If you're looking for a certain article I wrote in a past issue
of "This & That" you might find it faster by doing a "search" with your
browser. With Netscape just click your mouse at the top at EDIT and then
FIND and type in the word or words you're looking for. If you use
Internet Explorer, just click on EDIT and then FIND ON THIS PAGE to do a
search.
Below is January 4, 2003 to February 22, 2003.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Saturday February 22, 2003 T&T Weekly Vol 7 Issue 305
I was over at Tishomingo and surrounding area last week, so I had to stop by and see
the Pennington Creek Dam on the north edge of Tishomingo. To get to the dam go north
on Ward Street off of Main Street a couple of blocks to its dead end. Ward Street
runs along the east side of Pennington Creek. On this particular Saturday the water
was really flowing, in fact, the whole area must have received some good rains
lately. All the creeks full and the pastures were so soaked, I'm sure the ranchers
and farmers have a hard time getting into the fields in many places. Here is a pic I
took of the Pennington Creek Dam in Tishomingo on February 15th.
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/tishdam03a.jpg
I've received some emails in the past asking what is that little concrete building
at the east end of the dam. It was an old pump station. There is still a non working
electric pump and some piping in the building. Here is an inside look at the
building and all its grafitti. http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/tishdam03b.jpg
I stopped by the Chickasaw Museum in Tish on the east side of the old courthouse and
found it closed. But I did find two bronze plaques in front of the museum that
caught my attention. One is dedicated to Te Ata the Chickasaw storyteller. She lived
to be nearly 100 years old, and her ashes were mixed with flower seeds and scattered
along the banks of Pennington Creek.
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/teata.jpg
The other bronze plaque in front of the Chickasaw Museum is dedicated to Euel "Monk"
Moore. Monk was a major league baseball player in the 30s. After leaving the major
leagues in 1939 and a stint in the Army, Monk moved back to his birthplace
Tishomingo with his wife Gwen. Monk served as a State Game Ranger for 27 years. Monk
died February 12, 1989.
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/monkmoore.jpg
Here is a photo of the Chickasaw Museum in Tishomingo. I see in the photo that old
bell is still mounted on the north side of the building.
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/chickmuseum2.jpg
The old 1898 Chickasaw Nation capital building is next to the museum. Magnificent
building! http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/chickcap03.jpg
This is a pic I took of the Johnston County Courthouse in Tishomingo.
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/tishcourt3.jpg
I noticed a lot of construction work going on behind the courthouse. Only steel
girders are in place right now. Does any Reader know what is being built behind the
Johnston County courthouse?
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/tishwork2.jpg
West of the courthouse I found a new mural on the wall of a building on Main Street.
Maybe someone knows who painted this nural that depicts some of Tishomingo's history.
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/tishmural2.jpg
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/tishmural3.jpg
Speaking of murals, we have a couple on the side of buildings here in Ardmore but
the weather has taken its toll on them. Maybe someone will re-do them, or paint new
ones. I would like to see some of the old signs restored on buildings in downtown
Ardmore. There is one behind Cooks Paints at Hinkle and South Washington that would
make a nice restoration project. The sign is on the back west side of the old B.L
Owens Furniture store. I spent the first 21 years of my life living at the Carmon
Lumber yard in the 50s and 60s. So I know what a 16 penny nail is, or a 3 1/4 inch
carriage bolt looks like, or I can put an eye to a 1x4 to see if its straight. And
you know, I'm still pretty salty when it comes to using a paint brush and a gallon
of paint. Maybe someone will volunteer to help me paint the old B.L. Owens sign some
Saturday. I might even ask my friends Todd and his dad at Cooks Paints right next
door to the old B.L. Owens sign if they might furnish the paint. The restoration
could include the date B.L. Owens started business. I'm not sure the exact date, but
it started around 1925. Here is a photo of the old B.L. Owens sign.
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/owenswall.jpg
Last weekend all of you who have msn.com email accounts probably didn't get your
T&T. Seems the msn.com mail Server was down when I sent out my T&Ts. Some of you
emailed me asking to resend. If you don't get your T&T for whatever reason, let me
know and I'll gladly resend it.
Our little group has sure been taking advantage of WorldxChange's great long
distance rates, including their low international rates. This month there's been
calls to India, Japan, Ukraine, Russia, and England. That don't count over 8,000
minutes the past 22 days made all over the U.S. by our group! When you have a good
thing, word gets around. I'm reminded of that old saying, "If you build a better
mouse trap, the world will beat a path to your door." That's exactly what is
happening here with our group saving money on their long distance calls! Check out
all their great rates at...
http://www.worldxchange.com/agent/228072
SOME LETTERS FROM THIS WEEK'S MAILBAG
"The bridge wasn't removed. It burned. I never fished under that bridge. I went to a
late night campfire/cookout near the bridge when I was dating my husband. His entire
softball team had a cookout there. It is a place where kids meet to party. In the
Nocona/Spanish Fort/Prairie Valley area as far back as I can remember, the bridge
has been called "The Old Burned-Out Bridge". The very ends of the bridge existed on
both sides of the river for as long as I can remember. It seems that I heard a rumor
in the last few years that the ends have now been taken down."
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/airlinebridge2.jpg
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Butch I remember a bridge that looked like the one in the picture that I think was
south of Oscar it was still there in the late 40's or early 50's all the floor
wasn't in it, you couldn't drive across at that time but you could walk across it."
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"The menu ordering thingy" used at Ponder's Super Dog Drive-In on Commerce is called
an ORDERMATIC. They were installed in the late 1950s. If you would like to see one
along with other Super Dog memorabilia, go to Ponder's Restaurant on I-35 exit 33,
Veterans Blvd, Ardmore. To tjenkin6@tampabay.rr.com - the very best chicken fried
steak is served at Ponder's Restaurant. It is an 8 oz steak, served with potatoes of
your choice, soup or salad, a hot roll or Texas toast and of course lots of cream
gravy. Hope to see you there during your Healdton High School reunion. -Joe Ben,
Frances and Pat Ponder (our daughter who is now manager)."
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Does anyone remember the GLOBE theater and Confectionery on main street in Ardmore,
Ok. I'd like to read something about it."
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Pig Latin was commonly used and understood when I was growing up in the 1930s and
1940s in Perry, Oklahoma. It also showed up in books for or about teenagers, in
movies, and on radio programs. It would be an unusual teacher or other adult then
that did not know what it was...some of them could speak it better than the kids."
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Hi Butch, The last couple T&Ts as usual brought back memories. I was just a
tadpole's tail at the beginning of 40's, but old enough to remember my family trying
to move back to Ardmore from Pampa, Texas. My dad bought an old Buick sedan, packed
everyone and everything, and headed back. I don't know how far we got, but the right
rear tire (sometime the left) blew out. They would patch it, pump it up and manage
to get a little further. A lot of times we would go back to find the boot. (Know
what that is?) Somehow we managed to get to Wynnewood, Ok., daddy's sister came from
Ardmore to get us, and the Buick went to a junk dealer. In the last issue someone
wrote about 'dragging main' and being pulled over. I remember two times being pulled
over in Ardmore. For a different activity, I started following a police car. I was a
ways back, but keeping him in sight. He also had me in sight because it wasn't too
long until he wanted to know what I was up to. The second time involved our favorite
pastime, "Dragging Main." That was the only time I've ever been stopped for going
too slow! What memories!"
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"That Frasers chili is still the best ever. Thanks so much for giving Tobe Bice
credit as he was one of the sweetest, kindest men ever known. The chili was made in
immense black iron pots that sat on gas burners and was constantly stirred by a
longtime employee John Nails, who was a Freedman (sp). It was delivered to
restaurants and grocery stores within a 100 mile radius of Ardmore."
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Fraser Meat market was one I remember. My Dad always went there to buy meat for his
Brick Chili (the same recipe that Hunts Gro. sold) and I would go with him. I am a
cheese lover and they had a big round brick of Cheese on the counter (Daddy called
it rat cheese) and the butcher would slice off a piece and give it to me. If Daddy
wanted really good steaks we went to Frasers. I always went especially for the
cheese. I often wish markets were still like that."
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"I'm sure you've had many theories from people as to why the onion burgers at
Hamburger Inn used to be so good. My theory is that they cooked the onions on the
same griddle where they fried bacon. EVERYTHING is better with bacon!!"
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Hi, Butch your doing a great job, enjoy the T&T weekly very much. I would like to
make a quick comment about Lincoln School. There was an alley that went North along
the west side of the school where a little candy store was located. I am speaking
about the the period between 1943 thru 1947. We would spend our nickel for a bag of
candy to eat on the way home from school. I lived on C st. S.W. and always spent a
great deal of time at the rail road turn table which was located about where the
south west water tower is now. It was really something if you were lucky enough to
watch the workers turn the engine around to head it back up the tracks."
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Good Morning Butch: As always, your news letter is most interesting, and makes me
miss OK even more. I am searching for "old" book 1927 and earlier on the history of
OK. If anyone can provide the books, or information where I might purchase one or
two; I would be most grateful. Thanks." -Ruth Adams
http://www.usgennet.org/usa/ok/county/atoka/index.html
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Hello Butch! Someone wanted you to visit Dougherty. I lived there in the late
1920's, Depression times. Most of the men in town worked at the Crusher. I believe
the rock was blasted from the side of the mountain, the men loaded it by shovel full
into machines that crushed the rock. Btw Dougherty and the Crusher there was a
creek, Rock Creek. When the creek was up no one could cross. So the men couldn't get
to work. I was 5 or 6 years old so I don't remember many details. But I know my
father, who was the town barber, was instrumental in getting a bridge built across
the creek. I do remember celebrating the bridge opening. The whole town came under
the bridge (the creek was nearly dry that day) Ladies brought cakes and Lloyd
Samples who owned the General Store furnished free ice cream for everyone."
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Butch. I would like to tell Edgar Wallace what I think went with the Jack Rabbits
of Oklahoma as well as the Swamp Rabbits. lol lol During and after the depression we
ate them. lol lol No, really, that was a source of meat as was squirrels, but we
sure didn't thin out the squirrels, Shawnee seems to be over run with them."
-NellsN2@aol.com
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"My husband just told me that he attended Lincoln Elementary in Ardmore from 1st
grade to 4th grade. The tiny store was on the west side across Scott street. People
thought it was an alley because the City didn't open it up. Thanks for the good
history lessons. He said that South of the school was a tunnel under Stanley Street
so that the kids wouldn't have to cross the street to get to the other side, and he
remembers steps going down to the tunnel."
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Butch, Do you know anything about AD Chase WagonYard, Ardmore, IT? We found this a
few years ago. It is about 1 1/2 by 2 inches. Brass. And has a #67 on it."
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"I was wondering if you or anyone might remember some sort of "fun" place that had
trampolines there to jump on. My memory is quite limited about this but it seems
they were at ground level with pits underneath them. I think it may have been
somewhere near where the old drive-in theater was east of town. Maybe I just dreamed
it! Thanks for your great ezine."
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"I asked if anyone remembered the Globe theater or the Globe confectionery on main
street of Ardmore, OK? Also does anyone remember a little cafe in Wilson, OK back in
the 1950's. It was located on a side street across from Dr. Rector office? Would
like to read about memories people have of Wilson, OK back in the 1950's. How about
the Barker's nursing home there in Wilson does anyone remember it?"
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Butch, I am very interested in finding a 1985 Madill High School Yearbook. Would it
be possible to ask your readers if they might like to sell one or if they know where
I might get one?" paula@jrmints.com
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Hi Butch, Hey, we sure missed your T&T Newsletter out here in Nevada this past
Friday night. Guess something got fouled up and we failed to get our favorite paper.
I wrote to a cousin out in Western Oklahoma and she forwarded a copy to me, but, I
sure don't want to miss another one if I can help it. You always manage to put a
smile on our faces when we open up your letter and find some familiar names and
places that someone has written about. You might call it a "taste of home!" Be sure
and remember me next weekend, please."
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Was glad to see the mention of Ms Tucker from Davis (1949 Rodeo Queen) she and Rudy
did a lot for rodeos in our area for a good many years."
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Went for a drive to Tooele County (too-ill-a) just to the West of Salt Lake City on
the other side of the Oquirrh (Oker) mountain range. As we drove down through the
small town of Vernon (about 85 miles SW of Salt Lake City) we noticed a bell on top
of the Vernon School so we took a few pictures just for you. Hope you enjoy the
pictures from the high country."
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/vernonutah.jpg
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/vernonutah2.jpg
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"I just happened onto your newsletter and would like to subscribe. My great-great
grandmother died in Springer, OK in 1896 and is buried there. I visited there in
2001, and have been searching for information about the Rev. William C. Sparks
family and when they made the move from Texas into Carter county. I'd love to hear
some early information about that area when it was a part of the Chickasaw Nation.
Hope maybe someone else knows a little more about it than I do."
judygibson00@hotmail.com
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"I just put some photos from Ardmore up on my website at:
http://users.lmi.net/tyr/kathrynbyrne/ It turns out that my great-grandmother took a
whole bunch of photos from Ardmore with her to California in the 1930's, and
consequently, I've inherited a bunch of photos (most of which have people who I
can't identify!). Anyway, as I get some free time, I plan to scan some more, and
maybe someday make a nice website of them!" -tyr@lmi.net
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Butch, I am looking for information about railroad facilities in Ardmore. I am
trying to find out about locomotive facilities in Ardmore that the Santa Fe (GC&SF)
had. In particular fueling facilities, water tanks, location where locomotives might
have been parked overnight, where the Ringling branch locomotive was kept, were
there switch engines used on the Santa Fe and where were they serviced. I found the
following Rock Island facilities: Rock Island listed facilities in 1910 - Ardmore at
the end of 117 mile branch. Brick 4 stall roundhouse - stalls 77' 3'' long. 70'
steel turntable. Coal shoveled from cars into tenders 80,000 gal water tank.
Passenger depot joint with GC&SF and StL&SF and CRI&P owned joint GC&SF and CRI&P.
Freight depot owned by CRI&P - operated joint with StL&SF. Any information and or
any photos would be helpful." -jbmnem@mindspring.com
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Hi Butch, The two attached photos are from a book, "Cloud Chief", by Doyle Penn,
which I borrowed from Mrs. Pauline Whitford (nee Rainbolt) who was born in Cloud
Chief, Okla. And these were the good old days??? Thought your Okla. history buffs
would enjoy."
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/cloudchief1.jpg
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/cloudchief2.jpg
------------------------------------------------------------------------
================================================
'Courtesy the Red, White and Blue'
Sung by Toby Keith who was born in Clinton, Oklahoma in 1961
American girls and American guys
Will always stand up and salute
Will always recognize
When we see Old Glory flying
There's a lot of men dead
So we can sleep in peace at night
When we lay down our head
My Daddy served in the army
Where he lost his right eye
But he flew a flag out in our yard
Till the day that he died
He wanted my Mother, my Brother,
My Sister and me
To grow up and live happy
In the land of the free
Now this nation that I love
Is falling under attack
A mighty sucker punch came flying in
From somewhere in the back
As soon as we could see clearly
Through our big black eye
Man we lit up your world
Like the Fourth of July
Hey, Uncle Sam put your name
At the top of his list
And the Statue of Liberty
Started shaking her fist
And the eagle will fly
And it's going to be hell
When you hear Mother Freedom
Start ringing her bell
And it will feel like the whole wide world
Is raining down on you
Brought to you courtesy
Of the Red, White and Blue
See everyone next Saturday!
Butch Bridges
Nashobish Ikana
PO Box 11
Ardmore, Oklahoma 73402
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Saturday February 15, 2003 T&T Weekly Vol 7 Issue 304
This week a Reader in Kansas brought me a fascinating piece of Ardmore history! I am
still jumping for joy! The booklet was made in September 1949 and reads: "Madison
Square Garden Championship Rodeo, Gene Autry in Person, Fair Park Ardmore Oklahoma,
September 7, 8, 9, 10, 1949". This booklet is 28 pages centered around the fair in
1949 at Fair Park, later known as Hardy Murphy Coliseum. Richard Simmons of Wilson
was the President of the Carter County Free Fair in 1949. Bill Sparks of Ardmore was
the Secretary/Treasurer. Other members were: Creede Speake of Milo, G.M. Cunningham
of Ardmore, Alford Shores of Dillard, H.T. Smith of Ardmore, M.A. Thompson of
Ardmore, John Preston Taylor of Woodford, and Finis Smalley of Ringling.
In 1949 Herman O. Hunt was Mayor of Ardmore, along with City Commissioners Iley E.
Oxford, Fred Hicks, Joe W. Shinn and James A. Bevins, Jr. Other city officials were
L.M. Thurston, City Clerk; N. Center, City Treasurer; J.B. Moore, City Attorney;
Hubert E. Bartlett, Chief of Police; S.P. Matthews, City Engineer; Royce E. Coe,
Fire Chief; Ancel Love, Water Superintendent, and Clarence Harris, City Manager.
The Kiwanis Club wanted a fair. They appointed Bill Sparks in 1948 as chairman of
the committee to get the fair going again. 1948 was the first free fair after the
completion of the Exposition Building (coliseum), the first free fair since 1939.
The Mulkey Hotel was being managed by Lawrence Hodgeon, and the Mulkey Coffee Shop
was under the management of Harry McClennin. The Sports Club was sponsoring for
Color Guard Miss Rosemary Colborn, and Miss Carolyn Colborn, both performing on
their horses each night of the rodeo. Everett E. Colborn from Dublin, Texas was
manager of the World's Championship Rodeo, Gene Autry and Associates, producers of
Madison Square Garden Rodeos.
On one page in the booklet are the pictures of the nine rodeo queens for 1949. They
were Jimy Brady Alford, Ardmore; Lola Tucker, Davis, Oklahoma; Lorena Bartlett,
Ardmore; Charlene Cobb, Marietta; Joan Ewing, Madill, Oklahoma; Dottie Cude,
Ardmore; Jimmie Hill, Ardmore; Eugenia Woolard, Tishomingo; and Elizabeth Nichols of
Sulphur, Oklahoma.
These 28 pages are full of photos and history of area businesses and businessmen,
and it was all made available by a Reader in Kansas! It will take me a while to get
all the pages scanned and burned to CDs but it will be worth it. I'll let everyone
know when this new history CD is available!
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/fairparkcover.jpg
Thomas McClure 'Mack' Fraser (1912-1986) was Carter County Commissioner for District
3 from 1959 to 1978. Before statehood the Fraser family home was located where the
Carter County Courthouse parking lot is now. Mack's father, David Stoddard Fraser,
opened Fraser and Sons Grocery-Wholesale Meats at 419 East Main in 1918. About 1936
Mack's father continued operation of the meat market at 501 East Main along with
Mack and his other son Louis Edwin, known as 'Mutt'. If there is one thing I will
always remember Fraser's Meat Market for, it will be their delicious chili. My
mother wouldn't buy any other brand. Jon Hargrave's father-in-law, Edward G. Bice,
was the person who taught Mack and Mutt how to make that famous chili. Mr. Bice was
known by his friends as Tobe, but he will always be remembered as the man who shared
with the Fraser boys the secret of how to make the most delicious chili in southern
Oklahoma. I remember in the 60s Ernest Brown of the Hamburger Inn buying all his
meat from Frasers. Mr. Brown knew if you wanted quality hamburger patties, you had
to start with quality meat and Fraser's was the only place to buy it. During Mack
Fraser's tenure in office he was instrumental in the formation of the Southern
Oklahoma Ambulance Service in 1962, served on its board, and continually fought for
funding of the ambulance service. Before Mack's death in 1986, I transported him
several times in the ambulance. Mack was a friend to many, especially the poor and
the elderly, and he was a friend to me.
This is a photo of Thomas 'Mack' Fraser from his 1974 county commissioner campaign
card. http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/fraser74a.jpg
This is Mack's campaign card and one thing I want to point out is that little logo
under the words Carter County. That logo was used by printing companies like
Sprekelmeyer back in those days to signify the printers were members of their Union,
at least that is the way I understand it. Back in those days, if you didn't have
your campaign materials printed at a "union shop" you were already out on a limb and
chances of being elected were slim. http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/fraser74b.jpg
Here is a close-up of that union label. http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/unionlabel.jpg
Carter County courthouse electricians and maintenance crews have been busy upgrading
the electrical on the first floor the past few weeks. In the process, they notice
how plain jane the light fixtures were around the rotunda. So they cleaned of the
old white paint, and they were made of beautiful brass. I snapped some pics of
before and after. They sure look nice.
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/lightfix3a.jpg
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/lightfix3b.jpg
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/lightfix3c.jpg
Ardmoreite Ray Gibson had an old photo of the Air-Line Bridge that existed years ago
south of Wilson at the Red River. This bridge would take you on to Jo, Texas. We
don't know when this photo was taken, who the man is standing on top of the bridge,
or when the bridge was removed. From looking at the map, this 700 ft bridge could
have crossed the Red River at Courtney or Leon, Oklahoma. Maybe someone remembers
this bridge???
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/airlinebridge2.jpg
Thanks to everyone who sent me emails on help finding a contraption to hold my
camera while I take pics of those large map pages. But you know what, I think I can
just lay my tripod across a table, pointing the camera down at the floor, and snap
the pics that way. I still need to do some fine tuning on the focus to get the best
photo, but it sure looks promising. But a Reader in Madill bought a Camera Copy
Stand at a garage sale, and has offered its service to me. I'm going to check that
out too. http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/cs3copystand.jpg
I was thinking this week how some students in high school back in the 60s used pig
latin to communicate between themselves. It was really funny, none of the teachers
or adults understood it. As a matter of fact, neither did I. I am sure some of you
learned the art of speaking pig latin. I did use my handy dandy pig latin translator
to translate the first email in the Mailbag below for everyone's amusement!
Carter County Clerk Cynthia Harmon found herself in a predicament this week. Some
had a goat sent to her office and she had two choices. Either kiss the goat or give
ten bucks to the March of Dimes campaign. You get two guesses which she did!
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/cynthiagoat.jpg
I snapped a pic of what looked like a green pickup with what looked like the back
end of it was broke down.... like the tail end was sitting flat on the pavement. But
come to find out it was specially rigged with an air compressor, air tanks and all,
so the back end could be raised up. The driver had parked along side the curb, let
the air out of his truck, and so down it went.
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/grntruck3a.jpg
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/grntruck3b.jpg
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/grntruck3c.jpg
I haven't mentioned in a long time the good Oklahoma history reading at Dee Cordry's
Home Page. He has some great stuff on Oklahoma lawmen and hombres of the past.
The Carter County Government Website passed a milestone last Tuesday. Over 100,000
Hits since its creation January 8, 1996. http://www.brightok.net/cartercounty/
A Reader in Texas reminded me that McAfee also has a free online virus scanner along
with their other free removal tools. http://www.mcafee.com/myapps/freeservices.asp
SOME LETTERS FROM THIS WEEK'S MAILBAG
"Butch, in tonight's TnT, somebody wrote about Maurice Bridge marrying a Mrs Murphy.
Her name was Natalie and her first husband was Lowell Murphey. Her children were Don
Murphey and Dolores Murphey."
"Utchbay, inway onight'stay TnTAY, omebodysay otewray aboutway Auricemay Idgebray
arryingmay away Mrsay Urphymay. Erhay amenay asway Atalienay andway erhay irstfay
usbandhay asway Owelllay Urpheymay. Erhay ildrenchay ereway Onday Urpheymay andway Oloresday Urpheymay."
http://www.snowcrest.net/donnelly/piglatin.html
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Butch just wanted to say how much I enjoy your newsletter. I hope you will take the
gentlemen up on their invitation to go to Dougherty. Its a lovely little town.
Driving into and out of Dougherty from Davis is a lovely drive. Several years ago my
husband and I while visiting my parents in Davis, drove over there. We were driving
slowly down one of their unpaved streets when we saw a movement at the side of the
road. My husband slowed down our pickup and much to our surprise an old mother hen
started out from the weeds , As we came to a complete stop we noticed following her
was this brood of little chickens following her, across the road directly in front
of our pickup. They seemed to be completely unaware that we had driven up on their
morning walk. Now you take two city people from Dallas and you will know what a site
that was to us. Sure wish I had had my camera. I believe that was the highlight of
our weekend. Hope to see and hear more about Dougherty in the near future."
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Hi Butch, Great job, but sounds like you need to get yourself on up to Dougherty.
And, the cookie factory has not closed, in fact they are in the process of
expanding. The retail part did close though. Have a good weekend, and keep up the
good work. We do enjoy it all." Jerry Landrum aone@brightok.net
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Butch, I have a question that perhaps some of your readers can answer. WHAT HAS
HAPPENED TO OUR JACK RABBITS? I haven't seen one in several years. I grew up in the
Orr, Okla. community and traveling to Ringling or Waurika we would see many of them
across those pastures. I now live in Abilene, Tex. and travel back to Ardmore quite
often and as we drive across these large prairies not a jack rabbit is to be seen. I
see lots of cottontail rabbits, in fact, two have decided that our back yard is
their home. I have some ideas about the vanished animals but it is just my opinion.
I thought perhaps someone could come up with a more scientific answer. Thanks."
-Edgar Wallace
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Just to let everyone know....the cookie factory in Marietta is NOT closed down. It
is called Bake-Line. They just don't have a shop on site that is open to the public.
Sorry to say no more broken cookies for sale."
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Butch my grandfather Thomas King Pursley along with his father, Joel Thomas
Pursley, and his grandfather, James Guion Pursley & families moved to Dougherty in
1886 from TX. The deaths of my grandfather's mother, Nancy Ann (Kirkpatrick) Pursley
and grandfather, James G. in 1892 & 1893 caused the family to move shortly
thereafter. They are buried in the Dougherty Cemetery. Other members of the family
are also buried in this cemetery. I have wondered what might have caused their
deaths. James G. had been a Confederate soldier from GA, and has a government marker
at his gravesite. James G. had a License as a 'Dealer in Groceries, Cigars &
Tobacco' for a store in Dougherty, Indian Territory, OK. Joel T. was what we would
have called a 'trucker' today, using a wagon and mules to carry supplies in and out
of Dougherty. Joel T. was a Charter member of the Dougherty Masonic Lodge, which was
the first in Indian Territory and before statehood in 1907. This lodge was probably
still #1 before 1909 when it consolidated. The Masonic Lodge in Guthrie later showed
it as Lodge #33. Nancy belonged to Chapter #13 of Eastern Star in Dougherty, Indian
Territory. I have registered these ancestors in the 'First Families of the Twin
Territories', an OK Genealogical Society project." -Juanima McFarland
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"The tiger is a work if art by Al Crawford, he retired from the Uniroyal plant and
he is a very talented individual. He did the tiger at East Central. You give him a
call and go check out his artwork, he would be more than happy to show you around.
The last time I talked to him he was working on a stagecoach replica exactly as they
were done back in the western days."
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/lgtiger3.jpg
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Hi Butch, I just read your newsletter and found this lovely poem by Sylvia Moore
from Ardmore. Can you please direct her to The Southern Oklahoma Writers' Guild. We
invite writers to join us. All forms of writing are explored. We meet on the 2nd and
4th Monday of each month at the Ardmore Public Library. Our S.O.W.G. information
website address is; http://luharper.homestead.com/WRITESITE.html
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Hi Butch, I just read this weeks T&T and enjoyed the story about Hoss and Gerald
Cobb. What was not told was that this was a Press conference for Hoss and Ben. Waco
Turner got mad about something and locked himself in the whiskey vault so nobody
could get any liquor but him. So Hoss jumped in the Corvette he was driving (the
chevrolet was Bonanza's they always furnish him one where ever he was) and ran to
Marietta and loaded it up with Whiskey and took it back to Turner Lodge so the party
could continue. This was told to me by someone who was there."
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Butch, what did they put on those fried onion burgers to make them so good?"
MUSTARD!!!"
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"I have a clipping of Dr. Godfrey in moms stuff somewhere. He was my doctor too. And
the calendar.....where did it come from? That was funny. I had to look a bit to
figure it out. I got smart and started counting and saw it skipped 19. But I'm still
not convinced your not crazy! hahaha "
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/jan2003.jpg
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Butch: I have to comment on three items in your last T&T. First, if you know
someone with an old style B&W photo enlarger it may serve your copying purpose. Most
of them have a vertical tube with a counter-balance attached to a 2'x3' wood base
and a knob with a threaded shaft to remove the enlarger housing. The threaded shaft
fits the tripod adapter on most cameras. You can move the camera up or down to
adjust to whatever height you need parallel to the wood base. Second, I was
interested in the photos of the 1915 explosion. I collect photos and pictures of the
old steam locomotives. I printed a copy of No. 1952. I've occasionally read about
the "great explosion of 1915" in T&T, but have no idea what caused it. Do you know?
Third, your story of the "stringy hair blonde" brat at the post office reminded me
of a similar incident that happened to me about ten years ago. I had put gasoline in
my truck at a discount gas station where you go to a security glassed cage to pay
the attendant. When I took the money from my billfold I dropped a $1 bill onto the
floor. A scraggly looking blonde guy about 20 years old put his foot on the dollar
bill. I thought he was going to pick it up for me (a 65 year old man) and hand it to
me. Instead he put it in his pocket. I said, "Hey, that is my dollar bill" to which
he replied, "Not anymore. Its mine now". I said, "If you need it that bad keep it".
At my age I wasn't going to take on a 20-year old guy. Too bad so many of our young
people have so little respect for anything."
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"I remember hurriedly scrounging at the Ardmore Public Library in March 1981 for
photos of the Hardy Sanitarium. That was the day that Reagan was shot, and around 5
pm is when I found out the alleged gunman, John Hinkley, was born in Ardmore. I was
not familiar with using the term "sanitarium" for "hospital", and I wondered what
people across the country would think when they heard Hinkley was born in a
sanitarium. We sent the footage to CBS in New York, along with an early morning shot
of the big SE water tower emblazoned with ARDMORE, but I don't think the video was
ever used." -Kathy Conry
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Butch, Those pictures of the 1915 explosion are a treasure. For what it is worth, a
run through Photoshop made them even better."
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/explo15d.jpg
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/explo15e.jpg
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/explo15f.jpg
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/explo15h.jpg
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/explo15i.jpg
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Butch, there is mention in this section of this weeks T&T that refers to a Mrs
Goodnight, the teacher. There is also reference to an Elizabeth Goodnight that lived
on Springdale Road. This Elizabeth Goodnight on Springdale Road was not a teacher
and should not be confused with the Mrs Goodnight that taught in the Ardmore School
systems for many years."
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"In the 50's my little brother and I used to ride the Jordan Bus Line from Healdton
to Madill on Saturdays to see our grandparents. I remember one time a bus had lost
control and had run out into field on the side of the road and our bus had to pick
up the passengers. There was a one-armed man checking the situation out that I think
worked for Jordan."
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Butch, Someone came in your house a took your 19th right off your calendar didn't
they?? You need to start locking your doors.... I have been hearing about those days
snatcher for years.... You go about your daily life and then one day you look up and
you just can't seem to understand where the day went....LOL"
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/jan2003.jpg
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Butch, Does anyone know around what year was that "Old Map of Love County" supposed
to have been made??"
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/lovemap.jpg
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Members of the Ardmore HIgh School Class of 1942 gathered for their 60th class
reunion. Pictured are, from left: front row -- Dixie Hefley Lovell, Virginia
Phillips Sampson, Marion Robinson Fry, Margaret Spradlin Paschall, Elizabeth Jones
Peard, Mary M. Mills Farris, Billie Grieder Jones, Odessa Argo Crosby, Bernice
Chadwell Thomas, Betty Ruth Parish McClure, Cleta Burton Turner and Janie Alexander
Chadwell; second row -- Euna Lee Davis Jones, Truman Richardson, Mary Beth Lynch
Payne, Bobbye Bennett Crane, Maxine Pinkard Gale, Frankie L. Mayo Pontius, Warren
Wood, Guilda King Elliott and Mary Gene Wilson Jackson; third row -- Betty Lou
Patterson Dunlap and Helen Jo Fletcher Laughlin; and fourth row -- George Gurley,
J.D. (Don) White, Norman Harris, Don Cummings, Kenneth Lamb, John Thomas Spears,
O.L. (Hobo) Gilstrap, Tim Berryhill and Bill Brady. Ardmore High School's graduating
class of 1942 met recently for their 60th reunion with 35 members attending from
Alabama, California, Colorado, Illinois, Kansas, Texas and Oklahoma. Together with
their guests, the classmates enjoyed activities at Cafe Alley, Denney's and Ponder's
restaurants. They remembered their 70 departed members, four of which died while
serving the country.
Graduates recalled this class was the first to graduate after World War II was
declared in December of 1941 in President Franklin Roosevelt's speech to the nation
broadcast over the public address system to each class room. Members of the National
Honor Society were assigned to the four elementary schools to help register each
resident of Ardmore for ration stamps which would be required to purchase food,
gasoline, tires and many other items which were in limited supply. Due to the
shortage in materials, the cover for the Criterion yearbook was made from a
burlap-type material. The class was told their cover would be the last made for any
class for the "duration" (of the war). After graduation, boys went to war and the
girls went to work to help do their part for the war effort. Through it all, they
learned perseverance, to pray and have faith, to face problems head-on and to do
without, when necessary, they said."
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/ahsclass42.jpg
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Hi Butch. I think that tiger statue in Lone Grove is a creation of Al Crawford,
local bronze sculpture. He actually made this as a commission for East Central
University in Ada. The original tiger is located on their campus. The one in Lone
Grove is a duplicate of this tiger."
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Butch: I've been meaning to mention this to you for sometime. Back in the '50s,
there was an "alleyway" that ran north-south on the west side of Lincoln school. The
school addition obviously sits on top of that alley, now.
Someone with a sharp sense of capitalism operated a "penny" candy store on the west
side of that alley. We kids would stop there daily on our way home from school and
spend every penny we had. The whole thing was probably no bigger than 200 square
feet, and I think it was part of a larger structure which no longer exists. The
alley was used for trash collection, etc., and of course we kids used it as a
"shortcut" between Stanley and Bixby and the Lincoln schoolyard.
Also, earlier this year, when mentioning local grocery stores, I'm surprised no one
brought up Thompson's at the corner of McLish & Q SW. It served the residents of
that part of town for many years."
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Greetings from Ohio. Hope I can pick up on a couple of items from last T&T and tie
them together. Must have been a lot of "good folks" born at Hardy Sanitarium,
including our son one week before Christmas in 1947. Our doctor was also Dr.
Godfrey. Son still takes a little kidding about being born in a "sanitarium". Some
think that he must have a strange beginning as opposed to being in a hospital. Other
tie in with last week- at time he was born I was also in "On the job training" at
Goddard Flying Service, supposedly to be trained as Airport Manager. I also worked
there while Heavy Broughton and Olin Dyer were "keeping them flying". Never had
heard the story of the nickname "heavy" so now 56 years later learned something new!
Still hope! Also remember pilots Jack Chinn and "Smitty" . They finally talked me
into flying after a long time of "pressure" on me. Not bad once I got up! Also saw
Gene Autry one day at the airport- he sure needed a haircut, but don't believe
anyone dared to mention it! Thanks for all you do week after week! It is a special
treat." -B. Farrington
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Hello, I am researching the MITCHELL line. Lewis Ely Mitchell wife Nellie Mae
Prater Son's: Joe, Bill & Lewis. Lewis Ely Mitchell had a half brother his name was
Trotter Mitchell. Nellie Mae (Prater) Mitchell had a brother Will Prater. These
Mitchells lived, farmed and ranched in the Carter and Love county area. Ardmore,
Overbrook & Marietta, Oklahoma. Just any bit of information would be great."
bmontgomery001@charter.net
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"The JSC Manufacturing in Wilson, Oklahoma was founded by the O'Dell's and has grown
to be much more. They do casting in several metals in their foundry. The focus now
is in Artist rendering of statues, small and big. For years their work was on the
corner of Main Street and NE 1st Street. The area of old South Ward was purchased
from the City of Wilson, where they are building a larger foundry there. This is a
full block from Rotary Avenue to SW 1st Street and from Davis Street south to Edmond
Street. The move will take time and more equipment is coming in to enlarge there
abilities. Those around town have seen some of the wonder work there on NE 1st,
especially the tiger they left outside for days. We all thrilled by that sight. Jim
is enthusiastic on the new visions he has. More employees will be added and more
possibilities for local artists to show their talents. The tiger was molded by Alan
Crawford of Lone Grove. Jim Miller, of Wilson area, has done some western scenes. I
am planning to visit with them and take pictures of some of their work for the
newspaper. Jim also told us about Randy Hacker being a up coming artist. His has
molded an Indian Man's bust for casting. As Jim said, he has a progressive business
and looks forward to having more artists doing fine art work. He hopes to welcome
other better businesses here, knowing it will improve our town. When the art work is
done he can give attention to the artists and let us know how well things are going
for these projects." -Candy Rockwood
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/jsctiger.jpg
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Hi Butch, attached is a letter with information about a very worthwhile cause that
I would like to share with your Readers. Our Carter County Courthouse team will be
collecting $2 donations specifically for eligibility to win a pair of 20"
hand-crafted Raggedy Ann & Andy dolls. The "Walk" is scheduled for Saturday, April
27, at Central Park in Ardmore. For any of you who would like to participate, there
is a $10 entry fee. You will need to contact Denise in order to be registered as a
walker. All proceeds must be turned in to the March of Dimes by Wednesday, April 23,
2003. Please tell your friends and family about this worthwhile cause and remember,
no donation is too small."
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/moddoll.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/modletter.html
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Butch, you being from Ardmore and the Ardmore High kids thinking Sonic was the only
place to go........missed out on a really great experience. I bet lots of your
Readers remember hanging out at the Super Dog! The Mitchell Brothers have or use to
have the menu ordering thingy in their barber shop. You should get a picture of it
for us. Boy, did they have the best chili-cheeseburgers in the world! And of course
who didn't love the Super Dogs! My parents worked evenings and to keep from being
home alone I spent lots of time there. And the kids of today missed out on another
great experience.....THE DRAG. Yeah, I know they had a drag but not like ours. We
would go around the Sonic, across Commerce and around the Super Dog, back down Grand
to G....then to Main and around by the Police Station on Hinkle, back up to
Main....Turn Left*yeah, I said left....before the one-way street*back up Main and do
it over again. And then there was the Chinese Fire Drill where you'd stop at the red
light and everyone get out of the car and run around it....get back in before the
light changed. It was crazy but so much fun. I wish I could live one night of that
time over again but can't go back forty years!!! I also remember with all that
driving that we could get gas for 18 cents a gallon...Sounds cheap but the salaries
were cheap too. My daddy didn't like me putting all those miles on the car(we didn't
have our own cars back then until you got a job and bought your own...you drove the
family car) so I would go by the gas station on G and Main. He would unhook my gas
mileage meter at the beginning of the evening and then before he would close the
station I'd stop by and he'd hook it back up. One night I didn't make it back before
he closed and I was in trouble....Daddy found out what I had been doing. Frank
Stribling was another memory. He was a friend of my daddys and everytime I got out
He'd pull me over. I thought him being constable (or whatever he was)....was the
reason for that. My daddy was a County Jailer and knew there were some guys out
there he didn't want bothering me and Frank kept watch over his little girl for him.
I guess I should have noticed that Frank didn't pull everyone else over. I use to
hate that guy until Daddy confessed that he was the reason he bugged me. And then
there was the A&W on Lake Murray Drive. There is nothing like the real frosted mugs
of root beer. On a hot summer day that really hit the spot. We didn't have a soda
shop hangout like "Happy Days" but we had just as good. And if you went to Dickson
School everyone there went to Sullivans Cafe. Now Dickson is growing....they just
put in another eating place!!! Sullivans use to have a monopoly on that but things
change. We also had a great thing in August every year. The allnight singing south
of town. There would be big busses with really good quartets and the singing went
all night until the sun rose Sunday morning. One of the main things I remember there
were the outdoor toilets with four or five holes lined up together. That was an
experience I really didn't enjoy."
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"My wife got the picture of Dan Blocker and Loren Greene at the rodeo in late 50s or
early 60s when they were here, she shook there hands. Also Dan Blocker was an
English teacher. He fought in Korea with F Company 2nd Battalion 179th Infantry 45th
Infantry Division. His LT was LT. Garrison he was there from about Sept 1950 to July
1952 according to Bill Mitchell who served in Korea with him."
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/blocker6.jpg
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Butch, My wife and I will be in Ardmore for several days in June and need a fix --
a chicken fried steak fix, that is. Where is the best place to get it in or near
Ardmore? We'll be there for the annual Healdton High School reunion and will be
staying at the Holiday Inn in Ardmore. Appreciate any help with this need."
tjenkin6@tampabay.rr.com
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Just a quick update on what's going on with the Oklahoma Law Enforcement Memorial
(O.L.E.M.) organization. The 35th Annual Oklahoma Law Enforcement Officer's Memorial
Service will be conducted on Friday, May 9, 2003, at 10 A.M. at the Oklahoma Law
Enforcement Memorial in Oklahoma City. We have asked Governor Brad Henry to be our
guest speaker and Maci Wainwright will be our featured vocalist. The O.L.E.M. web
site should be back up soon with many improvements. The O.L.E.M. is incorporated as
a non-profit organization in Oklahoma and has been granted status as a charitable
organization under Section 501 (c)(3)of the U. S. Internal Revenue Code. This means
that donations to O.L.E.M. are tax deductible for the donor to the extent permitted
by law. O.L.E.M. has obtained a limited number of the much sought after book
"MARSHAL:The Story of the U. S. Marshal Service" by Norm Goldstein, published in
1991 by DSI Publishing. The book is a 12.25" x 9.5" hard back with dust cover and
weighs 4 pounds. The books are first editions in new condition. The 253 page book is
a history of the first 200 years(1789-1989)of the U.S. Marshal Service and is the
most accurate portrayal of the Service ever published. O.L.E.M. is offering a copy
of this book as a gift for a minimum $40 donation as long as the books last.
Donations may be sent to O.L.E.M. at PO Box 10776, Oklahoma City, OK 73140-1776 or
you may drop them off at the Oklahoma Chiefs of Police Association's office at 3901
SE 15th Street, Suite 100 in Del City. Please contact me if you have any questions.
Remembering and honoring the sacrifices of Oklahoma's law enforcement officers and
their families." -Dennis Lippe, Chairman. OKLEMEMORIAL@aol.com
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"My dad worked there for several years when it was Little Brownie. He drove a big
blue delivery van with the Little Brownie logo on it. He would always bring home the
out of date cookies or ones that had been busted up and would feed the busted ones
to his chickens. Sweetest hen eggs I've ever eaten. :-) I remember they used to bake
a good portion of the Girl Scout cookies."
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"I would like to pass on an experience about the Hamburger King along to your T&T
gang. I was in the Hamburger Inn and Ernest was telling us about things that had
happened there in the past. He told of a fellow that came in to buy a pie. Ernest
said that he asked him if he wanted the pie sliced in 4 or 6 pieces. The man thought
a while and said 4 pieces cause I don't think I can eat 6. He told of a man that
would come in and bet other customers that he could drink a bottle of tobasco. He
would always win and head for the liquor store. I did not see anything mentioned in
anyone's response about the employees. There was Chock, Baldy, Jean and her sisters
& Ronnie Burns, plus many others that I can't recall. My uncle, at one time, was one
of the cooks there at the Hamburger Inn. His name was Roy Parker, but we called him
Bubba. He was mildly retarded due to Rheumatic Fever when he was 6 years old. Roy
also worked at Ponders for many years. I think he also worked at Bill & Barb's, too,
but can remember all too well."
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"I have recently redesigned and added to my web site. Though we are still "tweaking"
the site I would appreciate your input and suggestions." -Wil Tifft
http://www.tifft.com
------------------------------------------------------------------------
================================================
"The United States is like a boiler. Once the fire is lighted under it, there is no
limit to the power it can generate." -Winston Churchill
See everyone next Saturday!
Butch Bridges
Nashobish Ikana
PO Box 11
Ardmore, Oklahoma 73402
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Saturday February 8, 2003 T&T Weekly Vol 7 Issue 303
Nellie Combe of Shawnee sent me some photos of her fathers's taken of Ardmore's
Great Explosion of 1915. These photos have probably never been seen before, until
now. She said the negatives were very small, about inch square, and they had no way
of having them developed into full size photos. That is until today's technology
came along. In one pic I see Engine 1952 and in another I see a dead horse laying on
the ground. All the photos are in the Mailbag below.
A while back someone was telling about the old Skyview Drive-In Theater on old
Highway 70 (now Highway 199 East). Today it is pretty much grown up in those blasted
cedar trees. But the big screen is still standing.
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/skyview203a.jpg
And the second floor projector room with the concession stand underneath is still
standing too.
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/skyview203b.jpg
I took some pics of the 1928 Lincoln School (3rd Ward School) at 615 Stanley SW this
week. http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/lincoln203a.jpg
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/lincoln203b.jpg
Here is a pic I took of the old red brick road in front of the school which I
believe is where a street ran on the west side of Lincoln school before the new
addition was added. http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/lincoln203c.jpg
I remember one Reader writing in a year or two ago and telling how there used to be
a tunnel under Stanley SW in front of Lincoln School. This allowed the children to
leave the school and go under Stanley to the south side of the street, avoiding the
danger of the cars.
1922 - Cook Paint and Varnish was located at 100 East Main
1926 - Theatorium Theater was at 114 West Main
1926 - Adelphus Theater was at 117 West Main
1926 - Harvey Brothers Funeral Parlor was located at 300 West Main
1928 - Randol Building was at 101 East Main (west side of Daubes)
1928 - Greenberg's Jewelry 117 East Main (east of Daubes) Max, Ralphael and Sophie
Greenberg
1930 - Dixie Motor Coach Station was located at 300 West Main
1930 - Mary E. Green and Sarah M. Green, a teacher, lived at 203 London Street in SE
Ardmore
London Street - From GC&SF (Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway) southeast to Fifth
Avenue, 1 south of Moore Street.
In Ardmore "B" Street SE intersects Moore SE. In 1924 this two block section of "B"
was called Glover SE. In 1924 where Glover SE intersected with Moore SE, was another
street called London Street. London SE went off to the SE from Moore at an angle.
Just a few feet south of F and 1st SE was a little short street that went to the
east off F street called Walnut Street back 1924.
In 1924 the Ardmore Water Works and Pumping Station was located 3 1/2 miles NW of
the county courthouse.
In 1924 Ardmore's City Hall was in the SW corner of South Washington and Hinkle. The
fire department was in the south end of City Hall. The city water works office was
on the west side of City Hall and the Police Station on to the west at the SE corner
of Hinkle and A Street. The calaboose was between the police station and the water
works office.
In 1924 the Oakley-Askew airport hanger was in the SE corner of Locust Street and
Chickasaw Blvd Northwest.
Maybe someone knows of a copy stand that will hold my digital camera and take photos
of book pages about 2ft by 2ft in size. I have even thought about trying to make
such a holder using conduit or square tubing. I know if Mr. Frank (and Fannie) Lytle
(1904-1992) who lived three blocks east of me on Third Street NE was still alive, he
could make such a gadget. He was a machinist from the Pennsylvania steel factories,
and there was nothing he couldn't make with a metal lathe and a few tools. I
remember as a young teen watching him in his garage next to his house take a raw
piece of metal and turn it into something of precision. He was a true craftsman,
something you can't hardly find these days. Mr. Lytle would tell me of his times
working at a company on Moore southeast in the early 60s. An engineer would bring
him blueprints of something to make on his lathe. He'd say ok and take the plans to
his workbench. But looking over the blueprint called for him to make a 5/16th inch
bolt to go into a 1/4 inch hole. Mr. Lytle would take the blueprint back to the
engineer and show the mistake. The engineer looked at it a minute, then said, just
go fix the part as the plans call for it. In a few days, the engineer would bring
him a new set of corrected blueprints. And Mr. Lytle would make the same parts
again, only this time in the correct dimensions. He said he wasted tons of 440 high
carbon steel making blunders like that. Mr. Lytle was one of the finest Christians
I've ever met. I sure miss him.
Anyway, back to my gadget. There is a hand drawn set of 1928 maps of Ardmore (about
10 pages) I have access to, if I could just figure out how to make a contraption to
hold my camera at the right distance from each page as I snap a photo of each page.
Each page is about 2 feet square. I have a good tripod, but I believe the camera
needs to be held about 3 feet above the work to get a good shot. Any ideas anyone?
A couple of weeks ago I was looking at my calendar by my computer checking the
correct date. But later when I looked at my calendar in the living room, something
was wrong. I went back and forth between the two calendars a couple of times, then
gave up and went on to do something else. The next day I thought about those two
calendars and the strange thing going on with them, so I went and looked again. Sure
enough one was off. I knew I am not crazy. hahaha
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/jan2003.jpg
I noticed another statue out west of Lone Grove the other day. I think it is a
tiger, but I'm sure going to feel silly if its suppose to be something else. It was
on the south side of Highway 70 about a mile west of the Lone Grove Police
Department. http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/lgtiger3.jpg
SOME LETTERS FROM THIS WEEK'S MAILBAG
"Thanks for the memories.... I can't believe the ballpark is still the talk. I am
sending a pic of one of the players, Rollie Rice."
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/rollierice.jpg
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Here's another article from the Shrine Rodeo Book 1983 about the movie stars coming
to town. We had Shoji Tabuchi here and I don't remember him.(see next to bottom
line)...saw him at Branson a few years ago and he was great! I also noticed a
picture in it of Convention Hall before the Civic Auditorium was built. I didn't
realize we had a convention hall to start with. Mrs. Goodnight had brought the
picture to them..remember her??? She wasn't one of my favorite teachers. I miss
talking with you. You probably are glad though cause I don't interrupt your
important business. Anyway I hope you have a wonderful weekend. I enjoyed your T&T
as usual and always wonder what you will come up with each week. I really enjoy all
the peoples input too as they have so much more information than we know just for
the fact they lived it."
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/rodeo1983.jpg
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/conhall83.jpg
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Just me responding to several items in this weeks T& T. Maurice Bridge married a
Mrs. Murphy (a widow). She had two children, a very nice looking son and a pretty
daughter. I can't remember their names at the present but remember them well.
I had two of my children at Hardy Hospital and Sanitarium. One in 1948 and one in
1953, At that time a room was $9 per day. I still have the check I wrote for my
bill. I think it was $45 or $50. Dr. Cunningham charged $75 for prenatal care and
delivery. We furnished our own clothing and diapers for the baby. And I rode home in
a hearse but it was a pretty blue one. Later as I would pass the Post Office with
out of town friends I would tell them that was where two of my children were born.
They would look surprised and say "In the post office?"
During WWII we also had to save our toothpaste tubes and turn them in so we could
buy another tube. Everyone used the little squeeze things to get out every little
bit of toothpaste. Canned food listed the number of coupons required for each can. I
remember that peas and corn were 2 coupons per can. Dad would buy a whole case at a
time. I worked on the candy counter at S.H. Kress so I was there when chocolate
candy came in. I could buy huge blocks of chocolate that I could send overseas to my
brother and it would not melt. I stood in line at Anthony's and Penney's for hose
(we were allowed two pair) and later for sheets when I became engaged. It was
disappointing to stand in line for long periods of time then have them run out of
hose or sheets before I could even get into the store. I was always hard on hose and
shoes. We would mend our hose. I had to use my shoe coupon for leather school shoes
but was fortunate to find dress shoes made of manmade material and did not require a
stamp. I also used one coupon to buy my skate shoes at Klein's. I kept them until I
sold my house in Ardmore about 7 years ago. Finally threw them away. Had to replace
the wheels a number of times but the shoes were still in rather good shape. I really
took good care of them.
When I lived in Marietta we would come to Ardmore for District MYF meetings. After
the meeting we would all go to Hamburger Inn and have hamburgers. I made many
friends in MYF who scattered across the country after graduation. Every time one
would come to see me we would go to Hamburger Inn. I remarried after my first
husband died. My new husband was from out of town. One night I told him to go to
Hamburger Inn and get a bag of burgers. Can you imagine my disappointments when he
came home with "educated" burgers. I was all set for the taste of "fried" onions. He
had no idea what I was talking about."
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Butch, the top of the map does not go North as in most maps. North in this case is
about 45 degrees off the top left of the map, there is an arrow indicating North on
the map. Just wanted to let you know your writer had it right, the Ponderosa is
Southwest of Reno almost on Lake Tahoe. It is under six feet of snow right now.
Still a beautiful place. I have seen a couple of small school house type bells there
in time past. http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/ponderosamap.jpg
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Hi Butch! Sorry to read in this week's T&T that the cookie factory in Marietta has
closed down. Traveling from Missouri down to Texas once or twice a year, that would
be a favorite stop, to load up on a big bag of cookies. I read somewhere that they
supplied half of all the Brownie cookies in the country. My dad's uncle at one time
owned the land that that was on. Change is inevitable, I guess." -Bob Taylor
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"My brother and sister were born at the Hardy Sanitarium and my mother's doctor was
Arthur T. Godfrey (I think that's the correct name. I'm glad somebody finally spoke
up about the "burned onions" on the hamburgers. They were cooked on the grill and
not burned at all. I used to go to work with my dad and he would take me to lunch
there with him and I was so short I could hardly get up on the stools and then I was
afraid I would fall off. I didn't remember any of the employees names until reading
the T & T today. I remember dad using Chock's name. Was he a Choctaw Indian? Is that
why he was called Chock? Thanks for all the memories you and your readers stir up.
It's like a trip to the past every Saturday morning. I get up and get on the
computer the first thing so I can read T & T." -Loretta Koons
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Hi Butch, As I remember the rationing, the A B C books for gasoline, We as farmers,
using mule power, had an A book and were entitled to 2 gallons per month for the
Model A Ford that we had. We also owned a gasoline powered "Maytag" washing machine.
They gave us 5 Gallon worth of stamps for the washing machine. Mother probably used
no more than one half gallon per month. which gave us plenty for the Model A which
had 1 to 2 flat tires on it most of the time anyway. We gave most of the stamps to
my grand parents who were retired and still got only 2 gallon per month." -Jim Brown
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"I ran across the picture of the old Milo school in your companion picture site, and
it brought back quite a few memories. My father and mother would have been in about
the sixth and fourth grades, respectively, in that building in 1923. I remember that
the Milo church also had Sunday School and church in the same building, and I would
attend there when visiting with my grandparents after we moved to Wirt (a.k.a.
"Ragtown," west of Healdton). During and after WW II (no, perhaps it was the Korean
War??), long after this building had been abandoned as a school, parts of it were
moved about 80-100 yards to the west, renovated and added to, and became the Milo
Baptist Church building (also in your photos) that was burned down in 2001. At this
same site, I also found the 1923 picture of the Dundee High School, where I attended
for 12 years (That includes grade school and junior high also; I didn't stay 12
years in high school----honest!), and graduated in 1954. That class had an unusual
phenomenon: It had co-valedictorians, each of whom had perfect 4.0 grad averages,
YET NEITHER ONE OF THEM WAS IN THE TOP 10% OF THE CLASS! Give up?? - The class only
had 18 graduates, so the two of them constituted 11.11% of the class, thus neither
was technically WITHIN the top 10%. Oh, well---I guess you just have to be
interested in details like that to appreciate it." RKWard@SWBell.net
http://community.webshots.com/photo/16560143/16571629ZveiUaSXrt
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Butch, someone was talking about the ration books. I remember shoes were rationed,
too. Didn't bother us much, as the kids went barefoot until absolutely too cold.
Sugar was also rationed. That didn't bother us much either, as we didn't have the
money to go along with the stamps. Mom couldn't even get enough to make jelly one
year." -Bud Caudle
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"The last time I was by the cookie factory a month or two ago the factory was going
strong. It was just the retail store that was closed, after Keebler took it over.
Has the factory been closed now?"
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"I was interested in the comments concerning the sign on the side of the mountain on
Highway 77 displaying Lazy S Ranch owned by Moss Patterson. That sign was first
constructed on the mountain by my father, Sam McDaniel. It read Drink Coca Cola With
Delicious in smaller letters on one side and Refreshing on the other. It covered a
larger area than the Lazy S Ranch sign. The sign was built by piling rock to form
letters and painted white. The actual work was done by Nick Cunningham, long time
employee of my dad. My dad was the Coca Cola bottler in Ardmore for many years. He
would be very surprised to see the county jail built on the location of his bottling
plant." -Carol Brown
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"My Father has been dead since early 1959, my mother long years before that and the
only family member left that would have bee around as a teenager at that time
probably has lost her memory. You know maybe how you kinda forget the family stories
after a lot of years. All I do remember is that he told me there was a man walking
on top of the tank cars of the train and inspecting them ( and they must have
contained fuel of some kind). A man on the ground saw him and realizing the
immediate danger took off running, and just in time to save himself before it all
blew. I was born in 1934 and this was old news before my time I believe. These
negatives were stored in an envelope my dad had that was he had received mail in
from a Kodak Company he did business with. It is dated 1946 but no telling how long
he had had these negatives. I don't remember ever seeing the pictures even though he
was a photographer. His name was Sam Fox and he lived at Marsden for a lot of years
before I was born, back when there was a real little town there. We had a 40 acre
farm just a mile south and 1/4 east of Marsden. He made pictures for schools,
churches, went to peoples homes all round the area. When he passed away he had boxes
and boxes of pictures of a lot of people I didn't even know but I don't remember
there being any photos of the explosion."
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/explo15d.jpg
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/explo15e.jpg
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/explo15f.jpg
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/explo15g.jpg
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/explo15h.jpg
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/explo15i.jpg
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Re: Weaverton, Oklahoma. I believe it is west of Madill on 99C just west of J&I
Manufacturing."
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Hey - you also need to remember that our Grandfather (Pa Bridges) was cook for the
Army and also at Tinker AFB in Midwest City before his death. Thanks for bringing
back some fond memories to a cousin who dearly misses our 'Pa Bridges'."
------------------------------------------------------------------------
ONCE AGAIN
By Sylvia Moore
Ardmore, Oklahoma
Once again the images
We watched in so much sorrow
The brave ones on Columbia
Would see no more tommorrow.
Our President said it best
They didn't make it back to land
But the one who made each star above
Now holds them in His hand.
Once again our nation mourns
And tears fall like the rain.
Once again we cry to God
To come and ease our pain.
Once again we'll survive
And stand tall with pride
Once again we'll go forward
And take the blows in stride.
Lord, let us give it all to you
To help us heal once more
We need your touch upon our land
Please cover us from shore to shore.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Butch, what did they put on those fried onion burgers to make them so good?"
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Hey Butch, Just reading through your This & That when I see an email from the guy
whose father worked for them. At the Wilson Museum we have been searching for
information about the bus stop in Wilson. I wonder if he has any schedules or
records on the old Jordan Bus Line. He did not put his email address or his name. So
you will have to run him down..Teehee."
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Butch, Can you tell me how to print a copy of the Old Love County Map? All I am
able to get is the left half when I try to print it. Thank you."
joe-ruby@brightok.net
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/lovemap.jpg
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"I have a picture of Hoss Cartwright and me taken at Waco Turner's Lodge in 1960 I
think. The reason for the smiles was Hoss had just said, "You are the first sheriff
that walked up to me with a smile on his face." -Gerald Cobb
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/cobb1960.jpg
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"OK, Butch, I have been begging for ages; now I think I've found the hook which will
yank you into Dougherty, Oklahoma!!! Today, I sat in "Akers In and Out", the only
store in Dougherty. I listened to 6 men talking about Dougherty...way back when...
in Douglas and Margaret Akers' store the main meeting place in this town. Ed Samples
brought up the subject of, "T & T", and the many times I've asked you to come here
and write about Dougherty. He said, "We just need to find a bell for Butch and he'll
come here." I agreed and alluded to the church bell I hear every Sunday morning.
Adolphus Baldwin immediately spoke up and starting telling us the history of the
church bell just a block from my little house. It's a fascinating story of a man who
worked on the railroad. This enormous bell on an old steam engine was damaged. This
man somehow managed to give this bell to the church... Knowing how much you love
bells, the look and the sound of this one will stop you in your tracks....Do you
know it and the story of it? Gee, I hope not. Maybe we'll finally get you here to
Dougherty. I look up to Don Pinkston as an unreachable idol. He is a famous painter,
etc. But these dear people tell me that he is "an everyday fellow"; a "common person
like you and me". I have begged you to visit the Main Street Restaurant, located in
the old Buckhorn Cafe in Davis. It is owned by beautiful people, Judy and Diddle
Hale of Dougherty. They and their 4 kids keep it the best place in Davis to find
great food and down-home friendly comfort. In the Main Street Restaurant, you can
see the painting, by Don Pinkston, of the old, OLD pickup truck which I've written
about to you several times. As I told you, the REAL pickup can be seen next to the
new post office in Dougherty. I have been told that this old truck was converted
into a school bus for Dougherty School. Today, in the office of Akers' In and Out I
saw a black and white original, by Don Pinkston, of this old truck which took my
breath away. The men I talked with today also told me the old stories of the Burning
Mountain, and the White Mountain....You need to write about these for all the folks
who remember them. If you will let us know when you can meet at Akers' In & Out, 6
men have promised to be there to meet and talk with you and share the beauty of this
little ole' town, AND SHOW YOU the bell with the great story which surrounds it. And
if I'm brave enough, I'll even contact the icon: Don Pinkston, and ask him to show
you his world ..as a renouned and famous artist, etc. Have I succeeded this
time...to get you to delve into the deep history of this beautiful little town?"
-Susan B. Nance mornsidemtn@hotmail.com
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"What was the name of the Air Field at Springer, Oklahoma where the District 1
County Barn is located now and was it a military field at one time?"
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"The airport at Springer (where the county barn is now) was owned by the city of
Ardmore but due to its location, it was probably called the Springer airport more
often than the Ardmore airport. I am not sure of the year it was opened, probably in
the early 1930s. It was there for many years until it was relocated to Ardmore
Industrial Airpark after the base closed. While at Springer, several individuals
operated the field. Arthur Oakley moved there after the Oakley-Askew airport ceased
operation when the hanger burned. Dorsey Askew, no longer a partner with Oakley, had
taken a job in 1926 flying US Mail with United Air Lines. He was the first pilot to
fly mail between Dallas and Chicago. John Heasty and his wife, Veda, managed the
airport during the early 40s. While they were there, it was one of a few fields in
the southwest who contracted to train flight instructors for the Army Air Corps. The
program was known as the Advanced Civilian Pilot Training Program. Individuals from
various geographic areas who wanted to be Army Air Corps civilian instructors paid
$500 a month for the four month course and were certified as such when they
finished. Three Ardmore men who were known to complete the program were Walter
Adrian "Heavy" Broughton, William Kenny and Kenneth Johnson. There may have been
others. Aircraft mechanics who kept the aircraft in top shape for the program
included Walter Adrian "Heavy" Broughton, also a top-notch licensed airframe and
engine specialist (Ardmore), Connie Brewer (Shawnee), Floyd Greer (Ardmore), and
Tommy Kennedy (Wilson). Charles Kincaid, Timothy Kincaid, John Heasty, Veda Heasty
and Evelyn Heasty, John's sister, were flight instructors. The Heastys operated ten
aircraft, several of the planes were Beech D-17 Staggerwings. When the war began,
Mr. Heasty was appointed Group Commander of the Civil Air Patrol in early January
1942 by Moss Patterson, Oklahoma CAP Commander. When Bob Goddard returned from the
Army Air Force following WWII, he assumed operation of the field. Walter Adrian
"Heavy" Broughton was his chief A&E person. Why the nickname "Heavy" ---Mr.
Broughton has never been heavy. Several ex-fighter pilots, recently discharged from
the Air Corps, frequented the airport and exchanged war stories about their
contributions to the war effort. Mr. Broughton, listening to the stories, went about
his work never saying anything about his service time. Eventually, they asked what
he did in the war. He said "I flew in the heavies." From that point on, Walter
Adrain became "Heavy" Broughton. Mr. Broughton later became Mr. Goddard's Paddle-G
Ranch manager until his retirement. During the 1950s, the runways were in bad shape
and were actually dangerous unless you were familiar with the bad areas. The Civil
Aeronautics Administration, later FAA, eventually cited the city to do something
about it. When the Air Force left Ardmore in 1959, the city was compensated for
damage to the Ardmore Air Force Base runways in the amount of $93,500.. This fund,
plus $9,400 from the Oklahoma Right-of-Way Department, was designated by the City
Commission to make necessary improvements at Springer. Hamp L. Caron was operator of
the airport at that time and operated it until the early 1960s. The Downtown
Executive Airport and the Lake Murray Airport were both opened in the mid-1960s. The
Ardmore Municipal Airport is still located at the Ardmore Industrial Airpark. A
stipulation, in the release of the base to the city, was that it shall be maintained
as an airport. The fixed base operator there is Lakeland Aviation. Maybe some of the
readers can fill in the gaps as to dates and airport managers." gsimmons@brightok.net
------------------------------------------------------------------------
================================================
Sometimes I wonder what is going to become of our country as our rebellous children
take the reins someday. I was in line at the post office not long ago with probably
7 or 8 other people and in front of me was about a 20 year old blonde headed girl.
In front of her was a little 70 or 80 year old black lady. This black lady stepped
our of her place in line about three feet to look at some post office literature on
a table by the north wall. In a couple of minutes or less she stepped back to her
spot in the line, and this stringy haired blonde girl said in a loud hateful voice,
"Hey, are you cutting in front of me!" Boy, anyone who knows me, knows that went all
over me. The little black lady said excuse me I didnt mean to get in front of you to
the girl. She started to go back to the end of the line, and I stopped her and said
she can get in front of me, that it was fine with me, which the elderly lady did.
All those "you can't give whippings to your kids" during their growing years, is
going to come back to bite us.
See everyone next Saturday!
Butch Bridges
Nashobish Ikana
PO Box 11
Ardmore, Oklahoma 73402
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Saturday February 1, 2003 T&T Weekly Vol 7 Issue 302
That past couple of years I've received some phone calls and emails asking if I knew
or was kin to a man who owned Bridges Jewelry on Main Street years ago. I didn't
think I was kin to the man, and after doing some research this week, I find the
man's last name was not Bridges but Bridge. Bridge's Pawn Shop started out next door
to Daubes at 119 East Main back in 1918. The proprietor was a man named Henry P.
Bridge. Where the confusion with the name Bridges comes in is his shop was listed as
Bridge's Pawn. The pawn broker later added Jewelry, thus Bridge's Jewelry. The
Bridge family lived at 419 D NW in Ardmore and a Maurice L. Bridge would later be
owner of the shop see. I see in the Ardmore Directory that in 1940 the location was
115 East Main.
While I was researching Bridge's Jewelry, I did find out my grandfather Esco Bridges
was a chef at the Palace Cafe at 211 West Main Street back in 1926. The owner of the
Palace Cafe was Norman J. Hall who lived at 702 North Washington.
Speaking of Ardmore cafes, the infamous California Cafe was located where the
present day Stolfa Hardware (#15 East Main) is now back in 1918. It's owner was a
Mrs. C.C. Goon. The California Cafe was where Ex-Deputy U.S. Marshal Dow Braziel was
killed by Carter county deputy Bud Ballew back in 1919.
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/braziel.html
I received a phone call this week from Van, Texas. Carol Reynolds is doing some
research on her grandfather, John Spellman Worthen, and came across something
interesting on his funeral home record. John Spellman Worthen died April 12, 1921
here in Ardmore at the age of 54. On the charges there are two items: $1.36 for
ticketts (that is how it is spelled on the record) and another charge of $2.50 for
Health Officer. Carol is wondering if anyone knows more about these charges and what
they represent. I hope someone out there can shed more light on these two unusual
charges. carollee@ballistic.com
I always look forward to reading the Lone Grove Ledger every Wednesday because in
each weekly issue there is a "history column". The history is grouped in three
categories, '20 Years Ago Today', '50 Years Ago Today' and '84 Years Ago Today'. In
their January 15, 2003 issue under the '84 Years Ago Today', something amusing
caught my attention.... "Jim Carter, deputy sheriff, was called to the Pentecostal
mission and arrested seven men and boys and took them to the county jail charged
with disturbing public worship. It is alleged they were throwing pepper on the
floor, causing much sneezing, and were laughing and talking to such an extent to
disrupt services."
Everyday we hear and read in the news we're heading toward war with Iraq. Well I can
tell you we are already in a war with someone, but you'd have to be a computer
network manager as I am to realize it. This week I have never seen the relentless
attacks on computer networks using viruses, trojans and worms. I remember 20 years
ago before Windows and the World Wide Web when all we had were XT computers and 300
baud modems and a Command Prompt to contend with fighting viruses. Back then there
was only a couple hundred viruses circulating that were made by mostly college
students within the U.S. Today there are thousands of viruses attacking every
computer operating systems they can find a "hole" in. Many of these viruses I'm sure
are coming from enemies overseas. As I said, this past week is the worst virus
situation I've seen by using my 'sniffers' and network monitoring software. It gets
real frustrating fighting a relentless bombardment of virus attacks. But you know,
they are not going to win.
Back twenty years ago there was hardly anyone in Oklahoma to call and help rid a
computer of a virus. Through a worldwide communications program called FrontDoor I
made friends with a man whose name I can not recall right now who was probably the
number one virus expert in the state back then. He was an employee of the State of
Oklahoma and worked at the prison in Granite, Oklahoma. When I had a stubborn virus
I couldnt get rid of, this expert friend in Granite came to my rescue.
I hope everyone has some plan, some kind of software installed to combat this ever
growing world wide virus threat. Not a day goes by that my anti-virus software does
not catch an email with a virus attached. This antivirus stuff gets complicated for
the average computer user. But I have put together a webpage to help just those
people combat these viruses. I'll be updating the webpage from time to time, and
hopefully some of you more savvy antivirus fighters can add to the this
informational Page. http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/virushelp.html
I guess the word is getting around how great the long distance calling rates are
that our little history group has been enjoying. We've added three new people this
month who are now using WorldxChange Long Distance. We'll end January with nearly
1,000 calls and over 12,300 minutes!
http://www.worldxchange.com/agent/228072
SOME LETTERS FROM THIS WEEK'S MAILBAG
"Hey.. run a spell check next time.. LOL .. Lorne Green's name was LORNE not Lorene.
Dan, Michael and Lorne came to the Oklahoma state fair Rodeo in 1971, shortly before
Dan died. I was fortunate enough to meet them again, as our Symphony Hi-Notes
Chapter was ushering and we were taken back stage to meet them. I had met Michael
and Dan when I was a young child at Frontier City, USA, in OKC."
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"In the days when intercity bus service was frequent and well patronized, most of
the major routes were operated by either Greyhound or the National Trailways Bus
System. The Oklahoma Transportation Company, and its sister company Mid-Continent
Coaches, had the good luck to dominate some major routes of both systems. Buses from
the north (Kansas City, Lincoln, Wichita and beyond) were operated by Oklahoma
Transportation Company between Oklahoma City and Ardmore, and by Dixie-Sunshine
Trailways between Ardmore and Dallas. This gave the O.T.C. a virtual lock on the
Oklahoma City-Dallas bus business. Practically all the schedules ran through between
Oklahoma City and Dallas with no change of bus; many of them were through buses from
or to much further distance places. O.T.C. also had the dominant route between Fort
Smith and Oklahoma City, a major segment of the Greyhound Atlanta-San Francisco
route. They had several other very busy routes, including the Oklahoma City-Wichita
Falls route on which O.T.C. and Mid-Continent Coaches shared the service (many buses
through for St. Louis or beyond and to El Paso and beyond.) They also had an
Oklahoma City-Denver route (I think that was Mid-Continent Coaches, in which Moss
Patterson was dominant) that ran from Oklahoma City through Enid to some place in
western Kansas, and from there operated by Trailways. Jordan Bus Company and Denco
Bus Lines were associated, and when I lived in Konawa they provided the bus service
through there, along with a considerable portion of southern and southeastern
Oklahoma. There really was a Mr. Jordan, although I forget his first name." -Wes
Leatherock wleathus@yahoo.com
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Enjoyed reading about my father, George Connely (principal of Washington School for
years). It brought back memories of that time. I would like to hear from other
people also. I have lived in Ft Worth, TX since 1980. I retired from the Air Force
in 1989 after serving 21years. My email address is b52d2000@yahoo.com Thanks" -John
Mark Connely
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Oh my goodness, I had almost forgotten the Jordan Bus Line. My Step-Father worked
there in the very early 30s and he once told me a story about he and a couple more
employees were supposed to re-paint one of the buses one night. It must have been a
slow going job so they decided to use brooms rather than brushes. He worked there
for a good while after that so guess the boss wasn't to upset."
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Hi Butch, Your readers never cease to provide interesting subjects, and I'd like to
give a thought to a couple of them. While I was Chief of Maintenance at Will Rogers
District (Calif. State Parks), which included about six park units besides W.Rogers,
we gained possession of Dan Blocker State Beach. It was presented to the state by
the heirs/estate of Mr. Blocker after his sudden death. It was a narrow stretch
(approx. 350 yards long) of prime real estate just north of Pepperdine College and
the Malibu Beach colony of jillionaire beach homes. It was in a sad state of repair,
with lots of trash and an eight foot chain link fence which had been cut and
vandalized. I was given the job of repairing that fence, and they only gave me about
$2400 to do it . I finally persuaded a fence company to bid on the job, and they did
an amazing repair job in just two days, and exactly as my drawings called for. We
then turned the entire park over to Los Angeles County to operate. We were glad to
get rid of it. Did you hear before that Dan Blocker was more than just a big ol'
Bubba cowpoke. He was quite the yachtsman, too. For several years he took part in
the annual boat race from Marina del Rey out to, and around Catalina Island and back
to Santa Monica. He competed against hotshot blue water boats in a regular cabin
cruiser, but with state of the art engines, which he pretty much wore out in that
one race. That's about 85 miles of ocean at full bore. The other item was about Oral
Roberts. My favorite aunt Bertie used to have a very good friend who was a great
looking redheaded gal, and they were both sort of looked down upon by the churchy
women of the day, there in Sulphur, because they were known to occasionally drink a
beer or two (gasp). I can't for the life of me remember her first name, but her
brother was the then not-so-famous Oral Roberts. They didn't cotton to one another
much because he thought she was a bit "wild" and she thought he was a fake. I think
they both were wrong-------!!! Lookin' forward to every T&T." -Bob Elliston
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Dear Butch, Since you were talking about the baseball park on Monroe I thought you
might like to know how Monroe St. got its name. It was called Boundary for years
because that was the last street in town but the town grew and there were lots of
houses north of Boundary St. My parents lived on that street for 53 years. I
remember my mother collected signatures to have the name changed to Monroe Ave. It
was named after my grandfather, Monroe Crawford Taylor, a postman in Chandler." -C.
(Maxwell) Jensen
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Butch, I sent you this old photo a couple of years ago, but thought some of the
readers might want to see it again since we've been reading about the old ball
teams. This picture was taken in the late teens or early 1920's. Notice that some of
the shirts say something besides "Ardmore" on them. The only person I know in this
shot is my grandfather, Grover S. Wells, standing second from the right on the back
row. Sorry to say that I don't know the name of the team or where they played."
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/ballteam20.jpg
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Hi Butch. It's me again. I remember the old ball park. The Ardmore Indians & Benny
Warren was the coach and catcher. He could peg second without getting up to throw
the ball. My father took my brother and I to most of the games. I also remember a
trip to Miller's Dairy Queen for ice cream after the game. I would like to pass an
experience about the Hamburger King along to your T&T gang. I was in the Hamburger
Inn and Ernest was telling us about things that had happened there in the past. He
told of a fellow that came in to buy a pie. Ernest said that he asked him if he
wanted the pie sliced in 4 or 6 pieces. The man thought a while and said 4 pieces
cause I don't think I can eat 6. He told of a man that would come in and bet other
customers that he could drink a bottle of tobasco. He would always win and head for
the liquor store. I did not see anything mentioned in anyone's response about the
employees. There was Chock, Baldy, Jean and her sisters & Ronnie Burns, plus many
others that I can't recall."
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"My grandfather Benjiman S Poindexter and his wife came to Ardmore around 1890. Her
maiden name was Amanda Frances Cartwright of the Texas Cartwrights. Her father was a
sheriff in west Texas My grandfather was a Texas Ranger when they met. so a
Cartwright in Ardmore is a good thing." paskell ppoindex@rcsis.com
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Hi, Butch. Was just wondering if there are any compiled records some where listing
the folks that died in the big flu epidemics of 1915 and 1918. I'm trying to
research as much as possible the folks who are buried at Legate Cemetery. Many of
them died during those two epidemics - complete families within a few days or weeks
of each other. I'm also wondering about records of Woodsmen of the World lodges.
Does anyone know if those would be available for research? Is there still a Woodsmen
lodge in the Ardmore area?" -Bud Caudle in Guthrie BnLFAMILY@aol.com
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Hi Butch, I finally saw the Dillinger picture recently mentioned in T&T and looked
for the Ardmore area locations closely this time. It brought to mind two other
movies made in the area. First, was "Home in Oklahoma" staring Roy and Dale which
was was filmed in and around the Flying L Ranch which was owned at the time by Bill
Likins. Turner Falls was in the picture but as I recall was named "Rainbow Falls" by
the Holleyood people. I also recall seeing the Dougherty Depot with the sign on the
building reading " Hereford Heaven" instead of Dougherty. The town in the movie was
named Hereford Heaven. Roy and Dale became good friends with Bill Likins during this
time so decided to be married there later. For fear that this is getting too long,
will save the other movie till next time. I enjoy T&T each week. Thanks for all the
time required for you to get it out each week." -Roy Miller, OKC
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Hi Butch! Enjoy the T/T! The rationing stamps were in little books, issued to each
residence I think it was, according to the # of people living there. They covered
tires, gasoline, sugar, coffee, etc. There were A,B and C automotive books. You
could get a couple of gallons of gas per week, I think, with an A, more with B, and
a C would get you all you needed. Tires were almost not accessible, unless you were
govt. workers, etc. and so much coffee per month...trade in the stamps plus money
(of course). There were other things rationed but I don't remember for sure. I do
remember that margarine was white and we had to color it with little tabs of red
powder. There were no chocolate nor women's hosiery. And yes, I do remember Mr.
Brown and those burgers with fried onions on them! You could smell them two blocks
away! Darn, wish I had one of those right now!" -Bob Taylor
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"How well I remember the days when folks had to use ration books during WWII for
almost everything. You couldn't buy much of anything without the book. This included
sheets, hose, meat, and most everything else. I was a teenager living in Ardmore at
the time; however, I married a sailor, and we moved to Ottumwa, Iowa. I had to take
on the job of finding meat to cook. There was a small grocery store not far from the
house, and Mr Davis - owner of the store - would call me when he got in anything
that did not require ration stamps. One day, he called and said he had saved some
bones for me, and he said they would make a good pot of soup. I didn't have much
training when it came to cooking such, inasmuch as I was used to cooking beans and
potatoes; however, I made a pot of something. I threw it out before my husband came
home from work - it was so bad, even I couldn't eat it. I remember another instance
when we were able to buy a pound of bacon. We did not have a refrigerator, so I put
the bacon on the back porch. When I got up the next morning and went out to get it,
it was gone. I thought my husband had pulled a trick on me; however, I realized
later that either someone or something had stolen the bacon right off of my porch.
In spite of the war - WW 11, I have many wonderful memories. Janice Miller Brasher ,
an ex-Ardmoreite."
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Butch, I was born in Nov. 1947 at Hardy Sanitarium. I can remember the family going
back by there just before it was torn down and looking at it. Wish I had taken a
picture. I was the first baby my mother had in a hospital. The others had been born
at home. When she went into labor with me, they called an ambulance to come by and
"carry" her to the hospital, and it brought her home when she was released. At that
time, she said it was one of those old black "hearse-looking" ambulances and that
there was no charge for its service. I think it operated in conjunction with the
hospital or something. Anyway, when I was a freshman in high school, we moved to the
Plainview School district. The first morning I went to school, I met another 9th
grade girl on the bus. She offered to show me around school and to introduce me to
everyone. Plainview was a very small school then, with probably around 100 students.
Anyway, we later compared birthdates and discovered that we had been in the nursery
at Hardy Sanitarium at the same time. She was born 2 days before me. At that time, a
mother didn't have her baby one day, and leave the next. They were there for up to 5
or 6 days. She and I have remained close friends ever since and she named her first
daughter after me. Just a little interesting connection in my life to the old Hardy
Sanitarium."
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Butch, You may already know about this site, but I ran across it today in some info
I received from IRS e-news. This is also the web site where you can file for free,
if you qualify. There are various tax software companies offering this service. "
http://www.irs.gov/app/freeFile/welcome.jsp
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"I originally did my taxes on the free Tax Act program three years ago. I have
ordered the deluxe version for the last two years for $19.95 each year, so I could
get the Oklahoma State tax. It's very easy, the program guides you through it,
prompting for deductions. I've been very satisfied. Filing on line is great."
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Butch, I remember well going to the Hamburger Inn during my lunch time (in the
1960's) from Ardmore Jr High. We would race down there, go to the little order
window in the alley on the south side of the building, and get our hamburgers and
drinks. If we had time, we would go across the street to the little bakery and get a
cupcake or something else sweet. After wolfing down our food, we would once again
race back to the school, getting back just in time before being tardy. Don't know
why we thought having to hurry and eat like this was so wonderful? Guess it was
worth it all to get an "onion burger". The cafeteria at the school had great food.
You could go thru the lunch line and pick and choose what you wanted. I usually go
mashed potatoes and gravy, corn, a hot roll and iced tea. All for 25 cents. What a
bargain! Back to the onion burgers. Last weekend I took my 3 grandchildren there and
they ate their first Hamburger Inn onion burger, although the 4 year old didn't want
the onions. And surprisingly, the onions did not give this old lady indigestion.
Onions usually do. Maybe it was because they were fried. Don't know, but do know
that that hamburger was delicious. The pies they had looked wonderful but after
eating my burger and half an order of homemade fries, I couldn't eat anything else.
Guess I'll go back just for a piece of pie and cup of coffee. Thanks for all you do,
Butch."
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"We have a Hamburger King here also on East Main in downtown Shawnee. It has been
here forever I guess. It has pictures and history on the walls, movie stars who have
visited etc. They too have really good hamburgers but the onions are not fried like
those in Ardmore. If you are ever up this way you should try their food."
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"I was just looking at the map from the ponderosa. It is backwards to reality. All
of those places on the map are west of Reno. I was out there in 2001 and I am sure
of it. Funny I wonder why they did the map that way."
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/ponderosamap.jpg
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"We made a nostalgic trip back to Ardmore recently. Went by Marietta to check on the
Cookie factory. Sure disappointed to find them closed - for good, I suppose. What a
disappointment. That was always one of our favorite stops. Then on by the cemetery,
by the old homestead, drag main, then back to the Callaway's catfish place at Lake
Murray, - so good. Our son was here in Texas from Pa., & he had not been there for
many years. Was a good trip."
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Thanks so much for all the great information. My sister and I reminisced about the
old Hamburger Inn and how Daddy never called him Mr. Brown. It was "Brown said..."
He was really a quiet person as far as I can remember. I miss those burnt onions. A
question-do you have any info on a Dr. Richard Frank Finney who worked in that area
around late 1890-early 1900's. He later moved to west Tx. and was well loved by
many. Keep up the good work."
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Hi Butch, Have two comments on your T&T this week. One on the sign on the side of
the mountain Lazy S Ranch, owned by Moss Patterson. I have been told all these years
that my father helped put the sign up there in rocks! The other is about the
Cartwrights coming to the Rodeo here in Ardmore in the 60's. I have an RCA Victor
record of the TV's original cast. They all sing and the back of the record reads
that all of them play Banjo, Fiddle, Guitar but it doesn't say who plays what. There
is a picture of Adam (Pernell Roberts) playing a guitar. There are fourteen songs on
the album and it is a neat recording. I believe it was recorded in 1962. The front
is a beautiful picture of the guys in a green field with pines and mountains in the
back ground. The name is BONANZA Ponderosa Party Time. Hoss was always my favorite
because he reminded me of my brother. I believe the record cost $3.98!!!!"
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/cartrecord2.jpg
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/cartrecord3.jpg
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Hi Butch, I am really enjoying the T & T...thanks for your wonderful efforts. Did I
miss the dates accompanying the photos of Hardy Sanitarium? I would be interested in
the second and third building span dates. I was born in one of these buildings (1930
- but don't tell). Dr. Hardy signed my Birth Certificate as Attending Physician. The
Certificate reads Hardy Sanitarium, but with no address. Searched my memory and
thought I remembered each building, but could have been the memory of photos in the
past. I had my tonsils out in one of them, also. However, for the most part, our
family medical treatment came from Dr. Boyd and his famous "sugar pills". People are
realizing the efficacy of these homeopathic remedies today. Dr. Boyd would be in
great demand. Also, several issue back, I liked the information and the excellent
photos of the bells at the Presbyterian Church. Sometime, probably in the early 40's
I had the privilege and delight of playing hymns on the console many early Sunday
mornings, reminding parishioners to come to church. The wooden handles were
numbered, and the hymns, simple ones, were written with numbers instead of notes and
were played by pushing down the handles with the corresponding number. It wasn't
easy, you really had to lean on each one. I think Glenn McGee must have been pastor
at that time. There was a black man who was janitor and all around maintenance man
(and much loved in the church) whose job it usually was to play the bells. The
electronic chimes may be lovely, but cannot hold a candle to the exquisitely clear
and thrilling sound of the real bells. Great memories from growing up in Ardmore!"
-Fredrica (Horn) Van Sant
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Re: Weaverton, Okla.: top-drawer source is book, "Oklahoma Place Names," published
years ago by the University of Oklahoma Press. It was recently revised by historian
George Shirk, with a new second edition now available. Lists names of over 3,000
Oklahoma cities and towns, past and present. A good many local libraries still have
the original. See description and sample pages at
http://www.oupress.com/bookdetail.asp?isbn=0-8061-2028-2 Price is $19.95, available
for about $5 less at Amazon.com" -Bob Peterson, Durant bob@netcommander.com
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"For those of your readers interested in genealogy, I have a website at
www.rootsweb.com/~okceme/okcem.htm with all the data on Teller Cemetery which once
was in Pickens County (now Johnston County) with pictures of some headstones. I will
complete the headstone pictures as soon as the weather warms a little but before the
snakes come out! I am seeking family information in hopes of printing a booklet
about the residents to sell to raise money for the upkeep of the cemetery." -Ruby
Beaver rbeaver@simplynet.net
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"RE: The Dan Blocker history, he also spent a lot of time as a child around Mill
Creek Oklahoma."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Butch, Bridges Jewelry was just east of Daubes and this was back probably in 1949 or
1950, His name was Maurice Bridges. I think he was single, he was Jewish so I was
surprised at all the holidays we had, He celebrated all the Jewish Holidays and the
others also (good for business). He sold a lot of musical instruments in addition to
jewelry, was very high-tempered. I was head bookkeeper and had an office upstairs in
a balcony overlooking the store. One minute he would be screaming at the employees
and the next minute a customer walked in the door and he was Prince Charming
clasping both hands together and with a smile on his face would greet the customer
as if they were royalty. Needless to say my tenure there was less than a year. I
only stayed because the pay was good and I had children to feed. I parked my car at
the back of the store and he told me to park it in front because Caddo Street was so
close to where I parked and was dangerous. I can[t remember much more about it. It
was my first job and I needed the experience. I had just finished Broughm's (forgot
the spelling) Business college, upstairs in the west end of town and Mrs. Overturf,
the owner or adm. of the school got me the job." -Ruby Beaver rbeaver@simplynet.net
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Butch, Our family has been going through the possession of my aunt, Flora Paul
Houghton, she graduated from Healdton High School in 1930. We found the attached
photo and thought you might like to post it. My aunt for some reason glued her face
on the picture. She either didn't like the picture she had or maybe she had been
left out and wanted to add herself. She is first on the left, second row from top."
-Jean Paul Hattensty
"Class Autograph Book" she has written class officers:
President - Lyman Dale
Vice Pres - Robert Vickory
Sec/Tres - Elmer Caudill
Reporter - Opal Meador
Seargent of Arms - Basil Wright
Yell Leader - Anita Patton
The Senior Class Roll 1929-1930 (Sponsor Mrs. W. H. Dixon) included
Lyman Dale Raphel Wilson
Bill Rakestraw Lucile Wilson
Zella Cooper Anita Patton
Wilma McKay Woodrow Hulme
Katherine Smith Marguriet McAnally
Opal Meador Robert Victory
Martha Cowger Billy Eldridge
Floyd Silvers Everette Bedford
Ruby Kennedy Basil Wright
Elmer Caudill Lee Blocklinger
Woodrow Caudill Flora Paul
Esther Horn Brince McKelvey
Estella Morris Fred Burney
Elziabeth Fletcher Horace Couch
Zack Tayar Bessie Taylor
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/healdton30.jpg
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Mr. Bridges, I am writing a book set in the Ardmore area, and I was hoping you and
your readers could help me out. You were kind enough to mention my project in an
earlier newsletter, and the response was helpful. I was hoping I might impose upon
you one more time, in an effort to reach even more people with my request for
information. The book is about Buck Garrett, former Chief Of Police of Ardmore, and
Sheriff of Carter County from 1909 to 1921. I would like to communicate with anyone
who might have first-hand (not much chance), or second-hand knowledge of Sheriff
Garrett, or of his Chief Deputy, Bud Ballew. I have, of course, been to Ardmore to
do extensive research, and will no doubt be there again, and there is a wealth of
information on the internet about both men. I have all of that. Now I would like to
interview descendants of these two famous Oklahoma lawmen wherever possible. I can
be reached at WhismanRd@aol.com or the surface mail address below. Thank you for
your informative and entertaining newsletter. Everyone in Oklahoma should be reading
it." -Dale Whisman, 3436 S 96 E Ave. Tulsa, OK. 74145
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"You asked about the ration stamps and how they were used. Very simple, back during
the war the neighborhood stores were thriving because people didn't have the gas to
waste going to the Safeway as often or to the A&P. If you bought sugar you could get
a 5 lb bag maybe a dime and a stamp. Coffee about the same and a stamp. A pair of
shoes maybe 50 cents and your shoe stamp. A gallon of gas for the car, or 5 gallons
if you had the stamps and I really can't remember how much that cost because I
didn't drive but when I was 15 and in Colorado I paid 25 cents a gallon but that was
after rationing. If you saved your stamps you could get your rubber tires for the
car. Some people that had businesses could get more stamps for such things as tires
and gasoline. Bacon was a hard thing to come by and chocolate like Hersey bars were
really special. Nylon hose were almost impossible to get, back then they had seams
in the back and women would draw lines down the back of their legs to look like
hose. It was a simple thing back then and people were proud to be doing without
because there was pride in giving up for the men who went to fight the war to keep
America a safe place for the women and children. Pride in your Country was taught in
school, you were even taught that you should eat all your lunch because someone
somewhere went without so you could have it. Pride in America was the normal not
what is happening now. I'm 69 yrs old and I still feel that pride when I see the
flag over the government buildings. Now the American flag is burned right here in
America. Hurts some of us who gave up sons, fathers, and other members of our
families in those wars.
Butch, those onions on the hamburgers weren't burned, they were sauted' or as they
say now carmelized. I still do mine like that especially in the winter and until the
new ones come into the market or garden. That brings out the flavor. I was 3 when I
was able to walk to the window at the Hamburger Inn and ask for my own hamburger and
I'd say I wanted younons and when I was 14 I'd go in and Mr. Brown would say give
her younons on that burger.
Talking about the Hardy Sanitarium. I remember my brother having his appendix out
and was in the hospital 5 days. One night we went up to see him and my dad could
never be still very long. My brother was on the left side of the hospital just
beside the drive way there in the picture. I was looking out the window across the
drive to the Nursery, there in the nursery was daddy looking at all the babies when
a nurse ran in and ran him out. He loved babies and just walked in to look. Didn't stay long though."
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Butch- The Oakley-Askew Airport on the north edge of Ardmore in the 1920s was not
in the area of the Charles Evans school. The airport was approximately one-half mile
north of there and several hundred feet east of Carter Seminary. It would have been
south of the present day Ardmore High School and north of Cottonwood Street. The
northwest part of the Brantley housing addition presently occupies most of the old
airport area. The location information was given to me by several people who visited
the airport as youngsters. The location was confirmed by an aerial photograph of the
hanger showing nearby houses of that time period. One shown in the photograph, just
south of the hanger and field, still exists in the area. The hanger would have been
in the general area of where present day Harris Street ends at Locust."
gsimmons@brightok.net
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/ardaport20s.jpg
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/airportplanes20s.jpg
------------------------------------------------------------------------
================================================
Words to a song in a presently running TV commercial in Oklahoma.
"Sometimes a hurt is so deep deep deep
You think that you're gonna drown
Sometimes all I can do is weep weep weep
With all this rain falling down
Strange how hard it rains now
Rows and rows of big dark clouds
When I'm holding on underneath this shroud."
-Patty Griffin
See everyone next Saurday!
Butch Bridges
Nashobish Ikana
PO Box 11
Ardmore, Oklahoma 73402
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Saturday January 25, 2003 T&T Weekly Vol 7 Issue 301
Carter County Sheriff Harvey Burkhart received an interesting piece of history in
the mail this week. The Texas Department of Public Safety had in their evidence
lockers a couple of 22 caliber bullets that was sent to Texas in 1951 for testing
and identification in a shooting that took place near Rexroat, Oklahoma (western
Carter county). In 1951 Sheriff Jack Powledge had requested the help to determine if
the bullet in a lady's arm was fired from a rifle owned by a suspect name Smith. The
bullet was sent to Camp Mabry, a military encampment near Austin for testing at the
Bureau of Identification.
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/cartwright2.jpg
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/cartwright3.jpg
These are pieces of paper the bullets were wrapped in and returned to Ardmore in a
little box. The words scribbled gives the name of a lady named Cartwright who was
shot in the arm. The other paper reveals the name of a suspect named Smith. His
rifle was use to fire the test shots for comparison to the bullet in Mrs.
Cartwright's arm.
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/cartwright4.jpg
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/cartwright5.jpg
http://www.kwanah.com/txmilmus/about/mabry.htm
Talking about people named Cartwright, I remember back in the 60s Hoss Cartwright
coming to the Ardmore Shrine Club Rodeo. In fact the whole Cartwright family of the
TV show Bonanza made it to our rodeos at one time or another. Dan Blocker from Texas
played Hoss Cartwright, Pernell Roberts played Adam Cartwright, Michael Landon
played Little Joe and of course there was the father Ben Cartwright played by Lorene
Greene. And of course Hop Sing the cook was not a Cartwright but he was one of the
family for sure. A Reader sent me photos of the burial place of Dan Blocker at
DeKalb, Texas. DeKalb is a town of 3,000 people located just east of Paris, Texas.
Dan Blocker died unexpectedly in 1972 of a blood clot after some surgery when
Bonanza was in its heyday. The show never recovered from his untimely death,
continued to drop in the ratings and was later dropped by the networks.
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/danblocker1.jpg
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/danblocker2.jpg
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/ponderosamap.jpg
http://bonanza1.com/hoss/hoss1.html
A Reader requested help in finding Weaverton, Oklahoma this week. I looked in my
"Town and Place Locations" book and found Weaverton, Oklahoma is in Marshall County
in Section 1 6s 4e. Maybe someone knows exactly where Weaverton was located in
Marshall county.
Talk about little known towns in Oklahoma and those that no longer exist in
Oklahoma, I have a booklet titled "Town and Place Locations" that list 4,500 towns
in Oklahoma. It is 56 pages in length. Listed are some towns in the oil boom years
and are no longer. Some are just ghost towns and have completely vanished from the
landscape. The booklet was first published 40 years ago by the Department of
Highways. Copies are still available for a $1.50 charge from the Oklahoma Department
of Transportation, Reproduction Branch. Towns show their location by legal
description i.e. Section, Township and Range, and what county the town is located.
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/townandplace.jpg
http://www.okladot.state.ok.us/osdiv/priceg.htm
http://www.okladot.state.ok.us/osdiv/orderg.htm
The Red River Limbhangers Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation is having
their 3rd Annual Membership Superfund Banquet this coming March 30th. The gala
affair will be held at the Heritage Hall (old Civic Auditorium) in Ardmore. Doors
opening at 12:30pm with Dinner being served at 1pm. There will be a drawing for 12
guns to be giveaway! Contact Kirk and Julene Potter at 580-223-4753. You can email
redriverlimbhanger@yahoo.com for more info. This is a family oriented banquet with
no alcohol served.
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/limbhangers.jpg
One page on the "Pages of History" CD I've talked about the fast month is dedicated
to Lawrence Sprekelmeyer of Sprekelmeyer Printing here in Ardmore. Sprek came to
town in 1900 with his parents from Houston, Texas when Ardmore was a thriving cotton
center of 4,000 inhabitants. In 1902 Sprek accepted a job from Sidney Suggs of The
Ardmoreite, thus his beginning in the printing business. In 1926 he bought $16,000
worth of printing equipment with the help of a $12,000 loan and opened his own
printing shop. In 1953 he sold his shop to Bob Downing and John Frazier of Pryor,
Oklahoma. Downing and Frazier moved to Ardmore to continue the operation of
Sprekelmeyer Printing. Here is a photo of Sprek from that History CD.
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/sprek.jpg
A photo I took near the front gate at Rose Hill Cemetery last week of his tombstone.
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/sprek03.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/pagesofhistory.html
Ernest Martin emailed me a photo he took with his digital camera of the tombstone of
Carter county sheriff Buck Garrett. Garrett is buried in Rose Hill Cemetery too.
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/garrett1871.jpg
Ernest also sent me photos of the gravesite of Dr. Frederick VonKeller who is buried
at Rose Hill. The VonKeller hospital was located at 12th and North Commerce and was
torn town in the early 1970s. I remember around 1970 sneaking inside that spooky
abandoned building and looking around when I worked for the ambulance service
(behind the old Seventh Day Adventist Hospital).
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/vonkeller1861.jpg
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/vonkeller1861b.jpg
A while back we talked about Carter county oilman Wirt Franklin. He too is buried in
Rose Hill Cemetery not far from the front gate.
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/wfrank03a.jpg
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/wfrank03b.jpg
A Reader in Lone Grove wrote me this week saying she had her mom's old WWII ration
stamp book. She has always wondered how those ration stamps were used during the
war. I'm sure there is someone out there that can email in the answer to her
question. I really don't know myself how people used them at the grocery stores. In
the Mailbag below another Reader sent in a pic of her kin's ration book. I scanned
the actual stamps a couple of years ago. Here is a pic of those stamps that belonged
to my mother.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/rationb2.jpg
I received a letter the old fashioned way this week via the U.S. Post Office from a
Reader reminding me about an old map of Love county I had in an issue a few years
ago. She had been researching her family roots and knew they came up from Texas and
about where the crossed the Red River. The map lists at least 12 ferry operators
back in those days, and helped her determine how her family crossed that muddy fast
moving river. There was Courtney Flats Ferry, Sorrell Ferry, Scanlin Ferry, Rector
Ferry, Burney Ferry, Sevill Ferry, Thacker Ferry, Watts Ferry, Browns Ferry, Tucks
Ferry, Fletcher Ferry, and Tipton Ferry according to the map.
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/lovemap.jpg
I received a surprise phone call from The Daily Oklahoman last Monday asking what I
knew about Ardmore's hamburger king Ernest Brown of the famous Hamburger Inn here.
Mr. Brown died last week. People will always remember those burnt onion burgers at
the Hamburger Inn! The best part is they are still being cooked at the Hamburger Inn!
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/ttphotos/brown2003.jpg
I found another website that lets you do tax returns online free.
http://www.taxact.com/
An exArdmoreite sent me something that looks interesting if you are in to utilities
for your computer. "SectorSpyXP/98 is a utility that you can use to examine your
hard disk--thoroughly. Supporting FAT16, FAT32, NTFS, and floppy disks,
SectorSpyXP/98 is the type of utility that you would use to retrieve lost
information. However, unlike most such utilities, SectorSpyXP/98 is freeware."
http://home.carolina.rr.com/lexunfreeware/SectorSpy/SectorSpy.htm
SOME LETTERS FROM THIS WEEK'S MAILBAG
"Butch-- as always I am amazed at all the things(items) you come up with each week.
I think you do a great job--- so many of us who lived in Oklahoma as
children,kids,young people, find great comfort in the nostalgia of all your
information.There have never been any people as good as the people of Oklahoma---I
remember nothing but kindness,help and comfort from all my neighbors and friends. It
is so good of you to give your time to record the days that have gone but will never
be forgotten---I hope you will keep up the great work until I have tottered off to
that great neighborhood gathering in the sky. What a day that will be!!! Thanks for
all your good work." -s. binkley
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Dear Butch, that email from Nevada about Arthur Willingham mentioned in your T&T is
my kin. Can you tell me who sent you the note?" -Minnie Lou Whittington
kenco@pldi.net
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"The old Hardy Sanitarium pics sure bring back memories......I worked for "Bull"
Hardy running the switchboard on weekends all thru high school. Only quit when they
built the "new" hospital......Sure learned some interesting things and saw some
interesting sights there. My mom was the OB nurse for many years but she worked al