This and That Newsletter
www.OklahomaHistory.net
Vol 11 Issue 569 Circulation 5,000 December 20, 2007
Ardmore, Oklahoma
My permanent email address: [email protected]
On South Commerce next to the railroad tracks (4 blocks south of Stanley Street) is Ray's Backyard. Ray Dewberry sells all types of concrete products such as bird baths, statues, ornaments, fountains, etc. Jill and I bought a bird bath from him last Spring, and its great quality, built to last a lifetime. Below is the concrete bird bath we bought from Ray last April.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos7a/BirdBath040107.jpg
This is a picture of Ray's Backyard store on South Commerce and Moore Street
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos7a/RaysBackyardCo.jpg
The other day Ray decided to remove a wall behind a window in his building. When it did, he found inside that wall a couple dozen old artifacts. Some of the things included was a couple Phillips 66 Lapel Pins, business cards, some picture postcards, a couple of booklets they used to record gas and oil purchases that were put on credit and other items. There was even a handwritten letter from a man in California begging Clayton Cude for money, since the man moved to that state in search of a job but it was not turning out as he hoped. Also a great find behind the wall was a photograph of the filling station back in the 1920s. A real piece of Ardmore history.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos7a/CudeFillingStation.jpg
This is a pic I took of the wall. Its actually a window which was boarded up and had shelving in front of it. Ray thinks the items may have fallen off the shelving behind and down the wall, and just stayed there all these years.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos7a/CudeWindow.jpg
About 50 feet north of Ray's store is the railroad track. When Clayton Cude was owner, just on the north side of the tracks was Clayton's Tavern. So Clayton owned both establishments back in those days. Clayton passed the filling station on to his son-in-law, Bob Shirey, and that is who I remember as filling station's owner around 1970.
Below is the front of Clayton Cude's business card touting 36 brands of motor oil.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos7a/CudeBusinessCard1.jpg
Mr. Cude had a saying, actually 4 of them, written on the back of his business card.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos7a/CudeBusinessCard2.jpg
One of the items Ray found tucked away in the wall was a 1989 Program for the Ardmore Raceway north of Ardmore. The next two scans will bring back many memories when you read the names listed in the Program.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos7a/ArdmoreRacewayNames1989a.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos7a/ArdmoreRacewayNames1989b.jpg
The following are pics I took of the Ardmore Racetrack Program. I think most of them are readable. Lots and lots of names (and ads) in there, memories galore.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos7a/ArdmoreRaceway1989a.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos7a/ArdmoreRaceway1989b.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos7a/ArdmoreRaceway1989c.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos7a/ArdmoreRaceway1989d.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos7a/ArdmoreRaceway1989e.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos7a/ArdmoreRaceway1989f.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos7a/ArdmoreRaceway1989g.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos7a/ArdmoreRaceway1989h.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos7a/ArdmoreRaceway1989i.jpg
If you are like a lot of people and wait until the last minute to buy that one Christmas gift because you can't find the right one, travel on down to Ray's Backyard and I know you'll find something that will fit the bill. Tell Ray you want to see that "famous window". lol
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos7a/RaysBackyardCard.jpg
Jerry Brown sent in a photo this week of an old building, and he was wondering if anyone recognizes it?
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos7a/MysteryPic07.jpg
Radium, Oklahoma. In Caddo county, five miles northeast of Gracemont. A post office from April 23, 1904 to August 14, 1905. No longer in existence. Named in honor of the then discovery of radium by Pierre and Marie Curie. -from Oklahoma Place Names
Diane Hall works at the Election Board and brought some very tasty and different Christmas candy to the Commissioners Office this week to share. I had never eaten anything quite like it. Its just popcorn that's been coated with Almond Bark (white chocolate). Diane just heated the almond bark a couple of minutes in the microware, then slowly dribbled it over the popcorn as she stirred it. You talk about a great tasting Christmas treat!
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos7a/ChristmasPopcorn7a.jpg
Ardmoreite Bob Kerr stopped by my office last week to share an old photograph. It is a wide angle photo of downtown Healdton from back in the 20s it looks like. I see Massads, Drake's Jewelry, Schayes Hardware store, Harry Ables Shoes, W.H. Dixon Hardware and Furniture, the old Healdton OG&E building, and more in this old Healdton picture. What this photo shows, is how thriving Healdton was right after oil was discovered, and the boom of people that followed.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos7a/SchayesHardware.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos7a/DrakesHealdton.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos7a/OklahomaGasAndElectric.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos7a/DowntownHealdton.jpg
Jill and I have found several more nice Christmasy decorated front yards since the last T&T. These Christmas decorations were about 4 blocks west of Commerce on Stanley SW.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos7a/ChristmasLightsStanleyAndOSW.jpg
And this one was about 3 blocks east of Commerce on Stanley SW.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos7a/ChristmasLightsStanleySWandIStreet.jpg
These lights was really nice, it was 3 blocks east of Stanley on 3rd Ave (the 3 block divided boulevard part of 3rd SW).
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos7a/ChristmasLights3rdSW.jpg
Ardmoreite Steve Hamm programmed a new webserver and installed it this week for Carter county assessor Kim Cain. Steve built the old webserver in 2000 and its technology was so slow, a new one was needed to handle all people who log in each day to search property records, sometimes several dozen people at one time. With the old webserver, if a person searched for all the Jones who owned property in this county, about 300 of them, the computer would time out searching through the 30,000 plus records, and never complete the listing on screen. With this new webserver, I did a search for Jones and it displays all 300 of them in about 2 seconds or less. Now that is fast! Steve has really done a service for the people of this county who needs fast, free access to property records. The Assessor's webserver is online 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
http://www.cartercountyassessor.org/
Last week we had a stopped up drain under the kitchen sink, and I messed with that thing for two or three hours trying to get it unstopped. So I decided to try a gadget called DrainKing. It attaches to a water hose, and it balloons out, wedging itself in the pipe, then seconds later forces water out to flush whatever is stopping it up, on down the pipe. Within 10 seconds I had the drain unstopped. Here's pic of one like I bought for under $15 at D&J Hardware at Lone Grove.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos7a/DrainKing.jpg
Speaking of products that helps us, all of us guys at one time or another has had to work on a greasy car or pickup motor. Last week I had to do just that, and my hands were almost black from grease and grime. Over the years I have tried everything from Lava soap to commercial hand cleaners, to dish washing soap, to laundry detergent. Some worked better than others, but none work all that great, especially under the nails, etc. This week I found the answer: The new liquid 2X Ultra Tide. It cleaned my grimy hands like magic, even under the nails.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/images/B000KAAE9M/ref=dp_image_0?ie=UTF8&n=3760901&s=hpc
Some mail from this week's MAILBAG.....
The Wilson News submitted by Mindy Taylor
August, 4, 1915
Performs First Ceremony - Judge Dillard For First Time Speaks Magic Words Which Change A Twain To OneSimon Louis, the Man Made Happy by Wilson's Kindly Judge Dillard has performed his first marriage ceremony, and the judge is feeling rather chesty over the success of his efforts.
Last Friday, Simon Louis, a full blood, came into the judge's private office and after showing him the legal papers needed, stated that he desired the judge's assistance in welding his heart and the heart of his inamorata into one piece of palpitating furniture.
Like Barkis, the judge was willin' so he hiked himself, in company with the bridegroom, to the home of the bride-elect, whose name we have failed to learn, and in the name of the law, etc., etc., spake unto them the magic words which decree that man may not live alone.
Whether or not the judge was scared our deponent sayeth not, but he avers that he is now ready to practice on all the young, the middle aged and the old, who wish to swap single harness for double.
During the session of district court yesterday, a piece of plaster, several feet in diameter, fell from the ceiling of the court room. No person was sitting where the plaster fell, but as it struck the empty benches it caused a great noise, interrupting the court proceedings for a time. Plaster has fallen from other portions of the building and it was suggested that the breaking of the plaster is probably the result of the shock of the explosion which wrecked so many buildings in Ardmore over three years ago.
The Daily Ardmoreite 12-20-1918
Should Investigate Court House
Jill and I want to thank all of you who have sent us Christmas wishes, whether by email or by letter, or in person, it is appreciated. Now it is our turn to wish all of you a Merry Christmas and safe holiday season. And I hope we all don't get so caught up with all the presents and excitement, and forget the real reason for the season, the first Christmas present, the birth of Jesus Christ.
See everyone next week!
Butch and Jill Bridges
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net
Nashobish Ikana
PO Box 11
Ardmore, Oklahoma 73402Save on long distance calls, just a couple cents a minute!
http://www.CheapLongDistance.org
Oklahoma Bells: http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/bellpage.html
American Flyers Memorial Fund - Administration Webpage
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/crash66.html
Official American Flyers Memorial Website
http://www.brightok.net/~wwwafm
Ardmore Army Air Field/Ardmore Air Force Base Website
http://www.brightok.net/~gsimmons
Mirror Site of the Ardmore Army Air Field/Ardmore Air Force Website
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/airbase/
Carter county schools, past and present
http://community.webshots.com/user/oklahomahistory
Carter County Government Website
http://www.brightok.net/cartercounty/
All previous issues of This & That can be found on my Website.
Feel free to forward this free newsletter. Mailouts: over 1,500.
To be removed from my T&T mailings, just send me an email.
I do not sell, trade or give my mailing list to anyone for any reason.
