This and That
Newsletter
A Weekly Publication
Vol 16 Issue 819 Circulation 5,000 October 4, 2012
PO Box 2
Ardmore, Oklahoma 73402
email address: butchbridges@oklahomahistory.net
580-657-8616
Even though we received nearly a couple inches of rain last weekend here in south central Oklahoma, Lake Murray is still in sad shape, water wise. Jill and I made a trip to Lake Murray last Saturday and here are a few pictures I took, if you're familiar with Lake Murray, you can tell in the pics its way down.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos12a/TeePeeBeachLakeMurray.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos12a/TeePeeBeachLakeMurray2.jpg
One thing I noticed that was new since the last time we were down there (last year) is the beautiful red cedar posts being used to make the signs. Beautiful works of art in their own way.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos12a/PecanGroveLakeMurray.jpg
This week I received the email below
asking if I remember these horseback riding ladies of southeast Ardmore back in
the 60s:
MOTHER/DAUGHTER
HORSE RIDERS ON SE C STREET IN THE 60s.
"Butch, do you know anything about these women. They always mesmerized my sister
Darla and I being young and watching these women with the most lipstick on women
we had ever seen. Amble around nearby our nanny Herndon's place at 212 Lake
Murray Drive and all over SE Ardmore. Would love background on these women,."
-Lynda
I didn't remember these ladies, but I posted the request on my Facebook and within 15 minutes several had replied with information. I knew with over 4,700 Facebook friends I'd get a reply or two but the answers would start showing up in posts in about 15 minutes. Former Ardmoreite Judy Schimmel was even kin to them in a round about way. Here is her reply:
Judy Douglas Schimmel wrote: "It was Zula and Isabel Hollingsworth, mother and daughter. Zula was my grandmother Vina McAllister Douglas's youngest sister. Zula married a Colonel Hollingsworth (can't remember his first name) they lived and traveled all over the world, and had one daughter, Isabel. They used to ride in horse shows. When the Colonel retired they settled in Ardmore. Isabel never married. They used to ride their horses in town, especially after the Colonel passed away. They were sweet ladies. I am not sure, but think Zula passed away in the early sixties, and Isabel in the eighties. Zula became quite eccentric with age, and had quite a colorful and exciting life, as I recall."
Here is a screen capture of the listing of C Street SE, 400 block, in 1960.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos12a/IsabelHollingsworth1960.jpg
After 2 or 3 days of soaking rain here in Lone Grove, OK... I spotted 2 huge fungus of some kind growing near our property line. These things are about 10 inches across. I don't think I've ever seen one that large.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos12a/Fungus093012.jpg
Jerry Brown posted on my Facebook saying it is Oak Root Fungus, and there is nothing that will kill it. We have several hundred oak trees, sure hope they don't die.
http://www.sunset.com/garden/garden-basics/oak-root-fungus-00400000014646/
I had a request this week from former Ardmoreite, Dean Pelton. He looking for a AHS 1961 class ring that might be for sale. Dean lost his ring, and would like to get it replaced somehow. If anyone knows how to get hold of one, send Dean an email. fdpelton@yahoo.com
The governor of Oklahoma lifted the burn ban today.
http://www.forestry.ok.gov/burn-ban-information
Oklahoma History Revisited by Larry Guthrie, Sulphur
Question: How much did Oklahoma cost?
Answer: In 1803, Napoleon Bonaparte was occupied with his European conquests and wanted to keep England from owning it, sold the Louisiana Territory to the U. S. for $15 million dollars. Oklahoma represented $999,714 at two and one half cents an acre. By my quick calculations that makes the acreage of Oklahoma about 40 million acres. Someone can check me on that.
From This and That newsletter archives of October 3, 1998:
On West Main Street in Ardmore, sitting on
the southwest corner at B, is an old red brick building. Today it doesn't look
like much. In fact, right now the workmen are remodeling the upstairs into a
beauty saloon, so I've heard. But in 1898 this building was the Federal
Courthouse and jail. Here's a photo I took of it last week.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos12a/FederalBuilding1998.jpg
On the second floor, in the far south end,
is the old vault. It's so sad the condition it has deteriorated to over the
years. If you were to stand in front of it.... looking at the right angle, you
can faintly see the gold letters reading..... "CLERK'S OFFICE". Here's a pic of
the vault door and it's terrible condition.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos12a/FederalVault1998a.jpg
As you open the door, there is another steel
door a few inches inside.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos12a/FederalVault1998b.jpg
There is a long stairwell, going from the
middle of the second floor, down and coming out at the front sidewalk. Here's a
photo...
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos12a/FederalStairway.jpg
Can you imagine the history that has walked
those stairs? When I walked up those stairs for the first time last week, I
could almost feel the presence of history past. Like a step back into time!
----------------------------------------------------
I been busy the past couple days,
unpacking the 9 new computers at the sheriffs office here. The company that has
the Inmate Phone System is upgrading to 300mhz Pentiums. The older 133mhz
computers are going into deputy offices, so they will each have their own
workstations on the Novell network.
----------------------------------------------------
One reader told me she collects
Japanese Glass Floats. I never heard of such a thing. They're beautiful! And
getting hard to find!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glass_float
----------------------------------------------------
Gas prices today in the Ardmore area......
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/gasprices.html
Check gas prices by town or zip code anywhere in U.S.
http://www.kmov.com/traffic/gas-buddy
Some mail from this week's MAILBAG.....
"We are being attacked here with Laurel Wilt Fungus which is spread by this incredibly tiny beetle... Attacks our beautiful native Redbays and avocados and a few other species... so sad... The only recommendation is cut down affected trees and burn everything." -Licia Smith Babb in Floridahttp://www.fs.fed.us/r8/foresthealth/laurelwilt/
"Butch, Your info about the origin of Walker Stadium is correct. The Walker family donated several tracts of land in Ardmore for public purposes. The land where Walker Stadium was located was donated to Ardmore City Schools, with a stipulation (called a reversion clause) that if it ever ceased to be used for education purposes, ownership would revert to the family. The land where the old National Guard Armory was located had the same clause. Jimy Brady Rose located all the Walker heirs and convinced them to deed the stadium property and armory property to the historical museum. That is how the historical society came to own that entire block." -Tom Walker
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos12a/WalkerStadiumDedicated1936.jpg
Gene Autry school pictures
http://winterfamily.smugmug.com/Other/Old-Gene-Autry-School-Pictures/25630880_r8VGpV#!i=2116021826&k=Zk7hMQH
"In the state of Oklahoma, if a dog attacks a human, nothing can be done to the owners, unless the dog has had a previous report of aggression or biting. A civil suit can be done by the victims, but no charges." -Tanda Duncan
"Thanks for the newsletter. I thought you would like to know that the Beckham county courthouse has been restored complete with the clock in the dome. You can see a pic at http://beckham.okcounties.org ." -Paula Keller Roark
"I would like to see more pictures of Ruth, Ava and the gang at the Tivoli in the 60s. I am trying to remember the ones I came in touch with when I was 6 to 17 years old. Those girls had their hands full on Saturday's from 12 to 6. Please someone show us these people that meant so much to us when we were kids." -Randy Day randyk@dollconnectionstore.com
"Butch: As I told you in the Carter County courthouse on Tuesday I have found the hamburgers at Baldwin's Drive-In on South Washington Street to be outstanding. Plus the wait staff there are so friendly & make you feel welcome." -james clark
"My Dad grew up in tent with 2 older brothers and his Dad. His Mother had died when he was born. South of Kingsland Arkansas in the Piney Woods 1903 and 04. My dad was approximately 6 or 7 years old. His older Brother was about 10 or 11. For entertainment, they had a pet Raccoon. Cant remember its name. As the coon grew to an adult they had trouble keeping him at home in their tent. He would roam the woods looking for a mate. And might show up in a couple of days. My Dad and Uncle decided they needed to keep him home and the best way would be to neuter him. They both decided he was so big, that he would tear them up if they didn't come up with some way to contain him while my Uncle performed the "great operation". They finally came up with the idea and plan to get him on a chain and pull him into a sleeve of stove pipe. This way he couldn't get to them to bite or claw. So they got the chain on him and pulled him into the stove pipe. The plan was working. Daddy would hold him on the ground on his back with back feet apart so that Uncle Roy could perform surgery. Everything was going fine until my Uncle made the first incision and the coon started squealing, and wrestling. Then he began to defecate and swing his tail round and round. This started him slinging you know what in every direction. My Dad said by the time they got thru, he and Uncle Roy were both covered with Feces. The coon survived the "great operation" but Daddy said never again would they try such a thing." Ken in Wilson ken5429@gmail.com
B-29 Superfortress, other World War II era planes are on display in Oklahoma City, rides available for purchase.
http://newsok.com/b-29-superfortress-other-world-war-ii-era-planes-on-display-in-okc/article/3715339
"The superiority of chocolate, both for health and nourishment, will soon give it the same preference over tea and coffee in America which it has in Spain." - Thomas Jefferson
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NPzLBSBzPI
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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