This and That
Newsletter
A Weekly Publication
Vol 16 Issue 781 Circulation 5,000 January 12, 2012
PO Box 2
Ardmore, Oklahoma 73402
email address: butchbridges@oklahomahistory.net
580-657-8616
Through the years from time to time there is mention of the 1977
movie Dillinger in which many of the scenes were filmed right here in Southern
Oklahoma including at the Carter County Courthouse. It see the CD now available on amazon.com for $6.22 - cheap! If you are a die hard Southern Okie and
never seen this movie, here's you chance to get it on DVD at a bargain price. Be
sure and pic the one starring Warren Oats and Ben Johnson.
http://www.amazon.com/s/?url=search-alias%3Ddvd&field-keywords=Dillinger&tag=imdb-adbox
From This and That newsletter archives of
January 9, 1999:
"The picture of the men and the horses was taken at Hudson-Houston Lumber Co. in
Ardmore in 1914. From left are Mr Hudson, Mr Bramlett (on bike), (the next two
are unidentified), Grover Wells (my grandfather), and the man driving the team
is King Lindsey. Man standing on top of wagon is also unidentified."
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos12a/HudsonHoustonLumber1914.jpg
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"Back in
1974, I begged my husband, who was working in Tulsa then, to get us tickets for
the Elvis concert there (I had a small child then and couldn't stand in line
that long) He wouldn't do it, so I never got to see one of E's concerts although
my sister did (later that month in OKC)..and after he died, my husband finally
took us to see one of the many "impersonators"...needless to say, I felt cheated
and robbed !!!
-------------------------------------------
"Just a short story
about a small place in Oklahoma. We were "transferred" to Pop City, Oklahoma in
1942. My dad worked for an oil company and we moved from Kansas into a company
house on a small lease just one mile east of St. Louis, Oklahoma and Maud, Ok.
The name of this little burg was "Pop City". It had three filling stations, 2 on
the south side of Hiway 59 and one on the north. This is all that was there. An
elderly lady owned the 2 stations on the South side of 59. While we were living
there she acquired a boyfriend, (I can remember his name was Walter). They
closed one of the two stations and he continued to run the other one. I was only
in the second grade at St. Louis and it never occurred to me or I wasn't
inquisitive enough to found out how Pop City got its name. We lived there almost
two years before Dad was transferred to another company camp just east of
Seminole, Oklahoma. Some forty years later I was "transferred" to Wilson,
Oklahoma. I was working for an oil company, just like my Dad. I met a man named
"Slim" Patrick who lived on Dillard Rd., (he is deceased now). We were talking
about little towns in Oklahoma and I told him I had once lived in Pop City. He
allowed that he had lived there one time too. He asked me if I knew how it got
its name? If course I had no idea. He told me that one day he was sitting on a
bench at one of the filling stations in Pop City. (This was in the late 30's or
early 40's, he couldn't remember), when a Govt census taker drove up into the
station, got out, introduced himself. He told Slim that he was taking a
population census for the Government and could Slim tell him how many people
lived here in this place. Slim told him all the people he knew which was
everybody there. The gentleman thanked him and started to leave, when he turned
and asked Slim what was the name of this place? Slim told him it didn't have a
name. The fellow was persistent and said it has got to have a name so I can file
it with my reports. Slim was looking down at the ground and there was nothing
but pop bottle caps strewn around being used for gravel to keep the cars from
getting stuck in the driveway. He looked up at the man and told him "you might
as well call it Pop City, that's about all we sell around here." And that's how
it got its name. Mr Patrick told me this story to be true. And he had such a
ring of truth and sincerity in his voice at that time, I just had to believe
him. Thought you would enjoy this little tid bit. I know how much I enjoy your
tales on T&T." -Kenneth Updike
Q. During the land rush OKC and Guthrie's population surged in
just 1 day to how many people? 3,000? 5,000? 10,000?
A. 10,000
Q. Once the third largest city in Oklahoma, what community came into being in 1901 as a result of a giant lottery when over two million acres of Kiowa-Comanche-Apache land was opened to white settlement.
A. (answer in next week's T&T)
Gas prices today in the Ardmore area......
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/gasprices.html
Some mail from this week's MAILBAG.....
I came across your web site while tracking down some family history. Great stories in your newsletters. I am researching my family history and came across a story regarding my great grandmother Martha Jane Manasco's sons and a jailbreak. Evidently Charles Manasco b 1890, OK Territory, was in jail (Ringling?) for a crime he committed. He broke out of jail with the help of his younger brother Harry b 1903. They both then relocated to Del Rio, TX and changed their last names to Stewart. I believe Charles was also known as "Slim" Stewart. Evidently this all transpired in the 1920s. Any suggestions on how I might be able to discover the facts surrounding this incident? Side note: Martha Jane Manasco b 1863, d 1959 Ardmore, eventually ended up with the last name of Stewart and was living with Charles and his wife, Olga and their children in her later years. She may have married a William Stewart after her divorce from Thomas David Manasco who died outside of Ardmore in 1936. He was hit by a car while walking along the highway or street. Thank you for any help or suggestions." -Robert Crane in WA
I recently completed a storage unit I my wood shop. -Bob Cole in Oregon
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos12a/WoodStorageUnit1.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos12a/WoodStorageUnit2.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos12a/WoodStorageUnit3.jpg
"Butch, In last week's newsletter you asked about Silver City. You were probably talking about the old ghost town Silver City that is near Minco in Grady County, but there is also another Silver City in Oklahoma.
This "other" one is in Creek County. Here's one thing I found on the internet about the one in Creek County.
"Silver City is a populated place located in Creek County at latitude 36.09 and longitude -96.494"
It's a small place just off Highway 51, West of Mannford and East of Oilton. Basically at the intersection of West 51st Street and 449th West Avenue, using Tulsa street designations. That would put it 5 Miles South of downtown Tulsa and 45 miles West of downtown Tulsa.
Here's what it says in Wikipedia about Silver City in Creek County:
"Silver City is a ghost town situated between Tulsa and Stillwater, Oklahoma. It was once a farming and ranching community. All that remains of the town is one convenience store, a church, a few residences, and a machine shop."
Here's a link to the Chronicles of Oklahoma website that has a story featuring Silver City in Grady County:
http://digital.library.okstate.edu/Chronicles/v017/v017p184.html
I'm looking forward to the old pictures of Kingston. I was through there a while back and was surprised to see they had installed a new signal light at their main intersection on Highway 70. This time they actually installed it correct with the green light on the bottom. For years they had it upside down. This caused a color blind friend a lot of stress because he would forget that this red light was upside down and would think he had a green light when actually it was red because the red light was on bottom. I don't know how many accidents this caused, but I'm sure he wasn't the only color blind person to have issues with the signal light in Kingston.
Thanks for your continuing efforts in putting together the newsletter each week. It brings a lot of happiness and memories to a lot of folks each week.
Gerald Whitworth
Glenpool, Oklahoma
"Robbers Cave State Park....North of Wilburton. January 2012" -Kathy Privette
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos12a/RobbersCave2012.jpg
"Butch, I saw where W. G. Smith died on December 17. I grew up and was best friends with his son Tommy just about the time the air base was closed. I guess his death reminded me that he used to sprinkle the original drag strip when it was located on Lake Murray Drive where the downtown airport is now located. Originally, the strip was dirt except for a short strip of asphalt at the starting line. Back then they used a flagman to start each race unlike the starting lights later used at the strip located on US 77 North. It was Gene's job every time they held races to water the length of the strip to keep the dust down. He had to water the strip several times during the races. Gene worked for Mr. Lacy at Groendyke located on US 70 East at the intersection of the truck bypass on the northwest corner." -Monroe Cameron in Montana
http://www.ardmoreite.com/obituaries/x1658262282/W-G-Smith
"If you ever wanted to see Route 66 from Illinois to California here is a pretty got set of pictures along the route. At the bottom you just click on the state you want to see." -Doug Williams
http://www.6t6kix.com/pages/rt66/ok.htm
"Butch, I do most of my thinking while I drive. Today while driving I remembered the get-together we (T&T Readers) had at the Garden Center several years ago. It was the last time I saw Jerry Royal so that must have been quite a few years ago. Anyway, it was a lot of fun and I wish that we could do it again. I have not met Jill yet and I am sure there are a lot of others who would like to meet her. My granddaughter and I would be glad to bring snacks and I am sure there are others who would do the same. Anyway, it is something to think about. If you want to wait until summer, we could all come to your place and see your chickens and other critters plus Jill?s garden. Wouldn?t you just love that? LOL." -Frances Dunlap
Q. "I was wondering if some of the readers of T&T can tell me what year the Hardy Sanitarium and Hospital closed down? The last time I was there was in 1954 when my son was born. Did Dr Hardy remain in the Ardmore area?"-Elisabeth
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/glimpsepast/hardysan3.jpg
A. John Hinckley Jr. is reportedly the last person born in the old Hardy Sanitarium where the present day post office is located. Memorial Hospital of Southern Oklahoma opened its doors in May 1955.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Hinckley,_Jr.
-from the June 24, 2006 issue: August 11, 1925---ARDMORE PIONEER COMES TO SON FOR MEDICAL ADVICE. Ruben Hardy, one of the pioneers of this city, is here from Portales, N.M. visiting with his children in Ardmore and nearby towns. Mr. Hardy is the father of Dr. Walter Hardy and came to receive medical treatment from his son. He is 80 years old but is remarkably well preserved in body and is in good health for a man of his years. He came to what is now Ardmore in February 1887. This was before Ardmore was established and prior to the time the Santa Fe railroad was built into this city. He was a native of Mississippi and came to Oklahoma from Bowie, TX. One of the first general merchandise stores to be opened here was operated by Ruben Hardy at the corner of Caddo and East Main street. He is one of the steady pioneers who helped to build the great west out of the wilderness. Ruben Hardy saw service in the Civil war on the Confederate side. A number of brick buildings and farms are owned by him and he is in a comfortable financial position. The children who live in this city are Dr. Walter Hardy, Judge Andy Hardy, and Mrs. A.B. Seay. A daughter, Mrs. J. Rush Goodlow, lives at Ringling, and another son, Dudley Hardy at Marietta.
1960 or 1961
We were living in Del City.
Homemade Wine: Vonnie and I were always looking for food bargains and decided go to the Farmers Mkt. over in OKC. When we got there, there were plenty of farmers who had set up to sell their vegetables. we were walking down the aisles looking for bargains when here sat an old farmer with a bushel of red grapes for sale. I didn't want them but asked him "How much". He told me $6 dollars for the bushel. I told him if I knew how to make wine, I would buy them. He said give me $5 dollars for them and I will tell you how to make wine. So I did. He proceeded to tell me to get a 5 gal. crock. put in one layer of grapes and then one layer of sugar. Do this until you fill up the crock. then add one packet of powdered yeast on top. cover crock with tin foil. punch hole in tin foil and insert rubber or plastic tube. hang tube in a jar of water. This way you can see when it starts fermenting and when it stops bubbling, it's time to bottle the wine. I was excited and anxious to get started. We went by a junk store and i found a crock for $2. Got all the ingredients together and got it started that evening. The next day it had started bubbling in the jar. I knew I was on the way to making some good wine.
I was working on a gasoline terminal where we were required to keep samples of every tank of gasoline we received off the pipeline. So I had access to all the quart bottles and new corks I needed. "Borrowed" a couple dozen bottles and corks. In about a week or 10 days, I noticed. the bubbling had almost stopped. I waited another day and it had stopped completely. Time to bottle the wine.
I used the tube to suck the wine up and then fill up a bottle. Course I got a good taste every time I changed bottles. I was working straight evenings at the Pipeline terminal, so I had all morning to bottle up my wine. But by the time I had finished bottling it, I had developed a pretty good buzz. When I went to work that afternoon, Emmett Spangler, my boss, could see I was not in the best shape. So he suggested I go back home and he would take care of my work for me. Suited me and told him I would bring him a couple of quarts of wine for helping me. Went back home and to bed.
I had stored my bottles of wine in a little shed behind our house. in a couple of days I went to check on it and discovered a few bottles with the corks removed. I started cussing and figured the kids had gotten in to them and had pulled to corks. I finally picked up one of the bottles and looked at it closely. There was sediment in the bottom of the bottle and I could still see it working. I had bottled the wine too soon! So I replaced all the corks and cant remember how I done it but made sure the corks were secure and let the wine continue to ferment for another week. After it quit, I rebottled it again and strained it thru cheese cloth to remove the sediments. But for some reason, it had lost its kick. I could drink a whole bottle and not get a buzz.
Couldn't figure out what was wrong. I had promised Emmett, my boss a couple and didn't know what to do. I finally came up with the idea of adding vodka to the wine and this would give it a kick.
I put 4 oz. of vodka in each bottle of wine. You couldn't taste it, but it sure oomphed up the alcohol content. I took a couple of bottles to Emmett and warned him to not drink too much of it at one time as it was pretty potent. He said I have drink a lot of wine, so I can tell if it is very strong. The next day when I went to work, asked him how the wine tasted? He said you know Ken, that is some of the best wine I have ever tasted. He said 2 glasses of that and you will be laying in the floor giggling.
I never did tell him I had spiked it with vodka.
I drank all of the rest of it. And the few quarts I had left, lasted me a long time!" -Ken at Wilson
"You should spend time at Healdton Lake and then when the pet 'one minus arm bandit' raccoon comes around at night snooping (he won't hurt you), he'll snoop to find the grub you brought and wakes you up trying to get to it. You may have to have a cane that is metal to hit against something metal that would make him leave your campsite for good. I enjoyed sleeping in a bed out under the stars when I spent a 4-5 days there one summer. Nothing to bother you except the one arm bandit at night (of course the bandit is harmless.)" -Carol Watkins
The Davis News - 100 YEARS AGO: The Rev. J.E. Bell was the new Baptist preacher, coming from Yukon.
Buck Tracy, son of Mark Tracy, was ill with membranous croup.
School opened at Woodland with 45 pupils. Prof. Clemmons and Miss Leah Russell were teachers.
Some prices advertised by a local grocer: 3 lb. can of tomatoes, 9 cents; standard corn, 10 cents; Mother's oats, 9 cents; 18 lbs. navy beans, $1, and Post Toasties, 10 cents. (These items were printed in the Jan. 11, 1952, issue. The first three issues of 1912 are missing from The News office.)
A road to a friend's house is never long
See everyone next week!
Butch and Jill Bridges
PO Box 2
Lone Grove, Oklahoma 73443
Save on long distance calls, just a couple cents a
minute!
http://www.CheapLongDistance.org
Ardmore High School Criterions Online
http://www.ardmorecriterion.com/
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/
Ardmore School Criterions
http://www.ArdmoreCriterion.com
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