PO Box 2, Ardmore, Oklahoma 73402
Email: butchbridges@oklahomahistory.net, Phone: 580-490-6823
A GLIMPSE INTO THE PAST
Dinner parties were popular among young Ardmore elite and were always very formal. For these, and the formal balls, the ladies and gentlemen sent back to Kentucky for their evening clothes as they always had for their horses. Some of the more elegant homes, such as the Arthur Wolcott residence on 12th Avenue Northwest boasted ballrooms. After the original Walcott home burned, Dr. Dan Hailey built his daughter and son-in-law a house further to the east on the same street. The contractor was Thomas Jefferson Wilkes. This property later became the site of the Von Keller Hospital, then the Seventh Day Adventist Hospital and finally the South Campus of Mercy Memorial Hospital.
-Sally Gray, Territory Town, The Ardmore Story published 2006
May 1933 – The most severe sandstorm in years raged over this area yesterday. So severe was the storm in some areas residents were unable to see across the street. Skies were turned yellow by the sand and dust.
May 1957 – A bill is currently in the state house which will abolish the county superintendent’s office if the county has less than 15 school districts. The bill will eliminate the superintendent’s job in 50 of the state’s 77 school districts.
Demolition of the old Colvert’s Dairy at South Washington and Stanley Street SW has begun.
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos17a/ColvertsDairy061317.jpg
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos17a/ColvertsDairy061417.jpg
A couple pavers I sandblasted last weekend.
https://oklahomahistory.net/bricks/BoomerDogPaver2.jpg
https://oklahomahistory.net/bricks/EdnaMcCoyMarker.jpg
You can find current gas prices for a particular Oklahoma town by entering the name or zip code in the GasBuddy search box.
http://www.oklahomagasprices.com/
Q. Where in Oklahoma are the Bathtub rocks located?
A. Tahlequah. Located inside J.T. Nickel Family Nature and Wildlife Preserve is a little geological water park called Bathtub Rocks. The area is full of smoothed over rocks filled with flowing water great for sliding or wading in. The bottom area below the rocks has pools big enough to get fully immersed.
https://www.thecrazytourist.com/most-beautiful-places-to-visit-in-oklahoma/3/
Q. Where in Oklahoma was the Geronimo automobile manufactured?
A. Answer in next week’s newsletter
Below is from This and That newsletter archives of June 10, 2005
I received an email this week from Iowa from the great granddaughter of H.A. Stanley of Ardmore. I guess what people think of first when they hear the name is Stanley street SW in whose honor the street was named. The following was taken from the Indian Territory and Carter County Pioneers Book of 1983.
Henry A. and Lela (Parker) Stanley Henry Austin Stanley, son of George Austin Stanley Sallie Celina Grigsby, was born August 22, 1874 near Corsicana, Texas. The eldest of three children, his mother died August 5, 1882. August 19, 1889, his father remarried and had 3 more sons. In Navarro County, Henry Austin Stanley attended the district school until he was 18, when he began teaching. He entered the University of Tezas in 1900, continuing there for three years. In 1903 he was hired as principal of the Ardmore High School. Teaching English in the Ardmore High School that year was Lela Gertrude Park. The daughter of James Thomas Park and Pernacy Pickens, she was born September 2, 1877, in Jacksonville, Texas. She had graduated in 1899 from Sam Houston Normal Institute in Huntsville, Texas and in 1903 from Peabody College in Nashville, Tennessee.
In 1905 he became Superintendent of Madill Schools. He was in Ottawa, Kansas in 1906 where he must have obtained his law degree from Ottawa College. In January 1907 he entered the law profession and located at Marietta, Oklahoma where his rise in the profession was steady and sure. In September 1908 he married Lela Gertrude Park at her mother’s home in Jacksonville. Their first son, Henry Park Stanley, was born at Marietta, but only lived about 6 weeks, passing away August 18, 1909.
In 1910 Henry Austin Stanley ran for County Attorney of Love County, we elected and took office January 9, 1911. On March 24 of that same ear, their first daughter, Lela Jane (Mrs Richard W. Norman), was born. In 1912 he ran for re-election but I an not sure that he won. However, during his term of office he was generally successful in is prosecutions, and during the year 1911, ten men were sent to the state penitentiary from Love County. Violators of the prohibition law ere the source of most of the criminal prosecutions in the county court and he was successful in convicting most of the old offenders and driving them out of the bootlegging business.
In Marietta, Henry and Lela became the parents of 3 more daughters: Sarah Virginia (Mrs. Phillip R. Monical), born February 6, 1914; Pernecia Carol (Mrs John A. Leet), born October 19, 1915; Mary Kathryn (Mrs J.R. Williams), born October 16, 1916. They moved back to Ardmore in 1917 where Henry became Police Judge of the Ardmore City Court, Lela returned to teaching in the Third Ward, Lincoln School. A son, Richard Austin Stanley was born February 24, 1919.
Lela established a private school in the home at 1023 Stanley Boulevard which grew as it became known for quality education. At its height, her school encompassed kindergarden through seventh grade. Lela taught until she was 88 years old, twice moving her school to smaller locations, the last being 121 K Street NW.
Henry Austin Stanley ran for County Attorney of Carter County in (I think) 1952 and was elected to that office. When he won the Democratic Part nomination, he wrote announcing that he had been elected.
Henry Austin Stanley died March 2, 1958 in Ardmore and was buried at Lakeview Cemetery in Marietta. Had he lived an additional six months, Henry and Lela would have celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in September (the date), he said it was the last Monday. When told that the last Monday comes on different dates each year, he said that did not matter, “If you want to celebrate our anniversary, its the fourth Monday!” In 1908, the last or fourth Monday was September 28, so I suppose that is the date.
Lela Gertrude Park Stanley died at a local nursing home in Ardmore August 25, 1971, a few days before her 94th birthday. She was buried beside her husband and infant son in Lakeview Cemetery at Marietta. -complied in 1981 by Stanley R. Williams from information from: Mary Kathryn Stanley Williams; Sarah Virginia Stanley Monical; Richard Austin Stanley; Pernecia Carol Stanley Leet; Leta Jane Stanley Norman; Sue Stanley; newspaper clippings from The Daily Ardmoreite and the newspaper of Marietta.
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“Hi Butch- I work at The Sherwin Miller Museum of Jewish Art in Tulsa (formerly the Fenster Museum of Jewish Art), and am researching the history of the Jewish people in Oklahoma for a possible exhibition, and came across your great website. I was scanning through “This and That” and saw your concern over Temple Emeth being packed up. It’s sad but true, Temple Emeth did close, but I am pretty sure you saw a couple of people from our Museum giving the Temple furnishings a ride to their new home. We have a model synagogue in our new location in Tulsa using many of the items that came from Temple Emeth. It is quite stunning, and rest assured that all of the items, as well as some archival material from the Temple, are being well taken care of and preserved here. I invite you (and your Readers) to come visit a bit of history any time at all, I look forward to meeting other history buffs in Oklahoma! Thanks, and keep up the good work.” -Suzy Smith, Registrar
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The Daily Ardmoreite, March 11, 1904
E. B. Luke’s Music Store Moved Two Doors East of Gas Office on West Main Street
Hargrove College Opening – Hargrove College opened September 7th. A very nice crowd of visitors from the city was present. New pupils have been enrolled every day since the opening. Pupils are being classified and the work being organized and starting nicely. We are pleased to offer superior advantages to pupils in piano, voice, and elocution as well as literary work. A Greater Hargrove College should be the cry. J.M. Gross, President
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“Dear Butch, I am amazed at the old newspaper stories that you find to pass on. Maybe you can help me. My great-grandmother had a brother, Homer Moss. He died April 25, 1935, after being shot working as a constable in Madill. Do you have a way to get the timely newspaper stories that must have been published? Other than the names of his two wives, that is all I know of him. I barely remember his being at family gatherings. Thank you for any assistance.” -Marice Simmons Stephens emarice28@valornet.com
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“I have either forgotten or just didn’t even know to begin with about Mr. E.B. Luke making pianos. I do know a bit about the two Luke brothers who ran the store for many years during the time I grew up and on into my earlier adult years. One brother was more into sports and home furnishings, and one was still more into the music idea of a store hence the store had many items which could be found in a sporting goods store, a home appliance store, and a music store all under one roof. When I was a child, my mother would often take me to Luke’s to select a record. We could go into a room, and play the record to see if we truly wanted to buy it. They had several rooms where people could play records. Anything they did not have, they would gladly order it for you be it an organ, piano, record, sheet music, etc. I will never forget the new Christmas song, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer being played via speakers out on the sidewalk when that song became popular in I think 1947. I even remember the small reindeer out on the sidewalk in front of the store with the red light bulb for its nose much like the riding horses so many grocery stores used to have out in front I find the serial # interesting on the picture of the piano, and if E. B. Luke made pianos, I just wonder how many did he make and how were the serial #’s derived?
I have seen signs where they sold Kimball pianos, and I know for a fact that many years back even the time before and after statehood, they sold Estey reed organs (pump organs) and maybe Estey pianos. I know of several families who told about their folks purchasing an Estey reed organ from Luke’s, and I remember one old-timer who died in the mid 1960’s telling about Luke’s peddling organs and pianos throughout the county, and her Dad bought an Estey organ for her when they lived at Overbrook, Ok. She took the organ with her after her marriage. Later when she, her husband, and some of their children lived at Mannsville, Ok, they came home after visiting for a few days, and found their house completely burned to the ground. She said the organ was greatly missed as some of children had learned to play some and chord play. http://www.esteyorganmuseum.org/
Does anyone who reads this T&T remember any information about the Chenoweth and Green Music Store which was in business in the mid 1950’s down on East Main Street near Daubes? I remember they sold organs and pianos, and after researching some old city directories, I learned their brand of instruments were by the Rudolph Wurlitzer Company. I am wondering if anyone remembers buying an instrument from them, and as far as I know they were a full line music store.”
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JOHN T. SPEARS came to Carter county December 31, 1895, with his parents from Cooke county Texas near Dexter and has resided in what is now Carter county ever since. He says he would not know how it would feel to live anywhere else. John was a very small child when his parents moved from Texas, but came to Ardmore with his father when the water well was in the middle of the street in front of the Daube’s store and he remembers very well when he came to town with his father one day seeing a black man hanged at the back of the Carter county jail. He also remembers the cold Friday in 1898.
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We moved in a wagon from Missouri to no man’s land in the north end of the panhandle in the fall of 1886. We were there two years and it never rained. One day slabs of ice fell. The sun was shining brightly and no cloud was to be seen. We moved to a tie camp near Coalgate and from there near Ardmore, living at 14 C street southwest. When this Indian Territory became a state all the whistles blew and all the bells rung for the state of Oklahoma. I am 77 years old now. Mrs. WESLEY K. HAVELY 708 Second northeast.
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Some mail from this week’s MAILBAG…..Butch- There is also a Goat Island in Grand Lake (Grand Lake ‘O the Cherokees).
https://oklahomahistory.net/maps/GoatIslandGrandLakeMap.jpg
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Q. “I am running Windows Vista and need to upgrade to Windows 7. Can you suggest the best way (buy or download) and location?” -Dave
A. Go to eBay and do a search for “windows 7 scrap”. I did this last February for a laptop and everything worked fine (about $7). Even gave me a link to download Windows 7 Pro as an ISO file. Took about an hour or more to download the ISO file, but it worked!
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“Since you ended your newsletter this week with mention of Woody Guthrie it reminded me that some folks might be interested in checking out “Bound for Glory” on dvd which is the biography of Woody. Young fans from the late 1960’s might know that Arlo Guthrie (son of Woody) carried on the family talents of folk writing and performing. Arlo is known for his ballad about the draft, “Alice’s Restaurant,” circa 1966. Thanks again for all of your hard work in getting so much great information to us. Congratulations on keeping up an active “retirement” experience! You are a great example for all of us!” -Bll Garrison
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m57gzA2JCcM
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“I did not know that Cecil Crosby was a guard at Granite prison. He was for a while a deputy sheriff in Carter County and was involved in the big controversy about the Mexican kid shot in Ardmore. But to me, his big accomplishment was this. It was his idea and work to get the town name changed from Berwyn to Gene Autry. His nephew, Buddy Jackson, is a long time friend to me. Buddy?s mom was my 7th/8th grade teacher at Berwyn School (They never changed the name of the school to Gene Autry). And Cecil Crosby was Buddy?s mom?s brother.” -Les
Rare bank check PAY TO THE ORDER OF: Buck Garrett (front and back)
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos17a/BuckGarrettBankCheck1914a.jpg
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos17a/BuckBarrettBankCheck1914b.jpghttps://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos17a/SheriffBuckGarrett.jpg
The Mercy Train (Locomotive 1108) remodel at the Hardy Murphy Coliseum is almost done! I see the bell on top!
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos17a/Loco1108_061217.jpg
“Good-morning. I believe I’ve written before, but I don’t recall exactly. I’ve attached the picture with names of some of the children written-in. As for the accuracy of my information, I am 99% sure that is my grandfather, Joe B. Wilson in the front row. The girl tagged “Rebecca Louise Armstrong (Wilson)” is my grandmother. She was called “Louise”. She and my grandfather moved to Washington DC in the early 30s shortly after they were married. My grandmother worked for Senator Lee and that’s how they happened to go the DC. My grandfather worked for the Bureau of Indian Affairs. He is on the Chickasaw rolls. His father was Claude Wilson and his mother was Sally (Williamson) Wilson. She taught piano lessons in Maysville. She moved in with her mother after Claude lost the farm to drinking. They use to call him “ole rain in the face” around town. My grandmother use to observe all the men sitting around the potbelly stove at the store. She lived with her mother and two sisters, Bess and Veda Mae, above the bank. They worked the telephone switchboard. One time the bank was being robbed and she snuck out the window and down the roof and ran for the sheriff. She said she couldn’t get him to move fast enough. I don’t recall how the robbery ended, but I do know she received a heroism award. It was bronze, circular medal with something imprinted into it. I can’t seem to find anything online about it. My grandfather’s grandmother was Susan Mitchell who first married a Wilson before marrying Dave Mays. It was her Chickasaw blood which enabled them to acquire and develop their ranching enterprise which led to the town of Maysville. It may have been that the Mays brothers were Chickasaw and I am incorrect, but I don’t know. Other than my grandfather and a pretty-sure-bet on my grandmother, I am guessing as to the names of the others by looking at the similarity of the others and my knowledge of some history of their relations. If anyone has a differing opinion about anything I’ve shared, I wish they would feel free to offer it. My knowledge comes only from what my grandmother told me and what I’ve found online. There could be [untold numbers of] errors in it and I’d love to hear from someone else. Thank you.” -Karen Sale, Fairfax, Virginia KarenSale@icloud.com
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos17a/JoeWilsonPhotograph.jpg
Looks like hot weather has arrived in this area. It is so hot that the catfish are already fried when you catch them.
See everyone next week!
Butch and Jill Bridges
“Friends Make Life Worth Living”
PO Box 2
Lone Grove, Oklahoma 73443https://oklahomahistory.net
Vicious Dog Attacks in Oklahoma
https://oklahomahistory.net/viciousdogs.html
Oklahoma Bells: https://oklahomahistory.net/bellpage.html
Bill Hamm’s Cemetery Database
http://www.usgwarchives.net/ok/carter/cartercm.htm
American Flyers Memorial Fund – Administration Webpage
https://oklahomahistory.net/crash66.html
Official American Flyers Memorial Website
http://www.brightok.net/~wwwafm
Ardmore Army Air Field/Ardmore Air Force Base Website
http://www.brightok.net/~gsimmons
Mirror Site of the Ardmore Army Air Field/Ardmore Air Force Website
https://oklahomahistory.net/airbase/
Carter County Government Website
http://cartercountyok.us