This and That Newsletter
www.OklahomaHistory.net
Vol 24  Issue 1,248    Circulation 5,000      December 24, 2020
Ardmore, Oklahoma
My email address:  butchbridges@oklahomahistory.net
580-490-6823

"What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us; what we have done for others and the world remains and is immortal."


Ramada Inn, Ardmore, Oklahoma, opened in October, 1972

 

Tomorrow is Christmas Day as I write this issue. Since everyone is all caught up in the holidays including us, this issue of T&T will be a short one. But we are looking forward to the new year and plenty of Oklahoma history to share each week in 2021. We appreciate everyone who has helped make the newsletters possible this year by contributing to the mailbag and articles and the photos. Jill and I hope this Christmas season has been a good one to all our Readers, we consider us on here one big family with a common connection, Oklahoma, whatever that thread may be.

1887 John S. O’Mealey, the first ticket agent in Ardmore for the Santa Fe Railroad, establishes his first office in a tent inside the stockade of the Munzesheimer and Daube retail establishment.

1882 Richard McLish begins developing a ranch on land that will become part of Ardmore. He was born in 1861 in Tishomingo. McLish Street is named for his family. Washington Street is named for the family of his wife, Rosa Washington McLish.

1880 A ranch house is built on the 700 Ranch, the first known man-made structure within the Ardmore town site. Built by Alva Buckingham Roff, the ranch house was located on the west fork of Anadarche Creek at what became the corner of G Street and 2nd Avenue, SE in Ardmore. It was a double log house, the two sections divided by the traditional “dog-trot” breezeway. The a replica of the house is now located at the Greater Southwest Historical Museum in Ardmore. The 700 Ranch was then in Pickens County, Chickasaw Indian Nation, named for Edmund Pickens, a prominent Chickasaw.

http://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos16a/700RanchArdmoreIT.jpg

November 1969
Lake Murray Chapel will begin its 9th year when Captain James Ham of the Salvation Army conducts vespers. Since the chapel was dedicated on November 12, 1981, 247 couples have been married there; 866 religious services have been held; and 6,000 persons a year have signed the guest register. There is no charges for use of the non-denominational chapter which is the property of Lake Murray State Park.

November 1926
M. O. Bailey, charged with killing William Hunt near Deese, will be brought to trial in District Court. Hunt died from gunshot wounds the day following the shooting. The deceased was a brother-in-law of Bailey. Domestic difficulties are said to have been the cause of the shooting. Bailey has been at liberty since shortly after the killing on bond of $10,000.

As of today we have reached people about unclaimed property totaling over $442,855. And the search continues.

So with the above being said, how long has it been since you checked your name or a family member's name? Its easy to do a search at the Oklahoma State Treasurer link below. I think every state in the union has a unclaimed property website through the respective state treasures website.
https://OKtreasure.com

Q. In what Oklahoma ghost town stands a statue 25 tall of a white auctioneer and an Indian shaking hands?
A.  Skedee, Oklahoma

Q.  What/where is Oklahoma's state monument?
A.  Answer in next week's newsletter

Some mail from this week's MAILBAG.....

My wife and I resided in Ardmore from Dec.65 thru June 66. I worked for American Flyers as an A&P mechanic while attending flight school. My wife Juanita was an RN working Labor and Delivery at the hospital. Juanita who was about 6 months pregnant herself then worked with the future RN who was with you in the ambulance when you were lost in Dallas. The two of them had a great time working together and I remember my wife coming home and telling me what a great RN Betty Thomas would be some day. I believe she was a nurse's assistant way back then. I had met her husband Morris on a few occasions when picking the ladies up getting off duty, I along with the airline guys at the Airpark, and our gracious landlady Mary Fraley, the short time we spent in Ardmore was a most enjoyable time for two young, relatively newlyweds. -Bill Heaphy
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Below is from This and That newsletter archives of December 25, 2008

The Carter County Courthouse had experienced a different kind of Christmas entertainment Tuesday to the delight of everyone.  The Southern Oklahoma Clicky Chicks perform their clogging routines to the sounds of Christmas music on the first floor rotunda. For about 30 minutes at noontime Sandy Lackey and her clogging group had everyone from all the floors and visitors alike in smiles!
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos8a/ClickyChicks2008a.jpg

http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos8a/ClickyChicks2008b.jpg

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"These are pictures I took today on the porch.  It is snowing like crazy here in Big Sky, MT but that doesn't stop the birds and animals from showing up.  The bird is a male pine gross beak and, of course, the mammal is our version of squirrel.  The squirrels up here are so small compared with every other squirrel I have seen."
-Monroe Cameron in Montana
  
m_o_cameron@yahoo.com

MERRY CHRISTMAS

http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos8a/MTsquirrel8a.jpg

http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos8a/MTsquirrel8b.jpg

http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos8a/PineGrossBeak8a.jpg

http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos8a/PineGrossBeak8b.jpg
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Merry Christmas everyone, and look for a better 2021!

See everyone next week!

Butch and Jill Bridges

"Friends Make Life Worth Living"
Ardmore, Oklahoma
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net

 

Vicious Dog Attacks in Oklahoma
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/viciousdogs.html
Oklahoma Bells: http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/bellpage.html
Bill Hamm's Cemetery Database
http://www.usgwarchives.net/ok/carter/cartercm.htm
American Flyers Memorial Fund - Administration Webpage
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/crash66.html
Ardmore Army Air Field/Ardmore Air Force Website
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/airbase/
Carter County Government Website
http://cartercountyok.us

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