I can hardly believe six months has
passed since I announced I'd retire from the Carter County Commissioners office at the end
of June 2015. But here I am counting the days until June 30th. When I first told
the commissioners last December I'd retire this month, in the days and weeks
following I'd sometimes get mixed feelings. But it wasn't long before I knew I
was ready to make the change from working life to retired life. In August I'll
get my first Social Security check and also my county retirement check, so I'll
finally start getting back a little of what was withheld out of my checks my
entire working life. My co-workers will be having a retirement party for me at
the OSU conference room next door to the courthouse on Wednesday June 25, 2015. Time will be from 2:00pm to
4:00pm. This is an informal, come and go party. I hope those of you living nearby can stop by,
say hello, and wish me luck when I joined
the ranks of the unemployed June 30th.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15a/ButchBridgesParty2015.jpg
Here is an interesting email I
received this week:
Q. "Hello Butch, I sort of randomly came across a pretty
interesting Wikipedia entry today about a man named Patrick Murphy. Just curious
if you?ve heard of him before considering the entry says he ?may have come from
Ardmore, Oklahoma?. -Lee
A. I did find in my January 2010
T&T newsletter the following on a Patrick Murphy:
From Arizona
Highways magazine Nov 94.
Ardmoreite Bombs Naco, Arizona throwing Washington D.C. into a "Tizzy",
President sends in troops.
-By Tom Kuhn
I am
closing in on Patrick Murphy, the pilot who dropped bombs on
Naco, Arizona for
Mexican rebels during the 1929 Revolution. Murphy needs to be found so history
can be set straight.
The
attacks made the front page of the "New York Times" three days running, and
threw Washington D.C. into a tizzy. They marked the first time the contiguous
United States was bombed by the air by a foreign power. The rebels meant to
bombard Naco, in Sonora, Mexico and missed. Murphy apologized, but the bombing
of the Arizona town continued.
When the
revolution collapsed a month later, Murphy avoided a Mexican firing squad by
crossing into the U.S. at Nogales, AZ where he was jailed briefly. After his
release, he ducked out of sight. He hasn't been reported since.
He appears in an undated photo to be
in his late 30's. He lived in ARDMORE, OKLAHOMA where he may have learned to
fly. 3 more pages of info describing the battle and damage are in the
magazine.
-Magazine article found by Larry
O'Gwin, Sun City, AZ / Sulphur, OK
A few pavers I sandblasted this
week.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/bricks/SunsetSchoolPavers3.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/bricks/ButchBridgesPaver.jpg
After nearly a month of not losing
any weight with TruVision I decided 2 weeks ago to stop taking it. During the
two weeks I gained back a couple pounds reaching 180 lbs. When I started back I
lost 2 lbs in a 24 hour period. Plus I could tell my energy level was down too.
Now to see if I can break below that 177 pound plateau I had reached over a month
ago. 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 are 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. Sometime after 1864 in what
Oklahoma town did outlaw "captain" William Coe build a "fortress? to protect
himself and his gang of some 30 to 50 members, who primarily rustled cattle,
horses, sheep, and mules?
A. Captain William Coe, who
established his Robber's Roost in the late 1860s. Located strategically on a
long high ridge jutting southwest from a large mesa near the town of today's
Kenton, Oklahoma, the outlaw headquarters was large, made of rock walls three
feet thick, was topped with a thick sod roof, had portholes instead of windows,
and sported a fully stocked bar.
http://www.legendsofamerica.com/ok-williamcoe.html
Q. How many American
Indian tribes are headquartered within the state of Oklahoma
A. (answer in next week's T&T)
From This and That
newsletter archives of June 2, 2001:
Last Sunday evening, May 27th, about 11pm, probably the worst storm I've ever
been in, came roaring through southern Oklahoma and Ardmore. The straight line
winds were clocked at 92 miles per hour. Resulted in power and water outages all
over the area. Damage from the strong winds could be seen everywhere. Thankfully
no one was killed. My part of Ardmore was without water for two days and
electricity for three days. I pray we don't ever have another storm of that
intensity again.
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In southeastern Oklahoma is Pushmataha County. The county seat is Antlers.
Antlers has one claim to fame that probably not other county in the state of
Oklahoma has..... I've been told The City of Antlers has the one and only
traffic light in the entire county. Rumor had it during the past few years that
Clayton, Oklahoma in the northern part of Pushmataha county was going to get a
signal light, but that has not happened according to my sources. I wonder if
there is any other county in Oklahoma with only one traffic light? Here is a
photo of the famous and lonely traffic light in Antlers!
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/antlight.jpg
Note: There are 2 now. Another is 2 blocks
west of that one. The only 2 in Pushmataha County.
----------------------------------------------------
A friend brought up an interesting question this week. Remember the nursery
rhyme, "Picking up paw paws, put 'em in your basket?" (Okies said, "put 'em in
your pocket.") What is a paw paw and why would anyone want to pick them up?
----------------------------------------------------
The 4pm tour of Brown Springs today (6/02/01) is still on. Thackerville,
Oklahoma resident Lou Harper tells me she's received lots of emails about the
tour, and many say they are planning to attend. All I ask is if you do attend,
be careful. The history of Brown Springs has been one of mystery and death and
the unexplainable.
Speaking of Lou Harper, she has written a poem about Brown Springs. See if this
little glimpse into the past doesn't conjure up one's imagination.....
Springs of Brown - by Lou Harper
A barren land in many ways
Our Oklahoma state,
And there are times when she portrays
Her outlaws for a trait.
In border town, old Browns springs plays
A fascinating bait.
A fool who wanders later lays
Stone dead; that is his fate.
Now, don't go roaming off the path
That others marked before
Lest you incur the spirits wrath;
(More than you bargained for.)
For sometimes when a body strays
Into Browns springs to wait
Until discovered, there it lays,
With mystery its fate.
Events so strange become a craze
That cheapens real estate.
It happens frequently these days
Whenever we debate.
Men spit and whittle on most days
While trying to think straight.
This legend of our springs may faze
Land buyers near our gate.
Now, don't go roaming off the path
That others marked before
Lest you incur the spirits wrath;
(More than you bargained for.)
The spirits rising from the haze
Scare strangers, who wont wait,
To know the reasons locals praise
That graveyards ancient date.
We've seen within the nighttime blaze
A witch or two create
A brew they often mix from maize
When they officiate.
Now, don't go roaming off the path
That others marked before
Lest you incur the spirits wrath;
(More than you bargained for.)
Our legend lives because its true,
For none of us would lie.
Lets take a tour, just me and you
Our bravery apply.
If, by sundown, we disappear
No trace of us is found,
They'll say that we were never here
Once buried neath the ground.
Now, dont go roaming off the path
That others marked before
Lest you incur the spirit's wrath;
(More than you bargained for.)
A legend told, and who knows why
The Old wives tale endures?
Yet through the years these stories fly
And boredom surely cures.
----------------------------------------------------
The Carter County OSU Extension Office in Ardmore has a Website! Office
secretary Kathy Speaks has been real busy the past few weeks building the
website, and she's turned it into a masterpiece.
----------------------------------------------------
"Interesting site of historical maps -- see Oklahoma Indian Territory and more!"
http://www.lib.utexas.edu/Libs/PCL/Map_collection/histus.html
----------------------------------------------------
"Butch: attached is a picture of a bridge we called the "Iron Banister Bridge."
Is was in the Murray 23 area, on Oklahoma's Highway 22 (SE of Tishomingo in
Johnston county). The bridge is no longer there. But I scanned the entire page,
and you can get a general idea of how I have written my memories with the
pictures of yesterday. They will be left for my children or grandsons or whoever."
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15a/IronBanisterBridge.jpg
----------------------------------------------------
"Butch- Mr. Sparger (Puny) and according to an item in the Daily Ardmoreite,
March 29, 1943, "Cousin Puny" Sparger had opened the Buckhorn Bar at 113 W. Main
St., Ardmore. A man of several names and many talents!"
----------------------------------------------------
"Staunton is a two room school about five miles northwest of Healdton and was
built about 15 or 16 years ago. This school year we have purchased for one of
the rooms, new seats and a teacher's desk and chair and blackboards for each
room. On the playground we have two basketball courts for boys and girls. A
comfortable home is provided for the teachers on the school site. A community
Sunday School is held in the school each Sunday. The primary section consists of
the first four grades, all of which are doing splendid work, and the interest
they are taking my be noticed by their perfect attendance. The fifth, sixth,
seventh and eighth grades compose the intermediate section. There are nineteen
pupils enrolled and 990 percent are present ever day. C.A. Sullivan is Principal
and Lois Moody is assistant. The school census is 64."
----------------------------------------------------
"The Cheek School in District 30, is located in the extreme south central
portion of Carter County. Eight grades of school work is offered in this school
under the direction of two teachers. Thomas Overstreet, principal of Cheek
School, has taught sixteen consecutive years. The assistant teacher is Mrs.
Mattie Barker, formally Miss Overstreet. The little village of Cheek, just south
of the school house is the center of a farming community. The census for the
school is 161."
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15a/CheekSchool1923.jpg
"Bunker Hill is a two teacher school located a few miles south of Lone Grove.
The eight grades of school work in the district are taught by D.T.Stiles,
principal, and Mattie Cypert, assistant. The principal industry in the community
is farming. Many of the patrons of the district are interested in forming a
consolidated school with Lone Grove District."
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15a/BunkerSchool1923.jpg
"In 1923 the Lone Grove School had a census of 254. The Lone Grove School is one
whose standard is constantly being raised with the firm belief that the pupils
of the district are entitled to as great educational advantages as those of any
other district in the state or nation. During the past three years it has
advanced from a non-accredited school to one which is now accredited to the
extent of three full years of school high work. This has necessarily raise the
standard of teachers employed......."
"Enterprise School District 33, was organized in 1909. Previous to this date,
Enterprise School was a one room log building very crudely built. Two years
after statehood the present building was erected and a two teacher school
established, which has ever since been striving to meet the needs of the
community. The second story accommodates the district as a community hall when
not in use by the school. This year the faculty added the first year of high
school to the curriculum in order to accommodate those who were graduated from
the eight grade in previous years. Herbert A. James is Principal of the school.
he Enterprise district has a census of 88. Location: Township 4 south, range 1
west, 1 east"
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15a/EnterpriseSchool1923.jpg
----------------------------------------------------
"Hello Butch, Just wanted to let you know that I was looking at your Home Page
and I clicked on the Memorial Hospital (Coaster). There to my surprise was a
photo of my youngest sister Jean Wages (now deceased). If you find another of
this coasters, please get it for me."
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/mem1975.jpg
----------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------
Some mail from this week's MAILBAG.....
Your May 29 newsletter has a question about the Horse Statues in
Shawnee. A number of Oklahoma towns has emblems set in place as a matter of
pride and public relation. Shawnee has the Horse statues, McAlester has the
Buffalo statues, Tulsa has the Penguin statues, Duncan has the Longhorn Steer
statues, and Muskogee has eight foot Guitar statues around town to advertise the
Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame. Just a part of Oklahoma Pride." -Keith
"Butch, I know you have lots of photos of the overflow at Lake
Texoma but here's another. I stitched together 5 overlapping shots to make this
180 degree view." -C. Dwane Stevens
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15a/DenisonDam060315.jpg
"Got out to look around Texoma a bit today. Probably more than
a few Readers have flood pics, but here is a few more. First two are at US 70
and Willow Springs road. Just east of Roosevelt bridge. Second pair on SH199
just east of Ft. Washita." -David Cathey
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15a/WillowSpringsRoad1.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15a/WillowSpringsRoad2.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15a/FtWashitaFlooding1.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15a/FtWashitaFlooding1.jpg
"Butch, I forwarded your videos of Lake Texoma from yesterday's
T&T to my son, Rocky Miller and he attached this picture of the landing strip
that is now underwater in your video. I thought you might like to see it along
with his response. Happy Trails." -Roy Miller
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15a/TexomaLandingStrip052915.jpg
"I lived in Ardmore and worked for H.J. Heinz Food Co and prior to that I lived in
Wilson and Healdton and Managed Thompson Theatres in also The Derrick Drive in
at The Healdton Wilson Y. I now live in Lawton. Would like to hear
from the people I knew back in the good old days. Best regards."
Homer [Pug] Hawkins
homerhwk@aol.com
The longer you work, the more money
you'll have for retirement. But the longer you work, the less time you'll have
to enjoy that retirement.
?Wall Street Journal
See everyone next
week!
Butch and Jill Bridges
PO Box 2
Lone Grove, Oklahoma 73443
