 miles S of Plainview."

Poolville School LOCATED
Post Oak School LOCATED (in Love County, but just south of the county line.)
Prairie Valley School LOCATED
Provence School CLOSE, but not sure of exact location.
Pruitt School. LOCATED (need photo)
Reck School LOCATED
Rexroat School LOCATED
Rock Springs School LOCATED
Rocky Point School LOCATED
Rose Chapel School CLOSE, I think. "southwest of Springer" "On west bank of Henry House Creek"

Roundup School CONFLICT "3 south , Range 2 west" and "between Milo & Pooleville"

Shady Grove School "6 miles southwest of Ardmore"
Smyrna School LOCATED
Springdale School CLOSE, need exact location.
Springer School CLOSE, need exact location.
Staunton School LOCATED
Strawn School "near Dillard" Sunset School LOCATED
Thurston Grove School "northwest of Newport"
Tussy School CLOSE, need exact location.
Wheeler School. LOCATED
Wilson High School CLOSE, need exact location.
Woodford School CLOSE, need exact location.
Woodland School CONFLICT "3 miles east of Tussy" & "between Hennepin and Davis" 2 schools?

Young School LOCATED
Zaneis School LOCATED
Zita School center of school district is 3 miles west of Fox.

I have mention Google Earth in the past issues of T&T.  If you have not check out this service of Google, you should. Its a massive site of maps and data. And soon, thanks to the efforts of Chuck Stallcup, the Carter county schools of bygone days will be added to the database as a downloadable overlay. If you can help locate any of those schools above not yet with confirmed locations, Chuck really needs you to email him at...... oldccschools@satx.rr.com

In 1949 Paul Frame wrote a thesis on Ardmore. I have read in other publications about this book, but have never seen it first hand. Now after reading the article in the July 4, 1976 Ardmoreite, I must get my hands on Mr. Frame's book. Below is a picture of Paul N. Frame and the newspaper clipping from 1976.

http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos7a/PaulFrameHistory1976.jpg

Just when I think I'm about out of great places to explore in the Ardmore area in search of that great burger, low and below, I found one last Saturday just 9 miles east of Ardmore where Highway 199 and Highway 177 intersect.  The ProMart (was Stoker's Convenience Store for years)  is located in the NW corner of the intersection next to the Citizens Branch Bank.  I'm telling you, for $2.29 which included an ample amount of potato chips, this hamburger is right up there at the top. If you in the area of Dickson, Oklahoma, stop by and try one, you won't be disappointed. Click here for a photo of the outside of ProMart.  And here's a pic of that delicious $2.29 burger!

Speaking of hamburgers, does anyone remember who "Sandy" was at Sandy's Burgers on West Broadway?

http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos7a/SandysHamburger1971.jpg

"We have our original 1906 Bell and we ring it on Sunday morning here in rural Norman, Oklahoma. The History:  This church building was built in 1906 by land run settlers.  This church building caught fire in April of 1962.  And this is the neatest story:  The lighting hit the bell town on Sunday Morning during Sunday School.  The members called the fire department then proceeded to carry out of the church everything they could carry, including song books, chancel rail, pews, etc.  All of which are in the new church today. 

 
The church was so far out in the country and due to flooding and weather (it was tornado season after all) the Norman Fire Department could not get there and when they did there was no fire hydrant, Little River was a 1/2 mile a way.  To make a long story short, the church burnt down while the congregation watched.  Then they carried everything they could to their homes for storage.  Soon they had the lot cleared and were in the process of planning a new church.  This is the concrete block structure you see in the picture.
 
The church bell  in the tower was salvaged and stored.  When the new building was dedicated the bell was mounted on its current stand.  We ring it every Sunday Morning.  If you look close at the top you can see where it was welded back together, as it fell nearly two stories in the fire. Grace and peace." -Debra Marlett Campbell, Pastor

FranklinUMCBell7a.jpg       FranklinUMCBell7b.jpg

FranklinUMCBell7c.jpg        FranklinUMCBell7d.jpg

FranklinUMCBell7e.jpg        FranklinUMCBell7f.jpg

FranklinUMCBell7g.jpg        FranklinUMCBell7h.jpg

FranklinUMCBell7i.jpg

My cousin, Ralph Leon Bridges in Korea is trying his luck at a Blog.  He's just starting it, so there's not much there yet, but maybe with the help of some T&T'ers, his blog will grow. Check it out at the following URL.

http://soonerinseoul.spaces.live.com/

Phillip Shirley and his wife are looking for a dance instructor in the Ardmore area, but haven't been able to find one.  If anyone knows of a country western, even line dancing instructor, send Philip an email at...... shirleyp@brightok.net

Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.
Did Peter Piper pick a peck of pickled peppers?
If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers,
where's the peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked?

Upload an audio file to http://www.talkbackwards.com, wait a few seconds for it to be reversed, and then you will hear it played backwards. No download or special software required.

Doubletalk

1. Meaningless speech that consists of nonsense syllables mixed with intelligible words; gibberish.

2. Deliberately ambiguous or evasive language. Also called doublespeak.

There are those who doubletalk, either on purpose, or not on purpose. lol.  The website below is Durwood Fincher, known as Mr. Doubletalk. Listen to the interviews he has done with various people and watch the expressions on their faces. Its strange how people don't want to seem like they can't understand a conversation and go right along with his double talk.  lol  I listened to most of his interviews from his LIBRARY/ARCHVES , and the two with the Atlanta Braves really cracked me up. The players were telling Mr Doubletalk to slow down, be calm, everything will be ok, and to restate his questions.  lol

http://doubletalk.com/

http://doubletalk.com/videoHome.php3

MAILBAG

"There was a movie named Rock Island Trail starring Forest Tucker and Chill Wills (Republic 1950 Trucolor) made in McAlester, Oklahoma".

"Butch, here is a great website about classic cars of the 1900s." http://www.greatdanepro.com/Classic%20Cars/classic%20cars.htm
"Butch, my hamburger friend. Why did I think of you when I saw an article about Hamburgers, and it showed this website.  I just had to send it to you.  I hope you like the site and I read an article in the Cappers Paper,  when Seymour WI is claiming the first ever hamburger, and so is a town in Texas.  Sounds like a Texas staple to me!!  (me being from TX)." -Lee http://www.HomeOfTheHamburger.org/
"I teach science at Lone Grove Middle School.  After seeing the words to Folsom Prison Blues, I thought you might appreciate that I play it during detention.  I especially like the part where the train goes by and he knows the rich folks in the fancy dining cars are having a good time.  While my detention students are cleaning desks, they hear their friends outside having fun.  It's a great analogy!"  -Tamyra Ayles

"Good evening, Mr. Bridges: I am working on an article for the annual report of the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality, tracing the history of waste management in Oklahoma. While doing a web search, I came across your website and thought your T&T Readers might be able to assist me, or steer me in the right direction. I am seeking photographs of old town dumps (even better if they are on fire), old horse-drawn trash wagons, or other photos that depict historical waste management practices in Oklahoma. Even something as mundane as an old homestead with maybe the house's trash dump visible in the distance would be good. I am finding it extremely difficult to find any such photos. I suppose that's because no one felt a picture of a burning dump or a wagon filled with trash was good subject matter! If you either have some photos that you might be willing to contribute to the article, I would greatly appreciate it. Naturally, proper credit would be given to the photographer. I appreciate your consideration of my request." -Jon A. Roberts jon6293@cox.net
"I was born and grew up in Ardmore until age 12. I have always had a place in my heart for the area of my childhood. I still have several relatives in the area and the Burch family mentioned in the Jessie Lyons story are my grandparents. I went to Franklin School." -Jerald D. Parker  parkerjd@aol.com

"Two wrongs do not make a right, but three usually do."

See everyone next week!

Butch and Jill Bridges

PO Box 2
Lone Grove, Oklahoma 73443

http://www.OklahomaHistory.net

Save on long distance calls, just a couple cents a minute!
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Best Web Hosting: http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/webhosting.htm
Oklahoma Bells: http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/bellpage.html
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 schools, past and present
http://community.webshots.com/user/oklahomahistory
Carter County Government Website
http://www.brightok.net/cartercounty/

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