The last few evenings I have not been
able to work on my newsletter because of the storms and even one tornado that
passed just 3 miles south of our house. The night before last, Tuesday evening,
we had a pretty close call with mother nature with a thing called a tornado.
I've put together several photos of the storms and even one of the tornado when
it was south of Wilson, Oklahoma heading due east toward Lake Murray. This first
one is the tornado and it really gave us a scare even though it never touched
ground*. We started to go to the storm shelter but we waited too late and the
rain was coming down like cats and dogs, and the lightning bolts were so bright
and bad, we were afraid to go outside. Unlike many in this area, we never lost
power even though it flickered on and off a few times.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15a/LoneGroveTornado051915.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15a/CardinalRoadRainOut.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15a/MemorialRoadDamage051915a.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15a/TwinBridgesRoadFlooding051915.jpg
This next one shows the flood gates
at Mountain Lake NW of Ardmore in the Arbuckle Mountains wide open and flowing
like few people have ever saw it.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15a/MountainLake051915a.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15a/MountainLake052015.jpg
This is a picture of Turner Falls
overflowing in a tremendous rush of water.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15a/TurnerFalls052015a.jpg
Flood gates are open at Lake Texoma.
http://www.kxii.com/home/headlines/Floodgates-open-on-Lake-Texoma--304497141.html
Below is a 1919 photo of the trolley
that operated at Turner Falls.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15a/TurnerFallsTrolley1949.jpg
Even after the tornado came through
at the south edge of Lone Grove, a big revival tent set up by the Lone Grove
Assembly of God church made it through the storm. The tent is designed to
withstand up to 80 MPH wind.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15a/LoneGroveTent052015.jpg
The link below is a Texaco gas
station in Tishomingo, Oklahoma of bygone days.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15a/TexacoStationTishomingo.jpg
This next pic was taken several years
ago of a water wheel on Pennington creek near Reagan, Oklahoma.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15a/WaterWheelReaganOK.jpg
Photo of Sulphur High School burning
in the 1930s I believe
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15a/SulphurHighSchoolBurning.jpg
This is a beautiful pic taken of the
Lincoln Bridge in Sulphur's Chickasaw Park and Recreation Center.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15a/LincolnBridgeSulphur1.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15a/LincolnBridgeSulphur.jpg
This next photo is a before the rain
and after the rains comparison to show all the rain Bear Falls at Sulphur
received in just a 30 day period.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15a/BearFallsCompare2015a.jpg
Video of Turner Falls and Camp
Cunningham in 1928.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5XulPJJKas8
A 1958 photo taken at Devils Den
north of Tishomingo.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15a/DevilsDen1958.jpg
Family Entertainment Every Night
the Sand Bass Festival offers something for everyone. If you haven't had the
pleasure of being present at the National Sand Bass Festival, we hope you will
take the opportunity to come this year. For all of you who regularly attend we
look forward to seeing you again this June 1 - 6, 2015 Downtown, Courthouse
Square, Madill, Oklahoma
http://www.sandbassfestival.com/
I bought a Kill-A-Watt electricity
usage monitor from Amazon this week. Over the next few weeks I'll be report on
here how much electricity is used by different appliances and the cost per month
to run that appliance. The directions says for accurate reporting the
electricity usage the monitor needs to be plugged in for several days. I will
have some good reports for the next issue, starting with the clothes washer.
http://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15a/KillAWatt1.jpg
A couple of pavers I've sandblasted this
week.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15a/MaKaylaPaver.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/bricks/NoraHatcherMarker.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/bricks/LeeflerPaver.jpg
Even though I have not lost any more
weight in 4 weeks since dropping down to 177 pounds, I'm still getting the
benefit of the extra energy and all. If anyone wants to try it
give me a holler. "I'll meet you at the
Walmart mailbox!" Join us and check
it all out at the link below.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/truvision.html
http://butch.truvisionhealth.com/
Hot days just around the
corner, my OKie Power Saver will help keep my electric bill as low
as possible when I crank up the air conditioning this summer. I'm ready to combat that sky high electric bill. I
have created a webpage to tell more about the OKie Power Saver at the link
below. You really have nothing to lose except a high electric bill to try the
power saver. I am guaranteeing the unit to save you money or your money back.
Give me a holler for more information.
http://www.OKiePowerSaver.com
Q. Where in Oklahoma might one
pick up hourglass (selenite) crystals?
A. The Great Salt Plains and national park of Oklahoma near located in
Alfalfa County, Oklahoma. It is located 5.5 miles north of Jet, Oklahoma on
SH-38.
http://oddoklahoma.com/2013/01/31/digging-crystals-at-great-salt-plains/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMztmTkss70
Q. What year did written
history in Oklahoma begin?
A. (answer in next week's T&T)
From This and That
newsletter archives of May 19, 2001:
"Healdton school colors have always been
blue and white. As I said before, I don't know why they picked the beautiful red
uniforms in the '60s but it was OK, as everyone loved them and the hats also .
However I was in the band in 1929 and we had blue sweaters and white trousers,
the sweaters had a lyre in the front, and white collars and cuffs. Had to be
reasonable because of the depression. My sister graduated in 1926, and the
stories in her days all referred to the blue and white, I have some of the
stories written back, then. Her memory books etc. One called Golden school days.
I also had a miniature football with blue and white ribbons attached, that
belonged to her. The Healdton Boys Band uniforms about 1924 or 25 were all
white, and were very pretty also. In those days they rarely played or marched at
athletic events. I do remember that in 1929, our bandmaster, Fred Culver, would
select only about a dozen of his band members, for what he called the booster
band and they would play at football games, but did not march."
----------------------------------------------------
Indian Territory and Carter County Pioneers
Book - Printed 1983:
Founder of the first hospital in Ardmore,
known as Ardmore Sanitarium, was Dr. Frederick P. Von Keller. He was born in
Strassburg, Germany, but came in his youth with his parents to Missouri where
they were pioneers. They later moved to Western Kansas. Frederick returned to
Germany (Heidelberg) for his undergraduate and medical work, receiving a degree
in electrical engineering as well as his M.D. degree. He took further medical
training at Rush Medical College in Chicago.
He first practiced in Little Rock,
Arkansas, where he also married his wife. They next moved to Vernon, Texas, then
came to Ardmore, Chickasaw Nation, Indian Territory, in 1894. His first office
was in the old Pennington building, on the southeast corner of Main and Caddo.
He was remembered as usually wearing a goatee, which gave him a distinguished
look. In 1898, he established the first hospital in Ardmore, Ardmore Sanitarium,
on the northwest corner of Main and Caddo. He had to assemble the x-ray machine
himself. Dr. Walter Hardy and Dr. R.H. Henry were also on staff. At some later
date, he moved back to the Pennington building which was destroyed with the
Great Explosion of 1915. He then built the Von Keller Hospital at the corner of
12th Northwest and Commerce. The community was active in support of the
institution, with Perry Maxwell leading out in raising $30,000 for the project.
The hospital opened in 1917. Dr. Von Keller was the medical director for many
years, until 1941.
Dr. and Mrs. Von Keller had two daughters,
Beatrice and Helen. He had a niece, Jeanne Michael, who worked in the business
area of the hospital for many years. She was a philatelist and died in the 1970s
in Little Rock. Dr. Von Keller lived a very busy life and was a leader of early
day medicine. He died in 1941.This is a photo of Dr. Frederick Von Keller
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15a/VonKellerPhoto.jpg
Here is a photo of the Von Keller Hospital.
He was located just to the west of the Adventist Hospital at 12th and North
Commerce. The stone at the top reads, "Von Keller Hospital Assn" (Association).
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15a/VonKellerHospital.jpg
----------------------------------------------------
I saw in the Ardmoreite this week where a
1926 mint condition Frisco 1522 locomotive will be coming through Ardmore
(southbound). A real piece of history. It is to arrive at 11am on May 22nd and
come back through on June 2 around noon (northbound).
----------------------------------------------------
The National Sand Bass Festival (Madill,
Oklahoma) now has a website
http://www.sandbassfestival.com/
----------------------------------------------------
Wilson, Oklahoma will soon have a
historical museum. Its right on Main Street, just south and next door to the
Fire Department. So if you have anything to put on display in the new museum,
now is the time to contact them!
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15a/WilsonHistoricalMuseum.jpg
----------------------------------------------------
In SE Ardmore is Whittington Park. Years
ago, the present park included a lot more land to the south, the land where the
Hardy Murphy Coliseum is located. Whittington Park was boarded on the south by
Springdale Road (Fair Grounds Road to old timers), on the east by Park Street
SE, on the north by 4th street SE and on the west by "G" Street SE. On February
5, 1927 the Governors of the Choctaw and Chickasaw Nations sold this large piece
of land to the City of Ardmore. Maybe someone knows how this piece of land came
to be known as Whittington Park?
----------------------------------------------------
In NW Carter county is Pooleville,
Oklahoma. Before statehood, and as late as 1902, Pooleville was known as Elk,
Oklahoma.
----------------------------------------------------
Have you ever tried to find some little
part to fix something, and couldn't? Like maybe a connector or switch or pulley?
A friend told me about a site that have over 550,000 items in stock and ready to
ship. If they don't' have it, then its probably not available anywhere.
http://www.mcmaster.com/
----------------------------------------------------
"Hey Butch, warn your readers who are apt to go
out and see the places described in T&T. I stopped in at that old Ladd school a
few weeks ago and was nearly eaten alive by a pit bull. I wasn't bitten, but
only for being fast enough on my feet to get inside the business that is on the
same property as the school house."
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15a/LaddSchool.jpg
Note: This next picture I took of the old Ladd School bell
that was on private property just south Washington, Oklahoma. Ladd School closed
in 1952.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/bellphotos/laddbell.jpg
----------------------------------------------------
"Hi Butch. I enjoy your T&T. My Genealogy
Society have been cataloging cemeteries in the Carter County in the vicinity of
Healdton, we just recently we did the one at Pooleville, Ok. There is a number
of Confederate Veteran markers in this cemetery. Do you or any of your readers
know why there are so many in one cemetery? Was there a camp some where close to
this place?"
----------------------------------------------------
"Butch: A reader wrote in reference to a
Tiny Sparger, wonder if they could have the wrong name and it should be PUNY
Sparger who in the late 50s was a Justice of the Peace, he lived on B Street SW
just down from Mack Fraser, a county commissioner."
----------------------------------------------------
"The Deese School is located nine miles
northwest of the city of Ardmore. A graded and gravel road leads from the school
to the city. Deese is a country with many small ranches and diary farms. The
soil is well adapted to the growing of vegetables and orchards. The Deese
School consists of two departments each controlled by one teacher. Although a
two teacher school, Deese does work that will rank with larger schools. The
present enrollment is 102 which shows a gain of 27 percent over that of last
year. W.H. Owens, Principal."
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15a/DeeseSchool1923.jpg
"Glen School is a village school located
about three miles west of Springer. The school offers eight grades of work under
direction of B.A.Mayes, principal.Miss Grace Dyer, intermediate teacher, and
Miss Salibeth Freeman, primary teacher. For some time Glenn has been interested
in forming a Union Graded district with Springer and it is very likely that this
desire will materialize in some kind of centralized school that will afford the
children of Glenn District high school advantages."
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15a/GlennSchool1923.jpg
"In 1923 there were 77 schools within
Carter County. Thurston Grove School was designated District number 22. The
district has a census of 80. Thurston Grove School is located northwest of
Newport. This is a one teacher school offering eight grades of work under the
efficient management of Mrs. M.C.Rogers. The school is planning to install on
the school house a large bell that can be heard all over the district."
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15a/ThurstonGroveSchool1923.jpg
In 1923 : The Rose Chapel School is located
southwest of Springer in a very beautiful place near the foot of the Arbuckle
Mountains. Near the back of the school grounds is a high bluff with many
different kinds of moss and ferns hanging from the damp rocks. On the east side
of the school ground is Henry House Creek that is fed by mountain springs. The
many oak trees on the playground afford pleasant shade for pupils and complete
the setting of one of the prettiest one-teacher schools in the county. The
enrollment is about thirty but the attendance is splendid. Eight grades of work
is offered. The teacher is Mrs. Effie Terry.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15a/RoseSchool1923.jpg
----------------------------------------------------
"Hello Butch, I thought some of your
readers would like to see an old photo of the City Drug Store. This was on the
northeast corner of Main and Washington. That's me in the white apron. I worked
at the Steele Drug Store (Soda Fountain) no.1 west main street. 1940."
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15a/CityDrugStore1940.jpg
Note: see pull down fire alarm box at left in photo
----------------------------------------------------
"Hello Butch, I thought some readers would
remember this photo of John Newcomer --Principal of 1st.Ward School--Franklin
Elementary School--This was made by Webb Studios in 1937." LEEWAS@aol.com
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15a/JohnNewcomber1stWard.jpg
----------------------------------------------------
"Butch, We moved here to Abilene, Texas
last October after living in Ardmore for 44 years in the same house on Locust. I
really do enjoy your publication. Someone mentioned the
Light Crust Doughboys:
Just for information, they are still going and played here in the Civic Center
last Saturday night. Got a lot of publicity. Keep up the good work."
----------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------
Gas prices today in the Ardmore
area......
http://www.oklahomagasprices.com/index.aspx?mss=152754
Non-ethanol gas (pure gas) stations
in the Ardmore area.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/puregas.html
Some mail from this week's MAILBAG.....
"Butch, I shot these two pics of a bridge on Memorial Road
just east of Price Road WNW of Lone Grove." -C. Dwane Stevens
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15a/MemorialRoad1.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15a/MemorialRoad2.jpg
5 year old's touching gesture feeds homeless man at Waffle House.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=bxcVlWEnxfY
"Hello Butch. Greg Leffler here from Charlottesville, Virginia.
Just wanted to send you a thank you note for the paver you did as a gift from my
Mom Jane Gilcrease to my wife and I. Leah and I have already made plans to use
it as a permanent display when we build our retirement home in the Mountains of
North Carolina. It looks so nice and means a lot to us that we were married at
my Mom?s home in Oklahoma City. Thanks so much for a job well done." -Greg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/bricks/LeeflerPaver.jpg
Next Monday is Memorial Day. Let us
take time to remember our men and women who have served in this country's
military service. All gave some, but some gave all.
Grandpa, tell me 'bout the good old
days
Sometimes it feels like this world's gone crazy
And Grandpa, take me back to yesterday
When the line between right and wrong
Didn't seem so hazy
Did lovers really fall in love to stay
And stand beside each other, come what may?
Was a promise really something people kept
Not just something they would say?
Did families really bow their heads to pray
Did daddies really never go away?
Oh, Grandpa, tell me 'bout the good old days
Grandpa, everything is changing fast
We call it progress, but I just don't know
And Grandpa, let's wander back into the past
And paint me the picture of long ago
Did lovers really fall in love to stay
And stand beside each other, come what may?
Was a promise really something people kept
Not just something they would say?
Did families really bow their heads to pray
Did daddies really never go away?
Oh, Grandpa, tell me 'bout the good old days Oh, Grandpa, tell me 'bout the good
old days.
The Judds - 1988
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7E88RUqyjts
See everyone next
week!
Butch and Jill Bridges
PO Box 2
Lone Grove, Oklahoma 73443
