Oklahoma is divided into 77 counties. The state's founders set up the county government system so the citizens of Oklahoma could travel to their nearest county seat, take care of business, get a marriage license, pay taxes, attend court, buy grocers, etc., and be back home by dark. In 1907 when Oklahoma became a state nearly everyone traveled by horse or by wagon. Travelling was slow, a horse can travel about 5 miles per hour, a team of oxen even slower. So to get from Healdton to Ardmore would take about 5 hours. Ratliff City to Ardmore would be about 10 hours.
By the newly formed Oklahoma state government making government more accessible to the citizens, it made county government a government closest to the people. Below is a link to a 30 minute video produced by Oklahoma State University that goes into detail county offices and their responsibilities in Oklahoma.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2KRn117bHY
Ragtown was a tent city from the oil
boom area just west of Healdton, Oklahoma. It's now just a memory.
http://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos14a/RagtownFire1917.jpg
This is a circa 1910 photograph of the old courthouse at Chandler, Lincoln County, Oklahoma. It burned and most records were lost to the fire in 1967.
http://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos14a/ChandlerOKcourthouse1907.jpg
This is the new Lincoln County courthouse today.
https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/137/362146042_02b971b775_z.jpg
More Lincoln County courthouse images.
http://courthousehistory.com/gallery/states/oklahoma/counties/lincoln
More pictures I took of Mountain Lake in March 2007.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos7a/MountainLake041507g.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos7a/MountainLake041507h.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos7a/MountainLake041507i.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos7a/MountainLake041507j.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos7a/MountainLake041507k.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos7a/MountainLake041507L.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos7a/MountainLake041507m.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos7a/MountainLake041507n.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos7a/MountainLake041507o.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos7a/MountainLake041507p.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos7a/MountainLake041507q.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos7a/MountainLake041507r.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos7a/MountainLake041507s.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos7a/MountainLake041507s.jpg
This is a photo of Mountain Lake in northern Carter County taken just yesterday.
http://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos14a/MountainLake061114.jpg
And this photo was taken today of the creek at Mountain Lake that one has to drive through on the way to the lake. I've seen it dry, but because of recent rains, it is flowing again!
http://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos14a/MountainLake061214.jpg
This is a map showing Mountain Lake west of Springer and I-35. Mountain Lake is about 7 miles west of Springer, Oklahoma and then back north about 3 miles.
http://oklahomahistory.net/maps/MountainLakeMap.jpg
Some of the pavers I've sandblasted this week. They have been really turning out nice.
http://oklahomahistory.net/bricks/ToMeToYouPaver.jpg
http://oklahomahistory.net/bricks/JimmyDsPaver.jpg
http://oklahomahistory.net/bricks/BoomerSoonerPaver.jpg
http://oklahomahistory.net/bricks/DennisAdamsPaver.jpg
http://oklahomahistory.net/bricks/ScarbroughPaver.jpg
I only have about 6 of the better quality tan pavers left and about 6 tan pavers in not so good condition, maybe with large chips or blemishes in them. I do still have about 30 nice red pavers that are perfect for engraving. Hopefully in about a month I will have a fresh supply of tan clay engravers pavers by Whitaker-Greer Bricks back in stock.
http://oklahomahistory.net/bricks/RedEngraversBrick.jpg
Q. Where in Oklahoma was the biggest largemouth bass caught?
A.
March 13, 2013. Cedar Lake in LeFlore County. 14 pounds, 14 ounces.
Q. Where is the shortest state highway in Oklahoma?
A. (answer in next week's T&T)
From This and That newsletter archives of June 10, 2000:
Leon, Indian Territory July 5, 1902: About
25 miles Southwest of Marietta, Oklahoma along the Red River is Leon, Oklahoma.
Before Oklahoma became a state (1907) a former Ardmoreite, Dave Putty, had moved
to Leon to operate a barber shop there in Leon. This particular afternoon there
happened to be a picnic going on in town and Dave Putty, being intoxicated,
decided to crash the party. Deputy Marshal W.E. McLemore out of Ardmore was
attempting to arrest Putty, he resisted arrest, and was shot once in the head by
Marshal McLemore. Dave Puddy died instantly.
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Gas prices today in the Ardmore area......
http://www.oklahomagasprices.com/index.aspx?mss=152754
Check gas prices by town or zip code anywhere in U.S.
http://www.kmov.com/traffic/gas-buddy
Non-ethanol gas (pure gas) stations in the Ardmore area.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/puregas.html
Some mail from this week's MAILBAG.....
Memorial service for Confederate soldiers. Saturday June
14th at the Confederate cemetery at Ft Washita.
http://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos14a/FtWashitaPoster2014a.jpg
"A few weeks ago, our good friend Harry Derr passed away. Harry and his wife Shirley have provided sound for many of our shows. So, to honor Harry and to help the family with expenses, a fund raiser is being held in Cedar, Kansas on Saturday, June 14, 2014. I will be there with my Silver Lake Band, along with many other outstanding entertainers. Cedar is located 9 miles south and 8 miles west of Smith Center, Kansas. The event is scheduled for 9am to 9pm. No need for an address since the show is being held in the park as you enter Cedar.
For more information about motels, RV hookups or directions, please call 785-871-7146 or 785-697-2237. Bring your chairs and blankets and enjoy the music in the park.
Hope you can join us." -Les Gilliam"Hi Butch. As I am certain of many, I remember Tom Mix, the star of many early Western movies shown on Saturday morning at the Ritz. It cost a nickel to ride the bus to town and included a token for the ride back. A large bag of popcorn came from the 5 and 10 for a dime and a coke cost another dime at the show. Good wholesome entertainment for a Saturday morning enjoyed by several of my friends and myself." -Dale Gant
"Most Oklahoma History books will tell you that the Civil War "officially" ended here, Fort Towson, OK. In reality, General Stand Waite actually signed those documents at Doaksville, OK., a mere two miles to the North and West of this site. At one time, Fort Towson was only 3 miles from Mexico." -Bob Gates
http://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos14a/DoaksvilleOK.jpg
GloryRoad Productions presents a night of family friendly Country and Gospel music featuring Mike McAdoo from Branson, Mo. , Tin Rivers, and GloryRoad this Saturday (6/14) night from 7-9pm at the Washington Theatre in Ardmore. For tickets call 580-504-1330. Hope to see you there!
"This building is the Kiowa County Courthouse in Hobart, OK. It is the oldest court house in the State that still functions as a Court of Law. The wooden statue is of Kiowa Chief Gotebo (for whom the town is named). The mosaic is in front of the Court House and was pieced together by several civic groups in Hobart. Quite ornate and sprawls the width of the Southern face of the building." -Bob Gates
http://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos14a/KiowaCourthouseJune2014.jpg
"And yet another rather whimsical sign Georgia and I encountered. This one was found in Hollis, Oklahoma on Main Street just across the street from the Chamber of Commerce. My thought was..."nice work if you can get it". (It "may" not be a full antique owing to the spelling)" -Bob Gates
http://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos14a/HollisOKsign.jpg
"Live every day as if it were your last, because one of these days, it will be." -Jeremy Schwartz
See everyone next week!
Butch and Jill Bridges
PO Box 2
Lone Grove, Oklahoma 73443
Vicious Dog Attacks in Oklahoma
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/viciousdogs.html
Bells of Oklahoma
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/bellpage.html
Carter County Courthouse Paver Project
http://www.brightok.net/cartercounty/pavers
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/
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