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 July 5, 2003 to August 30, 2003.
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Saturday August 30, 2003 T&T Weekly Vol 7 Issue 332
Last week Ruby Martin told about John “Ed” Williams, a train engineer for many years in Ardmore. Ruby remembered him making his daily runs from Ardmore to Ringling and back during the 1930s. This week the great great grandson of Ed Williams wrote me saying he had some additional info on Ed and also a photograph. All the info and pix Dustin Luther has of Ed Williams can be found on his genealogy website. http://users.lmi.net/tyr/williams/index.html http://users.lmi.net/tyr/genealogy.html
Dustin Luther also has been told that a little league baseball diamond in Ardmore is named after Ed Williams. Do anyone know anything about that?
1899 – “Ardmore Through A Camera” The Ardmoreite. Ardmore Mill and Elevator Company. The pride of Ardmore, and in fact the whole surrounding country, is the new mill and elevator just completed at a cost of many thousands of dollars. L.H. Griffin and J.M. Floyd, the general managers of this new enterprise, kindly showed an Ardmoreite representative through the entire plant, which is certainly complete in all departments and capable of turning out as fine a grade of flour as any in the South. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/camera1899a.jpg
A Reader brought me by his new book this week! Its called Waaaay Out There! Even though the book is fiction, a person sure can put himself in those stories and Diggertown, Oklahoma. Stories its author, Tuklo Nashoba, tells in a fun way, and taking you to another time and place. Tuklo lives way up in those beautiful Arbuckle Mountains north of Ardmore. He only comes down to Ardmore and civilization when he has to, but I’m thankful he did come to town to bring me his book. There is a couple of ways you can get your hands on one of Tuklo’s books. One is to follow the link below. The other is to stop by DreamWeaver Outdoor Outfitters at Davis, Oklahoma. Take I-35 Exit 51 and where Buffalo Gap is they have a store in the restaurant. The display inside the store is on the east wall under a moose head. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/waaaayoutthere2.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/waaaayoutthere3.jpg http://www.southernokies.com/waaaayoutthere/
I received several emails this week asking if there is a chocolate icing recipe that went along with the chocolate cake recipe in last week’s T&T. These are from the 1934 Hershey’s Cookbook mentioned two weeks ago. You will find the icing recipe in the Mailbag below, so hurry on down to the Mailbag! lol
Frances Dunlap has been out running around again, and keeping a look-out for any bells in her travels. She sent me some photos this week of three bells she discovered. This first bell was taken at the First Baptist Church at Allen, Oklahoma. Thats a wee town in Pontotoc county, just NE of Ada, Oklahoma. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/allenbell3.jpg
This next bell is located at the St. Paul Catholic Church on Sunny Lane in Midwest City, Oklahoma. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/sunnylanebell3.jpg
This last photograph taken by Frances is at the Atwood, Oklahoma Church of the Nazarene. Atwood is near the center of Hughes county, just a 1/2 mile or less from the South Canadian River. Holdenville is the county seat for Hughes county. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/atwoodbell3.jpg
Carter County Sheriff Harvey Burkhart installed a new granite marker this week in front of the sheriffs office to recognize the sheriffs of this county since 1907. The locally quarried Autumn Rose granite is a beautiful tribute to the sheriffs of this county who served the public since statehood. I see the name James Cruce listed. Some of you who have been following my T&T for a while, will recognize that name as one I just stumbled on to by accident while doing some research in The Daily Ardmoreite archives on microfilm at Ardmore’s Chickasaw Library. In November 1925 Sheriff Ewing London was removed from office and local businessman James Cruce was appointed to serve as sheriff pending the litigation. 30 days later Judge Tom Pace in Purcell ordered Ewing London be re-instated to office. On the webpage below is a photo of James Cruce. He lived out north of town on Mt Washington Road next to where Mt Washington school used to be located. He was a dairyman. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/cartersheriff3a.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/cartersheriff3b.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/cartersheriff3c.jpg http://www.brightok.net/cartercounty/cruce.html
I hope many of you got a glimpse of Mars when it was closest to the earth this past week. I went out at 10pm last Wednesday evening, looked to the southeast of Ardmore, and there was this very bright object, yellow in color, low in the sky. You could definitely tell it was not an ordinary star. It was a very interesting event occurance and a lifetime opportunity to those of us who was able to see it.
SOME LETTERS FROM THIS WEEK’S MAILBAG
“There are Ludwig Isenberg prints for sale at the Greater Southwest Historical Museum. The two prints that are currently available in the gift shop are of the Hardy Sanitarium and Von Keller Hospital. The Museum is located at 35 Sunset Drive, in Ardmore. If anyone has questions they can call the Museum at 580-226-3857.”
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“Hi Butch. I used to have one of these trees in my yard at a house I previously owned. It is called a Weeping Mulberry (non fruit bearing). These trees grow super fast and once the branches have started reaching the ground if you trim them back to the top, the branches will reach the ground again within a week.” http://bio.bd.psu.edu/plant_web/Moraceae/Weeping_Mulberry_Plant.html
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“Just a FYI, Mr. Rowe’s first name was Omer. His wife Celestine was Superintendent at Mt. Washington in the ’40’s when I went to school there. They had two children; Sue and Charles. Mr. Rowe was a colorful individual.”
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“Butch, it is hard to say for sure, since I can’t see the shape of the leaves very well, but we used to have a tree similar to the unusual one in Mr. Wall’s yard, and it was called a weeping mulberry. The mulberry has leaves of several different shapes on it—some look almost like those of an American elm and others have a shape more like a maple leaf. Some are straight on one side and deeply erose on the other. Weeping mulberries are very pretty when in full leaf. I don’t know if they bear fruit or not. Hope some other reader can corroborate this. I really enjoy your newsletter.” -Barbara Derby
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“Butch, The tree is a grafted hybrid and is called a “Weeping Mulberry”. There are several varieties of weeping trees. They are great for landscaping as they are bred to be small in stature. They will expand to about six feet in diameter. Wal-Mart should have them this winter. I really enjoy your newsletter. keep it flying.” -Tom Ed Moore k5zxe@swbell.net Lawton, OK
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“Butch, I keep this Oklahoma Mileage Chart on my desktop. It comes in handy.” https://oklahomahistory.net/countymileagechart.html
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“Butch, I wouldn’t be surprised if that Mr. Williams that Ruby Martin remembers was my great-great grandfather. His name was John “Ed” Williams. I’ve been told many times that he was an engineer in the Ardmore area. As a matter of fact, my grandfather tells stories about traveling back to Ardmore every summer in late 1930’s. They were able to make the long trip from Southern California because their grandfather worked for the railroads. As best as I can tell, Ed Williams was born on September 29, 1880 (location unknown) and he died around 1975 in Ardmore. If anyone has any more information on him (or his parents), I’d love to get in touch with you. Also, if anyone is interested, I recently come across a huge selection of photos of him (and his family), but I haven’t scanned many of them yet. Just tell me if you are interested, and I’ll update you after I’ve scanned them.” -Dustin Luther tyr@lmi.net
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“All the 1934 icings were listed in another chapter, so here’s an entire page with 4 to choose from. Happy baking!” https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/choco1934icing.jpgQ. What is 4X sugar?
A. The “X” designations are derived from the mesh sizes of the screens used to separate powdered sugar into various sizes. Thus, 4X would have a larger particle size, whereas 10X would have a smaller particle size.
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“It was great to hear someone mention the Ardmore Rosebuds AAA baseball team. I have great memories of them. I was about 10 when my dad would take me to see their games. I loved going. It would get me all fired up to play on my little league team that was coached by Skinny Stewart, one of the nicest guys I can remember. There were quite a few players that came through to play the Redbuds that ended up in the majors. The one I remember from the Rosebuds was Pete Ward, who had a unique batting grip with his hands a couple inches apart on the handle. He ended up with the White Sox. One day I was down at the Duke campground on Lake Murray playing ball with my friends on the field they had there, and the Rosebuds came down there to practice for some reason. Well, we had to give the field up to them, but they asked us if we wanted to go out and shag fly balls while they took batting practice. I remember that the guys on the Rosebuds were really amazed that a little 10 year old kid like me was really running all over the outfield and making some nice catches. I can still remember how high those fly balls seemed to a little guy like me. Nothing like what a little leaguer would hit. They kept teasing me and telling me they were going to sign me up on their team. Boy, was I pumped up for a long time after that!” -Skip
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“Butch, as a kid growing up in Ardmore in a golfing family my dad used to take us to play at Sunset, or as he called it Goat Hill, Golf course. Was wondering if any of your readers remember the course, what the green fees were, and/or maybe a scorecard or description of the holes. Unfortunately my most vivid memory of the course was that there was poison oak in the creek on the 8th fairway.”
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“HI Butch, and greetings from upstate N.Y. About spiders and ants. We have had a particularly wet, warm summer here this year and the ant population has been about average but the spiders have been out of control. Everywhere you look there are webs, and if you knock them down there is just a new one the next day. It has been so bad that people are getting spiders indoors in their houses and the local business owners are killing them indoors and out on a daily basis. I don’t know how they get in. YUCK !!”
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“Butch, I loved the all night singings. It was so nice to be out in the country and lay back on a quilt and enjoy the quartets…they were good. The only thing not great was when you went to the restroom and had to go to an outdoor toilet with four or five holes all on one board. That is a little too close for me. But still those were the days. I take it that you never went to it. You missed a good time.”
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“Hi Butch. Ms. Martin was telling about Mr. Williams and the train, his name was Ed Williams. He lived in the unit block of 6th Ave N.W. He was kinda like a second Daddy to me when I was young. When he retired in the late 60s or early 70s he had over 50 years of service with the Santa Fe railroad. At that time more than anyone else with the company. His wife’s name was Stella. The lived across the street and 2 houses down from me. When I was about 8 or 9 years old he took me on a run out to Ringling once. He was a very fine and kind gentleman.” -Tommy Harris
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“Hi Butch. I used to have one of these trees in my yard at a house I previously owned. It is called a Weeping Mulberry (non fruit bearing). These trees grow super fast and once the branches have started reaching the ground if you trim them back to the top, the branches will reach the ground again within a week.” http://bio.bd.psu.edu/plant_web/Moraceae/Weeping_Mulberry_Plant.html
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“Thought you may like to take a look at these photos taken in Lancaster, England 26 miles north from here, I know you are impressed with your dome, so thought of you, and even though I have passed this building many a time before, its the first time I have had a photo opportunity, its pretty impressive isnt it, taken from the castle walls. Notice the green petina of the copper dome in the picture. Here is a website with some info on the building its worth a look at: http://williamsonpark.u-net.com when you get there just click on Ashton Memorial on the left hand side, its short and sweet.” -Judith in England https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/lancasterdome2.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/lancasterdome3.jpg
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“Hi Butch, I am pretty sure that tree belonging to Mr Wall in last week’s newsletter is a variety of a weeping mulberry tree. Here is a pic of a more mature variety of a weeping cherry taken from my neighbors garden. These trees can grow as tall as 30ft unless they are the dwarf variety.” -England https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/weepmulberryUK.jpg ————————————————————————
“I am seeking info on James A. Jones and Mary Jones that gave birth to my Dad Bert Jones at Coalgate, Oklahoma, May 3, 1889. He also had a sister about 5 years old. Any Information would be appreciated. Thanks.” -Buddy Jones Budj180@aol.com
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“I needed to look up the dates for the Amish Arts and Craft Fair in Clarita,, Oklahoma.” http://travelok.com/ourevents/eventsdetail.asp?id=1+60+60
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========================================================================On the wings of a snow white dove
He sends His pure sweet love
A sign from above
On the wings of doveWhen troubles surround us
When evils come
The body grows weak
The spirit grows numb
When these things beset us
He doesn’t forget us
He sends down His love
On the wings of a dove.-Sung by Ferlin Huskey 1960 and
Written by Bob Ferguson (sister Missouri Brown of Hugo, Oklahoma)
http://www.tennessean.com/local/archives/01/04/06834823.shtmlSee everyone next Saturday!
Butch Bridges
Lone Grove, Oklahoma~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Saturday August 23, 2003 T&T Weekly Vol 7 Issue 331
I was talking to Ruby Godwin Martin out NW of Ardmore this week. She was telling about a Mr. Williams who was the Engineer on the train that made two trips a day from Ardmore to Ringling. Ruby said you could set your clock by him, his train would come by at straight up 10:00am going west, and came back through by their property at exactly 3pm going back into Ardmore. Ruby’s parents, James Perry Godwin and Mattie, settled around 1925 near 12th NW and Kings Road. When Ruby was growing up in the 30s, 1935 was a very dry year (Dust Bowl Years) and all the grass was dead or near dead from the drought. Along the railway right-of-way the grass was greener for some reason. Some thought it may have been from the water and steam coming off the train as it traveled back and forth. Mr. Williams the Engineer told Ruby’s parents they could let their cows in on the right-a-way to eat the green grass, as long as the cows were back behind the fence when he came through at 10 and 3 each day.
Those cows became so trained, they knew when Mr. Williams blew that train whistle two or three miles from their property, to get off the right-a-way and back into their own pasture. Many times back in the 30s Mr. Williams would stop the train there for a couple of minutes and give Ruby and her brothers a piece of candy or a sucker. Maybe someone will remember what Mr. Williams first name was. Ruby remembers that most of the time the train was carrying lumber west in the mornings to Healdton and Ringling for building purposes and in the afternoon on its way back it had mostly oil tankers.
As a little background information on Ruby Martin, she worked for the Carter County Assessors Office many years. Ruby graduated from Plainview High School on a Friday in May 1946 and on the next day, Saturday, she received a call from then Superintendent of Schools J. Kelly Baker (1903-1984). The Superintendent of Schools office at that time was located across the hall from the County Clerks Office on the first floor of the courthouse where the Land Office is today.
Ruby worked for J. Kelly Baker about 3 months when another opening came up in County Attorney Ernest Tate’s office to answer the phone which she took as temporary help. During the Fall of 1946 J. Kelly Baker had enrolled at OU and was going to school. When the county commissioners heard he was hardly ever in his office because of attending OU at Norman, they confronted him on the issue, he was asked to resign, which J. Kelly Baker did, and the commissioners appointed Omer Rowe as Superintendent of Schools. Meanwhile Ruby continued to work for County Attorney Ernest Tate until the end of the year when another temporary job opening came up at the Assessors Office when the new assessor Bill France took office. The Assessor was needing someone to answer the phone so Ruby went to work for Bill France in January 1947 and worked there until retiring in 1964 when she married Leonard Martin. In March 1965 she was asked to come back for a little while by Bill France when they couldn’t balance the books for reporting to Oklahoma City. Thanks to Ruby’s help and knowledge, the books were balanced and Ruby went back into retirement.
I received several emails from Readers wondering where they could purchase prints by Ludwig Isenberg. Maybe someone out there knows where there are some available for purchase.
Back in the February 16, 2002 T&T we talked about a tin shop located at 3rd and A NE catty cornered across from Cashway Lumber Company back in the 40s and 50s. The shop was owned by an Indian named Garvin Shi and among other tin items that he produced, was Shi-Maid Water Cans. I remember my grandfather always having that water can handy out in the lumber yard with a block of ice in it from Crystal Ice company, delivered by Roy Pylant back in the 60s. A Reader found one of those water cans in storage and sent photos of it this week. The label said Shi-Maid. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/shimaid2.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/shimaid3.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/shimaid4.jpg
He also found a piece of railroad history too. An AT&SF Railway oil can. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/at&sfcan2.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/at&sfcan3.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/at&sfcan4.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/at&sfcan5.jpg
Selling his business interests at Berwyn, Oklahoma, Sidney Suggs came to Ardmore and purchased the Daily Ardmoreite on June 18, 1897, paying $600 for the plant and good will. Suggs would later be appointed by Governor Cruce as Oklahoma’s first Highway Commissioner. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/suggssidney1910.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/suggssidney3a.jpg http://digital.library.okstate.edu/Chronicles/v013/v013p101.html
Here are a couple of pixs of that Empress Tree a Reader told me about growing on Foxden Road south (Jay Norman Road) at the east edge of Lone Grove. These leaves are not quite as big as the leaves on my Empress tree. The tree presently has berries on it and there is directions in the Mailbag below on how to use the seeds to sprout new Empress trees. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/empresswall3a.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/empresswall3b.jpg
Mr Wall also had a very usual tree growing in his yard. I’m not sure what the name of this tree is, and maybe some out out there can tell us. What makes it so usual is it looks like its limbs have wilted, they droop down, they just bend backwards and point toward the ground. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/walltree3.jpg
Boy, I should have known all you chocolate lovers out there would email me when you couldnt find that 1934 Herseys chocolate cake recipe. Here it is again! Okay Mike, you can head on in to the kitchen. lol https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/recipecake3.jpg
I mentioned last May I was down in Gainesville, Texas and took some pixs of some paintings hanging on the wall of the new Gainesville Law Enforcement Center. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/gvillepd3a.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/gvillepd3b.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/gvillepd3c.jpg
Here is a pix I took of the Gainesville, Texas courthouse and copper dome. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/gvillecourt3.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/gvilledome3a.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/gvilledome3b.jpg
There is a New Haven clock hanging in the Carter County Commissioners Office at the Annex Building and no one seems to know just how old the clock is, but its older than 1982. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/commissionersclock.jpg
After figuring out I was entering the wrong ID and Password trying to get into my n-dream account, I now believe their service is working pretty good. They are catching many of the spam emails I dont want in my inbox. It is a free service, but they do accept/need donations to keep the service going. I’ll give the service another week or two, and if they continue to keep my inbox clean, I’ll making a donation using my PayPal account.
SOME LETTERS FROM THIS WEEK’S MAILBAG
“There was a question regarding gospel music gatherings near Overbrook back in the 1950s. I think these were the Stamps Quartet affiliated singings and I think they were held at the McAlester church immediately west of Overbrook.” -Harold Burton, Ardmore, OK
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“Butch, In Answer to person wanting info about the singing at Overbrook. That was called the All Night Indian Singing which was held in honor of the Indian men that were in WWII, I think, and it was held at the McAlester Baptist Church west of Overbrook. The church is still there and still has services. You go west of Hwy 77 at Overbrook and Lake Murray intersection until it comes to T (past I-35 overpass ) then go south about 1/4 mile and it is there on west side of road. The singing was always held on 2nd Saturday night in August and they always had a large crowd. ritac@brightok.net
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“Butch, I read about the Hershey’s Cookbook, and the recipe for the cake, but you didn’t include it. Were you just teasing, or do you really have the recipe? I was headed to the kitchen to stir it up, but no.”
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“Built by the Oklahoma, New Mexico and Pacific Railway Company, Ardmore to Wilson in 1913, extended to Ringling in 1914. The railroad was built under contract by John Ringling and controlled by him through ownership of all the capital stock except the director’s qualifying shares. (Yes, the John Ringling of circus fame.)Ringling Jct. to Healdton built in 1916-17 by the Ringling and Oil Fields Railway and built under contract by the Ringling Construction Company.
The Healdton and Santa Fe Railway Company was incorporated October 13, 1925, to acquire the properties of the OMN&P and the R&OF. Leased to the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway January 1, 1926. Abandoned by the Santa Fe, July 12, 1976.
From “Railroads of Oklahoma,” by Preston George and Sylvan Wood, revised and re-issued by the Oklahoma Department of Transportation January 1, 1970, with further revisions July 1, 1974, and April 1, 1978. The original publication by George and Wood was in 1943; information from 1943 on obtained from the Oklahoma Corporation Commission, Oklahoma Historical Society and from private files, according to the ODOT survey engineer’s preface to the 1978 edition.”
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“Butch, Your including the words of the Tennessee Waltz in this week’s newsletter reminded me to tell you about my dear friend, Redd Stewart. I work in the Commercial Music Department at South Plains College in Levelland, Texas. About 10 years ago I had the great privilege of producing the last 2 musical albums that Redd would ever produce. He was the co-writer of The Tennessee Waltz along with Pee Wee King. He worked as guitarist/fiddler/band leader for Pee Wee throughout his career. He was a wonderful musician and a first class human being, also a World War II veteran. On his song composition list are also the great songs, You Belong To Me, Soldier’s Last Letter, and Slowpoke, to name a few. Redd passed away a couple of weeks ago at the age of 82. His wonderful wife, Darlene, who was much younger than him, had just died about a month before. She, along with her sister, had been a dancer and had appeared many times on some of the old Grand Ole Opry shows. Just a bit of trivia for those of you who appreciate great music.” -Rusty Hudelson, Texas
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“I hope you didn’t stop with just a burger when you went to Meers. That cobbler and home made ice cream would be a shame to miss. Also, I was expecting the Chocolate Cake Recipe from the 1934 Hershey’s Cookbook. If you have it, please send it to me. I had a piece of chocolate cake Tuesday night at Mike Mass’s watch party that was out of sight! I’m going to try to get that recipe.”
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“The party that wanted to relocate the place where we used to have big singings once a year-that is the Indian Baptist Church where you exit off I-35 to go to Lake Murray Lodge. It is on the west side and a road leads south to the location. They used to make coffee in big wash pots over the fire and Quartets from all over, (famous ones) came to these affairs. It was an all night thing and big crowds attended.”
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“With all the discussion about baseball teams, nobody has mentioned Ardmore’s one glorious year in the AAA league. Sometime between 1960 and 1963, someone purchased the Victoria Rosebud franchise and moved it to Ardmore. I don’t remember whether it was there all season or just part of it; anyway, attendance apparently didn’t justify the franchise, because it did not return the next season. But, for a while, there were the AAA Ardmore Rosebuds.” RKWard@SWBell.net
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“Butch, I really enjoyed this week’s T&T. Especially the pictures. I will have to pay a visit to city hall the next time that I am in Ardmore. I wonder if you can buy prints of Ludwig’s sketches. The All Night Singing was at McAlester near Overbrook. It was started by Jessie Jim after WWII to honor the veterans. TO get there, turn West off 1-35 Overbrook exit. Follow the road to the right and you will come to the McAllister Church and cemetery. The singing was held on the lawn of the church. Yep, those were the good old days. They had some really good singing from all over. I believe that the singing was held the first weekend in Aug. I could be wrong. Anyone else out there know more about it?”
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“Hello Butch, I enjoyed the articles about Woody Guthrie. He was a very good entertainer. I personally found that his cousin, Jack Guthrie, was a much better singer and performer. They also did some singing together. I’m not saying that Woody wasn’t good. He was very good. The song that got me interested in Jack Guthrie was “Oklahoma Hills” that Jack recorded in the mid 40s. This made a lot of us in the service homesick for dear ol Oklahoma.” LEEWAS@aol.com
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“I use to go to the All Night Singing also. There was a LOT of people, and beautiful singing. It was really a great thing to go and be a part of. Can’t you see the old Church from I35 in the area around the exit to go to Lake Murray? ahhh……memories.”
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“Butch, I have noticed something interesting during the past week. It seems that the ants are working in full-force and “overtime” collecting food. I have several cats that I feed on my front porch…have done so for years, and have never seen so much activity from the ants. They have been working all day, every day, even way into the night, trying to take bits of leftover catfood back to their homes. I am wondering if this means we are going to have an early fall or rough winter? My dad used to say that when the ants were extra busy and worked non-stop, we could expect that. That has been the case here. Someone said it is because it has been so dry this summer. Well, we had an ongoing drought for several years, a few years back, and I don’t recall them toiling for food so much. Also, as I was driving out to Dickson this past week, my granddaughter and I noticed HUGE spider webs which had been spun on the trees, bushes, and even attached to signs and mailboxes on the south side of the road. It was foggy that morning, and moisture was clinging to the webs, which probably made them easier to see as the sun was trying to peek through. Anyway, I bet we saw at least 50 of them, once we took notice of them. I thought some of your readers might be able to explain the significance, if there is one. Just food for thought, I guess!”
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“Hi Butch, In response to an inquiry last week, I believe South Cemetery was the name of the cemetery now known as Rose Hill. If I recall what Mr. Ham told me, the first Ardmore cemetery was where Central Park is now, and in 1895 a new cemetery was opened called South Cemetery. At that time, as many grave sites as could be found were moved from Central Park to South Cemetery. Later it was renamed Rose Hill.Regarding your mention of the power surges in SW Ardmore, I would like to hear more. On a good year, here at 7th and P, we have at least four outages. We had a big one in June when a tree fell, and then another mysterious one in July that lasted about two hours or a little less. I have had blown out, my tv (twice), my computer modem, my refrigerator and most recently my dish washing machine. I can put surge controls on most everything but my dishwasher. Really makes me mad that in this day and age we have such unpredictable service and are left to pay for the damage.”
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“I have just had a copy of your latest ‘This and That’ forwarded to me and am amazed that I remember some of the things you talk about. I was born in Ardmore in the ’40s, grew up in Healdton, Davis, and Norman but always considered Ardmore home. My early house and my grandmother’s place is still standing on the hill across the highway from the Noble Foundation–in fact as you know belongs to the Foundation and is their guest house. I recently had occasion to visit it with my sisters and the memories came flooding back. And we remembered why Ardmore was so special in our lives; the ice cream molds at Christmas from Colvert’s Dairy, the old drive in movie across the highway from the house, The Corral, etc. Please put me on your Saturday morning email list. Thanks.” -John H. Bennett, II
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“Widow pensions from the Carter County Budget in 1936.” http://genforum.genealogy.com/ok/messages/18363.html
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“Butch, Just letting you know the Amish Auction at Clarita, Oklahoma is coming up. If you have never been its a true find. It is September the 13th. This auction helps the Amish School. It is huge. You can find anything from antiques to crafts, and food. Good old amish food. Chicken and noodles, cakes, pies, all home made from the amish women. The children are running around in their little amish clothes. You would enjoy it if you get the chance to go. They have a quilt action and the quilts have been known to go as high as $4000.00. Just thought you might like to know about this.”
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“Enjoyed this week’s issue of T&T as always. With all your pictures and all your readers I was wondering if someone would a picture on here that I could be download to put on a booklet I am making similar to the “Teller Cemetery” booklet. This one is “Pioneers of Ind. Terr., Okla”. I need a picture of a covered wagon to put on the front!!” rbeaver@simplynet.net
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“Here is a map of the Davis, Dougherty, Sulphur and Lake Arbuckle area.” ———————————————————————— “Butch: One of your readers wrote in and asked, ” Ever travel around the lake and maybe take pictures of the dam especially if the waters high? We used to enjoy taking that risk, cause that water came rushing over the dam pretty fast sometimes.” Actually, the water does not spill over the dam, it spills over the spillway with is a cut through the rock fault that runs through there. The dam is actually about two hundred yards east of the spillway. Few people know when they are on the dam. They are busily looking out over the lake and not looking off the back of the dam. It is an earthen fill dam about a hundred vertical feet high which fills in a natural gap in a rock fault which protrudes up on the lakeside of the dam. Look off the backside and see how high it really is. Most people are surprised. My father-in-law, Bert Paschall, owned a farm for years at the southeast corner of the park. If I remember correctly he said the dam was built in the late 1930’s. He said at the time there was a lot of controversy about whether or not the lake would ever fill up enough to run water over the spillway. According to Bert one of the engineers had a bet it never would. I think Bert told me the water first ran over the spillway in the early 1940’s, and the engineer came to see for himself before he paid the bet. I first came to Lake Murray in 1949, married one of Bert’s daughters in 1950 and was a frequent user of the lake. I have seen the water run over the spillway knee deep. Bert and I on occasion helped rescue people who drove their cars into the rushing water and almost got washed away down the creek. I have some good stories to tell about the spillway, especially one about Bert, a pack rat, and the spillway.” -Don Davidson, Brenham, Texas
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“Empress tree can be cloned to combat global warming.” http://www.worldtreetech.com/
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“Butch, The Empress tree looks loaded with seed pods. Each can hold 750+- seeds. They will ripen in October. You have to get to them before they open up because the seed is winged and very small. Surface sow the seed (do not cover with any media) they need light to germinate. Keep moist at 80f +- and in about 14 days they will start growing. I keep mine in the seed flats for about 4 or 5 weeks before transplanting.” https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/empresswall3a.jpg
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“Someone wrote in this issue about Overbrook, OK. It reminded me of my great grandfather preaching in and around the Overbrook area. His name was Isaac Franklin Stanford, and the Marsden Baptist Church has a list of his preaching records and I’ve listed them along with a short portion of my notes on him, from my FTM below:The Stanford family believes that Isaac was the first pastor of the Marsden Baptist Church, and preached around the vicinity as a pioneer preacher. The Enon Associational Pastoral History Records lists 1888 as the first year Isaac preached in Oklahoma, which would have been shortly after he arrived there. Some in the Marsden church believe it may have possibly been in existence when he became pastor, as the community of Marsden was started between 1865 and 1870. They had a Post Office from Feb 7., 1895 through June 30, 1922. The only building left to identify the Marsden Community at this time is the Marsden Baptist Church. It’s possible that church meetings may have been held, and perhaps Isaac “organized” the church. The Enon Associational History Records have recorded the following years and places where Isaac preached:
1888 Marsden
1889 Marsden
1890 Marsden
1891 Marsden, Marietta, Pleasant View, New Hope, Oak Grove, Arnoldville, Salt Creek, Overbrook and Cheek
1892 New Hope, Oak Grove, Marsden, Pleasant View and Cheek.
1893 Marsden, New Hope
1894 Marsden, New Hope and Harmony
1895 Marsden, Pleasant View and New Hope.
1896 Marsden, Salt Creek, Marietta and New Hope
1897 Marsden and New Hope
1898 Marsden
1899 Marsden, Pleasant View, Salem, Brock, Salt Creek and Antioch
1900 Marsden, Antioch, Brock, Salt Creek, Pleasant View and Marietta
1901 Marsden and Antioch
A Woman’s Missionary Society was organized in 1891 and lists a Miss Nora (Missouri Lenora) Stanford, Overbrook, as secretary. ” Pgngn@cs.com
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“Here’s something I found while surfing tonight: It’s about The Four Horsemen, a flight demo team from Ardmore Air Force Base who flew the 130s in formation as tight as the Blue Angels or Thunderbirds.” http://www.historynet.com/ahi/blthefourhorsemen/
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========================================================================“I’ve been telling my dreams to the scarecrow,
’bout the places that I’d like to see.
I say, ‘Friend do you think I’ll ever get there?’
Oh but he just stands there smiling back at me.”
-“Born to Fly”, Sara Evans, Released Fall of 2000See everyone next Saturday!
Butch Bridges
Lone Grove, Oklahoma~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Saturday August 16, 2003 T&T Weekly Vol 7 Issue 330
In last weeks T&T Ernest Martin mentioned going to Ardmore’s City Hall on business, and noticed several drawings by Ludwig Isenberg hanging on the wall on the first floor. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/isenberg92a.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/isenberg92b.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/isenberg92c.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/isenberg92d.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/isenberg92e.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/isenberg92f.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/isenberg92g.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/isenberg92h.jpg
This week the Oklahoma Natural Gas crews were using a jackhammer behind the old Colston Building (built 1918) at West Main and “A” Street to break up the concrete so they could get at a gas line. I remember my dad R.V. “Battleship” Bridges telling me that when he worked for the State Highway Department, he used one of those jackhammers all day long. Said it was really rough on the body. Here is a pix I took this week of the crew breaking up that concrete. Thats Rick Feiler’s Bail Bond office behind the workers. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/jackhammer803.jpg
A Reader in Whitesboro, Texas was raised at Brown Springs south of Thackerville, Oklahoma. He was down at the Springs a few weeks ago looking around, and took some pixs of what is left of the old toll bridge people used to get across the Red River. The toll bridge was just a little to the west of where the Springs is located. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/tollbridgebrownsprings2.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/tollbridgebrownsprings3.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/tollbridgebrownsprings4.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/tollbridgebrownsprings5.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/tollbridgebrownsprings6.jpg
He also took a couple of pixs of the Springs. Workmen had tore up the path up the hill to the cemetery so four-wheelers couldnt run up and down. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/brownsprings3a.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/brownsprings3b.jpg
About three weeks ago I had a pix of my great aunt Eva Carmon Randol, who was a milliner (hat maker) at Daube’s Department store back around 1920. I posted a message in a http://www.genealogy.com Forum, and low and behold this week someone sent me an email with several pieces of info on my Aunt Eva. Below is the email they posted:
“I don’t have any marriage info for you but did find Eva Carmon in the 1910 census. It says she was a student at the St. Joseph’s Academy (a Catholic School) at 200 Kansas St., St. Louis, MO. If the church and/or school still exists you might be able to write them for more info. Eva was 15 at the time. In 1920 I found her living in Ardmore, but she appears to be living alone, no sign of any siblings. She was a milliner in a department store.” -Nancy https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/evacarmoncloseup.jpg
A Reader told me this week about this gorgeous Empress Tree out at Lone Grove. It is just south of Highway 70 on Jay Norman Road (now called Foxden Rd). He said it was 50 feet tall or more, with beautiful berries hanging and those huge leaves. I’ll get out that way and take a pix of it.
Last week I talked about Don Miller bringing by some of those delicious sausage, gravy and biscuits for people around the courthouse. When I had my camera in hand, he just happened to be at Joyce Self’s office making a delivery. But I didn’t tell the whole story last week. Those goodies were for Ed Reed. What Joyce didnt know, was I waited around for several minutes hoping she’d walk down the hall somewhere, so I could grab a couple of those sausages for myself! hahaha https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/donmiller3.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/sausagebiscuit3.jpg
Speaking of those sausage and biscuits and gravy, I received an email from England saying they had never seen anything like it. And white gravy? They have brown gravy over there but had never heard of white gravy. lol Boy we got it good here in Oklahoma and don’t know it!
It looks like Doug Williams is trying to give me competition on bell collecting. He found this little cutie somewhere, took a pix, sent it to me and told me to eat my heart out. Now is that a friend, or is that a friend! https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/dougbell81003.jpg
My webshot albums set another record this week with 1,300 hits! http://community.webshots.com/user/oklahomahistory
Just an update on the courthouse clock: I received a call this week from T&T Reader asking if the clock was fixed yet. I said no, I was having trouble getting that brass gear off an electric rewind motor. He volunteered to help. The next morning here he and a friend came with all the tools needed to do the job. He now has the gear and a new one is being made.
We’ve talked a lot about the 1973 movie Dillinger the past few weeks. One Reader called me the other day and saying it looked like to him the movie was being shown on the AMC channel several times a day and has been for over a month. There has been many tidbits of info passed along by numerous Readers. But one piece of information seems to have been over looked. Melvin Purvis was played by actor Ben Johnson (1919-1996). Johnson was born near Foraker, Oklahoma (northwest of Bartlesville over in Osage County).
SOME LETTERS FROM THIS WEEK’S MAILBAG
“I was down at Meers, Oklahoma last summer and shot the accompanying photo of it. At that time the Longhorn burgers still pretty well filled a tin pie plate! It was worth the hour’s wait in line to get served.” https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/meers3a.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/meers3b.jpg
“The other pic is a replica of the Liberty Bell that’s in the city hall of Franklin, TN. When I saw it I thought of your bell collection and that’s why I shot it.” -Jim Kyle https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/franklinbell3.jpg
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“Hello, I would like to invite you to Indian Village! Indian Village is a free for all site intended to develop the Native American trade market on the Internet. The site was originally developed in 1997 and has grown substantially since. We get about 1500 unique visitors per now and would like to invite your participation! If you buy, sell or trade in Native American Indian items, you can easily build your own online trading post complete with shopping cart, secure server, automated tax and shipping calculation, accounting system and more. The average store takes about three hours to build. There are no fees or hosting charges, we are just trying to be a service to the Native American Market. Our only stipulation is that your products must be 50% native american hand made.” -John Hartman
john@IndianVillage.com
970 375.2400
Durango, Colorado
http://www.IndianVillage.com
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“Hey Butch!! You mentioned a few weeks ago about the Hershey’s 1934 Cookbook. I got a copy of the book from my mom and scanned the cover for you to see. I also scanned the “Old-Fashioned Chocolate Cake” recipe just in case someone gets an itch for a really good chocolate cake. This particular book is a reproduction, and was offered as an anniversary edition (or something like that). My mom also came across another old cookbook called “What’s Cookin’ in Ardmore”. It was compiled by the Sanctuary Guild of the First Methodist Church. There is no date anywhere on the book, but you can tell by the ads (notice the phone numbers) that it’s an old book. Enjoy the pics! https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/hersheycover1934.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/memberslist3.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/ads1.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/cooperad3.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/daubead3.jpg
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“Butch. Here are some photos. This is (as you can see from the sign) a Baptist church in Nova Scotia. It was built in 1920 by the parishioners except for the stone cutter who cut and placed the granite blocks of the foundation and corner supports. The bell was removed from the tower when the ringer got too old to climb the stairs. The wood mounted inside all came from one tree imported from British Columbia. Turn the interior picture upside down and see how the locals build a boat hull!” -T.E. (Thal) McGinness, Houston, TX. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/novascotia1920a.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/novascotia1920b.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/novascotia1920c.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/novascotia1920d.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/novascotia1920e.jpg
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“I was out at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Youth Camp (which is about 16 miles east of I 35 on old 66, then 3 miles or so north) near Wellston, OK. They have a nice chapel they’ve built there out of logs, and it has an old bell in it, which I think is from the Catholic Church in Tipton that was closed a few years ago. http://www.catharchdioceseokc.org/Youth/summercamp.htmRegarding chicken fried steak, I do think the best chicken fried steak I’ve ever et was at the old Curtis Cafe in Frederick, Oklahoma. It’s long closed now, but they had great food. I remember a waitress, Maude, pronounced “Maudey” of course, she always waited on us and gave us kids candy. These days, living in OKC, about the best chicken fried steak I’ve found is at any of the Jimmy’s Egg House cafes. The Roundup out on NW 10th used to have a good one, but it has changed hands. There is a cafe at NW 10th and May, by the fair grounds, which has a good CFS, and so does Nics, a little diner on the westside of N Penn about NW 12th. Regarding Meers, I first went there at age 6 or 7, which would be back in the 1950s, my grandparents told me there was an escalator there and I was excited because of course we didn’t have any escalators in Frederick, Oklahoma and I thought that would be something to see. Well, there was an escalator, 3 or 4 wooden steps right in front. We went there a few months ago and the place looked about like it did in the 1950s, except there were other newer buildings across the road. the food was really good, the hamburgers are from the Texas Longhorns that I guess derive from the Wichita Mtns Wildlife Refuge somehow. maybe a herd built up from some they bought from there.” -Robert Waldrop, OKC http://www.oklahomafood.org
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“Butch, We drove over to the old Alma, Oklahoma (NE Carter County) school today to see if that would be a good place for the “have camera will travel man” (you). Well, I don’t think there is much there good for a picture. The rock frame of the school still stands, but the roof has caved in. There are lots of broken down trees, weeds, etc in front of it too. There is a rock fence around it, one side says something like the WPA project, but the other side is unreadable, if anything was there at all, for what I could see from the car.”
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“Butch, I am doing a project and need as many pictures of the old Artesian Hotel in Sulphur as I can find. I know many of your readers are former and present citizens of Sulphur. Any help will be appreciated.” gilliam@brightok.netNote: Here is a 1910 photo of the Sulphur Artesian Hotel https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/sulart10.jpg
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“Butch. I was checking out your web site today, boy did those pictures bring back some memories. Ever travel around the lake and maybe take pictures of the dam especially if the waters high. We used to enjoy taking that risk, cause that water came rushing over the dam pretty fast sometimes.”
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Note: This email was in last weeks, but I had a typo in Bob’s email address. If you tried to send him email and it bounced back, please resend it.“Have enjoyed the recent (and previous) brochures and info on the Texas Chief. We made a number of trips on it between Chicago and Ardmore- involving a change at Dearborn Station in Chicago. But wondering if anyone has a picture of the Chief itself in or near the Depot. Would sure like to have one. Also, may have that “Ardmore Syndrome”- was stationed at the base, met my wife in Ardmore, got married in Ardmore , had a couple of businesses in Ardmore, and to this day read the Ardmoreite on line almost every day, and oh yes, I used milk from a Colverts Dairy bottle just this morning! Wonder if that means I’ve got it still! Incidentally there seems to be no known cure for this and apparently it is not fatal!! Also knew one of your recent contributors, Irmadene Mapp Blakenship and if she has access to e-mail would love to get in touch.” BobF327631@aol.com
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“Butch, Recently a reader of T&T, Mr Gaines, mentioned living at Big Canyon (Murray County) when his father worked for Dolese Bros. Co. at the Big Canyon Quarry. If he is still reading T&T, I would like for him to contact me at RipRap@sbcglobal.net I think I remember his father. I will attempt to send a picture of the employee houses at Big Canyon in the 1950’s. I am not too good at this and I hope it comes through. I also have other pictures of Big Canyon that I can send later.” -Roy Miller, OKC https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/bigcanyon1950a.jpgHere is the same photo but much larger, over 350k and with much more detail. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/bigcanyon1950.jpg
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“Thomas the Tank Engine, the popular blue steam engine made popular through children’s books, television shows and a movie, will be making a visit to the Grapevine Vintage Railroad in Grapevine, Texas this October 9-13. “Day Out With Thomas” is a family event with a short train ride behind a full size replica of Thomas the Tank Engine and entertainment and activities for Thomas’s young fans. All tickets are $14 for ages one and up and may be purchased online at http://www.dallasrailwaymuseum.com or by calling toll free 866 466 3401.”
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“Hello Butch, in last weeks T&T a lady told about getting a telescope to watch the lights at night, well read this from the looking back section of the Duncan Banner. www.duncanbanner.com One Year Ago: There were unconfirmed reports of a return of the red light in the skies over Marlow. Marlow police said they were called out to investigate another sighting of “the visitor,” the name police gave to the mysterious red light that appeared in late July.”
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“I got to wondering what happened to the seven flavors of water over in Platt Park at Sulphur. I can only remember bromide and sulphur, but sure can remember tasting all the yucky flavors. Is the prairie dog town still out by Wirt?”
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“Hello Butch, I wonder if anyone remembers the all night gospel singing that were held each year down close to Overbrook? This was in the 1950s, and people would bring quilts to spread on the ground, there was always lots of people there. Those were fun times. Would like to relocate the area and check it with my metal detector.”
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“The Santa Fe’s “Antelope” prepares to meet the day in the predawn mists of a December, 1937 morning in Oklahoma City. Though used to smaller power, today’s edition of the train has drawn locomotive Number 3463, one of the line’s six legendary “Big Hudson” types. With 84″ drivers and plenty of horsepower behind them, the 3460-class Hudsons were generally considered the fastest steam power ever fielded by the AT&SF – well capable of speeds in excess of 120 mph. 3463 survives into the 21st Century – on static display at Topeka’s ExpoCentre park. “Big Iron on The Antelope” $15.00 (plus $5.00 postage and sales tax)” -Tom Elmore Artworks PO Box 6617 Moore, Oklahoma 73153-0617 Tel: (405)794-7163 Fax: (405)799-2641 gtelmore@aol.com https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/bigironantelope3.jpg
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“I used to go to baseball games at the old ballpark at the corner of North Washington and Monroe Street. I went there in the late 40s and early 50s and watched the Ardmore Indians play. They were one of several teams in the old Sooner State League. Teams from McAlester, Ada, Chickasha, Seminole, Lawton, and Duncan that I can remember. Ada Herfords, McAlester Rockets, Chickasha Chiefs, I think Lawton Braves, cant remember the names of the other teams. Benny Warren was one of the managers of the Ardmore team during that time. I was wondering if you have any history about the old Ardmore professional baseball club. Waco Turner later built the stadium that is now Cardinal Park off Pst SE. Then Ardmore had an affiliation with the St. Louis Cardinals that lasted a few years. Then at some point the whole league ceased to exist. Back then there was class AAA, AA, C, and D possibly others but The Sooner State League was class D ball. I found one photo of the old ballpark on your website but thats all. I can remember several of the players names from that era if it would be of any interest to you.. I would love to have some written history from those days of good ole times. ha ha ha Most of the players lived in Apartment houses along North Washington Street. I could talk about it all day but sure would appreciate any information you might have on the subject. Sincerely a fan of yours.” -Jim Greenaway
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“Just a quick comment. Don’t know if there is any thing of use here, but when I was delivering The Ardmoreite in the mid to late 50’s on C Street SW (203 C SW), there was a Mr. And Mrs. Maurice Bridge living there on the S.W. corner of “C” and Stanley. He had a stockbroker business in an office on the back of the house. The house is a very old landmark. It is shown on page 34 of the 1899 book “Ardmore Through a Camera” published by the Ardmoreite. I have an original copy which is crumbling but still readable. The house is shown as “A. C. Cruce’s residence”. I have only been on your mailing list for a short while so don’t know if you are aware of this book or not. But just in case, I thought I would let you know. Again, thanks for your newsletter and keep it up!” https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/cruce203csw2.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/cruce203csw3.jpg
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“Butch, I emailed you not long ago about my findings as we cleaned out my grandmothers house. I found a Shi-Maid Water Can with a green label that says Shi-Maid, Shi-Shy, Producer, Ardmore Oklahoma on it (arranged around the head of a lady). I see in a past “This and That” that you mentioned this particular can and the man who ran a sheet metal business in Ardmore in the late 40’s early 50’s. I could not get the link to work of the pic of the can (OklahomaHistory.net) do you know a good link to this picture? corrected link——–> https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/shican.jpgI also found a AT & SF RY (embossed on bottom) of a can that I believe to be an old Kerosene Can. My grandfather’s dad I believe was an engineer at one time for the railroad run going from Ardmore to Ringling. Do you know when this was in operation? His brother also was an engineer for the railroad running to Purcell and back I believe. Not sure of the dates. 40’s I believe (or sooner).”
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“I got all the stuff about the old toll bridge and brown springs over to the Morton Museum in Gainesville. TX.”
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“Butch, I grew up in Pauls Valley. I don’t remember hearing of Moman Pruiett until after WWII. I read a book about him, probably an autobiography, titled “The Tail of the Dragon”. It is out of print, no doubt but the library in Pauls Valley might have it. He was well known in Oklahoma City and Seattle as well as P.V. He was an interesting person.” -Bob Garrison
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========================================================================“I was dancin’ with my darlin’ to the Tennessee Waltz
When an old friend I happened to see
I introduced her to my loved one
And while they were dancin’
My friend stole my sweetheart from meI remember the night and the Tennessee Waltz
Now I know just how much I have lost
Yes, I lost my little darlin’ the night they were playing
The beautiful Tennessee Waltz.”In 1950 the Tennessee Waltz was No 1 for 13 weeks
by Patti Page, born at Claremore, Oklahoma 1927
http://misspattipage.com/about.htmlSee everyone next Saturday!
Butch Bridges
Lone Grove, Oklahoma~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Saturday August 9, 2003 T&T Weekly Vol 7 Issue 329
I was up in Pauls Valley this past week so I went downtown to see if I could find the building that Moman Pruiett built in 1901. Most of you will remember we’ve talked about the colorful attorney Moman Pruiett several times the past few months. He almost had a county named after him in 1907 when the legislators was naming them. But at the last minute they decided to name that county Mayesville. Anyway, I ran on to a older gentleman at Pauls Valley and asked if he knew about the building. After he got through with me, I decided not to ask anymore about Moman Pruiett in the town of Pauls Valley. I think my question caught him by surprise. He said, “Yes, I know of him. He was a despicable kind of guy that no one liked around here. My mother would even go to the other side of the street if she thought Moman Pruiett was going to walk by, so she wouldn’t have to say hello to him.” Anyway, he went on to say that Moman lived at the far west end of Paul Street next to Rock Creek on the north side of Paul Street. He said Moman’s house is gone now, and there is only a vacant lot there. He did not know of any building being built by Moman Pruiett. The info I had was that he built the Hart Building in 1901 at Willow and Paul Streets there in Pauls Valley.
But I did find an interesting piece of history on Paul Street in downtown Pauls Valley that Saturday afternoon! Dr. Robbins had just carted all the way from Colorado a 1895 horse drawn buggy that was originally built by Milburn Manufacturing in St Louis, MO. Dr Robbins was unloading it from the trailer behind his pickup to put in storage when I happened along. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/milburnbuggy95a.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/milburnbuggy95b.jpg
I told last week about stopping at the Valley Plaza in Pauls Valley and looking around the trade days that was going on there. One proprietor had this Dubl Handi washboard for sale. It was made by the Columbus Washboard Company of Columbus, Ohio. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/dublhandi3.jpg
This is the Columbus Washboard’s website, lots of interesting facts and items to be found there! Established in 1895 it is the only continually operated washboard company in the U.S. I see one washboard they make called the Rhythm Board, its for the musicians in the family! And that Dubl Handi Washboard on their website is selling for $12. I knew I should have bought that washboard at Pauls Valley for $5 dollars when I saw it. http://www.columbuswashboard.com/
Just 3 or 4 miles east of Elmore City (Garvin county) on Highway 29 is the Fair Oak Pentecostal Holiness Church. The church had a nice little bell on top. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/fairoak3a.jpg
Here is a close-up of the Fair Oak bell. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/fairoak3b.jpg
This is the Christ Chapel Pentecostal Church in Pruitt City in northwestern Carter county. Several years ago the belfry was damaged by a storm. I’ve been told there is a bell up in that belfry. I’ll stop by next time I’m in the area to check it out. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/christchapel3.jpg
Here is a pix of the Pruitt City Assembly of God Church. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/pruittcityaog3.jpg
This is the Tatums Free Pentecostal Church on the north side of Tatums. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/tatumsfree3.jpg
This old church is a historical piece of property in Tatums, Oklahoma. There is a sign out front, and if I remember right it said this church was built in 1898. One thing that is unmistakable, that IS a belfry on top. I dont know if there is a bell up there, but you can be sure next time I’m up that way, I will find out. Might even try to get a pix of it if there is a bell there. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/tatumsmeth3.jpg
This week a Reader sent me a book titled 140 Years of United States Postal History for Tishomingo, Oklahoma. Its book Number 8 of 300 printed. The book was printed in 1997 and the author is Vickie L. Herron-Luster of Tish. The 150 page book is professionally done and tells about all the Postmasters of Tishomingo along with other Tishomingo history. I see there has been 37 Tishomingo postmasters including a Zora Bridges in 1901. The author could find not find any info on Zora Bridges, except that she married a U.S. Marshal James Bridges. She remains a mystery. I found one website where the book is listed for sale for $20 plus $5 shipping. http://johnstoncounty.8m.com/custom.html
“Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these Couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.”
Last week the 1928 Seth Thomas Clock in the dome of the courthouse stopped. Its the first time since October 1996 that the clock has been silent. Before 1996 it was silent for 12 years from not working. Last week a brass gear stripped a few cogs, so now we have to find another gear. I have a drawing I made of the gear in the last pix if anyone knows where we might get one. If anyone has one of these gears, let me know. We got to get that clock working!
Below are some pixs I took this week of the broken gear and clock. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/clockgear3a.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/clockgear3b.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/clockgear3c.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/clockgear3d.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/clockgear3e.jpg
This is a drawing I made of the gear that needs replacing. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/clockgear3f.jpg
Gainesville is just across the Red River from Marietta. Here is a photo of the old Gainesville, Texas Post Office. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/gvillepo.jpg
Gene South brought me a newspaper clipping from the Sunday June 22, 1975 issue of The Daily Ardmoreite. It was a full page and half of another page on Tucker Tower Museum. The feature story has 6 photos, a couple of Tucker Tower, a couple of view inside the museum, and couple of aerial views, one close up and the other from a distance. Interesting to see the boat dock area and how few boats docks there were back in 1975 compared to today.
On Friday August 8th Don Miller with the Chickasaw Senior Citizens program came by the courthouse bringing their sausage, biscuit and gravy breakfast to any partakers. And partakers were plentiful too, as these breakfast delights are fixed the old fashioned way, one at a time, just like my mother used to make when she was alive. I sure miss her cooking. Anyway, Don along with a helper or two makes their rounds in the downtown area about once a month selling their sausage breakfasts to all us employees who don’t have time to eat a fix good breakfast before leaving for work. Here is a pix I took that morning of Don making a delivery to county employee Joyce Self’s office. Looks like Joyce bought several of those breakfasts at the bargain price of $1 each. I wonder if Joyce was planning on eating all of those herself? hahaha https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/donmiller3.jpg
Here is a close-up of my delicious sausage biscuit with gravy just before I devoured it! https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/sausagebiscuit3.jpg
Here is a old photo of our courthouse back in 1918 from the stationary of County Judge Thomas W. Champion. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/courthouse1918.jpg
Back in 1918 it seems as if Mr Robert Criner owed Mrs. Frank Criner $100 and Judge Champion is asking Mr. Whit Carroll of Brock, Oklahoma to pay Mrs. Frank Criner from his money. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/carrollwhit18.jpg
A Reader hand delivered me the Dillinger movie on DVD this week. If anyone in this area wants to borrow it (you need a DVD player) just let me know. As most of you know by now, a lot of that 1973 Dillinger movie was filmed in Ardmore and surrounding areas.
I found a place out north of the refinery that sells raw goats milk. I havnt had any goat milk in 15 or more years. Guess I’ll have to get out there and buy me a half gallon for the $2 asking price. They sell a gallon for $3. Of course I’d rather have raw cow’s milk, but can’t find any of that for sale locally.
My webshots.com photos had another over 1,000 hits week. I always have to see which of the photo albums had the most hits, and this week it was the Sept and Oct 2002 Photo Album. If I was guessing, it has something to do with my Magnetic Hill photos in the particular album. But then it could have been any of the 60 photos in that one Album that caught their attention. Who knows. http://community.webshots.com/album/54192254CcQHZy
For the third week now, something has really been going on with the electricity in my part of town. I have two box fans that I run and I’ve noticed the past couple of weeks, and especially this week, the fans slow down then they speed back up and do this all evening, like the electricity is surging. And this is even with the central A/C not running. Guess these over 100 degree days this summer must really be taking its toll on the available electricity to the southwest part of Ardmore.
SOME LETTERS FROM THIS WEEK’S MAILBAG
“Hi Butch. I’ve been subscribing to your newsletter for a while for my mother, who was born and raised in Ardmore. She is the former Evelyn Beckham, daughter of Finley and Millie Beckham, and the youngest of their 10 children. She also is the only one of the children still living. She married my dad, Homer Morris, also of Ardmore, in 1941. We are celebrating my mother’s 80th birthday in early September, so I thought if any of your readers remember my mom or her family, and would like to drop her a note, we’d be very happy to include it in a scrapbook we’re making of her life. Please e-mail to JoansWorld@msn.com And thanks so much!”
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“You talk about the Greenbergs and that makes me remember them well. Their daughter (Isabell) and I went to school at Franklin Elementary from the first grade on and then on to Jr. High. Isabell had to be in town until the store closed on Saturday night and she and I would go to town and have our dinner at “Priddy’s” almost every Saturday evening then I would go home and she would go to the the store. Their Jewelry Store was across the street from my dad electrical shop. When we were in the first and second grade I would go home with her after school and play a while. Her mother always liked for her to bring someone home so she wouldn’t be alone so long. I haven’t thought about them for a long time.”
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“Hi Butch. I probably have told you this but my grandmother owned the Squeeze Inn Cafe. The first picture you showed was my sister, Kay, the third picture was my mother Nell two years before she died. I remember working there & standing on a chair to wash dishes. I was about 5 or 6. I also worked for Jake Goode after my grandmother sold it to him. He was a good man. Best redtop stew; hamburgers ever!!! I was saddened to see that the Broadway Cafe cut their hours back to close @ 4pm.That was my Friday night ritual to go down there & eat a juicy hamburger. Still enjoy your weekly T&T. Keep up the good work.” -Susan Barnard https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/squeezeinn63a.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/squeezeinn63b.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/squeezeinn68a.jpg
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“Have enjoyed the recent (and previous) brochures and info on the Texas Chief. We made a number of trips on it between Chicago and Ardmore- involving a change at Dearborn Station in Chicago. But wondering if anyone has a picture of the Chief itself in or near the Depot. Would sure like to have one. Also, may have that “Ardmore Syndrome”- was stationed at the base, met my wife in Ardmore, got married in Ardmore , had a couple of businesses in Ardmore, and to this day read the Ardmoreite on line almost every day, and oh yes, I used milk from a Colverts Dairy bottle just this morning! Wonder if that means I’ve got it still! Incidentally there seems to be no known cure for this and apparently it is not fatal!! Also knew one of your recent contributors, Irmadene Mapp Blakenship and if she has access to e-mail would love to get in touch.” -Bob F327631@aol.com
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“Hello. I am also interested in the history of old town Overbrook. I am doing genealogy on my Holt side of the family. I understand the town of Overbrook may have been one of the few places around Ardmore where some of my people lived. I have a ggrandmother by the name of Artamissa Hendricks or Hendrix Holt. I understand, Artamissa was the postmaster at the town of Overbrook, that is unless I have been misinformed. Also I have been told at one time she was married to a man by the name of Triplett. She was first married to Benjamin M. Jackson who was born in Tennessee, one of the last old confederate soldiers to have died in Ardmore. I have an article out of the old Ardmore paper stating, Holt had registered at their July reunion as belonging to the Company A, Ninth Texas Infantry, said he died on North Washington Street. The John H. Morgan Camp took charge of his remains and the burial was in south cemetery. I understand the date of death may have been in the year of 1901. Can someone tell me where the South Cemetery may be? Please, if a person may know of any info pertaining to this letter, I would appreciate the extra help. Thank you.” JBdustbunny@aol.com
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“Butch, interesting about the orphanage near Ringling. When I was a little girl, a # of the women at the First Methodist Church in Healdton, including my Grandmother Louvena Fronterhouse and my mother, Vera E. Fronterhouse (later Horton, made clothing for the children there. Wonder when the orphanage was closed? I do not recall. Thanks.” -Jo (Fronterhouse) Long
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“I went to Lincoln School. Enjoyed the pics. What elegant stone work. Sure hope they don’t demolish that grand ole landmark.” -Gerald Cobb
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“Butch, Here is the bell tower at Precious Moments Inspiration Park Wedding Chapel in Carthage, Missouri. Thought you and your readers might enjoy seeing it. I’m also attaching a picture of the mural in the Precious Moments Chapel called Hallelujah Square. And a pic of the ceiling and floor in the Victorian Mansion on Wedding Island. The last pic I’m attaching is in memory of the children killed in the OKC Murrah Building Bombing. It will bring tears to your eyes!” https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/carthagemissouri1.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/carthagemissouri2.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/carthagemissouri3.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/carthagemissouri4.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/carthagemissouri5.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/carthagemissouri6.jpg
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“Hi. We had a great time in Missouri. Took lots of pictures. Take a look when you have the time.” http://community.webshots.com/album/83987712YjtAfi
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“Well, here’s some information. First of all, I’ve never heard the cemetery referred to as the cemetery at Brown’s Springs. The local folks have always called it the old Indian graveyard. I didn’t see mention in your article about this being an old Indian graveyard, but maybe I missed it. The land was once home to a tribe of Chickasaw Indians. The cemetery was actually their burial ground, but when white men began to settle in the area, they drove off the Indians and claimed the cemetery for themselves. The tombstones of the Indians were taken up and mostly piled up in the back of the graveyard. Then, the white men used the cemetery for themselves. I assume you’ve seen the Indian gravestones at the cemetery, if you’ve been deep enough. They are natural sandstones with Indian writing carved into them. The land does now belong to the Chickasaw Nation. I would advise anyone who treks up to the cemetery not to disturb it in anyway, as it is governed under the laws of the Chickasaw Nation. They are a separate nation from the United States, and you could find yourself in quite a pickle if they decided to prosecute you. I’m sure there’s nothing wrong with sight seeing and taking pictures, but don’t think you can get away with vandalism or grave robbing. There are Rangers and other law enforcement officials in the area all the time, mainly because the area is a wildlife refuge called Love’s Valley. I will tell you that I’ve been there many times and have never experienced anything odd, but I would be much more afraid of snakes than ghosts. I know for a fact that rattlesnakes are in that area. I agree the place is very scary, especially at night, and I would never go there at night. My older cousin told me that when he was in high school, he spent the night there on a dare. He said that he saw an old Indian Chief sitting on a gravestone during the night. I can’t say if this is true or not. I did like the picture you took, and I found many more faces than the one you pointed out. I especially like the face at the bottom left that looks like a witch. One of the emails you have on your sight, said that they went up to the cemetery on a dirt trail, but when they came down, the trail had stickers all over it and their vehicle was moved. I can’t say for sure, but I know what probably happened there. The trail that leads to the cemetery is a “U” shape. One side is grassy and one side is mostly dirt. I expect that those folks parked on one side of the “U”, then went up the dirt path, then came down the other side of the “U” which is grassy. And, of course, their car was in a different place, seemingly, because the came down the other side of the trail. Also there once was a small town in that general area, which was called White Rose. There were once small towns like that all over, but they were swallowed up with progress.”
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“Butch, In response to your T&T newsletter talking about restaurants. Our family went to the Wichita Mountains outside of Lawton this weekend. There is a restaurant in a ghost town out at the mountains called Meers. Some of the best hamburgers you will ever have. The restaurant is built in to the side of the mountain and looks like it could have been a old miner spot. Any way we enjoyed Mount Scott and enjoyed our Hamburger. The Hamburgers are a bit smaller than they used to be. I heard someone say they were going to redo the old place and bring it back to its original glory. It looks like it could fall down any time but I still have good memories of my Grandmother taking us out there and sharing a big Meers Burger and Fries.”
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“Butch, Hardly ever do I have occasion to go to Ardmore’s Municipal Building down on South Washington street, but today I had a reason for going. It was worth the trip if for no other reason than to have the opportunity to see the beautiful etchings Ludwig Isenberg had done of certain historical buildings of Ardmore. Many of the buildings were landmarks and some are no longer in existence today. For those that would enjoy a look into the more recent past of Ardmore, surely would want to see them. Many of these prints are framed and mounted on the walls in the halls of the Ardmore Municipal Building and are there for the public to view. I wonder if prints of his work are available for purchase by those that would be interested in having them- Do you know? Have you at some time incorporated these wonderful pictures into your collection? I knew Ludwig Isenberg for many years and a visit with him was always very interesting. Ludwig had a very storied background. Although I visited with Ludwig often through the years, I am not sure that I ever realized what a true talent he really was and what an asset he was to America and especially Ardmore.” -Ernest MartinHere’s a etching of Ludwig Isenberg on a dedication stone down on Main Street. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/isenberg.jpg
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“Is there someplace I could get some information about Walter Drew ?? He is buried at Rose Hill Cemetery.” https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/drew2.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/drew3.jpg
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“Hi Mr.Bridges, I am into genealogy and as I read lots of your readers are. I came across this site and even though it is west of you it may be of interest to some. Love your weekly news, history, etc., email. Great job, Thank you.” -Jack Lake in Missouri http://freepages.history.rootsweb.com/~swokla/
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“Butch- August 9th marks the 57th anniversary of the bombing of Nagasaki, Japan with the world’s second use of the atomic bomb. Hiroshima was bombed three days earlier, August 6, 1945. Both bombardiers had previously been stationed at Ardmore Army Air Field in 1943-44 before being chosen to train in B-29s for this top secret project. This little known fact is listed among the chronological happenings at the base in the “Memory Jogger 1942-46” section of the Ardmore Army Air Field/Ardmore Air Force Base website.Unknown to most Ardmoreites and others, Major Thomas W. Ferebee and Captain Kermit K. Beahan, who dropped the atomic bombs to help end the war, were stationed at Ardmore. Major Thomas W. Ferebee, the bombardier who released the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, was former AAAFld staff bombardier officer and president of the flight officers board. He was stationed at Ardmore from June through September, 1944. He served in the Mediterranean theater before coming here and was transferred to Wendover Field, Utah before going overseas with the “Enola Gay” crew. He is a native of Mockville, North Carolina. August 12, 1945
The bombardier in the B-29 “Bock’s Car,”, Captain Kermit K. Beahan, was a bombardier officer with Training Section A, 395th Combat Crew Training School, 1943-44. He released the bomb on Nagasaki, August 9, 1945, his 27th birthday. He also transferred to Wendover Field to become part of the B-29 crews eventually stationed on Tinian. For his effort, he received the Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Metal with three Oak Leaf Clusters, Purple Heart, Western Hemisphere Medal and the European Theater Ribbon plus two gold stars. He died March 9. 1989 at age 70. Fast Forward Note: Colonel Ferebee (81) died March 16, 2000 in Windermere, Florida. Read an account of the navigator on the “Enola Gay,” Captain Theodore “Dutch” Van Kirk, that relates events involving Tom Ferebee.” -Gary Simmons http://www.brightok.net/~gsimmons
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========================================================================Back in the 1930s Oklahoma was dealt a double whammy. First there was the Depression Years to deal with, and at the same time the Dust Bowl was developing. April 14, 1935 was Black Sunday. Thats when the dust was so thick in the skies you couldnt even see the sun. Needless to say it was a very depressing time in Oklahoma history. But a man born in 1912 in Okemah, Oklahoma would during those dust bowl years become a voice bringing a laugh and smile through his music to a people who really had nothing to laugh or smile about. Here is one of his songs he wrote and sang from his Dust Bowl Ballads.
‘Talking Dust Bowl Blues’
Back in Nineteen Twenty-Seven,
I had a little farm and I called that heaven.
Well, the prices up and the rain come down,
And I hauled my crops all into town —
I got the money, bought clothes and groceries,
Fed the kids, and raised a family.Rain quit and the wind got high,
And the black ol’ dust storm filled the sky.
And I swapped my farm for a Ford machine,
And I poured it full of this gas-i-line —
And I started, rockin’ an’ a-rollin’,
Over the mountains, out towards the old Peach Bowl.Way up yonder on a mountain road,
I had a hot motor and a heavy load,
I’s a-goin’ pretty fast, there wasn’t even stoppin’,
A-bouncin’ up and down, like popcorn poppin’ —
Had a breakdown, sort of a nervous bustdown of some kind,
There was a feller there, a mechanic feller,
Said it was en-gine trouble.Way up yonder on a mountain curve,
It’s way up yonder in the piney wood,
An’ I give that rollin’ Ford a shove,
An’ I’s a-gonna coast as far as I could —
Commence coastin’, pickin’ up speed,
Was a hairpin turn, I didn’t make it.Man alive, I’m a-tellin’ you,
The fiddles and the guitars really flew.
That Ford took off like a flying squirrel
An’ it flew halfway around the world —
Scattered wives and childrens
All over the side of that mountain.We got out to the West Coast broke,
So dad-gum hungry I thought I’d croak,
An’ I bummed up a spud or two,
An’ my wife fixed up a tater stew —
We poured the kids full of it,
Mighty thin stew, though,
You could read a magazine right through it.
Always have figured
That if it’d been just a little bit thinner,
Some of these here politicians
Coulda seen through it.-Woody Guthrie 1930s http://www.woodyguthrie.org/biography.htm
See everyone next Saturday!
Butch Bridges
Lone Grove, Oklahoma~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Saturday August 2, 2003 T&T Weekly Vol 7 Issue 328
The past few years several Readers have talked about the Squeeze Inn cafe on East Main by Daube’s Department store. I did a little looking and found out about when the Squeeze Inn started business. But first lets go back to 1932 when the Yellow Jacket Cafe was behind the old Tivoli Theater at #13 B NW and owned by a Mr. B. Childers. By 1935 Emmitt Goode was the owner of the Yellow Jacket Cafe where even my grandfather Ira Esso Bridges, Sr. was a cook for a short period of time.
In the early 1930s at 119 E Main there was the Wade Mapp Restaurant which would later, around 1935, become the Squeeze Inn cafe and its new owner would be Julius Brown. In 1932 Emmitt Goode already owned the Green Lantern Sandwich Shop at 219 West Main. The infamous Emmitt Goode would not become the owner of the Squeeze Inn cafe until around 1938 or 1939 when he left the Yellow Jacket Cafe to become the new owner of the Squeeze Inn. The Squeeze Inn was located between the present day Stagg Bar on the east and the then Greenberg’s Jewelry on the west (these were all east of Daubes). I remember going into Max Greenberg’s Jewelry many times as a kid with my grandfather Stanley Carmon. We’d go watch the train come in around 4pm, then walk down to Greenberg’s for a social visit. Mrs. Greenberg was the most beautiful lady and always elegantly dressed, I’ll never forget her. The Greenbergs were wonderful people.
Emmitt Goode continued to run the Squeeze Inn cafe until about 1961 when he turned it over to Tressie StClair. She ran it until about 1971 when Jake Goode became the operator of the Squeeze Inn. Jake operated it until about 1985 when it was closed for good.
Here are three inside pixs of the old Squeeze Inn cafe of Ardmore. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/squeezeinn63a.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/squeezeinn63b.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/squeezeinn68a.jpg
Ad I promised in last weeks T&T, here is that 1969 Milwaukee Road Train Schedule. It was the only overnight train of the businessman’s choice serving Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul, and Minneapolis. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/milwaukeeroad69a.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/milwaukeeroad69b.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/milwaukeeroad69c.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/milwaukeeroad69d.jpg
A Reader sent me an interesting piece of Carter county history this week. Its a campaign item of sheriff Gerald Cobb back in the early 60s. The item is a small scratch pad made up of 10 pieces of paper stapled together in booklet form. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/cobb1961.jpg
Another Ardmoreite sent me a 1908 photo of the 9th grade class of Lincoln school here. I saw on the news the other day they were going to close that school. Its at 615 Stanley, right across the street from where Max Greenberg and his family lived (614 Stanley) when I was a wee lad. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/lincoln1908.jpg
Here’s a pix I took of the school last last February. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/lincoln203a.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/lincoln203b.jpg
The past few years we’ve had quite a bit of talk back and forth on the old Cornish Orphans Home south of Ringling, Oklahoma. Here is some 1911 data on the Home. I see a W.S Wolverton of Ardmore was one of the Officers of the Home. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/cornish1911.jpg
I have gone back this week and re-signed up with n-dream to give them another chance. They seem to work a little on some days, and then not a all on others in stopping my junk spam. http://www.n-dream.com
A few weeks ago I talked about a 1875 Oklahoma Territory map that showed McAlester, Oklahoma was spelled as McAllister. I thought at the time maybe it was a missprint or something, but no one commented. This week a Reader did write in from Nebraska with the details. The town was spelled McAllister for only two years after that map was printed. The details are in the Mailbag below.
Here is a photo of 1911 J.J. McAlester of whom McAllister was renamed. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/mcalesterjj1911.jpg
November 16, 1907. C.N. Haskell of Muskogee was chosen the first governor of Oklahoma. In 1910 Lee Cruce, Democrat from Ardmore was elected the first governor of Oklahoma. Here is a 1911 photo of Lee Cruce. He’s buried in Rosehill Cemetery at Ardmore. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/crucelee1911.jpg
In my June 21, 2003 T&T issue I ran a photo of the Emit, Oklahoma rock crusher. Emit is over in Johnston county a few miles southeast of Tishomingo. The link to the photos did not work, and no one told me until this week when a Reader in Durant let me know. Hello? Anyway, here that photo is again. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/emetcrusher22.jpg
There has been a lot of talk the past few weeks about the old Nebo, Oklahoma school that’s now been converted into a house. Nebo is just a few miles south of Sulphur on Highway 177. You cant see the school from the highway, its about 1/8 mile west of the highway on a county road. Here are some pics I took this week of the school. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/nebosch3a.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/nebosch3b.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/nebosch3c.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/nebosch3d.jpg
This is an old brick from Chandler, Oklahoma Territory days. It was For Sale at The Valley Mall just west of I-35 at the Pauls Valley exit for $12.50 on Thursday July 31, 2003. They have a Trade Days sale there in the parking lot of that mall every Thur Fri and Sat with several vendors showing off the stuff they have for sale. The man tried to get me to buy it, he even offered to come down on it. I wasnt interested in the brick, but maybe someone out there is. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/chandlerot3.jpg
The last day of June I showed everyone a pix of my Empress Tree. It was only a few inches high. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/empresstree3a.jpg Here is that same tree the last day of July, growing like a weed. Its now over 3 feet tall and the leaves are over 17 inches across! https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/empresstree3jul.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/empressleaves3jul.jpg
SOME LETTERS FROM THIS WEEK’S MAILBAG
“Hello Butch, Just got This and That newsletter. Someone wrote they had found some Odd Fellow and Rebekah items among the effects of their grandparents. To get information about the Odd Fellow items contact the Grand Lodge Secretary Danny Barton at ioofglok@fullnet.net
Information on the Rebekah items contact Oklahoma Rebekah Assembly Secretary Evelyn Picconi-Pyles email. epicconipyles@juno.com IOOF and Rebekah Lodge in Ardmore Ok is located at 24 1/2 N. Washington They meet 2nd & 4th tuesday at 7:30 pm. Lodge Secretary Roscoe Pullium of Ardmore Ok. Rebekah meet 1st. & 3rd.Thursday at 7:00pm. One would need to go at least 30 min.before meeting time. Lodge Secretary Tomi Ross Madill, Ok. I hope this will be of some help.” -Edna Montgomery
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“I have a doll that was manufactured by the ADA Milling Co. in ADA, OK. I’ve been looking everywhere to find out about her and have come up blank. Her torso has a cloth body with their company name stamped on it, no date. The rest of her body is composition, open fixed eye’s, brown molded hair. I would appreciate any help you can be! Thank you!” Lolsweetie@aol.com http://www.geocities.com/moredollys/pic_misc2.htm#mis_21
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Butch, I thought you might like this old photo. The young man is my uncle, Elward Calvery. Can you identify the older gentleman, I think he was the Carter Co sheriff. My grandfather, Kirtes G. Calvery had the Calvery Hudson-Essex dealership and an auto repair shop in Ardmore in the late 1920’s. It was located at 10 E. Main St. This photo must have been used to advertise, The Essex Challenger Week, in the Ardmoreite. The date on the back is 3/14 on one label and Fri 3/15 on the other but no year given. Due to the economic climate of that time, my grandfather ran into problems and ended up returning to his farm home near Fox, Ok in 1931. note: The car seems to have been driven over dirt roads…the tires and running board look muddy….not unusual for that time, I’m sure. Ethel Marie Calvery the daughter of Elward, graduated from Ardmore High School in 1952. Her family moved to California, but she wanted to stay and graduate with her class, so she stayed with her grandmother. I always enjoy T&T.” -glenda willmon [Duncan, OK] https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/calveryelward2.jpg
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“Dear butch, Forgive me if this sounds strange but I stay up late at night. There is weird things in the sky here. I noticed them July 8, 2003 at 2:00am. I have counted 6 or more at a time. They flash red and blue with a bright white light. It is hard to see them move with the naked eye. It is like watching the hands of a clock. But if I use 50x binoculars you can see that they move very slow. It is like they are watching or looking for something. When planes go by they stop all activity. Then when it is clear they resume. I went to our Collingsworth sheriff and told them calmly but they said they could not do anything. What do you do or say so people don’t think your NUTS? My husband saw them and his reply was they look like helicopters. But he is a skeptic. These objects appear to stay around till day light. I will soon have a telescope so I can see really what is going on. Very creepy I think. Well don’t know what else to say. Hope you can help.” -Collingsworth County Texas
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“Hi Butch, Reference your March 1, 2003 T&T, McAlester, OK, was named for J. J. (James Jackson) McALESTER, a civil war veteran from Arkansas who passed through there during the war and recognized the potential for coal. After the war he remembered the place and returned. In his Last Will & Testament, he spelled his name “McAlester”. He married Rebecca Burney, daughter of Tribal Chief David C. Burney, in McAlester, OK, August 1872.From: “McAlester – Past & Present”: “In 1873, a post office was established and listed as “McAllister”. Sam A. Rosse was the first postmaster. It was changed in 1885 to “McAlester”. Soon after the railroad was built, it is said the first coal mine was opened in the vicinity of Krebs and the coal hauled in wagons to the railroad.” https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/ok1875a.jpg
Also in the same newsletter someone mentioned early history of OVERBROOK and Rita Stubbs responded, but neither left an address. I wonder if they would contact me? I have some questions. Thank you for all your work – T&T comes faithfully every Saturday for many years now.” -Kathy in NE kscott@kdsi.net
Note: J.J. McAlester was Lt Governor with Governor Lee Cruce 1911-1915
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“I tried to sign up for the www.n-dream.com and they replied that it was not available, at this time, for aol users. I was successful in signing up on www.spamus.com. It worked beautifully for two days. I am now getting my regular dose of spam per day. ??? Thought you might like to know.”
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“I am enjoying your newsletter. Do you have any information about the standpipe or smoke stack which is in northeast Ardmore? It can be seen to the north of Sam Noble Parkway approximately between Refinery Road and Hwy 142 Bypass. Also, do you have any info on the Brick Pillars on refinery road at the entrance to the old townsite?”
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“Butch, I do not know this lady but saw her obituary this morning and thought you might be interested: Gwen Moyer Harris died July 26, 2003 in Scottsdale, AZ. Mrs Harris was born October 7, 1924 in Ardmore, OK, the daughter of Earl Claude and Iva May (Benson) Moyers. She married Howard Hunter Harris in 1945 and moved to Arizona in 1987. She was a well recognized and accomplished artist. She exhibited in many shows in various cities in Ohio and Arizona and won various awards for painting, drawing and collages. She was a member of the National Collage Society, Shemer Art Center and St. Barnabs on the Desert Episcopal Church. She was recognized in “Who’s Who in America”, Who’s Who in the West” and “Who’s Who of American Women”. Survivors are her husband, Howard H. Harris; sons Howard (Linda) S. Harris, Rodney (Karen) C. Harris and four grandchildren. She sounds like quite a lady.” -Phoenix, AZ http://ardmoreite.com/stories/073003/obi_harris.shtml
———————————————————————— “On August 5, we would love to see you at the Museum of the Great Plains in Lawton, OK. Show time is 7pm. The museum is located at 601 NW Ferris. Call 580-695-9395 for info. Sept 6 – Poncan Theatre, Ponca City, OK 580-765-0943 (with band) Sept 13 – Town Celebration, Wakita, OK 580-594-2539 (with band) Sept 25-28th Gene Autry, OK 580 – 294-3047 (with band on 27tth) Oct 19th – Dale Evans Rogers Celebration, OKC Les Gilliam http://www.lesgilliam.com/
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“Following a stop at Ardmore, Oklahoma, the Santa Fe’s “Ranger” roars toward Texas at 90 mph behind a shiny trio of thundering diesel-electrics. It’s June, 1954. Behind are Chicago, Kansas City, Oklahoma City and the grades of southern Oklahoma’s Arbuckle Mountains. Ahead, beyond Red River, are Ft. Worth, Houston and Galveston. Back in the head-end mail cars and comfortable streamlined coaches, both the U.S. Post Office and the train’s pampered passengers are getting their money’s worth.”Prints from Tom Elmore’s original watercolor “AT&SF Train 5, The Ranger”
$15.00 (plus $5.00 postage and sales tax) these full-color reproductions, signed and numbered by the artist are printed on heavy, acid-free paper measuring 18″ x 24″. Image area is 14 1/2 ” x 21 1/2″. A certificate of authenticity with detailed description of the train and its setting are included with each print. Tom Elmore Artworks PO Box 6617 Moore, Oklahoma 73153-0617 Tel: (405)794-7163 Fax: (405)799-2641 gtelmore@aol.com
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“Butch, I have a picture of Mrs. Charles Carter (Cecile Whittington Carter) in her ballgown that she wore to probably Roosevelt’s inaugural ball. Cecile is the mother of Coleman Jones from a previous marriage before Charles Carter.” https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/cartercecile.jpg
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“Hi Butch: I was very interested in a letter to you last week in T&T from Millie Scrivner. The minute I read the name, Will Scrivner, I thought it rang a bell in my brain from my childhood. Then, as I continued to read her letter, I saw that Will Scrivner had worked at one time for Harry Moyer Chevrolet and thought that must be the connection. My father, Clyde Schoppe, also worked for the Harry Moyer Motor Co., as a bookkeeper, all through the 1930s and possibly back into the 1920s. In the late 20s, my dad married my mom, Clara Busch. In 1939, we moved to San Antonio. If Millie would like to contact me I would like to hear from her to compare notes. One other thing I would like to comment on, Butch. A few weeks ago you wrote about your aunt and that she designed hats for Daube’s Dept. Store. Another bell rang in my brain. My mother, Clara Busch, worked for Daube’s as a young woman in the late 19teens and during the 1920s. It seems to me she used to refer to the store as Westheimer and Daube’s. I don’t know if she knew your aunt or not but I believe she told me as one time that she had worked in the milinery department and think it’s possible she could have. I always enjoy reading T&T and looking at the great photos. Very often I read about places and things, and sometimes names, that sound familiar to me from my young years in Ardmore. Keep up the good work.” -Rose Hull texneb@prodigy.net
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“Was at Wilson, Oklahoma getting tags and took this picture of Wilson Main Street.” https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/wilsonok73003.jpg
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“#1 This bell is behind an old church on the Smith River Indian Rancheria (Karuk Tribe), just a couple miles south of the Oregon state line. #2 Same church w/tribal community center, and Pacific Ocean in background. #3 Tribal cemetery near the church. That’s Pelican Rock Island just offshore.” -Bob Elliston https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/karukbell3a.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/karukbell3b.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/karukbell3c.jpg
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“Hello, Do you happen to know if any Carter county school census records are available? We have a copy of the school census that were taken in Bryan County at the genealogy library in Calera of the records from 1918 to about 1967 when the County Superintendent’s office was eliminated. The original records are in the courthouse I believe. Below is a copy of the original email I sent to Mr. Massey and his reply that got me to your photos. Thanks.” -Hervy Glover hervy@redriverok.com
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“Hi! I just stumbled across your 1999 articles re “Brown’s Spring”. I found it very entertaining. Just a little history about myself: I grew up around what we called “Brown Springs”. In the 60’s my grandparents were the caretakers of Leeper Lake – I still have many old photos from there. In the late 60’s my parents bought a beer joint on the river and moved there. Several of the local boys and I hunted and fished at Brown Springs every chance we got. It actually had a nice bass population until the big flood in ’81. There were also numerous snakes calling it home… The picture you have of the three pipes is interesting – I only recall a single pipe. I’m going up there this Saturday, will have to check it out. There have been lots of bodies – many the result of poker games. And the old Indian Cemetery… a very interesting place. I have visited it many times, both as a boy and as an adult, day and night. There was only one time I ran out as fast as I could… but I’ll save this for another time… If there’s anything at Leeper Lake other than an old alligator it would be news to my family. Anyway, just thought I’d drop a line to let you know your story is still being read!”
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========================================================================“From a distance the world looks blue and green,
And the snow-capped mountains white
From a distance the ocean meets the stream,
And the eagle takes to flight
From a distance, there is harmony,
And it echoes through the land
It’s the voice of hope, it’s the voice of peace,
It’s the voice of every man
From a distance we all have enough,
And no one is in need
And there are no guns, no bombs, and no disease,
No hungry mouths to feed
From a distance we are instruments
Marching in a common band
Playing songs of hope, playing songs of peace
They’re the songs of every man
God is watching us, God is watching us
God is watching us from a distance
>From a distance you look like my friend,
Even though we are at war
>From a distance I just cannot comprehend
what all this fighting is for
>From a distance there is harmony,
And it echoes through the land
And it’s the hope of hopes, it’s the love of loves,
it’s the heart of every man
It’s the hope of hopes, it’s the love of loves
This is the song of every man
And God is watching us, God is watching us,
God is watching us from a distance
Oh, God is watching us, God is watching
God is watching us from a distance.”-Bette Midler 1991
See everyone next Saturday!
Butch Bridges
Lone Grove, OklahomaSaturday August 2, 2003 T&T Weekly Vol 7 Issue 328 The past few years several Readers have talked about the Squeeze Inn cafe on East Main by Daube’s Department store. I did a little looking and found out about when the Squeeze Inn started business. But first lets go back to 1932 when the Yellow Jacket Cafe was behind the old Tivoli Theater at #13 B NW and owned by a Mr. B. Childers. By 1935 Emmitt Goode was the owner of the Yellow Jacket Cafe where even my grandfather Ira Esso Bridges, Sr. was a cook for a short period of time. In the early 1930s at 119 E Main there was the Wade Mapp Restaurant which would later, around 1935, become the Squeeze Inn cafe and its new owner would be Julius Brown. In 1932 Emmitt Goode already owned the Green Lantern Sandwich Shop at 219 West Main. The infamous Emmitt Goode would not become the owner of the Squeeze Inn cafe until around 1938 or 1939 when he left the Yellow Jacket Cafe to become the new owner of the Squeeze Inn. The Squeeze Inn was located between the present day Stagg Bar on the east and the then Greenberg’s Jewelry on the west (these were all east of Daubes). I remember going into Max Greenberg’s Jewelry many times as a kid with my grandfather Stanley Carmon. We’d go watch the train come in around 4pm, then walk down to Greenberg’s for a social visit. Mrs. Greenberg was the most beautiful lady and always elegantly dressed, I’ll never forget her. The Greenbergs were wonderful people. Emmitt Goode continued to run the Squeeze Inn cafe until about 1961 when he turned it over to Tressie StClair. She ran it until about 1971 when Jake Goode became the operator of the Squeeze Inn. Jake operated it until about 1985 when it was closed for good. Here are three inside pixs of the old Squeeze Inn cafe of Ardmore. Ad I promised in last weeks T&T, here is that 1969 Milwaukee Road Train Schedule. It was the only overnight train of the businessman’s choice serving Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul, and Minneapolis. A Reader sent me an interesting piece of Carter county history this week. Its a campaign item of sheriff Gerald Cobb back in the early 60s. The item is a small scratch pad made up of 10 pieces of paper stapled together in booklet form. Another Ardmoreite sent me a 1908 photo of the 9th grade class of Lincoln school here. I saw on the news the other day they were going to close that school. Its at 615 Stanley, right across the street from where Max Greenberg and his family lived (614 Stanley) when I was a wee lad. Here’s a pix I took of the school last last February. The past few years we’ve had quite a bit of talk back and forth on the old Cornish Orphans Home south of Ringling, Oklahoma. Here is some 1911 data on the Home. I see a W.S Wolverton of Ardmore was one of the Officers of the Home. I have gone back this week and re-signed up with n-dream to give them another change. They seem to work a little on some days, and then not a all on others in stopping my junk spam. A few weeks ago I talked about a 1875 Oklahoma Territory map that showed McAlester, Oklahoma was spelled as McAllister. I thought at the time maybe it was a missprint or something, but no one commented. This week a Reader did write in from Nebraska with the details. The town was spelled McAllister for only two years after that map was printed. The details are in the Mailbag below. Here is a photo of 1911 J.J. McAlester of whom McAllister was renamed. November 16, 1907. C.N. Haskell of Muskogee was chosen the first governor of Oklahoma. In 1910 Lee Cruce, Democrat from Ardmore was elected the first governor of Oklahoma. Here is a 1911 photo of Lee Cruce. He’s buried in Rosehill Cemetery at Ardmore. In my June 21, 2003 T&T issue I ran a photo of the Emit, Oklahoma rock crusher. Emit is over in Johnston county a few miles southeast of Tishomingo. The link to the photos did not work, and no one told me until this week when a Reader in Durant let me know. Hello? Anyway, here that photo is again. There has been a lot of talk the past few weeks about the old Nebo, Oklahoma school that’s now been converted into a house. Nebo is just a few miles south of Sulphur on Highway 177. You cant see the school from the highway, its about 1/8 mile west of the highway on a county road. Here are some pics I took this week of the school. This is an old brick from Chandler, Oklahoma Territory days. It was For Sale at The Valley Mall just west of I-35 at the Pauls Valley exit for $12.50 on Thursday July 31, 2003. They have a Trade Days sale there in the parking lot of that mall every Thur Fri and Sat with several vendors showing off the stuff they have for sale. The man tried to get me to buy it, he even offered to come down on it. I wasnt interested in the brick, but maybe someone out there is. The last day of June I showed everyone a pix of my Empress Tree. It was only a few inches high. Here is that same tree the last day of July, growing like a weed. Its now over 3 feet tall and the leaves are over 17 inches across! SOME LETTERS FROM THIS WEEK’S MAILBAG “Hello Butch, Just got This and That newsletter. Someone wrote they had found some Odd Fellow and Rebekah items among the effects of their grandparents. To get information about the Odd Fellow items contact the Grand Lodge Secretary Danny Barton at ioofglok@fullnet.net Information on the Rebekah items contact Oklahoma Rebekah Assembly Secretary Evelyn Picconi-Pyles email. epicconipyles@juno.com The IOOF and Rebekah Lodge in Ardmore Ok is located at 24 1/2 N. Washington They meet 2nd & 4th tuesday at 7:30 pm. Lodge Secretary Roscoe Pullium of Ardmore Ok. Rebekah meet 1st. & 3rd.Thursday at 7:00pm. One would need to go at least 30 min.before meeting time. Lodge Secretary Tomi Ross Madill, Ok. I hope this will be of some help.” -Edna Montgomery ———————————————————————— “I have a doll that was manufactured by the ADA Milling Co. in ADA, OK. I’ve been looking everywhere to find out about her and have come up blank. Her torso has a cloth body with their company name stamped on it, no date. The rest of her body is composition, open fixed eye’s, brown molded hair. I would appreciate any help you can be! Thank you!” Lolsweetie@aol.com http://www.geocities.com/moredollys/pic_misc2.htm#mis_21 ———————————————————————— Butch, I thought you might like this old photo. The young man is my uncle, Elward Calvery. Can you identify the older gentleman, I think he was the Carter Co sheriff. My grandfather, Kirtes G. Calvery had the Calvery Hudson-Essex dealership and an auto repair shop in Ardmore in the late 1920’s. It was located at 10 E. Main St. This photo must have been used to advertise, The Essex Challenger Week, in the Ardmoreite. The date on the back is 3/14 on one label and Fri 3/15 on the other but no year given. Due to the economic climate of that time, my grandfather ran into problems and ended up returning to his farm home near Fox, Ok in 1931. note: The car seems to have been driven over dirt roads…the tires and running board look muddy….not unusual for that time, I’m sure. Ethel Marie Calvery the daughter of Elward, graduated from Ardmore High School in 1952. Her family moved to California, but she wanted to stay and graduate with her class, so she stayed with her grandmother. I always enjoy T&T.” -glenda willmon [Duncan, OK]
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“Dear butch, Forgive me if this sounds strange but I stay up late at night. There is weird things in the sky here. I noticed them July 8, 2003 at 2:00am. I have counted 6 or more at a time. They flash red and blue with a bright white light. It is hard to see them move with the naked eye. It is like watching the hands of a clock. But if I use 50x binoculars you can see that they move very slow. It is like they are watching or looking for something. When planes go by they stop all activity. Then when it is clear they resume. I went to our Collingsworth sheriff and told them calmly but they said they could not do anything. What do you do or say so people don’t think your NUTS? My husband saw them and his reply was they look like helicopters. But he is a skeptic. These objects appear to stay around till day light. I will soon have a telescope so I can see really what is going on. Very creepy I think. Well don’t know what else to say. Hope you can help.” -Collingsworth County Texas
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“Hi Butch, Reference your March 1, 2003 T&T, McAlester, OK, was named for J. J. (James Jackson) McALESTER, a civil war veteran from Arkansas who passed through there during the war and recognized the potential for coal. After the war he remembered the place and returned. In his Last Will & Testament, he spelled his name “McAlester”. He married Rebecca Burney, daughter of Tribal Chief David C. Burney, in McAlester, OK, August 1872. From: “McAlester – Past & Present”: “In 1873, a post office was established and listed as “McAllister”. Sam A. Rosse was the first postmaster. It was changed in 1885 to “McAlester”. Soon after the railroad was built, it is said the first coal mine was opened in the vicinity of Krebs and the coal hauled in wagons to the railroad.” Also in the same newsletter someone mentioned early history of OVERBROOK and Rita Stubbs responded, but neither left an address. I wonder if they would contact me? I have some questions. Thank you for all your work – T&T comes faithfully every Saturday for many years now.” -Kathy in NE kscott@kdsi.net Note: J.J. McAlester was Lt Governor with Governor Lee Cruce 1911-1915 ———————————————————————— “I tried to sign up for the www.n-dream.com and they replied that it was not available, at this time, for aol users. I was successful in signing up on www.spamus.com . It worked beautifully for two days. I am now getting my regular dose of spam per day. ??? Thought you might like to know.”
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“I am enjoying your newsletter. Do you have any information about the standpipe or smoke stack which is in northeast Ardmore? It can be seen to the north of Sam Noble Parkway approximately between Refinery Road and Hwy 142 Bypass. Also, do you have any info on the Brick Pillars on refinery road at the entrance to the old townsite?”
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“Butch, I do not know this lady but saw her obituary this morning and thought you might be interested: Gwen Moyer Harris died July 26, 2003 in Scottsdale, AZ. Mrs Harris was born October 7, 1924 in Ardmore, OK, the daughter of Earl Claude and Iva May (Benson) Moyers. She married Howard Hunter Harris in 1945 and moved to Arizona in 1987. She was a well recognized and accomplished artist. She exhibited in many shows in various cities in Ohio and Arizona and won various awards for painting, drawing and collages. She was a member of the National Collage Society, Shemer Art Center and St. Barnabs on the Desert Episcopal Church. She was recognized in “Who’s Who in America”, Who’s Who in the West” and “Who’s Who of American Women”. Survivors are her husband, Howard H. Harris; sons Howard (Linda) S. Harris, Rodney (Karen) C. Harris and four grandchildren. She sounds like quite a lady.” -Phoenix, AZ ————————————————————————
“On August 5, we would love to see you at the Museum of the Great Plains in Lawton, OK. Show time is 7pm. The museum is located at 601 NW Ferris. Call 580-695-9395 for info. Sept 6 – Poncan Theatre, Ponca City, OK 580-765-0943 (with band) Sept 13 – Town Celebration, Wakita, OK 580-594-2539 (with band) Sept 25-28th Gene Autry, OK 580 – 294-3047 (with band on 27tth) Oct 19th – Dale Evans Rogers Celebration, OKC Les Gilliam
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“Following a stop at Ardmore, Oklahoma, the Santa Fe’s “Ranger” roars toward Texas at 90 mph behind a shiny trio of thundering diesel-electrics. It’s June, 1954. Behind are Chicago, Kansas City, Oklahoma City and the grades of southern Oklahoma’s Arbuckle Mountains. Ahead, beyond Red River, are Ft. Worth, Houston and Galveston. Back in the head-end mail cars and comfortable streamlined coaches, both the U.S. Post Office and the train’s pampered passengers are getting their money’s worth.” Prints from Tom Elmore’s original watercolor “AT&SF Train 5, The Ranger” $15.00 (plus $5.00 postage and sales tax) these full-color reproductions, signed and numbered by the artist are printed on heavy, acid-free paper measuring 18″ x 24″. Image area is 14 1/2 ” x 21 1/2″. A certificate of authenticity with detailed description of the train and its setting are included with each print. Tom Elmore Artworks PO Box 6617 Moore, Oklahoma 73153-0617 Tel: (405)794-7163 Fax: (405)799-2641 gtelmore@aol.com
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“Butch, I have a picture of Mrs. Charles Carter (Cecile Whittington Carter) in her ballgown that she wore to probably Roosevelt’s inaugural ball. Cecile is the mother of Coleman Jones from a previous marriage before Charles Carter.”
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“Hi Butch: I was very interested in a letter to you last week in T&T from Millie Scrivner. The minute I read the name, Will Scrivner, I thought it rang a bell in my brain from my childhood. Then, as I continued to read her letter, I saw that Will Scrivner had worked at one time for Harry Moyer Chevrolet and thought that must be the connection. My father, Clyde Schoppe, also worked for the Harry Moyer Motor Co., as a bookkeeper, all through the 1930s and possibly back into the 1920s. In the late 20s, my dad married my mom, Clara Busch. In 1939, we moved to San Antonio. If Millie would like to contact me I would like to hear from her to compare notes. One other thing I would like to comment on, Butch. A few weeks ago you wrote about your aunt and that she designed hats for Daube’s Dept. Store. Another bell rang in my brain. My mother, Clara Busch, worked for Daube’s as a young woman in the late 19teens and during the 1920s. It seems to me she used to refer to the store as Westheimer and Daube’s. I don’t know if she knew your aunt or not but I believe she told me as one time that she had worked in the milinery department and think it’s possible she could have. I always enjoy reading T&T and looking at the great photos. Very often I read about places and things, and sometimes names, that sound familiar to me from my young years in Ardmore. Keep up the good work.” -Rose Hull texneb@prodigy.net
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“Was at Wilson, Oklahoma getting tags and took this picture of Wilson Main Street.”
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“#1 This bell is behind an old church on the Smith River Indian Rancheria (Karuk Tribe), just a couple miles south of the Oregon state line. #2 Same church w/tribal community center, and Pacific Ocean in background. #3 Tribal cemetery near the church. That’s Pelican Rock Island just offshore.” -Bob Elliston
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“Hello, Do you happen to know if any Carter county school census records are available? We have a copy of the school census that were taken in Bryan County at the genealogy library in Calera of the records from 1918 to about 1967 when the County Superintendent’s office was eliminated. The original records are in the courthouse I believe. Below is a copy of the original email I sent to Mr. Massey and his reply that got me to your photos. Thanks.” -Hervy Glover hervy@redriverok.com
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“Hi! I just stumbled across your 1999 articles re “Brown’s Spring”. I found it very entertaining. Just a little history about myself: I grew up around what we called “Brown Springs”. In the 60’s my grandparents were the caretakers of Leeper Lake – I still have many old photos from there. In the late 60’s my parents bought a beer joint on the river and moved there. Several of the local boys and I hunted and fished at Brown Springs every chance we got. It actually had a nice bass population until the big flood in ’81. There were also numerous snakes calling it home… The picture you have of the three pipes is interesting – I only recall a single pipe. I’m going up there this Saturday, will have to check it out. There have been lots of bodies – many the result of poker games. And the old Indian Cemetery… a very interesting place. I have visited it many times, both as a boy and as an adult, day and night. There was only one time I ran out as fast as I could… but I’ll save this for another time… If there’s anything at Leeper Lake other than an old alligator it would be news to my family. Anyway, just thought I’d drop a line to let you know your story is still being read!”
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“From a distance the world looks blue and green, And the snow-capped mountains white >From a distance the ocean meets the stream, And the eagle takes to flight >From a distance, there is harmony, And it echoes through the land It’s the voice of hope, it’s the voice of peace, It’s the voice of every man >From a distance we all have enough, And no one is in need And there are no guns, no bombs, and no disease, No hungry mouths to feed >From a distance we are instruments Marching in a common band Playing songs of hope, playing songs of peace They’re the songs of every man God is watching us, God is watching us God is watching us from a distance >From a distance you look like my friend, Even though we are at war >From a distance I just cannot comprehend what all this fighting is for >From a distance there is harmony, And it echoes through the land And it’s the hope of hopes, it’s the love of loves, it’s the heart of every man It’s the hope of hopes, it’s the love of loves This is the song of every man And God is watching us, God is watching us, God is watching us from a distance Oh, God is watching us, God is watching God is watching us from a distance.” -Bette Midler 1991
See everyone next Saturday!
Butch Bridges
Lone Grove, Oklahoma~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Saturday July 26, 2003 T&T Weekly Vol 7 Issue 327
A Reader sent me a 1969 “Welcome Aboard the Texas Chief” brochure this week. Its “Points of Interest Along the Way” has a lot of railroad history and trivia. Did you know that Norman, Oklahoma was named after Col A.E. Norman, a government surveyor. Me neither. Did you know to put your portable radio next to the window for better reception? Pillows are available from the news agent for 50 cents. Do you know how to position the fully adjustable seats? In 1969 it took 2 hours and 5 minutes to go from Ardmore to Oklahoma City and crossed the Washita River at 3:34pm. How’s that for dependability! And don’t forget to let the Conductor “pouch” your ticket! Boy what memories!! I loved those scenic rides to OKC in the 60s. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/texaschief69a.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/texaschief69b.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/texaschief69c.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/texaschief69d.jpg
I have another great piece of railroad brochure history, but I’ll have to put it in next week’s T&T, I didnt have time to scan it this week. Its on the 1969 Milwaukee Road schedule from Chicago to Minneapolis with some great pixs and railroad history!
Ardmoreite Jim Rozzell brought me a photo of his grandfather, Peter Frank Rozzell, standing in front of his blacksmith shop at either Oil City or Graham, Oklahoma. He believes the photo was taken in the 1920s. Jim is unsure if this photo was taken at Graham or Oil City since his grandfather had a shop at both places at one time or another. Peter Frank Rozzell is the man standing just to the right of the door opening with the white beard between the two small boys.
Also in the photo is Jim’s dad, Jacob Elgin Rozzell. Jacob Elgin is the first man on the left. Jim thinks the second man from the left may be Ocar Lewellen. And the 3rd young man from the left may be Morris Davis. Maybe someone recognizes the faces in the photo, and will let us know. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/rozzell3b.jpg
Here is a close-up of the faces in Jim Rozzell’s photograph. Also Jim does not not have any idea who the two young boys are or the man on the far right nor the other young man. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/rozzell3c.jpg
Since the Memorial Day ceremonies at the Airpark last May, there has been some changes made on the official Remembrance Memorial Park website. Check it out and see how nice it looks. http://www.brightok.net/~wwwafm/index.html
That Empress Tree I told everyone about the last day of June, it is growing like a weed. I’ll show an updated pix in my next T&T. I am amazed!
Quite often a Reader will send me an email asking what to buy to fix or keep fixed their computer. There are a lot of programs out there to do this. But if you want to pay the very minimum and get the biggest bang for your bucks, I would recommend Norton Utilities 2001 for only $4 which includes postage to your door. Mr Norton has been making his utility program way back before Windows and the world wide web, when we only had a DOS prompt to work from. He was then and probably still is the Number One authority on keeping a computer free of problems. http://www.clickcooldeals.com/savebig.htm
We had so many Hits on my webshots.com albums, I’m not even going to say how many, its just overwhelming. Thanks everyone. Oh, and as you and I can guess, the Brown Springs Photo Album stole the show this week with so many Hits! All I can say about the Photo Albums is if Butch Bridges can do it, anyone can do it. So what is everyone waiting on? Get your photos on www.webshots.com and let everyone see!!
Last week I told about two websites that are suppose to filter your emails of all those unsolicited junk advertisements and porn crap. I have tried everyday this week to sign up with n-dream.com and have been unable to, says their Server has ‘timed out.’ If their Server is so overwhelmed with activity they can’t even ADD me as a client, they sure won’t be able to check my email for spam every five minutes, 7 days a week like they promise along with ten of thousands of other clients. And the other one, spamus.com seems too complicated to set up for the average computer user. So I don’t know where to get help with spam yet. But remember this: If they can send a man to the moon and back, they can stop the spam. Think about it. And with Packeteer computer out there, well, we ain’t even going there. http://www.n-dream.com http://www.spamus.com
SOME LETTERS FROM THIS WEEK’S MAILBAG
“Happy Birthday, Butch. I knew I liked you. Your birthday and our 9 year old granddaughter’s birthday are the same, July 18th. Bet you didn’t get a Barbie doll for your birthday!!!!!!! Hope your day was a really good one.”
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“Dear Butch, I love your weekly T&T on Ardmore. This week I saw some comments on the old motor scooters. Do you remember the Whizzer Motorbikes that we had as 15 year old kids?? Well, they went out of business in the late 1960’s and have since been largely forgotten except for those who owned one. They have now reappeared and are being distributed by a dealer in Addison, Texas (a suburb of Dallas). My brother was in town recently, and we went to Addison and looked them over. If you ever owned one, you’ll be interested in their website.” -Dick Lindsly, Frisco, Texas http://www.whizzermotorbike.com
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“I found two more bells today. One at Atwood, Oklahoma Baptist Church and one at Allen, Oklahoma. I got pictures of both of them. Coming back through Allen I saw another one but my “Friend” would not go back for me to take a picture. I told him that I would just go back alone and get my picture. Will get them to you soon. I don’t guess that I will go to the Peach Festival at Stratford this year. I remember always seeing your uncle Pratt Carmon and his wife Helen down there. We usually sat together and listened to the music. All good things come to an end.”
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“Butch – I saw the question regarding Amtrak service between Oklahoma City and Fort Worth. That would be Oklahoma’s state supported service, the Heartland Flyer. Our coalition maintains a great website for the Heartland Flyer. We invite you to visit the site. We are now on a summer schedule and all the departure times have been shifted to 30 minutes later than shown on that webpage in last weeks T&T, i.e., Train 821 leaves Oklahoma City at 9:05am rather than 8:25am, etc. Train 822, the train returning from Fort Worth, leaves there at 6:00pm rather than 5:25. The new schedule is available on the Flyer web site. Click on “summer schedule change” -Judi Elmore, Chairman, Heartland Flyer Coalition http://www.heartlandflyer.com
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“I am originally from Frederick, Tillman county, Oklahoma. I noticed you had one bell listed for Tillman County, in Grandfield, Oklahoma. The First Baptist Church in Frederick also had a bell in its church that burned I think in the 1930s. The bell apparently broke in the fall from the steeple, and somewhere along the line it had been buried upside down in a yard beside the church as a flower garden, all you could see of it was the iron rim making the edge of the little circular garden. It was still there in the 1960s. I don’t know if it is still there or not now. I cut the grass one summer for a while, and the elderly custodian of the church told me about it. I also have a website that highlights Oklahoma farmers and ranchers who sell directly to the public, it is http://www.oklahomafood.org. I have a page about how to get by without AC in Oklahoma at. a lot of this is stuff I learned from my grandparents, or remembered from growing up, especially the importance of shading the house and cooking outside in the summer.” -Robert Waldrop, Oklahoma City http://www.energyconservationinfo.org/noacok.htm
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“This is a rock that is painted like a frog on a farm to market road outside Ada, Oklahoma about 6 miles SW of Ada. I thought it was cute!” https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/adafrogrock.jpg
———————————————————————— “About the Smooth Sailing Candy bars. I found a recipe online. Peanut Creams (Or called “Smooth Sailing” when FDR was President).laughing.old recipe! Use our CM117 candy mold. This is an exceptionally fine mold. This mold will make many different pieces of candy at the same time. Take 25% peanut butter and 75% fondant. Add the peanut butter after the fondant in melted and stir well so the peanut butter is equally distributed. Using the depositing funnels deposit the mixture in the mold cavities. After the mixture sets up, remove the shapes and lay them out on a piece of wax paper. Using the candy dipping tongs, dip the entire long, narrow bar in chocolate or half dip it in chocolate: This candy can be made in white for peppermint, pink for strawberry or cherry fondant. Add the flavor. For chocolate flavor, add a small amount of coating chocolate to the fondant. This piece can be entirely dipped or half dipped in chocolate. It is especially beautiful half dipped with the color of the fondant showing.” http://www.sugarcraft.com/catalog/candies/guttmanhelp.htm
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“Butch, Bill and I just got back a few weeks ago from a vacation in the Philadelphia area. This is probably the most famous bell of all.” https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/libertyb703.jpg
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“I am searching for information for a school fire in Duncan, Oklahoma in the 1950’s possibly. It was supposed to have been a school near Rock Creek cemetery on 8th street, and may be where the Duncan Junior High is now, also on 8th street. The closest report I have been able to find is that the junior high annex had been erected in April of 1955. Barring that, the only other related news I have been able to find was the burning down of the Ryan Academy, In Ryan, Oklahoma in 1956. I have read several of your “T&T” newsletters online, and found them to be most informative and knowledgeable of Oklahoma history and events. I would appreciate any help you could give in this instance. Thank you.” -Natalie Ford-SilverRaven
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From “Chronological Reminders of the Past”: Ardmore Air Force Base http://www.brightok.net/~gsimmons/mem53-59.htm
More about the “mysterious” disease.“Ardmore AFB cancels “open-house” to be held October 6, 1955 due to a number of cases of infectious mononucleosis or glandular fever. The disease causes flu-like symptoms and is spread by respiratory means. October 2, 1955
Fast Forward Note: Ardmore Air Force base will be remembered by the medical profession for the virus-like sickness that affected many base occupants. It is not known if the 1955 outbreak was the problem that prompted the naming of the sickness as “Ardmore syndrome” or if there was another illness in 1957 (the date of naming) that brought the “honor.” -Gary Simmons
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“Butch, I surely didnt realize there was interest in the old Harley-Davidson three wheelers, since there is, I feel I need to inject some history before it is lost, about Lem England and myself. I will try and be brief but there is quite a bit to tell. First off, Lem and I had both been stationed at the Ardmore Air Force Base at Gene Autry, we both married local girls and later as you know joined the Ardmore PD and retired after 20 years. There are many other names associated with the old Harleys, the main one was Lawton (Red) Smithers. On my first day with the PD July 3rd, 1957 I was assigned to Capt. Smithers. He informed me of my duties which consisted of riding the 3 wheeler (I had never been on a motor cycle before). He showed me how to operate it for about 30 minutes then told me since the next day would be the 4th of July and not much traffic I was to spend that day getting use to it. I would not only ride it but 2 evenings a week, I would relieve the “Alley Man”, John Shelly. Shelly nabbed a burglar one morning about 1am in the old Palace Bar, now Eric Jones’ office (9 ‘B’ SW) behind the sandwich shop. The crook had his pockets full of change he had gotten out of the machines he broke into, Shelly drew his gun and walked him to the PD, along the way the kid proceeded to empty his pockets of the change leaving a trail to the PD, Shelly was quite hard of hearing and wore thick glasses, he never knew the kid was dumping the change. The next morning Lawton Smithers and I retraced the route picking up the coins along the way, those that hadnt been found by passers by at the north side of the court house. The shift ran from 6pm until 2 AM, this consisted of checking the front and back doors of every business between Washington and C Street. If one was open we were to investigate, if the owner failed to lock up we would call them. I would be the third officer downtown along with Matt Alexander whom worked only Main Street from Washington to C Street and either Wes Henderson or Ernest Holley whom worked from Caddo to Washington, Main to Broadway. They stayed mainly on (Bloody) Caddo as it was called. I was informed not to go on Caddo unless there was an older officer with me for the first 6 month until the locals got to know me. I had no problem following these orders. Lem was hired in February 1959 and more or less assumed my old duties of riding the 3 wheeler and walking alleys. I finally got out of the alleys. We, Red, Lem and I would rotate some on the Harley during good weather and walk the beat during times we did not ride. In about 1961 or 62 the city purchased a new Harley with a 2 way radio on it, up until this time if we needed help of a patrol car we would go to a pay phone dial O and tell the operator we were police and she would connect us with the station (No Charge) who would assign a car to help us, mainly to transport drunks or those fighting. Shortly before I started on the PD there we no radios even in the patrol cars. If the station needed an officer they would hit the switch of a large red light located on top of City Hall, the nearest patrol car or beat officer would come to the station and see what was needed. After about a year or so we more or less wore out the first Harley and got another brand new one also with a radio, boy were we in tall cotton then. Red more or less laid back and let Lem and I have the riding duties which consisted of writing parking tickets (Smithers) was the person who convinced the City fathers in 1948 to install parking meters. Lem and I would also investigate all traffic accidents in the downtown area, and answer all disturbance calls in the same area, we would also direct traffic in and around the Jr. and Sr. High School. We also arrested those violating any traffic laws. During the following years Red Smithers retired and I was promoted to traffic Capt. I had been a Lt. Lem then became a Lt. There were other officers whom we worked with in the downtown area besides those I mentioned there was Bill Baggett for one and others who have slipped my mind. I do remember Lem and I always dreading Saturdays, we would park the Harleys and get either on a street corner or the middle of the block with Henderson, Smithers, Baggett, Holley and Jim Justice, Lawton Smithers nephew and he worked on the three wheeler before me. We attempted to keep traffic moving by blowing our whistles and motioning the traffic to move on. “Dragging Main” was the favorite pastime every Saturday of the locals and those from the rural area as they came every week to see what was going on in Ardmore the drag lasted during pretty weather sometimes til either preview time at the Tivoli or later. Down town Ardmore was the place to be, we had no Wal-Mart, no malls. etc. The biggest thing outside of Main street was the Super Dog. Later on in our Police careers Lem was promoted to Capt. and was shift supervisor on the 3 to 11 shift, I was assigned the 11 to 7 (graveyard) and Capt Wayne Magee was 7 to 3. I hope this bit of history will bring back a few memories to some and let the younger generation know a bit of what it was like in the “Olden” days.” -Richard D. (Rick) Feiler feiler@brightok.net
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‘Family Reunion at Lake Murray’s Rock House’“I remember a Family Reunion held here
I was only three
A beautiful rock house
Nestled among the trees
A gold fish pond
A cool place to sit on
At the back of the house
Lake Murray can be seen
Water glistening blue and shimmering
Dinner on the ground
Children playing hide and seek
Happy laughter when one is found
Getting the family all together
Posing for a picture
A Family Treasure
From Grandmother, I called Dommie
To one month old James
Held in his Mother’s arms
Grandmother and her children
One son and five daughters
Are all gone now – but the fragrance of their memory lingers on
Down through the ages
When I travel back to Lake Murray on Memories Pages.”-Irmadene Mapp Blankenship 5-5-88
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/lmurrayrockhouse.jpg
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“Butch, here is a story about a man from Orr, Oklahoma (western Carter county) named Del Black that went on to become the highest ranking Petty officer in the Navy. I learned about him in high school, served with him in the Navy and got to meet him at Edgar Wallace’s house here in Ardmore. He gave me his business card and today I gave it to the museum and they are going to put it in the military part. Interesting man and very pleasant to meet.” -Doug Williams http://www.chinfo.navy.mil/navpalib/news/news_stories/black.html
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“Some of the things I did on my vacation was stock my pond. Oh what fun.” -Doug Williams nascar88@cableone.net https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/dougfish3a.jpg
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“I spotted this old barn along side Highway 130 in southern Indiana a few days ago.” -Ernest Martin https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/indianatobaccobarn2.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/indianatobaccobarn3.jpg
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“I have recently learned that my grandfather who passed away in 1976 was a member of the Odd Fellows Lodge in Ardmore, Oklahoma and that my grandmother was a member of the Rebekhas (up until his death in the 1976). In going through some old stuff I found what I believe to be his Lodge Hat (although I can’t find anything like it on the web), an Odd Fellows Ring that he had and a small red book titled “Charge Book of a Subordinate Lodge…. (it has his name inside with an initiation date of March 3, 1943). I would like any information about this or the stuff I found. Does anyone know about these items?” https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/oddfellows3a.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/oddfellows3b.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/oddfellows3c.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/oddfellows3d.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/oddfellows3e.jpg
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“I am one of several Tucker researchers. Have you ever ran across any pictures of George R. Tucker, Bert O. Tucker or their families? George, according to the 1920 Census, Carter Co., OK, lived on G Street with his wife, Anna, son Bert, daughter-in-law Sophia and grandchildren: George Wilson Tucker, Cassie Tucker, Jewel Tucker and Mettie Tucker, plus 19 other lodgers. George R. Tucker showed his occupation as being Chief of Police in Healdton at that time. His son, Bert Tucker, was with Bud Ballew when he was killed and also a city constable. We would love if you ever find any pictures of these families. Wonderful site. I feel I know that area now.” -Mary Dougherty medough@aol.com in Lansing, MI.
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“I am sending you a picture of my dad’s (Will C. Scrivner) grocery store that was located where the First United Methodist Church (401 W. Main) is now. The picture, I think, was taken sometime between 1910-1920 in Ardmore. He also owned a grocery store that was located where the old J.C. Penney’s was on Main Street. Daddy came to Ardmore before statehood. During his life, he worked for C.P. Hall Furniture Store, Harry Moyers Chevrolet and Vernon Torrance Monuments. Before he died, he owned Will Scrivner’s Used Cars that was located behind the old Miller’s Dairy Queen on E. Street. My dad always loved living in Ardmore and could tell such wonderful stories to my sisters (Mary Elizabeth and Laura Carol) and me. His sister, Louisa Stinson Pride and her husband, William Pride owned a tin shop on East Broadway at the time. It was finally torn down a couple of years ago.” -Millie Scrivner Adams@maca405@cox.net https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/scrivner1920.jpg
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“I have a doll that was manufactured by the ADA Milling Co. in ADA, OK. I’ve been looking everywhere to find out about her and have come up blank. Her torso has a cloth body with their company name stamped on it, no date. The rest of her body is composition, open fixed eye’s, brown molded hair. I would appreciate any help you can be! Thank you!” Lolsweetie@aol.com http://www.geocities.com/moredollys/pic_misc2.htm#mis_21
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“We are researching Ardmore’s Fire of 1895 and Explosion of 1915. Most people in Ardmore know about these two events and how devastating they were in the town’s history. If any of your Readers have memories of the events, or stories they have been told by others, we would love to hear them. Also if anyone has any photographs from either of the two events, but especially from the Fire in 1895, we would be interested in seeing those as well. We would be happy to have people contact the museum directly with any information they might have on these two events. The museum can be reached by email at history@ardmore.com or by phone at 580-226-3857. Also, if any of your Readers have information or photos from any of the small towns in the area, we have an on-going series about area towns. The up-coming exhibits will feature: Burneyville, Rubottom, and Dougherty. We would appreciate any information anyone can contribute on the history of these communities. Any help is appreciated.”Maggie Brown
Curator
Greater Southwest Historical Museum
35 Sunset Dr
Ardmore, OK 73401
580-226-3857
history@ardmore.com
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========================================================================I heard on the news a couple of weeks ago where the Oklahoma wheat farmers are experiencing the best wheat crop they’ve had in several years. The newscast reminded me of something……
“Oklahoma,
Where the wind comes sweepin’ down the plain
And the wavin’ wheat
Can sure smell sweet
When the wind comes right behind the rain
Oklahoma!
Every night my honey lamb and I
Sit alone and talk
And watch a hawk
Makin’ lazy circles in the sky.
We know we belong to the land,
And the land we belong to is grand.
And when we say;
Ee-ee-ow! A-yip-i-o-ee-ay!
We’re only sayin’,
You’re doin’ fine, Oklahoma!
Oklahoma, O.K.!”Words by Oscar Hammerstein II, Music by Richard Rodgers – 1943
See everyone next Saturday!
Butch Bridges
Lone Grove, Oklahoma~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Saturday July 19, 2003 T&T Weekly Vol 7 Issue 326
The “dog days of summer” are really upon us here in Oklahoma. With temps hoovering around 100 or degrees or more in the shade, most of us who can are just staying inside under the a/c. When I checked to see what the meaning was behind this saying “dog days of summer”, I was surprised what I found. The ancient Egyptians called the brightest star in the north the Dog Star and believed the additional light it emitted had something do to with their hot summer heat. Of course in reality the Dog Star had nothing to do with any added summer heat back in those days nor today.
In August 1999 I talked about a Deputy Sheriff in Love County, Oklahoma who lost his life in 1917 in the line of duty just a few miles northwest of Marietta. Those of you who have been reading this eZine since 1999 are aware of the obstacles the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund and myself ran up against trying to get his name added to that national memorial. But I can report to you today that thanks to Dennis Lippe, chairman of the Oklahoma Law Officers Memorial and his taking the bull by the horns, Love County Deputy Sheriff Walter Tate’s (1883-1917) name is now listed in Washington DC with the rest of those who gave their life in the line of duty. It seems like a long time since the summer of 1999 when one of his family members stopped by to see me seeking help. In behalf of the family of Walter Tate, thanks Dennis.
Here is the screen capture of NLEOM’s webpage in Washington DC displaying Walter Tate’s name. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/wtate503.jpg
Here is a picture of Walter Tate and his wife Maggie. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/wtate.jpg
Here is a pix I took back in 1999 of Walter Tate’s marker when it was broken and laying on the ground at the Oswalt Cemetery in Love county. Not long after this pix was taken, Wilson Monuments of Lone Grove went to the Oswalt Cemetery and re-affixed the marker back upright on its base at no charge. Thanks Mrs. Wilson, the family of Walter Tate appreciates it too. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/wtate17.jpg
Website of the National Law Enforcement Officers Fund in Washington DC. http://www.nleomf.com
The Walter Tate story. https://oklahomahistory.net/textfiles/wtate17.txt
Doug Williams stopped by this week. He and his wife had bought an old picture with frame at a garage sale, and behind the frame was tucked away this 1950 something postcard of Oklahoma’s state capital. Of course today our capital is sporting a magnificent dome! https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/okcapital50s.jpg
This week the mystery has been solved about the Lake Murray Rock House pix that was in my T&T a couple of weeks ago. Irmadene Blankenship sent me a newspaper clipping that started the unraveling of this monstrosity of a rock house on the lake property years ago. Come to find out it was right next to the Rock Tower on the east side of Lake Murray back in the 30s. There is a pavilion there now where the rock house used to be. It was the Governor’s “summer house” and use to get away for a weekend or whatever. When it burned we dont know yet, and no remnants of it are still there. Here is the newspaper clipping Irmadene Blankenship sent in. It tells about the Boy Scouts of America, Chickasaw Council, taking over the house for scouting purposes. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/lmurrayrockhouse2.jpg
1918 Carter County Officials
County Clerk: Clarence Harris, Treasurer: S.M Parker, Sheriff: Buck Garrett, County Attorney: Andy Hardy, County Judge: T.W. Champion, Surveyor: J.W. Baty, Superintendent of Schools: G.W. Coffman, Assessor: R.S. Hendon, Commissioners: G.W. Young, Ben Stephen, W.H. Whitson1918 District Court Officials
District Judge: W.F. Freeman, Court Clerk: C.M. Grant, Reporter: Ollie Anderton1918 Ardmore Police Department
Chief of Police: Leslie L. Segler, Sergeants: A.C. Parker and Jacob Williams, Policemen: T.J. LaCroix, W.J. Ford, A.A. Graves, Walter Stroud, J.M. Chancellor, W.D. Day, John Dyer, David Fraser, J.G. Johnson, Mack Pettit, A.B. Hays, D.W. Butcher.This week my Devils Den photo album on Webshots received 5 times the hits as any of the other photo albums. Maybe this extreme heat we’re having this week is making people wish they were cooling off in that oh so cold creek water at Devils Den north of Tishomingo! http://community.webshots.com/album/29733398gxVnvBScVX
Speaking of Tish, a Reader told me this week about a lady named Sally Chisholm. She is buried on the west edge of Tishomingo out in the middle of a pasture all by herself. The road that runs south from the highway along P&M Sales goes down to the area where the grave is located. There is a plan in the making to make the area an economic development site and her grave is going to be sectioned off and left intact.
Another Reader told me about an unusual grave marker on private property north of Healdton that I must go check out soon. From what they say, I know there will be a good story waiting to be told!
Ever wonder if you the salary you’re being paid is keeping up with inflation? Find out here! http://www.halfhill.com/inflation.html
I thought a found a promising website to help stop spam, but the past four days it has not been online, so I dont know what’s the matter. I noticed the past few weeks several Readers are using a new Free service in Switzerland to stop unwanted Spam. From looking at their FAQ webpage, it looks like something a lot of us need. Just be sure and tell them you want to receive your T&T! http://www.n-dream.com/
If n-dream has bit the dust, here is another free spam filter service. http://www.spamus.com/
I dont know who Melissa is, but she has a wealth of information free just for the asking! http://www.melissadata.com/Lookups/index.htm
A couple of months ago I mentioned Crazy Calls. That’s where you can call anywhere in the U.S. and Canada, and talk 30 minutes for only 99 cents. And after that first 30 minutes its only 5 cents a minute. Crazy Calls has exceeded all expectations! People knows a good deal when they see one! Check it all the details (no switching either) at the link below. Just click on the “Dial Arounds” tab then click “crazy calls”! http://www.xpectations.com/agent/228072
SOME LETTERS FROM THIS WEEK’S MAILBAG
“Mr. Bridges. First off all I would like to apologize for taking so long to respond to your first email, I have been very busy lately. Second of all thank you for the great photo, and with your permission, I would like to post it on our up and coming website. As far as having more Empress trees to sell you and your friends, I have plenty of trees available to fill any orders you or your friends want to make. The price is still $3.99 and shipping and handling is again $5.99 for up to five trees. Feel free to email me any orders you want to place, and you can pay via PayPal to my email address. The Empress trees will ship immediately after a payment is received. Once again I apologize for taking so long to get back to you, and appreciate your continued business. Thank you.” Randy Whitton Rwhit13@aol.com
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“Hi- thank you again for all the memories and information. Could you please tell me how to get information on the passenger train ride from Okla. City -Ft, Worth, Texas?” http://www.bricktown.com/trolley/train.html
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“Butch: Some of your reader’s might enjoy this. I ask You to remember that for those of us who were in “Dillinger” their was always the dream and very slim chance that we might get that call and hit the big time. We all knew it was not at all likely, BUT, who know’s for sure.? One dark, cloudy night while filming “Dillinger” I was driving a car at Gene Autry and next to me was Ben Johnson, In the back seat was James Clark and Wayne Warthen and Merle Salthouse. Well we had to re-shoot that particular scene about 20 times before I finally got the car exactly where they wanted it. The director finally said “Ronnie that was perfect” it’s a wrap. SO, I stuck my head out the car window and asked the director what the chances were of me and my three friends in the back seat ever being contacted by Hollywood. The director smiled, was very nice, leaned in the window and told all 4 of us, the chances are the same famous two “Slim and None.” Well it turns out he was right. (Smile).” -Ronnie Robert’s
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“Could you try to find information regarding another one of our classmates by the name of Ann Bettes who would have graduated in the year 1954. She later married a guy in the service and they had at least one little boy. Ann was a granddaughter to a family by the name of Whisenhunt; that may not be a correct spelling of their last name. Any help you can give will be appreciated.” gmcg@brightok.net
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“Butch, that was real fun seeing a picture and hearing about the 3 wheeled scooters the police had. Does anybody remember the ice cream man who used to drive through the neighborhoods with one of those scooters? I remember the first time I ran out to buy a cold popsicle for a nickel from him. He took it out of the freezer and said to wait a couple of minutes before eating it because it had been packed in dry ice. I didn’t know why, so what did I do but as soon as he drove off I pulled off the wrapper and plopped that nice, cold, juicy popsicle on my hot little tongue. Well, it stuck like crazy glue and I panicked, and instead of waiting for it to warm and melt, I ripped it off my tongue, along with a layer of skin. Boy, did I learn a hard lesson!”
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“Hi butch, Ran across a little known fact on the net a couple of days ago, at least I didn’t know about it. Ardmore has a disease named after it, called Ardmore Syndrome. It comes from a infectious disease of unknown origin which broke out at the Ardmore Airbase in 1957.” http://www.whonamedit.com/synd.cfm/239.html
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“Although the upper floors of the rock house at Lake Murray look unfamiliar it may be the one built for the Governor of OK on the east side of Lake Murray. There was a drive way around the house. The year it burned I do not remember.”
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“Butch, In the first grade I attended a one-room school house in Atoka Co. The little community was called Pleasant Hill. It was barely out of Johnston Co., East of Wapanucka and North of Hwy 7. The school house has been gone for years, but if anyone knows the fate of the Pleasant Hill School Bell I would appreciate the information. By the way, one of the early school teacher’s had the most beautiful red hair. She ended up being Reba McIntire’s Mother.” pmcgehee1@cox.net
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“Hello Butch, Just finished reading this week’s T&T and as always really enjoyed all of it. Really like all of the pictures of the bells. I would love to find a large bell to buy for my place here in Kansas, so if any of your readers are willing to part with one to a good home please ask them to e-mail me at lacj1@hotmail.com Does anyone remember the old ice plant in Ardmore? I worked there for a while in the early 1950’s. It was a great place to work in the hot summertime. The ice was frozen in 300 lb. blocks by lowering the containers into a large saltwater tank. We hooked three containers at a time to an overhead winch and lifted them out, dipped them into a water bath, dumped them out and pushed them through the saws to score them as 50 lb. and on into the storage vault. I always chose to work in the vault when I could. There was a man named Roy Pylant that had a home delivery ice route in the Ardmore area. He had a pickup truck and always delivered one to three loads a day. He provided customers with signs to hang in their windows or doors showing how much ice they needed so he could see their needs from the street. They could buy crushed or block ice in 50, 25 or 12 1/2, lb. blocks. Thanks Butch.” -Lee Coffey
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“Hey, do you remember the wash houses when we were kids? My mama use to go to Lee Groomer’s Help Yourself Laundry just north of Lake Murray Drive at 421 “E” Street SE (1940s, 1950s and 1960s). It wasn’t like the ones now that you stick the clothes in and watch it spin. She would wash in the tub and put the clothes thru the wringer. Lees wife, Thelma Groomer was the cook at the High School for a long time back when we were young and restless.”
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“Butch, FYI, those three wheel scooters are Harley-Davidson “Servi-cars”. Those three wheelers are quite collectible today. I remember seeing them used by the Oklahoma City P.D. when I was growing up there. A little info I took off the net says that H-D produced the servi-car from 1929 to 1973. Just another piece of trivia for ya.”
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“Butch, Your picture of officers Rick and Lem with their three wheel motorcycles bring smiles and memories back to me. In the 1956 to 1958 time frame when I was in the eight and ninth grades at Ardmore Junior High, the two officers did a lot more that check parking meters. This was the age when all of us were driving the Cushman Eagle motor scooters which we purchased from Mr. Coxey and we would remove the inserts from the exhaust pipes to make the scooters faster and of course much, much louder. Of course the loud pipes were against the law in Ardmore and it was officers Rick and Lem duty to stop us and give us 20 dollar tickets. It was also our responsibility to try and “ditch” the officers. We also played a game of “ditch” with the airmen of Ardmore Air Force Base at Gene Autry in which we would pull up next to a carload of airmen, do something to make them mad, and get them to chase us and “ditch” them and go back and find them and do it again. A very dangerous and silly game but it was a lot of fun when we were 13, 14, and 15 years old. Officer Lem always seemed to enjoy the chase and always laughed at us when he caught us but Officer Rick was always very serious and would give us a very stern lecture and fine us the maximum.” -Your 1961 Ardmore High School graduate and motor scooter rider. Randall (Randy) Ramsey
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“Hello Butch, I love reading your newsletter. I receive it every Friday night and immediately read all of it. Keep up the good work. While on a recent visit to East Texas I traveled to Jefferson and saw a huge bell in the front yard of a “junk and antique” store. I stopped to take a picture and found another bell there as well. The largest bell was made in Northville, Michigan by the American Bell Foundry and it numbered #44. I don’t know the details of the other bell. Anyway, they are located out in the front yard of the antique store on one of the main streets of Jefferson, Tx. Also, I want to wish a speedy recovery to Ralph Sullivan of Wilson, Ok. He is in his 80’s and recovering from gall bladder surgery. Thanks for the great newsletter.” -Del Daniel in hot, sunny Southern California https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/jeffbell3a.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/jeffbell3b.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/jeffbell3c.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/jeffbell3d.jpgCarl Zimmerman: “Both bells are iron, of course. Whoever painted the fittings on the big one did a nice job of highlighting the maker’s name and place on the yoke, as you can clearly see. #44 means this bell is about 44 inches in diameter (probably 43 point something) which is about as large as anybody ever made in iron bells. (The C.S. Bell Company made two or three at 48″, but that’s all.) The small one is an unusual imitation of the C.S. Bell style. What makes it unusual are the bulging reinforcements around the curve of the yoke. The six knobs you see on the left side of the yoke are rivets where somebody fastened a repair plate on the back side–you can see the break in the yoke between the third and fourth rivets.”
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“Hi, I have been looking forever for the smooth sailing candy bars they made in the 1950s. They had a white and blue wrapper with a sailing ship on the front. Do you have any info on them?”
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“Can you sic me on to a web site or a historian on a Bus Company namely OKLAHOMA TRANSPORTATION CO.” – Winnamucca@aol.com
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========================================================================I try to let it sneak by, but a lot of you want let that happen. July 18th was my birthday and I appreciate all the eCards and emails and instant messages from all over! I kinda wanted to grow old gracefully, but that dont look like its going to happen as long as I have a computer and T&T Readers. lol. Again, thanks to you who sent B-Day wishes!
They say that anger is just love disappointed.
They say that love is just a state of mind.
But all this fighting over who is anointed,
Oh, how can people be so blind?Oh, they tell me there’s a place over yonder
Cool water running through the burning sand.
Until we learn to love one another,
We will never reach the Promised Land.There’s a hole in the world tonight.
There’s a cloud of fear and sorrow.
There’s a hole in the world tonight.
Don’t let there be a hole in the world tomorrow.-The Eagles, May 2002
See everyone next Saturday!
Butch Bridges
Lone Grove, Oklahoma~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Saturday July 12, 2003 T&T Weekly Vol 7 Issue 325
A few weeks ago a Reader talked about Mary’s Barn south of Stonewall at Jesse, Oklahoma. That’s the place where fiddlers and such have a real good time every third Saturday night of each month. I received a pix of Mary’s Barn thanks to Frances Dunlap. Guess I’ll have to make a trip Jesse soon and check out the music! https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/marysbarn3.jpg
Speaking of Frances Dunlap of McLoud, Oklahoma she sent me a clipping from The Daily Oklahoman this week. The article tells about an old school bell that is being restored in Choctaw, Oklahoma and placed on display for the public to see. The article was a month or two ago, so I dont know if the bell has been installed on the Main Street of Choctaw yet or not.
Thanks to a couple of Readers, we now have the two locals that worked in the Dillinger movie identified in the photograph Ardmoreite Ronnie Roberts let me scan a few years ago. They are on the far left Bob (Scooter) McQueen of Ardmore and on the far right John Cox of Madill. Here is that updated photograph. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/dillgang.jpg
I remember back in the 60s and 70s the Ardmore Police Department having 3 wheel scooters to patrol the downtown area. They were mostly used to check the parking meters that were installed on Main Street back then, but also I remember them being used in all the parades. I was working for the ambulance service and in the early 70s we had a 1967 Chevrolet station wagon we used for in-town transports. We had responded to a “man down” call one afternoon at an apartment house in the northeast corner of “F” and 2nd Street NW. We got the man loaded into the ambulance and Ardmore police officer Lem England was there helping us. He was on one of those 3-wheel scooters. He hollered to me, “I’ll escort you to the hospital”. I nodded that that was ok with me. He jumped on that 3-wheeler and put it in gear and the scooter died. He had to jump up and down the kick starter and after about three times it started. But it was still in gear, and when it did start, he and that motor scooter ran right into the side of that apartment complex. Thank God he wasn’t hurt. Now he may hurt me for telling this story, but Lem is a good friend, I enjoyed working with him back in my heydays. Here’s a photo of Lem England (background) and Rick Feiler (closest to camera) on their 3 wheel motor scooters. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/apdscooter.jpg
Here is a pix I took back around 1975 of that ’67 station wagon ambulance along with two big “High Top” ambulances. That’s a Cadillac in the middle, and a Pontiac on the far left. https://oklahomahistory.net/photos2/3amb.jpg
Here is a recent photo of all the Southern Oklahoma Ambulance crew. When I started in July 1970 it was located behind the then Ardmore Adventist Hospital. It’s come a long way and is now one of the most advanced in the state! https://oklahomahistory.net/photos2/soasgrp1.jpg
Ardmore’s Southern Oklahoma Ambulance Service has a website too! http://soas.net
Back when I was a teen in the early 1960s I bought a radio kit from Radio Shack. It was a one transistor type radio, that’s one notch above a crystal radio. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/myradio65a.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/myradio65b.jpg
We’ve been talking about Dillinger the past couple weeks and one of the characters mentioned in the movie was bank robber Harvey J. Bailey. On September 5, 1933, Harvey J. Bailey was in jail at Dallas, was slipped a pistol, made his escape and headed north toward Oklahoma. He made it as far as Ardmore and the chase began. Law enforcement was pursuing him up North Washington and at 2nd NW (in front of the old Ardmore High School) Bailey lost control, wrecking the car. He was arrested and taken to the Ardmore city jail. The next day or two he was going to be transported to Oklahoma City on earlier kidnapping charges. My dad, R.V. “Battleship” Bridges, was in the National Guard (as was nearly all his brothers) and he told me he and another National Guard member were posted on top of the old Coca Cola Building with machine guns. The old Coca Cola building was where the present day Carter County Jail is located. They were posted on top of the building for security reasons, and a very large crowd had gathered on the east side of city hall to see the nationally recognized bank robber Bailey brought out to be transported. My dad said they new in reality they could not use their machine guns even if some kind of break was tried, there were innocent civilians all over that area watching Bailey and police exit the building. I thought I had a photo of the old coca cola plant at South Washington and 1st street, but for the life of me I can’t find it. Maybe someone out there has one.
Speaking of photos, I knew I’d scanned or taken a lot of pixs the past 7 years from all over. Plus many of them were sent to me by Readers. So I decided to count them this week. I have over 5,900 photos! Wow! Sure glad I got a CD burner so I can back them up regularly. And as another backup, over 120 of you back in the Summer and Fall of 2002 were mailed free a CD with over 4,500 photos on them as winners of my drawings. So I doubt my T&T history and photos will ever be lost! Thanks to all of you whose contributions helps make this all possible.
The Daily Ardmoreite, July 1943: Ardmore Army Airfield Will Give Free Hay – Makes Offer to Local Farmers Who Will Cut And Remove Hay. Capt. T.A. Russ, post engineer, Ardmore army air field, announced Thursday that local farmers who want to cut the abundant crop of hay on the army air field can make arrangements to do so and will be given the hay free of charge. Unless prompt action is taken, much native hay on the base will be lost, it is said. The requirements made by the army are that the hay be immediately removed from the field as soon as cut. Any farmer or stockman who is interested in acquiring the hay crop at the field is asked to communicate with Captain Russ and arrangements will be made by which he may come on the field and harvest the crop. Captain Russ urged prompt action, pointing out that this year all food and forage should be preserved and prevented from wasting. The time to harvest the crop is at hand and the army is eager for anyone interested in the proposition to get in touch with the post engineer without delay. Here is a photo of Thomas A. Russ http://www.brightok.net/~gsimmons/aafthomasruss44.jpg
I found a neat little freeware program that will keep your computer clock synchronized with the atomic clocks for those of you who have to have it in perfect time. Its easy to install, but you do have to find another Time Server and enter it in the box, other than the default one. You can tell it to synchronize the time at regular intervals, like every 4 hrs or whatever. The synchronize box needs the time in seconds only, so to check every 4 hours you’d enter 14400. For my Time Server I used one in Plano, Texas, since it is Central Time…. tock.greyware.com http://www.analogx.com/contents/download/network/ats.htm
SOME LETTERS FROM THIS WEEK’S MAILBAG
“I noticed in your publication this week that someone was looking for an ancestor. I’m having a terrible time finding some of mine, so is it possible you could post this in your newsletter? My ggrandfather James S. Davis (1850-1919) from Missouri married Annie Goings (1850-1918) born in Choctaw Nation IT, he died in the Veterans home and is buried in the Leavenworth National Cemetary, Kansas; she died in Coal Co. and I have no idea where she is buried., married (1870) his father was William (1820), mother Gillie (1833), brother William H.(1854), sisters Gilly A. (1856) and Sarah E. (1852) (according to 1860 MO census). I know his parents moved here (they were listed on the same Dawes commission card with James and Annie) and assume his siblings did, too. I know nothing more about Annie Goings except she or her mother Sophia (maiden name unknown) had an uncle Joe Moncrief (1861-1945).” -Tomi Jo dstefano1@juno.com
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“Butch, Wal-mart has that Dillinger movie available on DVD at around $5.88.”
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“Hi, Butch. I saw a couple of Paulownia Empress trees in the Los Angeles Botanical Gardens several years ago. They were enormous, but very regal-looking. I looked up information in Hortus Third and Sunset’s National Gardening book. Both sources say the trees are fast growers to 50 feet (the ones I saw were all of that if not more) with a growth habit something like catalpa. You are in USDA zone 7 which is about as far north as they can be considered hardy. If next winter is extremely cold it might be a good idea to wrap them before hard freezes. After a year or two they should be strong enough to survive without protection. The brown flower buds form in autumn and unless the winter is severe will open into fragrant blossoms in spring. Blossom and leaf drop can be rather messy, so keep the lawn rake handy. The shade provided is on the dense side, so your summer A/C bills should be reduced. Good luck with them…once they’re of a good size they’ll likely be widely admired.” -Elizabeth Dyer
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“Hi Butch, I might have already mentioned that I had a nursery business for 19 years, and I, too, bought a Paulownia Empress Tree to plant in my own yard because it was supposed to have such large leaves and beautiful flowers. It turned out that we were too far north for it to bloom, and after I had read that it needed to be planted out of the wind, my husband planted it right out in the open, so it didn’t do as well as it could have. In my opinion, the fastest growing tree is the Hybrid Poplar, and we bought small ones to plant and sell to people who wanted to raise their own trees for firewood. We had sold poplars before, but they didn’t make as good a shade tree because this one spreads out more. I’m sure you will enjoy your Paulownia, as it is a beautiful tree that makes a denser shade.”
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“Butch, I’ve seen that rock house at Lake Murray a bazillion times but for the life of me, I cannot remember where it was. I sure hope someone comes up with the location. If they don’t, it’ll drive me nuttier than I am already!!!” https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/lmurrayrockhouse.jpg
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“Hi Butch. I noticed a couple of times that the Rayford switch was mentioned in your newsletter. I have attached a photo of the Rayford siding I took a few years back. I don’t know if this siding is the original switch mentioned but it is still listed as, Rayford, OK, Station No. 51245, siding length 6220 ft. on BNSF’s track chart for the Red Rock Subdivision. It’s listed at Mile Post 473 with the Depot in Davis listed at Mile Post 478 which means it is 5 miles south of Davis via the tracks. Of course there is no Depot now at Rayford, just a siding which BNSF uses to occasionally store railroad cars. I’ve also attached a photo of “the cut” which is just about a mile north of Rayford. In earlier days there was a railroad bridge crossing the Washita river west (left in the photo) of the present track line. The old line was much lower in those days and was prone to flooding. It was decided to raise the line and cut through the rock as you see in the photo to eliminate the bridge. When the river is very low you can still see the old foundations for the bridge in the river bed. I have some photos of the old foundations I shot a few years back when the river was low if anyone wants them. I’ve taken lots of photos up and down this part of the line over the last several years. “The cut” as well as “Big Canyon” are the most scenic part of the line but can’t be seen by car. But you can see them clearly by taking Oklahoma’s Heartland Flyer passenger train. You know me, I’m always trying to get in a plug for the passenger train especially since Oklahoma stands to lose it next year. If your readers are interested in keeping the passenger train which runs from OKC to Fort Worth, then please write, e-mail or call your state officials and tell them. If we lose our passenger train, it doesn’t mean a tax break for us, it just means your tax dollars will continue to be used to support passenger rail service in other states with Oklahomans no longer getting any benefit from it. (I’ve attached a photo of the Flyer passing through Big Canyon recently). Thanks so much Butch.” -C. Dwane Stevens, Ardmore, Oklahoma. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/stevensrayford3.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/stevensthecut3.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/stevensheartland603.jpg
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“Hi Butch, I was wondering if either you or any of your readers from the Ardmore area might be able to help me find a long lost friend. Her name is Shannon McMahon. She has also been known as Shannon Edgeman, Shannon Layton, and Shannon Conley. As far as I know she is married to Bill McMahon whose family resided on Lake Murray Drive near the old A&W Root Beer restaurant. Shannon’s mother passed away about a yr. and a half ago, her name was Helen Brown and her stepfather’s name is Rusty Brown. He lives on Oak Street. I have heard that she is living in the Atlanta, Georgia area. We graduated from Ardmore High in ’78 and had been like sisters for a lot of years. I miss her a lot and would appreciate any help in finding her again.
Thanks.” -Roxanne NYGarfield459@aol.com
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“Butch, This bell is at my wife’s grandmother’s house at Antlers, Oklahoma in Pushmataha county. We have always been lead to believe that the bell that is in the back yard is from the old Ethel school. Not sure of the circa on the age of the bell but it for sure is older then you and me.” https://oklahomahistory.net/bellphotos/pushbell3b.jpg
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“Butch, in the 30s there was a sawmill operating in the hoxbar area near fousche maline creek. my parents owned a used furniture store on the corner of main and caddo and there was a tunnel that went across the street to the old hotel from the old dew drop inn. a fire truck caved in the tunnel while fighting a fire at the dry cleaners and it was sealed up.”
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“Butch, Here are a few pics from our trip to Eureka Springs. We got a pic of the bell next to the Passion Play, and a pic of the Christ of the Ozarks statue, along with the glass chapel for those who have never been to Eureka Springs, this might show them a portion of the things they can see. Thanks for the T&T we love it.” -Eric https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/ozarks3a.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/ozarks3b.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/ozarks3c.jpg
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“Butch: Couldn’t download the photo, but will bet that the “G-Man” walking down the stairs with Melvin Purvis (Ben Johnson) was veteran character and actor Roy Jensen. I got to know both of them during the filming of Dillinger. Both were pleasant, friendly, and down to earth. Johnson remains my number one hero to this day. Jensen played a substantial number of characters in probably 50 or so movies in his career, but is one of those guys that you recognize on sight but can’t name. Incidentally, some of the filming of the movie occurred in the District Attorney’s office on the 2nd floor of the Carter County Courthouse. Whenever those guys come in to do a film shot, they are incredibly messy and destructive, but amazingly, pretty well restore everything the way it was. A bunch of crazy things happened during the filming your readers might be interested in. The American International crew filmed quite a number of shots across the street from the Tivoli Theatre, next door to the soda shop. One of the major shots called for a former Canadian pro football player/stunt man to walk up the incredibly long flight of stairs carrying a briefcase, supposedly on the way to meet some gangsters to arrange a “hit” of a crime rival. There were swinging glass doors midway up the stairs, and the plot called for the guy to be shot when he entered the door, fall backwards all the way down the stairs, crashing through the swinging glass doors. To arrange that, the AI crew set up in a small room at the top of the stairs, put booms, lights and chairs all over the place. The script called for Ben Johnson to sit in an easy chair, smoke a cigar, and voice-over while the guy is coming up the stairs, talking about how dangerous the character was. (Viewers might remember Ben turning to his left and having his Monte Cristo cigar lit while he waited for the gunman to enter.) Well, the guy entered the room and Ben J yelled “Melvin Purvis, FBI!” followed by a burst of blanks from a sub-machine gun Ben was holding. Ronnie Roberts had been assigned by the director to stand next to Ben and light his cigar while they waited for the hit man. Well, when the big gun went off Ronnie jumped and knocked a boom over, which in turn knocked several lights down and everything became chaotic. For years I teased Ronnie about that, but in his defense, the small room, crowded to dickens, combined with a thunderous volley of shells, would make anyone jump. The scene went off without a hitch, the stunt man fell as directed, landing out on the sidewalk in front of the door. One of the blank shell fillings hit him in the face and he had a nasty cut and he was plenty angry about that, yelling at the film crew about it. Anyway, it was cold as could be during this time so the AI film crew set up a huge assortment of gigantic coffee urns and also set out several boxes of doughnuts and pastries each morning. We had a courthouse character named “Mr. Tackett” who wandered by one day, discovered the abundant pastries, and helped himself, including stuffing a large number of them into the pockets of his tattered overcoat. As you would guess, Mr. Tackett came by the stands each morning thereafter. (The coffee and pastries were on several tables on the West side of B Street just around the corner from the present day soda shop.) The former CFL player involved in the hit man stunt is the same guy who jumped backwards off the Washita River bridge later on. You’ll see that scene in the film when the great shootout occurs with Harry Dean Stanton and others. The producer and the stunt man negotiated a fee on the spot for the dive off the bridge (I recall $6,500) and the guy dictated that there would be a large number of cardboard boxes he’d dive into, since the place he was going to hit was a dry part of the river bed. Like any fan I asked him what was the most dangerous stunt he’d ever done on film and he replied that he’d had to go through a fake plate glass window, again backwards, from the penthouse of a Hyatt Hotel in Atlanta all the way down to a large stunt cushion on the ground. I don’t recall the number of floors that he jumped from (I think 70 or so) but it was scary to even hear him talk about it. Lots of great memories from Dillinger.” -james clark, Ardmore
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“I wanted to let you know that I added some more pages to my web site. Take a look and let me know what you think. Don’t forget to sign the Guestbook so I will know who has visited. Take care.” -Richard Henry http://www.henrykin.com/memories_of_my_childhood.htm
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“Butch- The July 4th Memorial Dedication picture in last weeks T&T was courtesy of Jodie Gilstrap, OKC (he grew up in Ardmore). He attended the dedication along with his brother-in-law Robert Farrington and sister, Virginia Gilstrap Farrington, of Ohio. Bob was stationed at Ardmore Army Air Field during 1943-45. Virginia, an Ardmore native, worked there as a civilian employee. Bob and Virginia tell of their remembrances of the base in the “This I Remember…” airbase link. http://www.brightok.net/~gsimmons/remember.html Jodie was busy taking pictures during the dedication and probably has the best overall pictorial record of the event. Thanks Jodie, Bob and Virginia for being there.” -Gary Simmons
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“I have attached a picture of a rock crusher at work at a quarry between Emet and Milburn, OK about 1922.” https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/emetcrusher22.jpg
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“Mr. Bridges – I have been searching for the actual meat pies known as Lazy Dazys – a childhood memory from Elk City. Do you know anything about them? I enjoyed reading the memories. Thank you for keeping them alive.” -Norman, Oklahoma
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========================================================================In the 1973 movie Dillinger Purvis mentions several other bank robbers beside John Dillinger who were pursued by law enforcement. One of those was Pretty Boy Floyd.
‘The Ballad of Pretty Boy Floyd’ By Woody Guthrie, 1939
If you’ll gather ’round me children
A story I will tell
Of Pretty Boy Floyd an outlaw
Oklahoma knew him well.
It was in the town of Shawnee
It was Saturday afternoon
His wife beside him in his wagon
As into town they rode.
There a deputy sheriff approached him
In a manner rather rude
Using vulgar words of language
And his wife she overheard.
Pretty Boy grabbed a log chain
And the deputy grabbed a gun
And in the fight that followed
He laid that deputy down.
He took to the trees and timbers
And he lived a life of shame
Every crime in Oklahoma was added to his name
Yes, he took to the trees and timbers
On that Canadian River’s shore
And Pretty Boy found a welcome
At a many a farmer’s door.
There’s a many a starving farmer
The same old story told
How this outlaw paid their mortgage
And saved their little home.
Others tell you ’bout a stranger
That come to beg a meal
And underneath his napkin
Left a thousand dollar bill.
It was in Oklahoma City
It was on a Christmas Day
There come a whole car load of groceries
With a letter that did say:
You say that I’m an outlaw
You say that I’m a thief
Here’s a Christmas dinner
For the families on relief.
Now as through this world I ramble
I see lots of funny men
Some will rob you with a Six gun
And some with a fountain pen.
But as through your life you travel
As through your life you roam
You won’t never see an outlaw
Drive a family from their home.The Ballard of Pretty Boy Floyd was one of Oklahoma born Woodie Guthrie’s finest works. At the link below you can download the song by Guthrie. Its a very large file, 4 megs, so it takes a while to download, maybe 20 minutes on a slow modem, but well worth the wait. Woody talks about how Pretty Boy Floyd started his life of crime on the streets of Shawnee, Oklahoma in the 30s, the Depression Years. Just RIGHT Click on this link and “save target as” to download the mp3 file to a Folder on your computer for playing later. If you left click on it, it will start Windows Media Player and still work, but remember it takes maybe 20 minutes or more to load. https://oklahomahistory.net/wavfiles/PrettyBoyFloyd_talk_and_song.mp3
Here’s a webpage with more info on Charles “Pretty Boy” Floyd and download of the song too.http://www.angelfire.com/folk/longtimecoming/prettyboy/songs.html
See everyone next Saturday!
Butch Bridges
Lone Grove, OklahomaSaturday July 5, 2003 T&T Weekly Vol 7 Issue 324
Last week we talked about the old 1898 Federal Courthouse and Jail at West Main and “B” Street SW here in Ardmore. In August 1998 I took some pixs of the second floor area above the Soda Shop. This second floor was where courtrooms were located and the court clerks office. Here is a couple of pixs of the court clerks vault in the far south end which is still on the second floor. The third pix is that infamous stairway leading from Main Street up to the second floor where the strange phenomenon has been going on on a regular basis. Oh the sounds that come from that second floor when it’s quiet and hardly a living soul around. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/fedvault.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/fedvault2.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/fedstair.jpg
Last Wednesday night at 7pm the 1973 movie Dillinger aired on our local cable tv. I saw it several times before but I learn something new every time I watch it. Much of it was filmed in southern Oklahoma. If you ever get the chance to watch it, do. It is even available for rent or purchase on DVD now. This one part shows Melvin Purvis and another G-Man walking down the stairs inside the Carter County Courthouse (50 minutes into the movie). If you look above their heads at the second floor railing, you will see where several of the cast iron rails are broke and missing. That means these rails were broken before 1973, but how long before I havn’t found out yet. I’m sure there is a good story behind how those rails became broke, maybe someone will tell it. The rails were repaired in January 1999. Here is a pix I took of Brian McDaniel welding the cast iron. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/courtweld99.jpg
Here is the story The Daily Ardmoreite did in 1999 of the restoration job. http://www.ardmoreite.com/stories/012099/new_weding.shtml
A Reader from Ardmore was on vacation last week in New Mexico and took some pixs of that bell we talked about a couple of issues back, the one at the Chapel of San Miguel in Santa Fe, NM. I can see in the photos it’s bigger than I imagined it. Since it’s brass, I bet it is heavy too. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/sanmiguel3a.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/sanmiguel3b.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/sanmiguel3c.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/sanmiguel3d.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/sanmiguel3e.jpg
A Reader reminded me this week of Ghost Hill north of Ardmore. I know many of you have been out there as a kid to try and get a glimpse of whatever is suppose to be out there. The Ghost Hill location is north on Refinery Road to Pat Bennett Road (now Deer Creek Rd). Has any one ever saw or experienced anything unusual out there? https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/ghosthill.jpg
This week a Reader gave me a 1949 publication titled, “Golden Nugget Gaming Guide”! Its a small 4 1/2 by 6 1/6 inch 14 page booklet chocked full of black and white photos from this famous casino in Las Vegas as it was back in 1949. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/goldennugget49a.jpg
Here’s the centerfold! Bet things sure have changed since 1949, but hey, ’49 was a good year! https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/goldennugget49b.jpg
Here is an interesting old photo that maybe someone can shed some light on as to where it was located. The post card reads “Rock House at Lake Murray”. Its a big house, anybody know? https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/lmurrayrockhouse.jpg
Extract from the Pendergrass Mid-Continent Tour, Spring 1913: Apples, pears, small fruit, cantaloupe, melons, grapes and vegetables of every variety, yield abundantly and should make the place a veritable Mecca for the truck farmer. The raising of hogs, mules, cattle and chickens puts many a dollar into the pockets of Johnston County farmers every year. The thoroughbred hogs raised on the ranches close to Tishomingo have taken prizes at Dallas and Oklahoma City, and wherever else they have been exhibited. The nutritive quality of the wild grass, keeps the grazing cattle, mules, horses and hogs, sleek and fat, and makes the buying of additional feed during the summer months unnecessary. Tishomingo is the market and shipping point for the farmers for many miles in all directions. Bridges have been built across all the streams and the roads have been improved so that the town is easily accessible from any direction.
Photo of Tishomingo’s Main Street between Kemp Avenue and Capital Avenue in 1912. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/tishmain12.jpg
Home in Tishomingo of J.F. Williams about 1912. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/williamsjf12.jpg
This is to all of you out there with a green thumb or if I’m lucky a horticulturist. Maybe someone can tell me more about the tree I bought a month ago. I was in need of a shade tree in my front yard, so I did a search on www.google.com for the fastest growing tree in the world. I found that claim in the Paulownia Empress Tree. The claim is it will grow 10 feet in 1 year. Well, I guess we’ll find out, because I bought two from South Carolina for $14 which included postage. I planted one of them in the backyard and one in the front yard about 4 weeks ago. Now time will tell. Here is a pix of the one I planted in my front yard. In a month I’ll take another pix, show everyone. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/empresstree3a.jpg
I haven’t talked about our long distance service in a long time. Some of you may think it has faded, but quite the contrary. Its better then its ever been! Our little T&T group who is using it knows exactly what I mean, especially those of you who have been saving money for nearly two years now. The rates are lower then ever! Call another state for 3.9 cents a minute. And many people can make calls within their state for less than a nickel. And lest not forget about those “crazy calls” rates! 30 minutes for 99 cents! Just register your phone number on the crazycall webpage for the dialing instructions will be given you and start making those “crazy calls”! Click your mouse on “Dial Arounds” and then “Crazy Calls”. And remember there is no switching with many of their plans. Call England, Germany, Japan, France, Sweden and many other countries for 4 cents a minute! Less then a year ago the rate was 7 cents a minute, so its better alright, and that equals money saved. And don’t forget about their instant virtual pre-paid calling cards! Check out all the details at: http://www.xpectations.com/agent/228072
SOME LETTERS FROM THIS WEEK’S MAILBAG
“Butch, Back in the late 1930’s and part of the 1940’s, I had a very close friend by the name of CAROL JEAN GAYLER whom I would really like to find if possible. She would come to Ardmore and spend the summer with her grandparents whose last name was WEST. They lived in the 800 block of 5th. ave. NE. Carol’s Mother’s and Father’s names were Lulabelle West and Marlin Gayler. Carol also had a brother by the name of William. She had an uncle whom she was very close to by the name of James Rae West. Carol and William lived with their Father in a place called “Liberated Village” near Ft. Worth, TX. for a number of years. What other information I have is after Carol’s Grandfather passed away, Mrs. West later remarried and moved to California. From what I understand Carol lived there also. I do not know if she ever married. I thought that since your T & T goes out to so many people, someone might have some information about Carol. If so, I would really appreciate them sharing it with me. I thought so much of Carol that I named my daughter “Carol”. Thanks.” -Wanda Threlkeld Blalock wsblalock@prodigy.net
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“Gosh, Butch your pictures were just beautiful, sometimes I can’t get them to transmit or whatever. I really enjoyed the asphalt mine on Prairie Valley Road. Glad those people are doing something with that property. When I moved out there in the ’60’s, every water well we drilled had asphalt in it. This was before SOWC water was available. They must be on the H.A. Hodges property or where I used to live. I will be driving out there to see all of this. I loved the picture of your Aunt and especially that beautiful hat. Hats used to be so popular and Daubes had the prettiest. I remember Jack Floyd’s skating place. He lived in Odessa, Texas when I lived there, used to see his wife Vivian sometimes. She and Jack are gone now, they were good friends with my brother and his wife in Odessa. Thanks for your lovely little news paper, I just love it.” -Lois Bass
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“Butch, The four story building you were referring to west of Tol’s Jewelers was remodeled in 1961 and made into Ardmore Furniture and Decorating by Leonard Martin and Ray (Jack) Nance and was operated by them and then by Leonard and Ruby Martin until they sold to the Howrys in 1973. Leonard Martin is uncle of Keith Nance (grandson of Ray and Marie Nance) of Nance’s Home Furnishings and Leonard Martin is husband of Ruby Martin in this week’s article. I worked for all of them downtown for 18 yrs. Ray Nance and Leonard Martin was first in business at 114 E. Main at Maytag Sales & Service (across from Daubes).” -Rita Cullum ritac@brightok.net
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“I saw that Voncille Shipley has asked you about saw mills in our area. I do hope you can help her…. she is absolutely right about the historical correctness of her novels, I have read “This Raw, Red Land” and it is historically correct as far as I can tell. I do hope you will read it, if you haven’t. I am anxiously waiting for the sequel…..she said she has it about 90% complete, but is now polishing it up a bit here and there. I personally have not seen any saw mills in our area, just the ones in Eastern Oklahoma but I am sure there have been some in our area somewhere. I, of course, am somewhat biased about Voncille, she graduated from high school here in Healdton.” -Kenneth Eck
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“Thanks, Butch for the story about Lillie Langtry, I don’t know about the gun but I know she was a very interesting person and still talked about in London by some. While in London many years ago, I stayed at The West Center Hotel which is on Lillie Road that was named for Lillie Langtry. Thanks again for those very interesting stories.”
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“I’m the webmaster of http://www.steamlocomotive.info a website which attempts to catalog and to display photos of all steam locomotives remaining in North America (and elsewhere). Do you have a photo of ATSF 1108 that is on display in Ardmore?” https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/eng110803a.jpg
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“Hey Butch: Thanks a bunch for giving the location of the old asphalt pit. My father took me up there to see it some years ago, more than 60, and I had tried to locate it, several times, and never did. I told my kids about it and one time we drove all around up northeast of Healdton and never did locate it. I should have checked with T&T. Ha.”
———————————————————————— “Seeking info on Clyde Beaty b. Indian Territory 1898, and Mary Emma Ham, born Sept 20 1907, most likely married in 1927 or 28- I had thought in Tulsa or Osage Cos but no records there- Mary’s family was from Healdton and other towns in Southern Oklahoma- her father was Carter Co Engineer-Surveyor for many, many years ( William(?) J.W. Ham I think) and the Priddy Restraunt and family fr Ardmore married a Ham, my Uncle Bill who worked as machinist etc in oil fields there and was killed by a falling rig I believe. Clyde and Mary spent 1933 at Pinto, Ok- not far from Loco, OK. Mary met Clyde up in Skiatook while she was a student at Business School in Tulsa- I was born in Skiatook in 1929- we often would stop at Hams’ places on way to and from California in 30’s, I went to HS for short time in about 1944 in Ardmore and Healdton- worked some loading trucks, etc at Culver Creamry or Dairy a year had one h of a fire at the cotton gin and strge- sheet metal from roof.” cbeaty@sbcglobal.net
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“Hello Butch & T&T. I’m looking for a classmate of mine at Berwyn School. His name is Robert (Cookie) Cook. He should be about 66 to 67 years old, he would have graduated in 2004 if he had finished school at Berwyn School. We are having out 50th anniversary reunion next year (2004) and I’m planning a 50th reunion for all of us next year. If anyone can supply any type of information on Robert I would really appreciate it. So far I have found 10 out of our 11 classmates. If anyone can help me, please e mail me, it would be greatly appreciated.” -Joe Black joedblack@juno.com
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“Hi Butch.. We really enjoy each week’s issue and it makes us homesick for southern Oklahoma! My husband was interested in Tom Gaines remarks about Big Canyon. He was born in Mannsville and he and his family moved to Big Canyon in 1934 or 35 and lived there until 1942 when he went into the service. He and his brothers worked on their uncle John Easley’s farm and his older brother worked on the Dolese farm where John Rhodes was the manager. He went to school in Big Canyon for two years and remembers being bussed to Dougherty for high school. On Saturday nights, all the kids would go to the Kaserman’s ( Gladys Kaserman was the Postmistress), sit on the front porch, eat homemade ice cream and listen to the Grand Old Opry. Charley Taylor was the night watchman on the railroad and the guys used to go down to his place down on the Washita river, play cards and goof off along the river. The school house was the gathering place for the community and church was held there every Sunday morning and night. There was a large Mexican community that lived along the creek. He remembers taking his uncle’s mules and plow every spring and plowed up their gardens. Other families that he remembers living there were the Whites and the Strempels.” -Claude & Mary Baker redbud73086@yahoo.com
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“Hello Butch. I am also interested in the history of the tunnels under Ardmore. I have never heard of that story. Would be interesting to know. Thank you.”
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“Have you ever run across anything concerning George Tucker, chief of Police for Waurika? or pictures of Tuckers, or of a bar and mercantile they owned in the early days of OK until around 1940’s?”
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“The City Hall of Prague, Okla. is located across the street from the Prague Library. I just thought I would call your attention to this. I enjoy reading your news from your area. I have spent some great times around Sulphur, Davis, Turner Falls, Devils Den. Very enjoyable places.”
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“In about 1950 or so I would see a statue at the top of the stairs in the old Ardmore Junior High School building in the front entrance. Mother would drive up and let my sisters off and I would see this statue from the car. When I got to junior high the statue was gone. I can not find anyone who remembers the statue. I entered junior high in 1957. Does anyone have any information on this and where is the statue and why was it removed. Every one who I have talked to have all said if anyone could find out your Readers could. Hope someone can answer my questions. Thank you.”
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“That was the old “Scooter” (Bob McQueen) on the far left. Bob was a fine uniformed cop and a good detective. I was proud to call him my friend. The filming of Dillinger was a real hoot. Gosh what memories!” -James Clark https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/dillgang.jpg
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“The shoeshine man’s name in Dillinger was Red. Also parts of the show was at Chickasaw lake club.”
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“As for “a shooting” in Ardmore with Lilly Langtry’s gun, I don’t have a clue – unless they’re referring to the Clara Smith – Jake Hamon shooting, which happened in the early 1920’s. I don’t know if the gun that Clara used once belonged to Langtry; however, it’s possible. I’ve quite a bit of information about this affair; so, I’ll just scan thru the clippings and see if there’s any reference to the gun used as having any historic ownership.”
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“In last week’s T&T someone asked about the location of the Rayford switch near Davis. Here are some maps that I downloaded from MapQuest some time back that show the Rayford siding and spur in relation to nearby roads (and the Washita River).” https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/rayfordmap2.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/rayfordmap3.jpg
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“My 4th of July project. I decided to use my radio tower for my flag pole.” -Jon Lofton near Poolevile, Oklahoma https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/loftonflag.jpg
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“Celebrate Freedom.” -Gary Simmons https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/unveil52603.jpg
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========================================================================Below is the last drawing of names for the free Liberty CD. Here’s a screen capture of the CD’s Start Page and pix of the label. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/libertyscreen3.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/libertycd3.jpg
And here are those last three winners! If anyone’s name was drawn the past few weeks but has not received their CD, let me know. I could have let a winner slip by me. There will be more free CD drawings to come! There is always more history out there waiting to be burned to CD!
caseyuno@ev1.net
okmtman@hotmail.com
charlenw@texhoma.net“I’ve grown kind of fond of him myself in a strange way.” -Melvin Purvis, the man who shot Dillinger, at least in the movie. Or did he?
Now the rest of the story the 1973 movie didn’t tell that happened that night at the Biograph Movie theater in 1934 at Chicago when Dillinger was killed by g-men. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/dillinger/peopleevents/p_purvis.html
See everyone next Saturday!
Butch Bridges
Lone Grove, OklahomaFind me on Yahoo Instant Messenger using the ID okiedata
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