Ardmore, Oklahoma
Email: [email protected]
11:11 PM 3/22/2022
Phone: 580-490-6823
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Below is September 1, 2005 to September 30, 2005.
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September 29, 2005 – Circulation over 4,000 Vol 9 Issue 453
It looks like much cooler weather has finally arrived here in Oklahoma. The past few days has been rough with the humidity over 105. I know last Saturday when I mowed there was not a dry stitch on me when I finished about 30 minutes later. With colder weather ahead, I just stocked up on OkieBlend Coffee from Jolliffs Coffee Company at Wilson, Oklahoma. At work I use a little one cup coffee gizmo steeper I ordered from Barrie Lee Johnson in Maine to make a cup of coffee. <—– Click Here <—– Click Here <—– Click Here
Talking about coffee reminds me of back in the 1980s I met four people, two men and two women, from the helicopter division of the Puerto Rico Police Department. They were in Ardmore fine tuning their helicopter skills (all four were helicopter pilots) at Versatile Helicopters at Ardmore Downtown Executive Airport. That’s the airport at the south edge of Ardmore. My neighbors across the street, Keith and Wilma Hickman, are owners of Versatile Helicopters and have students from all over the world coming to Ardmore to take flight lessons. These four particular students were helicopter pilots and I made friends with them while they stayed here in Ardmore. All 4 were absolutely the most polite, well mannered and courteous people you’d ever want to meet. There are two things they told me in the 80s that still stands out in my mind today. One was the comparison of our coffee here to coffee drinking in Puerto Rico. They could not believe how many cups of coffee many people drink here per day. In Puerto Rico their coffee is much stronger, and they said a half cup is all they ever drink. That half cup will keep you wired all day long. lol.
A lot of you have followed the growth of my Empress Tree from its first planting June 2003 when it was about a foot high, to now when its way taller then my house. It has really be a remarkable tree, and beautiful too. I noticed this month it has seed pods developing?? <—– Click Here <—– Click Here <—– Click Here
Here is my Empress tree just last July. It has really grown since 2003. <—– Click Here
Just a quick note on Herman Kirkwood’s email newsletter that’s coming out in probably a couple of weeks. I can’t speak for Herman, but I’d bet he gets one out soon. If you like Oklahoma lawmen and outlaws of bygone days and the history that all entails, you’re going to love Herman’s emails. He is a true authority on all of it and breaths it and lives it 24/7. So far there’s been nearly 50 people asked to be put on Herman’s mailing list. So get your name in to me if you want in…. you wont be disappointed, and the newsletter is free by email! <—– Click Here
Here is a pic of Ardmore City Hall in the 1950s. You can see on the far left the south bay doors where the fire trucks were parked inside. <—– Click Here
Someone wrote in this week wanting to get in touch with the person who sent in the flour sack underwear poem by Lottie Schultz in March 2004. If your out there, send me an email.
“Klan in Oklahoma Faces Acid Test. Eleven of Carter county’s most prominent citizens to be tried for murder. Defendants are Dr. E.C. Harlow, J.A. Gilliam, Ray L. Beede, C.G. Whitchurch, W.L.T. Hilton, Jeff Smith, J.D. (Curley) Smith, Tom Hailes, J.A Pitts, Dan Ridpath, Jr., and Frank Cardwell.” -Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette, January 18, 1922 <—– Click Here <—– Click Here <—– Click Here <—– Click Here <—– Click Here <—– Click Here
Chan Brewster came by this week to let me see his tickets to the last game of the Cardinals to be held at Busch Stadium this weekend in St Louis. The actual last game is Sunday. Chan could name every person whose picture was on Sunday’s ticket. My dad, R.V. Bridges, won all the football trophys at Ardmore High School about 1935. I didn’t take after my dad when it comes to sports, but still wish I knew the sports trivia like Chan does. He’s a true expert on that kind of trivia. <—– Click Here <—– Click Here
Last week I told about needing an old, but still working, reel to reel tape recorder. I have several audio tapes I recorded in the mid 1960s on my tape recorder, and ran across them the other day in my garage. Kenneth Eck still has a reel to reel and was kind enough to loan it to me to see just what history there is on those tapes. I’ll use Audacity Audio manager program to record it to my hard drive for analysis. Here’s a pic of Kenneth’s tape recorded, its an oldie, but works. Thanks Kenneth, I’ll take good care of it. <—– Click Here <—– Click Here
Two or three weeks ago I talked about having trouble with my cableone internet here at home. It had been going on for some time and I was really at wits end as to what was causing me to lose my internet sometimes 2 or 3 times in the evenings and weekends. Last monday I talked to Neill Courtney at the local cableone office here in Ardmore. He said it sounds like I have either some kind of line noise or connection problems causing me to lose signal strength. Neill said he’d send someone right out. In a few hours the technician arrived and it was Randy Denton. I knew when I saw Randy getting out of the vehicle my internet problems were about to come to an end. Sure enough, Randy tested my cable coming in to the house and I was losing strength. He got his ladder and check my cable connection where it comes from the pole to the eve of my house, and there lay the rascal that was causing all my problems. The copper wire ends in the 3 connectors were badly oxidized and turned a dark brown. Randy cut them back about 3 or 4 inches to where there was nice clean bright copper, crimped on new connectors and Viola! My internet connection was better than its been in years! I haven’t lost internet a single time since Randy reworked my cable last Monday. Needless to say I’m a happy camper! We really dont appreciate local help sometimes until we need a real live human being to fix our problem. Thanks Neill and Randy, you guys were great. And I dont want to leave out the rest of the people at cableone here in Ardmore. I see a lot of them on a regular basis, and they are a great bunch!
And thanks to all of you who wrote and called me since I talked about my dad’s, R.V Bridges, million dollar estate, and how it looks like me and Harold are coming out with zilch and our half sister in OKC is now in complete possession of the million dollars. Here is what one friend told me about the situation, and if this is the case, then there may be another outcome on the horizon.
Here is that one email I received:
1. R.V. & Nancy Bridges sign revocable trust. Revocable simply means they can change it at will.
2. R.V. dies and his portion becomes irrevocable. Although the portion R.V. set up to be distributed cannot be changed, Nancy can live off the income of R.V.’s portion, etc.
3. Nancy dies and the trust becomes irrevocable in toto. The successor trustee (your half sister) is then charged with distributing the trust assets.
So being the optimist I am, I still believe I’ll soon find an attorney who wants to take the bull by the horns and right this wrong for me and Harold Bridges. I just got to find him or her. <—– Click Here
This week maintenance man James Lindsey at the Carter county courthouse caught a baby snake slithering around outside the Election Board entrance (Annex Building). Does anyone know what kind of snake this is? <—– Click Here
SOME LETTERS FROM THIS WEEK’S MAILBAG
“Butch, I am writing in hopes that someone can tell me about Eagles Lake east of Ardmore and South on Dickson Road. I believe that it was by the old Eades home place, later occupied by George Pilot and now the Adams. I was wondering if someone had some info and or pictures of this lake and what happened to it. Thanks!”
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“Butch: There seems to be a lot of interest in The Younger Bros. and their history.. If any one is interested they can go to http://www.northfieldhistory.org and it will give a pretty descriptive account of the Bank robbery there. If you continue to search different sights it will eventually lead you to The Younger Bros. History. They still have a reenactment today.”
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“The pictures of the Super Dog and the Hamburger Inn hamburger in this issue of This and That made my mouth water! They were both my favorites during my high school years (graduated in 1953) I have tried for years to find a dog on a stick that tasted as good as the Super Dog but have never found one. The only ones I can find have a cornmeal batter instead of that slightly sweet batter on the Super Dog. I have been back to Ardmore many times over the years but did not realize the Super Dog was still there (but Hamburger Inn is always my first stop when I arrive). When I was growing up “Chock” was the cook at the Hamburger Inn. I have visited Ardmore only once since my Mother passed away (1997) but all this talk about Super Dogs and Hamburger Inn hamburgers may influence my decision about where we should go for our next vacation! Ardmore will always be home and as Dorothy said there is no place like home!” -Vonda
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“Butch, your description of the super dog made me hungry. I stopped by sunday with my granddaughter and bought some, and we wasn’t disappointed. MMMM good. Some one else was there buying super dogs also. I think you started something. Should we buy stocks now or wait awhile? Ha. Takes 10 min or so for them to cook the super dogs but they are fresh and hot.” -Don G and Christi
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“Butch: Since the person who sent in the CCC website didn’t leave an email address, I will direct this question to you or your readers. Is there anyway to find out the individuals names who were in these CCC Camps? I had an Uncle who died in a car accident in the Tatums area on October 8th, 1941 coming home from a CCC Camp. His name was Glenn Bumgarner and he lived in the Hennipen and Woodland areas.” -Scott Bumgarner, Sherman, TX
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“As a kid I lived across the street from Art and Mahota Oakley. Mrs. Oakley always called me her god son and brought over home made cookies for me. Art had become disabled with polio I think they said, and was confined to a wheel chair during the last years of his life. When the first color tv sets came out they were the only ones in the neighborhood that had one and they would invite me over on saturday mornings to watch my cartoons in color which was just awesome back in those days for a little kid. I can remember Art Oakley telling me stories of how he flew bi-plains with Wiley Post and Will Rodgers doing what they called barn storming back in those days. Latter in life I was in the insurance business and had a health care policy on Mahota Oakley and got to see her often. She sent most of the stuff she had on Art to the kirkpatrick museum in Oklahoma City. They had an exhibit about Art and his barn storming days. I haven’t been back up there since the early 1980’s, so I don’t know if it still is being displayed. Mahota passed away sometime around the early 1980’s and I think she was around 90 years old. It was a sad day, but I have some fond memories of Art and Mahota Oakley.” -Ken Mills, Ardmore
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“You might try looking on this page for help, about your dilemma with your parent’s estate. There are links to your type of situation.” http://freeadvice.com/
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KXII TV NOON NEWS. SEPT 23,2005 Guest of ELLEN SAWKO
Carol’s Sugar Free Sweet Treats With Lower Fats & Cholesterol
Carol Kiesel
128 CR 197
Gainesville TX 76240
940-665-0567
S.F. MICROWAVE PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES
2/3 Cup Oat or Whole Wheat Flour
1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1/8 Teaspoon Salt
1/3 Cup Fructose
1/3 Cup All Natural Peanut Butter (room temperature)
1 Egg White
Stir ingredients together. Spray Waxed Paper with non stick spray. By teaspoons full place cookie dough on paper an inch apart, flatten with hand or a glass. Imprint fork on top. Microwave 6 cookies 1 minute (may have to adjust time as all Microwaves are different).Slide waxed paper onto a plate. Sprinkle with Nutra Sweet or Splenda. Remove from paper. Cool. Enjoy. Place cookie dough in a plastic bag or sealed container. Keep chilled in refrigerator for quick snacks. Makes approximately 1 dozen cookies.
S.F. CHOCOLATE COOKIES
1 Cup Oat or Whole Wheat Flour
1/3 Cup Fructose
1/4 Cup Cocoa
1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1/8 Teaspoon Salt
1/4 Cup Canola Oil
1 Egg White
1/4 Cup Buttermilk or Sour Milk (mix 1/2 Teaspoon Vinegar or Lemon juice to Low or Fat Free milk)
1/2 Cup Grape nut like Cereal (optional)
Stir ingredients together. By teaspoons full place cookie dough an inch apart onto waxed paper. Flatten with hand or glass. Bake 6 cookies in microwave for 1 minute (may have to adjust time as all microwaves are different). Remove waxed paper onto a plate. Sprinkle with Nutra Sweet or Splenda. Remove from waxed paper. Cool. Enjoy. Place cookie dough in a plastic bag or plastic container. Keep chilled in refrigerator for quick snacks. Makes approximately 1 dozen cookies
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Early photos of Hennepin, Oklahoma.
<—– Click Here <—– Click Here <—– Click Here <—– Click Here
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“Butch the place the woman is looking for could be Bromide, Oklahoma. My Dad worked there in 1910 my older brother was born there in 1911. It was a rock quarry.” -Paskell J Poindexter
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“I was hoping to be able to search for info on US Deputy Marshal Charles P. Jones from Wilson, Oklahoma. Or any other info on him as Speaker ProTem of the Oklahoma House. 1910-1950. Any help is appreciated.” -Will Davenport [email protected]
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“Listening to you talk about the Super Dog in Commerce Street reminds me of my “Good Ole Days”. Lived on Harris St. Mom shopped mostly at Woodlawn Shopping Center or a little grocery on the corner. I was forever wanting to run get her loaf of bread or milk. It always involved circling the Super Dog a couple of times!!!”
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Butch, Doubt if that is a magnolia tree in your 1907 picture of Carnegie Library as magnolias are evergreen trees with leaves all year long.”
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“Duncan Okla.’s Autumn Festival will take place Saturday October 1st at Fuqua Park, 9a.m. to 5:00p.m. located at Highway 81 and Beech. The Stephens County Historical Museum in the park will be host to the annual Quilt Show during the Festival, it will open Fri. 1:00 to 5:00 and then again on Saturday.This will be the 27th year for the Quilt show, last year over 120 quilts were on display. There is no charge but OHCE Quilt Show Chairman Jan Dyer made a quilt to be given away as a fund-raiser for the Museum. The quilt was awarded a First Place Blue Ribbon at the recent Stephens County Fair. The quilt drawing will be held Saturday at 4:00 p.m., the winner need not be present. Other featured events will be displays of vintage cars, antique tractors, and restored farm machinery and equipment. The Sulphur Tractor Club, and Duncan Antique Car Club will take part, as will Steve Tevebaugh, as he shows his horses, wagons and farm equipment. Other groups will be giving demonstrations through the day. Members of The Country Music Singers Association of Oklahoma, Southwest Branch will perform during the day. OHCE members will sell homemade pie, barbecue sandwiches, and soft drinks beginning at 11:00 a.m. Saturday morning at the Museum. Everyone is invited to attend and enjoy a fun day at the park.” -Glenda Wilmon
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October is one of the peculiarly dangerous months to speculate in stocks. The others are July, January, September, April, November, May, March, June, December, August and February.” -Mark Twain (1835-1910)
See everyone next week!
Butch Bridges
Lone Grove, Oklahoma
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September 22, 2005 – Circulation over 4,000 Vol 9 Issue 452
Last Saturday I stopped by the Burger Ranch at 708 E Lake Murray Drive to try a Super Dog On A Stick. Many of you will remember this is the first location of Ponder’s Superdog back in the early 1950s. Here is a picture of the Ponders Superdog on Lake Murray Drive. <—– Click Here
So, Saturday afternoon late I picked up a Super Dog ($1.25 plus tax) and headed home with it. It tasted just like the Super Dogs I bought as a teen in the 60s at the old Superdog at 819 North Commerce and 9th NW (where the Grandy’s Restaurant is located today). That batter on the Super Dog is not corn meal. You can buy corn dogs everywhere, but they are not the same as the Super Dog On A Stick with a special flour batter. Here is a pic of that tasty delight I bought. <—– Click Here <—– Click Here
After eating that Super Dog I noticed a phone number printed on the white wrapper it came in. Being the curious type, I went to google.com and did a search for that phone number. It showed a Martin Donley of Lubbock, Texas. So you know me, curiosity got the best of me. So Sunday afternoon late I called the number and a voice answered with “Hello”. I told her I was in Ardmore, Oklahoma and was wondering about this phone number and the Super Dog. She asked, “What do you want to know?” lol.
I had the most delightful conversation with this lady who is now 94 years young! She explained the history of the Super Dog On A Stick I was familiar with at Ponder’s back in the 1960s. Here is the story as Mrs Margaret Donley explained it to me:
Back around 1945 there was a man in Lubbock, Texas by the last name Barnes (Margaret could not remember his first name, been too long she said) who was owner the company Super Dog On A Stick. In those days Margaret’s sister, Mary Jo, was married to Martin Donley and they lived in Lubbock. Mr. and Mrs. Donley bought out Mr. Barnes’ Super Dog On A Stick company from Mr Barnes around 1946 and Martin Donley started selling franchises for his newly acquired business. Mr Donley made lots of trips through Ardmore, stopping at Ponder’s Super Dog delivering his special flour product to make that tasty Super Dogs On A Stick to his franchise customers up and down the highways.
As the years past Margaret’s husband died leaving her a widow. Soon Margaret’s sister, Mary Jo, died also leaving Martin Donley a widower. As Cupid works his magic in strange ways sometimes, Margaret married Martin, becoming the new Mrs Donley. After Martin’s death a few years ago, Margaret inherited the Super Dog On A Stick as the sole owner. At age 94 she still sells the Super Dogs to her franchise like the Burger Ranch here in Ardmore. As I talked to Margaret last sunday I could tell she is sharp as a tack, so dont any of you get any bright ideas like a lady in Michigan did a while back. Margaret said the lady called the number printed on the Super Dog wrapper wanting to buy some of the specially blended flour that makes the Super Dog so delicious. Margaret said she’s sorry, but she only sells to her franchise owners.
Back in 1953 a Super Dog was 15 cents as noted on Ponder’s paper menu. <—– Click Here
And in the 60s you can see on Ponder’s Super Dog Menu-Matics the Super Dog was 30 cents. <—– Click Here <—– Click Here
The Super Dog on Lake Murray Drive was No 2. Here is the first Super Dog located on South Commerce here in Ardmore. <—– Click Here
Speaking for the old Ponder’s Superdog on North Commerce, when I was at the Car Show last saturday at Central Park, there was a 1955 Chevy Belair with a window tray attached and the coke and hamburger and all displayed, boy did that bring back memories of when we’d park at the Superdog and watch who was making the drag back in the 60s. We’d spend part of the evening at the Superdog and part at the Sonic on Grand Avenue….. and drive back and forth between the two all evening long. Waste half a tank or more of gas that evening. Crazy, but we had fun. Sure couldnt do that today with the gas sky high. Kids today will never know that great experience. Those were the days. <—– Click Here
This week those big old beautiful Magnolia trees in front of the Garden Center were cut down. Its kinda sad to see such beauty removed, as some of you emailed and called me this week complaining about it. I too hate to see trees, especially trees of a historical nature, removed. But I’m sure if we have patience, the Garden Center’s landscape will be renewed and be evewn more bautiful. Patience is the key. Here are some pics I snapped last Saturday morning when Jerry Eubanks was using his stump removal machine at the Center to remove the stumps. <—– Click Here <—– Click Here <—– Click Here <—– Click Here
This is a picture I took of the Garden Center in 2004. <—– Click Here
This is a photo of the Carnegie Library in 1907. That small tree in front is probably that huge magnolia we saw in these later days. <—– Click Here
A friend of mine who lives in the north part of Carter county is serving his country in Iraq. He sent me a photo this week he took over there with his band of armed guards protecting his hinny while he goes about his assigned duties. The funny thing about this picture is he calls them his “deputies”. You’ll have to look at the tag on the front of the military vehicle in the photo to understand. He is a member of the Oklahoma Sheriffs Association and placed a OSA tag on the front of the vehicle just before taking the picture. By the way, he should be on his way back to good ole Carter county, Oklahoma as you read this issue of T&T. Have a safe flight home my friend. <—– Click Here
Herman Kirkwood, president of the Oklahoma Outlaw Lawman History Association is planning to send out an email Newsletter between the months the association’s quarterly journal is not published. This Newsletter will be free for the asking, all you need to do is ask to be added to the mailing list. Let me know if you want to received this free history newsletter from Herman Kirkwood in Oklahoma City. I promise you it will be very informative and full of Oklahoma History tidbits between their journal publications! Email Butch Bridges: [email protected] <—– Click Here
Normally my OklahomaHistory.net website gets around 3,000 to 4,000 Hits a day. But last Friday, September 16th after my T&T went out, it hit a record. Over 10,300 Hits during that 24 hr period alone. The only thing I can think of that would create that many Hits was the Lake Murray photos I announced in that issue of T&T. Its all so humbling to me, just an ordinary guy with a Home Grown Home Page, to see so many people enjoying the history and all that is there free for the asking. I owe it all to you my Readers, because without you, it wouldnt be the website it is today. Here is the link to check out my website’s statistics. Then click on the month you want. <—– Click Here
Speaking of statistics, I havent mentioned my Tel3 Long Distance service lately. Its the money generated from my Tel3 commissions from over 360 of you my T&T Readers and others across the nation that keeps the website up and running. Tel3 is alive and well, and doing great. Just within the last 90 days you 360 people using my Tel3 has made nearly 18,000 calls totaling over 203,000 minutes with 71,000 of those minutes being made inside the USA. Thanks to all of you, you are keeping OklahomaHistory.net and my T&T online. It is quite impressive how those long distance calls are being made, here is a breakdown: <—– Click Here <—– Click Here
If you too want to save on your long distance, check it all out right here! <—– Click Here
My father, R.V. Bridges, and stepmother Nancy, set up a trust for their estate around 1990. Myself, another son Harold Bridges, and my half sister were all three to benefit from the Trust after my dad and stepmother died. My father passed away in 1992 leaving an estate and trust fund of 1 Million Dollars. My stepmother Nancy died in 2004. Now it looks as though my half sister in Oklahoma City has all of my dad’s estate, leaving me and Harold without a red cent. It is sad what greed will make a person do. And it seems like I can find no one who will take the bull by the horns and right this wrong. Surely there is someone out there who knows what to do, and will do it. I would like to hear from them. What’s been done to Harold and me is wrong. Here is a picture of my dad R.V. Bridges when he had a weekly broadcast on KVSO radio in the 1930s, singing and strumming his guitar. <—– Click Here
SOME LETTERS FROM THIS WEEK’S MAILBAG
“The Murray County Antique Tractor Association’s 3-day event, September 16-18, 2005, was well attended by exhibitors and visitors. The weather even cooled down a little for Saturday’s visitors. The success of this annual happening can be attributed to the many hours of volunteer labor expended by antique tractor enthusiasts before and during the show. These pictures taken September 17 give an idea of the many different tractor makes and models available for viewing.” [email protected] <—– Click Here <—– Click Here <—– Click Here <—– Click Here <—– Click Here
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“Butch, I was looking at the pictures of Lake Murray in your last T&T. It brought back memories of a church trip I went on to Lake Murray around 30 years ago. The pictures show Elephant Rock in Lake Murray with a dock extending about a third of the way out to the rock. I seem to remember being able to walk all the way out to the rock on a narrow dock. I was wondering if any of your readers know if the Elephant Rock dock extended all the way to the rock in the mid to early 80s? Thanks.” -Curtis Hall
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Hey, Butch, what is that “Bed and Berth” at Tipps Point? Have not seen that before. Is it new?” <—– Click Here
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“Just had to tell you that I had a conversation with our maintenance man (Kevin Jones) here at work about the James/Younger/Dalton clans. Kevin said that his great-great-grandpa grew up with the James boys and they used to play together when they were kids and up into their teen years. When the Civil War hit Kevin’s gggrandpa served on the Confederate side and while he was in the war his parents moved to northwest Arkansas. So when his gggrandpa Jones left the service he returned to Arkansas and not to Missouri and never saw Jesse again, for which he was grateful cause he might have ended up riding with them and Kevin might not be here now.”
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“Hi Butch, Your article on the jellyfish in Lake Murray piqued my interest so I did a google search on “freshwater jellyfish” and found this site: www.jellyfish.iup.edu They have a link on the site that requests information on sighting of freshwater jellyfish. Why don’t you go there and let them know about what you found.” -Richard Henry <—– Click Here <—– Click Here
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“The Educated Hamburger: My family entered the restaurant business at Lone Grove, Okla. in 1946 and the term Educated Hamburger was in use at that time. The Educated Hamburger was made using Mayonnaise, Lettuce and Tomato. The Plain Hamburger was made using Mustard, Onion and chopped Sour Pickle. At the time, I think the price for the Plain Hamburger was 15 cents and the Educated Hamburger was 20 cents and available as the Cheeseburger for 25 cents. About the only options was with the Plain Hamburger, you could order it without the onion, but no decrease in price. This option adapted to keep onions from being remove by the customer and left on the plate. Money was scarce and the markup was low. No special sales or gimmicks as seen today. I never knew where the term Educated Hamburger came from, and it made no sense to me. In my travels, I never came across the Educated Hamburger anywhere else. It seemed to be a name used in the region of Carter County only. So I searched the Internet for Educated Hamburger, and found some references. There was a restaurant in New York City, near Columbia University named Prexy’s, with a sign above the entrance,”Home of the Educated Hamburger”. Now that does make some sense, being near a large university such as Columbia. There is no indication that the hamburger was of a particular design, as it was in Carter County. It also appears, Prexy’s became a chain of restaurants offering their Educated Hamburger in other locations of New York City.” -C.B. Segler, Oxnard, California
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“hi Butch, T&T is going great. Keep up the good work. I knew Captain Hawk and visited him at his home/ business in Ardmore several times he was a nice person and his lures caught fish. I wish I had some of them now.” -Bill Uhles
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A Day’s Duty of a Vendome Plunge Life Guard in 1941 by Bill Uhles, Sulphur, OK: At age 15, I was hired by John Townsley to be a “Lifeguard” at The Vendome Plunge and my day started at 8AM. For many years the “Vendome” was a very popular with townspeople & tourists. The pool was full of swimmers in the day and the dance pavilion was crowded at night. The Swimming area was cleaned (drained and swept) twice a week and was not refilled from the Artesian Well directly as it was too cold but with water from the the little lake in front of the Vendome. (“the Warming Pool”). My first duty of the day was to skim the leaves and”cotton” from the cottonwood trees floating on the warming pool surface. Next duty was to wash all the bathing suits and rental towels which had been rented the day before and hang them outside to dry in the sun. Next job was to clean and sweep both dressing rooms and both dance floors and then gave swimming lessons if there were any pupils. When the train came in across the street and the swimmers started arriving, I was to be on LifeGuard duty until the upstairs dance pavilion opened about 8PM. I was then delegated to “take tickets” from those who entered. That completed a 12 hour day and another 50 cents toward my weeks’ (7 days) salary of three dollars & fifty cents. Those were the “Good Old Days’
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“When I was in the fifth grade (Newport Ky.) and we were studying about American Indians, I wrote to my aunt and uncle (Waco and Opie Turner) in Ardmore and asked them if they would send me some Indian “stuff”. In due course I received a war club, a peace pipe, a beaded doll (supposedly used by medicine men), and a small box with a carved, open work, top. All except the box have gone the way of most childhood treasures – to never, never land. But, I still have the box. It has a small card in the underside of the top that says “Made by Rhoena James, 5th grade, Carter Indian Seminary, c/1937″. Since my surname is James, the little box has meant more to me than just an artifact. I can’t help being curious about the coincidence of names as well as the history of the Carter Seminary. After some searching, I found your website and enjoyed reading what you had to say about the seminary. I hope maybe you can point me in the direction of learning more. By the way, Opie Turner was my father’s half sister and they grew up in Honey Grove, Texas. One of his half brothers, Manco James also wound up in Ardmore.” -Curtis James, Highlands, NC [email protected]
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“Butch! Thanks so much for the weekly newsletter. I certainly do enjoy reading it. So much of the material are things that I remember quite vividly…others I’ve heard-tell-of. My high school history teacher, Irene Mitchell, always told us that our Oklahoma History was not only interesting and exciting, but also glamorous. Each of your newsletters only reinforce those thoughts from Irene so long ago. I hope this finds you and yours well and happy. OK here…fresh snow on the mountains this morning. Come on out to the high country and I’ll throw snowballs at you!! Best wishes to all, from li’l ol’ Sonny McClanahan of Healdton
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“Hi Butch, I saw the photo that Orie Edwards sent of the old log cabin East of Dripping Springs. If I am not mistaken, my great-aunt Susie (Barnes) Wilson and her husband Floyd “Cap” Wilson lived in that cabin about 1950 or so, Orie may remember them living there.” -Roy Barnes, Purcell OK.
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“Does anyone have any information on a business in early years called Rock Crusher. Where it was located and also the years it operated. Don’t know anything about it. If it was for crushing rocks, what were they used for.? My grandfather and uncle worked there I am told.” -Norene Gravley [email protected]
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“I understand that Joe Brown drilled that Vendome well way back yonder before he passed on in the 1950s?” -Scott Bumgarner
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“I have a Border Collie myself, and she is just a real LOVE of a dog. However, she showed little common sense when one night she got sprayed quite nicely with the miserable odor. I pulled her indoors and grabbed a bottle of the true magic liquid that REALLY does the job on skunk. The stuff is DAWN Dishwashing Liquid. Just apply this stuff liberally on the dog, making sure that it gets to all parts of the critter. Make sure you get all of the fur wet, cover it with the detergent, and let it sit a couple of minutes to react with the sprayed substance. Then, rinse the dog well, and your odor problem with the dog should go down the drain. It certainly worked with Julie. As for the carpet. On the advice of a friend who had been through it, I used a large box of baking soda (Arm and Hammer brand is what I used), sprinkling it liberally all over the carpet where the dog had been on her way in. Then, I used most of a full bottle of Fabreze. I sprayed it on top of the baking soda. I called the carpet cleaner the following morning, and have wondered if I actually needed it done. When I got up in the morning, there was no odor of skunk. I had the carpet cleaner come in anyway and get up all of the baking soda and give the carpets a good cleaning. But, I don’t think I would have had to just for deodorizing. That’s my experience, and what I will do in the future if she ever meets up with another.” -Tom Williams, Altus, Oklahoma
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“Hey Butch!.. thanks for the pic and obit on Calvin Duncan. I know you do alot of work the regular T&T readers don’t know about and this is a good example. a little story. when I was young..just after WW2 started, my dad was in the navy and so was a neighbor a couple houses down.. daddy sent me a navy bible.. a navy blanket and anything else navy he could find.. I was at my friend’s house and we were having a glass of water.. I looked and the glass had a big anchor with an H on it…. well I thought Barton Headick (H) was the luckiest kid on the block to have a navy glass with his initial on it… kids.. go figure.. also.. was wondering if the Bill Spearman is the same as was in troop 105 BSA.. his dad worked at the Ardmoreite…? if so, Hello Billy.”
“Butch: I forgot your just a kid yourself and I left out the “kicker”.. an anchor with an H in the center was the anchor hocking logo.. back then.. don’t know if those plates etc. had that logo on them.” -Gerald Cobb, NV [email protected]
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“I thought you might enjoy this letter written to my great grandmother in Ardmore from her daughter in Ada. I’m not sure of the date, but probably the early 1920’s.” Glenda Wilmon [email protected]
Well mother, today is Sunday and nobody is here but me and the little ones. D. and B. come to see us friday and stayed till today. They come to get peaches. They got 6 bushels of the biggest prettiest peaches you ever saw, right here in this orchard. Mother, I will tell you how many jars I have got put up. I have 245 jars all ready canned. Now I will tell you what it all is, so here goes… now here is peaches, berries, beets, corn , tomatoes, pickled peaches, cucumbers, mixed pickles, plums, jam, jelly, canned beans, canned grapes, ripe ones and green, peach preserves, apples. But I’m not done yet. I told you we have been making up our sugar cane into molasses. We have 8 gallons today and will finish up tomorrow. D.K. sold all his cows and calves and his crop since we went down there a month ago. For 9 cows and calves and his crop he got 1500 dollars. Mother, we bought 6 hogs to make meat this winter and we will have 3 or 4 more anyway. I have sold many chickens and I guess I have got 60 young pullets and 6 guinea, frying size now. I set a hen yesterday on 20 guinea eggs. Mother you ought to see the baby, she is nearly sitting alone now and Roy is a big boy now. Goodbye mother, write soon and tell me how you are. The baby is awake now. love your daughter, M.
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“Butch, It appears that Bill Spearman’s email of a couple of weeks ago is jogging the fond memories of several folks that grew up in Ardmore in the Art Oakley era. I am attaching an article that was taken from the Daily Oklahoman dated December 31, probably in 1945 or 46. I had the pleasure of knowing Art after he retired from flying, but was still active as a trouble shooter with Noble Drilling Co. For years he flew Lloyd Noble and others associated with the company to many sites around the state, and many out of the area. Flying and navigating back then wasn’t a simple thing like it is today. The pilot normally would have on board the regional and sectional aviation charts covering his trip, but also a good supply of the latest Texaco road maps. The only formal navigation systems then were low frequency beams, and they only connected airways to the major cities. No Omni Ranges, and Satellite GPS navigation probably wasn’t even in the dreaming stage at that time. Art had the uncanny ability to always find his intended destination in most any weather. Upon Art’s retirement from actively flying the Beech Stagger Wing ( tail number NC-21930 ), he was replaced by Ben C. Scott who flew the Beech until the end of 1947. I had the opportunity to work for Ben for a short time before moving to West Texas to pursue an aviation career there. Art was one of the real legends of early aviation, and in my opinion was never really recognized for his abilities and contributions. Keep up the good work in editing and distribution your newsletter.” -J. Virgil Harris
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“Love the pic’s of Lake Murray. Growing up in New Mexico we would take our vacations every year to Lake Murray. We have had Bray reunions there since I can remember (of course I’m not THAT old)!!! I have no idea when the reunions began. Cool old cabin picture, I guess I haven’t read about it yet. School keeps me busy and I never delete this and that until I have read them all. some, I save tho. We buy Priddy’s at our local IGA here in Bridgeport. When I was 4 or 5 years old, my neighbors and our family went camping in Cloudcroft (a short drive from Artesia.) Neighbor Randy was my age, we went up the side of the mountain and caught a kitty cat. We were so proud that we brought it into the camp holding it by its tail. It was not a kiddy cat but a skunk. We got the tomato bath! All for now.” -Robin <—– Click Here
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“Memories of childhood can be a real treasure, I know for me they are just that. My grannie Ida Mae Strebeck was a very quite loving woman.She never had much and seemed to be happy with just anything,she didn’t complain except for wanting to see her family. Grannie dipped snuff and she could get out of sorts if she didn’t have her snuff.Me and grannie spent lots of time together. When she found me trying to smoke, she told me sister you shouldn’t be doing that and I said Grannie you dip. That was enough said!And she never told on me either. When she ran out of her snuff she would ask me, Sister do you have a cigarette.She would take the makings out of it and chew on it til she could get her snuff. Now she would also take any jewelry or shoes she could get. I gave her a ring she ask me for once and many years later she gave it to my aunt.Before my aunt passed on she gave it back to me and I wouldn’t part with it. Grannie lived in Ardmore, Overbrook,and in that area for many years. Oh how I miss my Grannie now. She went to be with God in 1976.” -Edna
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“Butch, In the April 17, 2004 issue of T&T a woman wrote about the state of Oklahoma giving a big celebration because they had proven a guy named West innocent. This man was married to the ladies grandmothers sister. The sister that was married to West maiden name was Venable. She talked about a ranch they owned in Texas still being in their decendants family. I think this is Jesse Jolly West who was lynched in Ada. I’d like to know more about the celebration and the fact of proving him innocent. According to the Ada newspapers of that time Jesse was a horrible man but his hometown newspapers in Texas spoke of him being a very highly respectable man. Do you know anything about any of this. I would like to hear from the person who wrote in.” -Sylvia Moore [email protected]
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Ardmore City Lake and pumping station … Ardmore, Oklahoma 1910 <—– Click Here
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“Here’s a photo taken of the Rexroat Grocery Store on June 25, 1966. The photo was taken by my Dad, Carl W. Stevens and the person in the photo is Corky Bolles, one of Dad’s good friends. The store was operated by Ruby Freeman at the time and sat on the South West corner of the intersection of Dillard Road and what’s now called Crest Road where the old town of Rexroat originally was (according to my 1945 Carter Co. Map). Rexroat School was one mile east of this location. The store was quite small as you can tell. I remember going there with my Dad when he operated some of the old central power houses in the oil field of that area. Ruby had a pop cooler in there, one of the chest type with water in it if I remember correctly and canned goods and bread and candy. Not much room for anything else. She sold sliced bologna and cheese but had to keep them in the refrigerator in her house, which was just south of the store.” -C. Dwane Stevens <—– Click Here
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“Hi Butch, As always I am still enjoying you newsletters and I have a question for you and your readers. Recently I was given another lead in the search for Tobias Tate and family, a cousin recalled that his father told him a story about “Tobie ” working in a Limestone Quarry some where close to Ardmore in the 1890’s, and I was hoping that you or your readers might be able to shed some light as to where it might have been located and any details they might recall. Thanks.” -Linda Hamner
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“Thought this site might interest you. A listing of the CCC camps for each state. Several around Ardmore.” <—– Click Here
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“This Lawson Nuss Glenn (1857-1922) and wife Camila Bourland (1866-1851) came to Ardmore in c1893 and set up the first furniture store in Ardmore. I was told that Camila ran the furniture store until about 1950.” -Patricia Adkins-Rochette www.bourlandcivilwar.com
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Rita is approaching the Texas coast. Prayers are needed.
Once upon a time there was a tavern
Where we used to raise a glass or two
Remember how we laughed away the hours
think of all the great things we would do
Those were the days my friend
We thought they’d never end
We’d sing and dance for-ever and a day
We’d live the life we choose
We’d fight and never lose
For we were young and sure to have our way
Lalala lah lala, lalala lah lala
Those were the days, oh yes, those were the days
Then the busy years went rushing by us
We lost our starry notions on the way
If by chance I’d see you in the tavern
We’d smile at one another and we’d say
Just tonight I stood before the tavern
Nothing seemed the way it used to be
In the glass I saw a strange reflection
Was that lonely woman really me
Through the door there came familiar laughter
I saw your face and heard you call my name
Oh, my friend, we’re older but no wiser
For in our hearts the dreams are still the same.
-Sung by Mary Hopkin 1968
where the song came from nobody really knows
<—– Click Here <—– Click Here
See everyone next week!
Butch Bridges
Lone Grove, Oklahoma
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September 15, 2005 – Circulation over 4,000 Vol 9 Issue 451
Here is something interesting brought to my attention last month. Did you know there were jelly fish in Lake Murray? Well, there sure is, and here’s the proof! This beautiful little critter was caught on August 18, 2005 near Martins Landing on the east side of Lake Murray. There was a whole school of them floating in the water. They sure are graceful swimmers. <—– Click Here – <—– Click Here
A couple times the past 3 years I’ve been at Lake Murray 7 miles south of Ardmore and took a number of photos. Several were taken from atop Buzzards Roost, one of the Bed and Berth, Lake Murray Chapel, the Lodge, main boat docks, Tipps Point, Elephant Rock, and others. Last week I put those photos in a Folder on my website for browsing through. I’m sure they will bring back some memories for many of you, especially those of you who moved away years ago. Enjoy! <—– Click Here
The past few weeks there has been several mentions of the educated hamburger and where the term might have originated. Seems most believe the term started right here in Ardmore at the Hamburger Inn back in the 1940s. I went to the Hamburger Inn this week and tried the educated burger. Educated means it has tomato, lettuce and mayonnaise. I was kinda disappointed in it, but it was ok. But I think I’ll stick with the Old Fashioned burger with mustard, onions, and pickles. lol BTW, price includes tax. <—– Click Here – <—– Click Here
But let’s not forget those oh so delicious Hamburger Inn chili coneys. <—– Click Here
Coney Island New York (Brooklyn) may be where the coney originated, but I’ll put ours up against it anytime! <—– Click Here
….traveling the Oklahoma Hamburger Highway <—– Click Here
I have two 5 inch diameter reel to reel tapes and two 3 inch diameter reel to reel tapes I recorded in the 60s. I am hoping someone near Ardmore has an old tape player that works from those days that I could borrow a few days. I would like to record them to my computer as wav files. No telling what is recorded on them! lol. If you have a reel to reel, and dont mind lending me your old 60s vintage tape recorder/player, send me an email. I can take and feed the signal into my computer and convert that to wav files for listening. I’m sure there will be some great history on those old tapes for sharing online!
SOME LETTERS FROM THIS WEEK’S MAILBAG
“The cabin is gone now and there is a beautiful brick home on the hill north of where it was. If I’m correct I think it is just East of the Campers Friend (I think that’s the name of the place) on the North side of Highway 199 between Ardmore and Dickson. I got two e-mails about it. One from Orie (Orient) that said:
If it is the one that sat by where Grandma Edwards passed away..there was a spring down just below it. We used to water our cows out of it, carry water over the fence to them. It had a cement wall around it. A fish lived in the spring. The Williams lived in it for awhile. They had two daughters, Mora and Delorse. After they moved, an old couple moved in. One day when Buddy Greenway and I was playing by the spring, we heard someone screaming. We went to look and the cabin was on fire. We carried water from the spring and put it out. It burned a hole in the roof. Funny thing while we were pouring water on the fire the old woman was inside cleaning water off her furniture.” -Orie Edwards <—– Click Here
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“I know where the cabin was. When I was in school about 7th grade, the family who lived there had a girl in Mother’s Home Ec Class(Mrs. Thomason taught at Dickson School) the girls mother who lived there helped mother make paper roses. The cabin is not there anymore. The Chuck Watterson bought that property and the cabin stood there for a long time. It is gone now. I don’t have any pictures and don’t know of anyone who may have one. I will call the Watterson boy and see if they took any pictures. I think back in the early days that served as a school house but am not sure.” -Harlyn Smith
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“There was another place that when I was a little girl about 9 or 10, Joe Volino was my bus driver. A house had burned on the north side of the hiway and some children that had ridden his bus had been burned up. Every day when we passed by that house, Joe Volino would slow down as if to pay tribute to those children and as soon as we passed that spot he would continue to drive as usual. That always stayed with me how he paid respect to that place.”
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“Butch I’ve always heard the meteorite at Lake Murray was found on Junior Dodson’s place which is located across the road from my home on Dogwood Road.”
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“Butch: I enjoyed reading Bill Spearman’s article mentioning Arthur Oakley. I was introduced into the love of flying when I was just a small boy. My Dad knew Arthur Oakley, and I got to go for a nice ride over Ardmore in a Travelair Biplane. I later took lessons when my employer, Jim Wade, put in a grass strip & hangar in East Healdton area, bought a Aeroneca Chief and hired a flight instructor to teach anyone that signed up to fly, he also did charter flights. Jim owned Wade Drug and I worked for him for a long time and I got my lessons for half price. I left his employment and took another job, then left for pharmacy school. He took on a dealership for Cessna planes and I understand he sold several. He did a lot of traveling in his own Cessna.” -Kenneth Eck
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“I never see any talk about the Green Frog Drive In. It was on west main, I guess. Around the Methodist Church. It was a popular drive in during WW2 and continued several years into my time.” Note: The Green Frog Sandwich Shop was at 511 West Main as far back as 1937.
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“Butch, in your last T&T that Cole Younger and Jesse James had the same mother. This isn’t true. Cole Youngers mother was Bursheba Leighton Fristoe. Jesse’s mother was Zerilda Elizabeth Cole. Jesse and Cole were distant cousins. Cole Younger was a first cousin to one of the Dalton’s.”
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“Nothing takes the place of Priddy’s Ham Salad and Pimento Cheese Spread. From time to time I get that old hankering for a Ham Salad / Pimento Cheese Spread sandwich. It’s an awful thing to know those products aren’t out there any more — and what IS out there, masquerading as similar products, ain’t even close. Does anybody know if the original Priddy’s recipes might still be available?” -TOM ELMORE [email protected]
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“Hi Butch, I have a question that I hope maybe you can answer for me or if not maybe someone who reads T&T can help me with. On E-Bay there is an Old fishing lure which was made by the Capt. Hawk Lure Company in Ardmore. I asked the seller for information and he wrote back to me and said he was a resident of Ardmore from 1945-1985 and he had never known of the business. If you can help me with this I would appreciate any info that you could send my way. I have not purchased this item but I might in a couple of days if the price is right. Thanks.” -Roxanne in NY <—– Click Here – <—– Click Here
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“PLANE COOKIN’ Officers’ Wives’ Club Ardmore Air Force Base Oklahoma cookbook. No date given, book is in very good condition, pages are yellowing from age, 145 pages. Every recipe has been tested by members contributing; some have been collected from the world over, some passed down from generations past, and some we of today have concocted. All in all they represent a cross-section of all countries. This cookbook was sold as a fundraiser. Softcover, TEMPTIN’ ‘N’ TASTY, fundraiser cookbook from The Roundtable of St Philips Episcopal Church, Ardmore, Oklahoma, 1954, cookbook is in very good condition, pages are starting to yellow from age, 160 pages.” <—– Click Here
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“A member was asking for info on early life in Oklahoma, this may be of some help as it is very interesting and informative. Much Much info.” -Jack Lake <—– Click Here
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“Butch, this is in response to Judy Bowman of Foster, Ok regarding heirloom gardening. I personally am not much of a gardner but I do know for sure that the oldtimers did all of their farming by the ‘signs’. For example you plant root crops in the dark of the moon and top growing veggies during the full moon. They also did all of their butchering, post hole digging, doctoring, and other misc. things by the ‘signs.’ I have forgotten most of it now. Even Mother did a lot of things by the ‘signs’. When it came time to ween my babies she told when to do it by the ‘signs’ and it worked. Neither of them ever cried for their milk. They were weaned in one day. I do remember that the kids were weaned when the sign was in their knees. To really understand oldtime farming a person would have to first learn the ‘signs’.” -Nancy Singleterry [email protected]
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“Butch, Here’s one more recipe to de-skunk your critters. Give them a good sponge bath in Massengil douche. Yes, I know some of you are laughing out loud, but it works. Use the original or vinegar kind, not the ones with perfumes. I know a few hunters who use this on their dogs.”
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“Butch, The tomato juice and other skunk-smell remedies has inspired me to offer up this less-than-happy true story. When I was about 6 years old we had a pet skunk. That’s probably about all I need to say, but I’ll tell the rest of it, anyway. The guy who lived across the road raised them and had given us this young one, who was almost old enough to have his stink glands removed. He was very tame, and we kept him in a cage out near the garage. One Saturday morning as I ran to the car in anticipation of spending the day in Ardmore (that 50-cent allowance was burning a hole in my pocket,) my foot hit one of the legs of the cage. Like an idiot, I turned to make sure the cage wasn’t falling and caught a full-frontal, pointblank dose of the startled skunk’s spray. I don’t remember what all Mom washed me with, but I know it started with tomato juice and I believe there was some turpentine in there. She didn’t even try to salvage my clothes. At the end of the day, I smelled like all the remedies and skunk. That was in 1955 or so, and I swear that sometimes on a hot, humid day, I still catch a whiff of that skunk spray just now working its way off of me. I’m sure that there’s a number of different lessons to be learned from this event, but I’ll just leave it at: “Time is the only remedy for skunk smell – and that ain’t perfect.” -Chuck
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“Hi Butch, In regards to the question about hamburgers at Wilderness Way, I have never tried one but if they are as good as the brisket they sell there they must be awesome. If you’ve never tried it you’re missing something really good. When I come back to Ardmore for a visit I always make sure I make at least one stop there.” -Roxanne in New York
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Santa Fe Cut, Arbuckle Mountains <—– Click Here
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“Butch, I’d like to know if anyone can validate that Coleman Jones was Cole Youngers nephew and how. Was he one of Cole Youngers Sisters son? I have heard that they were cousins but I can’t find anything to prove it.” -Ken Keith [email protected]
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“The Burr Oak Tree can be found on the walking trail just inside the Camp Ground #1 gate east of Lake Murray HQ Bldg and south of the Texaco station off Hwy 70.” -Ken Keith [email protected]
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Trading Post at Gene Autry, Oklahoma with Doug Autry, Pee Wee King, Minnie Pearl and Don Davis. <—– Click Here
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“Butch, In TAT Volume 8, Issue 395, sent November 12, 2004, you stated that that the GPS location of Tucks Ferry on Red River was: N 33* 51.48′ ; W 97*3.015′. This places Tucks Ferry on Horseshoe Bend of RR, not where your map shows it to be. I am using a Garmin GPS and Map Source for my computer. I think you were using Herb Upchurch’s GPS at the time. I checked the accuracy of my GPS against Map Source and it appears to be accurate. Will you check these coordinates and let me know if they are good?”
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They were both right……. and there were others. From the book by Gene & Cathy Florence, Anchor Hocking’s Fire King & More (copyrighted 2000) published by Collector Books of Paducah, Kentucky comes illustrated information about premiums for 3 Minute Oats, Mother’s Oats, Town Crier Flour and many others (even McDonald’s). Wish I knew the “rest of the story” about that “Jackalope” stew bowl.” [email protected] <—– Click Here – <—– Click Here
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In 1945 Quaker Oats Company ordered Fire King “Alice” pattern glassware to use as a premium in boxes of oats. Unfortunately they used only a 9 1/8″ plate, a cup and a saucer in this pattern. It was made in Jade-ite, Ivory, White trimmed in Blue, and White trimmed in red. It was only made for 3 years according to Anchor Hocking’s Fire-King Glassware book by Garry & Dale Kilgo, and Jerry & Gail Wilkins. Published and copyrighted by K&W Collectibles of Addison Alabama in 1997. Also in this same book are pages on “Early American Prescut” which was used for premiums in Crystal Wedding Oats, and I have included a page of other “give aways” (there are more) which shows premiums in Mother’s Oats, Gold Medal Flour, Dixie Lily Flour, and Pillsbury Best Flour plus some others. Many of these premiums were given in the ’50s, ’60s, 70s, and ’80s. And I’m not finished yet! These illustrations are from the above mentioned book which I’m told is out of print. Fortunately, I have a copy which I purchased from one of the authors. I shall send you some other information from a different book.” [email protected]
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“Re: The sign post portraying the picture of the aircraft advertising the US Army Air Field in Ardmore, Oklahoma during WWII. The picture of the aircraft looks like the type of aircraft I saw fly directly overhead while I was living in Fletcher, Oklahoma in 1943. The aircraft might have flown from Ardmore Air Field. The following is an excerpt from my autobiography, “Short Tales.”
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“The Vendome well is located east of Rock Creek and south of SH. 7. The Vendome Plunge and dance pavilion was south of the well. The adjacent area to the west, was the skating rink. They were made a part of the Chickasaw National Recreation Area in 1980. The well was drilled in 1922 and provided enough water for the swimming pool as well as and adequate flow through the Flower Park area. A restaurant, dance pavilion, swimming pool, and skating rink were all located in this area.”
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“Round and Round” by Perry Como 1957
Find a wheel and it goes round, round, round
As it skims along with a happy sound
As it goes along the ground, ground, ground
Till it leads you to the one you love
Then your love will hold you round, round, round
In your heart’s a song with a brand new song
And your head goes spinning round, round, round
’cause you’ve found what you’ve been dreamin’ of
In the night you see the oval moon
Going round and round in tune
And the ball of sun in the day
Makes a girl and boy wanna say
Find a ring and put it round, round, round
And with ties so strong that two hearts are bound
Put it on the one you’ve found, found, found
For you know that this is really love
Find a wheel and it goes round, round, round
As it skims along with a happy sound
As it goes along the ground, ground, ground
Till it leads you to the one you love
Then your love, you’ll hold her round, round, round
In your heart’s a song with a brand new song
And your head goes spinning round, round, round
’cause you’ve found what you’ve been dreamin’ of
In the night you see the oval moon
Going round and round in tune
And the ball of sun in the day
Makes a girl and boy wanna say
Find a ring and put it round, round, round
And with ties so strong your two hearts are bound
Put it on the one you’ve found, found, found
For you know that this is really love
Find a ring, put it on
For you know that this is really love, really love, really love.
See everyone next Week!
Butch Bridges
Lone Grove, Oklahoma
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September 8, 2005 – Circulation over 4,000 Vol 9 Issue 450
This week I received an email and picture of J.C. Preddy Saddlery here in Ardmore. The original email to me asking about J.C. Priddy spelled it Preddy. I thought it was a typo. But Nell Lewis said that is the way Preddy was spelled on the serving trays she was in possession of from her mother’s things. Next I received an email from Steven Harris here in Ardmore and he included the two 1905 pictures below with his email, and in those clippings it is spelled Preddy.
I remember a J.C. Priddy in the 1960s who lived right next to, on the north side, of the old creosote 5th Ave NE viaduct when I was a wee kid. He owned Priddy’s Chicken Salad, and he processed 1,000s of live chickens right there behind his house at the east end of the Viaduct in the making of his famous chicken salad. He and his workers bought the chickens live, wringed their necks, plunged each one into boiling water, and then plucked the feathers. Mr. Priddy started business at the east end of the viaduct as a cannery. Now the question is: Is J.C. Preddy who owned the saddlery store and who’s name is on the serving trays, the same J.C. Priddy whose family members owned Priddy’s Chicken Salad. Shelby and Maude Priddy were the parents of Fred, J.C., Woody, Louis, and Blanche. Ron Priddy was one of Shelby and Maude’s grandchildren. Maybe a reader can clear up these two names, Preddy and Priddy??? My guess is they are two different people???
Here is the email I received from Steven Harris: “Butch, here are a couple of J. C. Preddy items. The newspaper ad is out of a 1905 ardmoreite and the other is a pic of the store front. This building today is no longer two story. It is one door west of tol’s jewelery. It later had chickasaw furniture and a hotel on the 2nd floor later on.” <—– Click Here <—– Click Here
I learned this week of a man who visits Brown Springs (south of Thackerville) several times a month. Last month this elderly man was at Brown Springs (I was told he lived at Muenster, Texas) with his weed whacker (yo yo) and clearing out the tall grass around the springs. Seems no one knows the man’s name or why he comes to Brown Springs every two or three weeks, but they call him “The Whistler”. He can whistle religious songs like a song bird. He even had a CD player with him and had several religious songs he whistle burned to CD and was playing them as whacker those weeds. There has to be an interesting story here…. now to find out who this mystery man is, and get one of his CDs.
I guess everyone has been to the circus sometime when a kid. Here’s a link that will sure bring back memories of the circus and all the good times. <—– Click Here
With the high price of gas these days, here’s a webpage that will tell you how much its costing you to drive to work everyday. After you enter a few pieces of info in the fields, then click Calculate, it gives the a cost for the month for making that daily trek to work in the gasoline driven automobile. <—– Click Here
SOME LETTERS FROM THIS WEEK’S MAILBAG
“Butch, I noticed the “For Sale” signs at the old Ardmore High School have “SOLD” on them. Any idea who bought the buildings? It is my understanding that the entire city block was for sale as one unit.”
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“I used to fly light planes in Ardmore, at the old Ardmore Airport and the AAB at Gene Autry. Gene Coxsey, Jimmie Moore, and I owned an Aeroneca Chief. As well as I remember, Arthur Oakley used to fly for Lloyd Noble, and flew a Stagger Wing Beechcraft. I remember seeing it fly around Ardmore. I was told there used to be a small airstrip at which is now 13th Avenue, between C Street and Hargrove. Wiley Post and Arthur Oakley used to fly there. I think Wiley Post learned to fly there. I told Mr. Easley, who wrote a daily article for the Ardmoreite that there should be some kind of plaque placed there.” -Bill Spearman [email protected]
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J.C. Preddy Saddlery, Ardmore, Oklahoma <—– Click Here
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1912 Fire and auction sale, Healdton, Oklahoma. <—– Click Here
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“Picture taken in 1946 at Washington School. Second teacher is Mrs. Pickens. Third teacher is Billie Zach Graybell. Who is the first teacher? I think her husband was also a teacher. <—– Click Here
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“Picture taken in 1946 at Washington School. Girls identified are Dana Mayhall, Alice Wells, Betty Sue Phillips, Barbara Lou Thomason, Rita Worley, Audrey Taylor and Ruby Jo McMurray. Can anyone identify any of the other girls.” <—– Click Here
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“Butch, Way back in 51′ or 52′ I worked for Mrs. Moose, I got a free lunch, and so saved my lunch money for something else. She taught me how to make those wonderful hamburgers, my kids and grandkids love them. Don’t ask for the recipe, it is just technique. She showed me how to fill up those soft ice cream cones. I saw a picture of that Snack Shack a while back, was it on here or somewhere else. Cheers.” -Wylene Alston [email protected]
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“Do you know where the Lake Murray Meteorite was found? I found the GPS coordinates of : 34* 06′ N and 97*00’W on the internet. This places the impact location for the meteorite on Hoxbar Road, outside Lake Murray Park. I always thought the Lake Murray Meteorite was found in the Park.”
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“As you know, many plans are underway in preparation Oklahoma ‘s Centennial in 2007. The Historical Society is preparing to publish a book titled the Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture. Here is an outline of the general format and documentation assembled thus far. Some very interesting reading here!” -Elizabeth Dyer <—– Click Here
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Thought you might want to stick this information in your T&T newsletter this weekend since the news has been nothing but the disasters of Katrina’s coming ashore. To check out the legitimacy of charities to which you might contribute for Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. This site lets you see how much of your donation is used for administration expenses, how much goes to the object of your contribution, and the purposes and efforts of the organization to which you’re donating. http://www.charitynavigator.org/
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“Butch, I don’t have a picture of Don McNeal. I have one of the Quiz Kids. It was my mother’s. Tells you how long since I’ve looked at it.” -Minnie Lou Whittington <—– Click Here
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“Did ya know that the tall white flowers along all roads and hiways are called, Snow On The Mountain? They are all beautiful this year. God put them their for us to enjoy.”
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Recipe for “deskunking” a dog
The Nov 1999 issue of “The Whole Dog Journal” gave a great recipe for removing skunk scent from a dog. I’ve given it to several people, with good results. I decided that I’d send it out to my dog-loving friends and you could print it off and put it in your recipe book to have in case of need. This recipe was developed by a chemist, Paul Krebaum, who was familiar with the molecular structure of this foul substance. The molecule that makes it so hard to kill the smell is called a thiole. By causing oxygen to bond with the thioles, the odor is neutralized. This works much better than tomato juice. The ingredients below are common household items which we should keep on hand. However, this cannot be stored, as it fizzes up when you mix it.
1 qt. 3% hydrogen peroxide
1/4 cup baking soda
1 tsp liquid dish detergent
Mix in a bucket or bowl. Wet dog with this fizzy solution and knead it well into his coat to chemically alter every bit of thiole. Keep it from getting into the eyes, nose and mouth. Can be sponged onto the face. Follow up with a thorough rinse. Border Collie Rescue Texas, Inc. is dedicated to saving, rehabilitating, and rehoming unwanted, abused, neglected Border Collies. By cooperating together we will save more of the Breed we love.
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“Butch, this is a “skunk recipe” that a friend has used. She told me that it works great.” http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&A=448&S=0&SourceID=28
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“Don’t believe that old wives’ tale about tomato juice removing skunk odor. I used to have a dog that never learned about skunks – got into them several times. Nothing worked except some product called Nilodor. I believe it is no longer on the market. So, just stay away from those skunks!”
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“I recently read your comments about Brown Springs. When I was growing up in the 50’s, I would sometimes travel with my dad, Ossian Cameron to Dallas or Fort Worth. On the drive south we would leave the highway and drive south where the highway angled off to the west. It seems like it was south of Thackerville. We would drive to a point where the road turned back to the east and there was a 2 inch rusted pipe sticking out of the ground on the north side of the road with water flowing from it. The water was always cold and was especially welcomed on hot days. I hadn’t thought about that spring until I read your story. Thanks for sparking the memory.”
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“Butch please tell the lady that the Burr Oak which produces those large acorns can be found in eastern Oklahoma. Thanks.”
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“Butch I was reading you T&T letter and a someone mentioned the giant acorns. They come from giant Oak trees and Tilghman Park, Chandler, Oklahoma has the only ones I’ve ever seen. You can pick all the big acorns you want.” -Mollie
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“Another great edition of your T&T. Would like to know if any of your readers from Gene Autry remember a Charlie Galloway who attended school there in the late 50’s and if so, they might know where he is living today. For your reader looking for the 1958 Chevy Station Wagon. When leaving Tecumseh last week on 177 heading towards OKC just outside of Shawnee on the south side of the road were a number of old vintage ’50s cars. Saw a ’57 with a price of $1100+ on the rear window. Your reader might want to take a drive up and see if there are any ’58’s there as well.”
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ATHENS, TEXAS….. Where the hamburger was invented. Here’s a Sunday Drive that will clear up the origin of the hamburger, carry you through a countryside that is half-East Texas and half-Central Texas, and enable you to visit several communities with interesting histories. For good measure, we’ve thrown in a couple of excellent Mexican food restaurants. Start your tour in Athens, home of the hamburger and the world-famous black-eyed pea festival. The hamburger had its beginning on Athens’ interesting courthouse square in the l880s when Fletcher Davis, who owned a downtown cafe, invented the sandwich. The delicacy was so popular that in l904 a group of Athens businessmen raised enough money to send the inventor to the St. Louis World’s Fair, where the hamburger was introduced to the world.
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“Don’t Quit,” Author Unknown…..This is a wonderful piece of poetry. Thank you for printing it. From here, we have our prayers going day and night for all in need…..Rev. Marge
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“Butch, Have you tried a hamburger at the Wilderness Way at Scenic 77 and Hwy 77 just East of the Fairbarn? According to Tommy Craighead they are the best hamburgers around. Tommy worked for Hamburger Brown 2 or 3 years, so he should be a pretty good judge of hamburgers. Anyway for my $3 I think they’re just G r e a t t t!!”
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“Perry, Oklahoma was probably the first Oklahoma town to plan to receive homeless victims of Hurricane Katrina (even though there wasn’t much mention of it until the media started talking about Stillwater’s effort to do the same). Some church members traveled to Louisiana at the end of last week to begin bring folks to our town and the “set the wheels in motion” to enable others to come here. A special emergency meeting of the town council was held Saturday to approve the use of a recently closed nursing home (now owned by the city) and volunteers began yesterday cleaning the building and making necessary repairs to bring it “up to code”. The efforts were begun by some local businessmen who were joined by the Chamber of Commerce, the town council, The Perry Ministerial Alliance, law enforcement, Noble County Emergency Management and the school system here. Also a local highschool Junior Class girl last week organized (with the help of the school counselor), a drive for all sorts of non-perishable items to be taken to any of the three school campuses. All food-stuffs will be donated to “Feed The Children”. Our “Operation Blessing” program will probably have enough clothing and small appliances to give our new arrivals (the victims of Hurricane Katrina) a “new beginning”. Perry has quietly set about to “do it again”. We are known as the community of “Hopes and Dreams” (which the statue in front of the courthouse boldly states).
“Meanwhile, back at the ranch” (words which mean: there’s more to come)! I thought I’d get some extra cleaning done once my flea market day was finished but instead I’ve spent two days going through things that were purchased at an auction last November (2004). We’d never looked the things over since, just stuck them in the back (middle) warehouse and neglected them. Now I need to price some of those pieces, take some pictures, and post some of them on our web pages. “But wait, there’s more”! We probably have at least 10 to 20 other “auction assortments” that we need to go thru and do the same thing; and I just don’t have the time yet to get it all done. Why not?
This is a short week and I need to get some of the cleaning done…….. bring in some more small display racks from the main warehouse and put them in place……… get some more of the front (main) display room cleaned up (a never ending job), carry some more of the “unnecessary odds and ends” upstairs (out of sight)…….. move the “big” book shelf into an adjacent room……. and get ready for next week.
Monday (Sept. 12) eldest son Kevin & his wife Juli get back from their cruise (Cayman Islands, etc.); Tuesday the 13th is the county-wide FREE barbecue for anyone who wants to show up (at the Exchange Bank, next door east); Wednesday the 14th is the beginning of the Noble County Fair which will end Friday night; and the big celebration of the Cherokee Strip Land Run will take place all day Saturday (and into the night, concluding with a “street dance” unless there’s foul weather which might move it into the National Guard Armory).” [email protected]
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“Hi Butch, A lady made mention of going over to Coleman Jones’s house to play with his train. Wonder if she would recognize the train in this picture.” <—– Click Here
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The Libery Bell’s 1915 journey from Philadelphia to San Francisco <—– Click Here
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“Would you ask your Ardmore History Friends if they have a picture of the Super-Dog Drive Inn for me? I am working on decorations for my class reunion September 23-26 and need a picture of the drive inn. I would rally appreciate your help. AHS TIGER ’65, -Dana Pruitt Boyd
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“Hi Butch. As part of an heirloom seed project I’m working on, I’d like to find older people who grew up in Oklahoma and the southern plains in the early part of the 20th century, who might correspond with me regarding gardening practices of the time. I’m looking for accounts describing what vegetables and fruits were grown, what varieties were available, cultural practices and growing methods, weed and pest control, etc. Interested folks may either email me or write to me. Thanks in advance!” -Judy Bowman, Tabletop Homestead, RR1, Box 10360, Foster, OK 73434 [email protected] <—– Click Here
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“Butch, you have no idea of the aroma of skunk until it is being fan forced into your bedroom wile you are trying to sleep. I spent two years trying to get rid of them. Really it was two winters for they seem to be ok until winter, then it was like we here would go to Florida. They came to live under my house which was nice and warm due to the central heat underneath. I tried everything, animal control advised if they could find their cages maybe they could trap them, never found the cages. The skunks would dig a hole and I would fill it up. They would just find another spot and I would fill it up. This went on and on and on. Finally my son-in-law filled up the last big hole and I sprinkled red pepper flakes like those you get from a pizza place around my house. It seemed to work, so far so good. Even now though if I am going down the highway and smell a skunk, I think I’m home. Thanks for your newsletter. P.S. Please stop talking about hamburgers, makes me hungry.” -Lee
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“Does anyone out there have a picture of the little log cabin that was on the north side of the highway between Ardmore and Dickson? If you do, could you scan it for me and send it via e-mail?” [email protected]
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“Mr. Bridges, I would like to bring Hattie home as no one should be without family, alive or dead. I have been trying to locate my grandmother’s grave that was buried in Ada cemetery after she was burned from a old wood stove in 1924. She had tree little kids at home that my grandfather had to raise. They had no money and a lot was donated that belonged to Mr. Butler Gray that my grandfather worked for. But she had no marker and my grandfather had to move off and find a better job. He was Roy Buchanan, God bless him, as the years went by he never talked about it to his kids about where she was and I guess the kids weren’t interested til granddad was gone. They had two boys and a girl, Evelyn Buchanan (my mother), Gene Buchanan and Raymond Buchanan. My mother is the only one left now and is 84 September 8th. I sure would like to find the grave before my mom passes away.” [email protected] <—– Click Here
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The survivors of hurricane Katrina still needs prayers and support. I cleaned out my closet of clothes I dont wear anymore and took to the Salvation Army Thrift Store at North Washington and 12th Street. I have happened by there several times this week, and I always saw a car or two unloading items on the dock behind the store. When something like this happen, whether its some local disaster or at the national level like has happened along the Gulf coast, Ardmoreites always give from the heart. I’m proud to be a native Ardmoreite and call Ardmore home all these years.
“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” -Winston Churchill
See everyone next time!
Butch Bridges
Lone Grove, Oklahoma
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September 1, 2005 – Circulation over 4,000 Vol 9 Issue 449
Dwane Stevens sent in some great pics this week he’d took of some asphalt beds near Woodford. I have heard about them in my research, and knew that this county had the best quality asphalt to be found in the nation back in early 1900s. But Dwane’s photos were the first time I’d actually saw what they looked like. He’s took some really high quality photos of the asphalt oozing up out of the ground, just like it was found over 100 years ago by the pioneers. Here is a reprint from The Daily Ardmoreite about my great aunt’s marriage back in the 30s to the Randols of Ardmore:
The Daily Ardmoreite August 31, 1910. NEW DINING ROOM OPENS TOMORROW. The dining-room of the New Randol hotel on West Main street opens with a six o’clock dinner tomorrow evening, Sept. 1. Mrs. A.C. Bell is to have charge of the dining room. Mrs. Bell has conducted a boarding house in this city for some time. It is said of her that she feeds better than any other.
CARTER COUNTY ASPHALT
The Woodford mines are giving up one hundred tons of refined asphalt that is being shipped to New York, where it will be manufactured into paints, varnish, rubber compound, stains, insulating material, etc. Cars of the Rock Island tracks are being loaded now. This asphalt sells in New York for $8 a ton more than any other asphalt.
You will find links to the asphalt pits Dwane took in the Mailbag below. Awesome photos, thanks Dwane for sharing them!
Last night as I started to bed, all around my house was the strong, and I mean strong smell of a skunk (here in Oklahoma some call them polecats, but they are not actually a true polecat). Anyway, this skunk stunk to high heaven. I hadnt smelled one in several years, even though I know they come into town every night for the easy picking of food in the trash cans and places. The problem is a lot of skunks in Oklahoma are rabid. You sure dont want to get bit by one. I’ve been told and read if a dog or person is every sprayed with the sickening smell of the skunk spray, tomato juice can be used to kill the smell.
Last week AOL bounced back my newsletter again. This time it was because my IP address was changed by cableone, and AOL’s servers did not recognize my new IP as sending out the newsletters. So I called them again, I keep saying I’m not going to since it is AOL that has the problem and not on my end of the transmission. After nine years doing this you’d think their software would know who I am and I am not a spammer. Anyway AOL says they fixed the problem, we’ll see.
While we’re talking about the internet, does any of you on cableone internet have to re-power your cable modem everyday? I’m so tired of having my cable modem go offline, calling tech support, and all they can tell me to do is turn off my cable modem, unscrew the cable, turn off my computer, power back on my cable modem, and turn back on my computer. Some evenings I do this 5 or 6 times. I hope this problem is figured out soon.
This week a reader asked what the connection was between Cole Younger and Coleman Jones. I guess with all my excitement over the old photograph, I forgot to tell how the two were related. Cole Younger was an uncle of Coleman Jones. <—– Click Here
This week a Reader sent in pictures of Coleman Jones grave marker and Charles Carter. <—– Click Here <—– Click Here
In last weeks T&T I reported the photo of Lee Evers working at the airbase as taken around 1945. Boy was I wrong. It was about 1955. Forgive me old friend if your looking down on us here, I didnt mean to make you old. <—– Click Here
Donald Gwynne of Arlington sent in 3 great photograph postcards of the 1915 explosion here in Ardmore. His mother, Mary Katherine Sullivan, grew up in Ardmore at 306 G N.E. in the early 1900’s and the postcards are from his father, Donald G. Gwynne, Sr., collection. <—– Click Here <—– Click Here <—– Click Here
About three weeks ago I was at Dwane Steven’s private museum northwest of town. Another visitor there was Kenneth Eck of Healdton. Since Kenneth and I are both history buffs, you can imagine the good time we had talking about everything in the museum and other things of interest in this area. Before we left Kenneth took a picture of me dismounting from that beautiful red stagecoach. Like most of you, I really didnt want my picture taken, but since Kenneth was a friend, I said go ahead. In a few days Kenneth mail me the August 11th issue of the Healdton Herald and there inside was my picture. That picture took up nearly a whole page. Well, maybe it wasnt that big, but it looked like it when I turned the page to it. lol. Thanks Kenneth for the newspaper, your a true friend.
I had a request this week from someone looking to buy one of the 1982 Indian Territory and Carter County Pioneers Book. Does anyone know where to get one?
OklahomaHistory.net ended August with a record 119,500 Hits. I owe it all to you, my faithful Readers. Thanks everyone.
SOME LETTERS FROM THIS WEEK’S MAILBAG
“Butch: We have a county map at the Research Library Greater Southwest Museum that Bill Hamm marked the cemeteries in the county on. He got the map from the Noble Foundation.” -Anna Heath, Carter County Genealogy Society
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“Butch, I sent you an email about oatmeal glassware and it just occurred to me when I was rereading the newsletter that the glassware came in Crystal Wedding oats not Quaker.”
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“Butch, About your hamburger stories: Mrs. Moose who owned Moose’s Snack Shack across the street from Healdton High School many years ago made the best hamburgers ever!! She was a saintly lady too & I’ll bet some of your readers, especially Healdtonites, may remember her. As a teenager, I had the privilege of working for her.” -Jo (Fronterhouse) Long
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“Butch, “City of New Orleans” was written by Steve Goodman.”
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“Here is a picture of the railroad bridge north of Gene Autry just after it washed out in 1957. Part of the bridge can be seen in the water.” <—– Click Here
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Butch, Lee Evers worked in the old theater located in the North Hanger at Ardmore Air Force Base before the new one opened in March 1955. He was still in the AF at that time and had been stationed at the base since August 31, 1953, coming here with the first troops from Memphis, Tennessee. I assume that he also worked in the new one as he remained in the Air Force until January 17, 1957. He was employed a week later in the Civilian Personnel Office and worked there until the base closed March 31, 1959. The following information about the theater from the Ardmore Army Air Field/Ardmore Air Force Base website gives the mind a chance to go inside and look around these many years later. [email protected]
“The new base theatre opened at 6:30PM, August 4, 1955, with the first movie shown being “Soldier of Fortune” with Clark Gable and Susan Hayward. The ultra-modern theatre had a panoramic screen, air conditioning, and 345 comfortable “swing up” seats. The former theater in the north hanger seated 329. The interior wall color was light brown lower and tan upper. There were two sets of curtains on stage, the outer set was blue-green, manually operated, the inner set was yellow-orange, electrically operated, located near the screen. A modern dressing room was behind the stage. An automatic fire-fighting sprinkler system was located above the stage and behind it. Modern restrooms were just off the main lobby. A concession stand was added later. Fast Forward Note: The old theatre, which had been used for various purposes during the years following base closing, was destroyed by fire in 2004. It had become an “eye-sore” in later years, detracting from the landscape of more modern structures.”
“The WWII base had a large, self-supporting theater with the most-modern projection equipment. They received the latest movie releases about 30-days prior to their release to civilian theaters. It had a 1PM matinee every day and two shows at night, 8:15PM and 10:15PM. Admittance was 15-cents. The double features showing Saturday, November 20, 1943, were “Find the Blackmailer” with Jerome Cowan and Faye Emerson and “Mr. Muggs Steps Out” staring the Eastside Kids.” <—– Click Here
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“Another comment on the Picture of Coleman Younger and Coleman Jones. Do you think that Coleman Younger may have stayed at the Whittington Hotel before Coleman Jones was born? Do you think Coleman Jones might have been a name sake to Coleman Younger?
Cole Younger was probably in the Ardmore area doing his side shoe and at the same time visiting his sister Henryetta (Reta Younger) Rawlings, wife of early day furniture store owner AB Rawlings who was one of the first County Clerks of Dallas County Texas. He was the Grandson of A Bledsoe One of the first Comptrollers of the State of Texas, Some of the Rawlings Family are around the Ardmore area. AB’s first wife was the daughter of George Washington Riggs. Her name was Virginia.
I don’t know when Bell Starr’s daughter (Pearl) moved to Ardmore. She worked at Taylor’s cleaners on North Washtingon in the 30’s. It makes sense that if Cole Younger was Pearl’s father that she would possibly be around her aunt Retta (Younger) Rawlings. Bell Starr’s family lived at Scyene Texas neighbors to George Washington Riggs. Mr Riggs later moved to the Mill Creek area and managed the Diamond Z Ranch for Benjamin W. Carter. I know that Cole Younger was in Madill in 1906. I believe the picture of Cole Younger and Coleman Jones would have been made between 1910 & 1913. Cole probably stayed at the Whittington Hotel.”
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“Butch, I lived next door to Coleman for over 20 years. Coleman got his name from Cole Younger. They were related and I think that they were cousins. Coleman and Mrs. Carter were my best friends growing up and I loved both of them dearly. Mrs. Carter drove an ambulance during World War I in Washington D.C. Coleman played with Admiral Byrd’s children and Eleanor Roosevelt was one of her close friends.
Being his neighbor was not always the best as he had 80 cats. When the wind was just right, the smell was very fragrant. The cats disappeared but no neighbor would admit to how they disappeared, but we all knew.
Every Christmas, Mrs. Carter and Coleman would set his old train set up in their living room for me and they would decorate the two windows that faced our house so that I could see them at night. Throughout the years, he helped me with my homework. When I graduated from high school, he designed a corsage for me at Scotta’s Florist. I knew I recognized that little face of that child. I hadn’t seen that picture but his mom had four pictures on one of her bedroom walls,…… 3 of him and one of me. I was a very lucky girl to have that wonderful Douglas Blvd. neighborhood.” -Millie Scrivner Adams
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“Thanks, Butch, for keeping Ardmore, and our past, just a little bit more, part of our present. Waiting for Katrinia in Southwest Florida.” -Fran Conroy Patterson AHS Class of 1963.”
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“Seeing Elmo’s name brought back a memory that I will never forget. Back when women dressed up and went to town to Christams shop my Mother In Law and I went into Eden’s Fine Foods for lunch after we had spent the morning in Penny’s, Anthony’s, Baums and all the other great downtown stores. I can’t remember what I ordered but it was his plate lunch special and I couldn’t eat it all. We were visiting in a booth when Elma stopped by and asked me why I hadn’t cleaned my plate. I was trying to be an adult and Elma made me feel like a little girl.”
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“Butch, We are gearing up for another big tractor show this year. We are expecting a record number of kids to attend school day this year on the 16th of September and hope that gas prices will not effect the crowd on saturday and sunday. The show is set for september 16, 17 ,and 18. Hope you can make it up to see us. We have a web site at www.southernokies.com/mcatia .. Our web master is making it look real good for us. Also Butch could you add me back to your email lists for the TNT news letter. Over the summer the school changed severs and cleaned out every ons email and sent everything to spam. Sorry but please start sending tit to me again. If you would like any further information on the Murray County Antique Tractor and Implement Association Show. Fill free to email me at [email protected] or call me at (580)369-8137 We are looking for more schools to come see us. If you have any contacts in the Grade schools in Ardmore would you share them with me. We have most of the area elementry schools coming but none of the ardmore city schools comming.”
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“Dear Butch, I am trying to locate pictures and text about Don McNeal and His Breakfast Club. Don McNeal was a Radio show host on ABC a long time ago. Thanks.” -Ruth Young [email protected]
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“Here are some shots of natural asphalt ground weeps (or seeps) I shot yesterday near Woodford, Oklahoma on land that used to belong to my Dad (now owned by friends of my family). In the hot summer sun the asphalt slowly seeps from the rock formations. It may look like crude oil in the photos but believe me it isn’t. It is very sticky and stringy. It sticks to your shoes and clothes very quickly and some of it has a very strong smell. Back in the early days it was mined from this area. The easy stuff (if you could call it easy) was taken out many years ago but it still weeps out of the rock formations. Photos “2” and “3” are close ups of two different weeps. Photo “5” shows the rock formation and how it has been tilted from horizontal to vertical over the centuries. Photo “4” shows how the asphalt slowly flows over the rocks and makes a thin “skin” on the top surface.” -Dwane Stevens <—– Click Here <—– Click Here <—– Click Here <—– Click Here
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“I have a request of you and your readers. I am an artist and “wanna be” writer. About two years ago I started finding old pictures in junk stores, antique stores etc that I felt needed a home. I have some set aside I want to use in a book one day and so many of the other I have been using in my art. I don’t have very many and they are hard to find. If any of your readers have found that they have pictures they have no idea who they are and would like to get rid of them I would love to give them a home. Any and all pictures are wanted and needed. I even want pictures of houses, cemeteries, just about any thing you want to get rid of. If your readers have any and want to send them to me my address is: Annette Nickles 14145 NE 4th Street Choctaw, Oklahoma 73020. I will thank you ahead of time.” -Annette [email protected]
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“I would like to purchase a 30s/40s/50s/60s vintage mans very thin round gold dress watch (leather band preferred). Would of course like one that runs and looks presentable. Omega perhaps but others brands certainly acceptable. If you have such a watch tucked away and would like to sell it please let me know.” -Jerry Brown [email protected]
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“Butch, I was reading in this week’s mailbag and saw where the writer had found some beautiful large acorns in TX, thinking that was the only place she could find them. I had the Purple Parrot Art Gallery in Medicine Park, OK. I sold it last year, but let me tell you, the tree outside the shop(still the Purple Parrot) had the largest acorns I had ever seen. They fell each year in Sept- Oct and the tourists would step on them unknowingly and almost would sprang an ankle, there were so many! Folks would come in and ask me if they could have some for making wreaths and I would always say, “Please, take as many as you want!”. So if your reader would like to visit the lovely town of Medicine Park this fall, she would be well pleased to find that tree. It’s located just south of the Town Hall.” -Joy Willingham, Medicine Park, OK
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“Butch, I haven’t had a chance to see you in a while. I was reading your TNT this weekend and saw your hamburger eating trips and had to tell you about (Dale’s Fifties) little convenience store/hamburger joint on West Main street here in Marietta. Next time you get a chance drive down to Marietta and go into Dales and order a (Fifties Burger) it will be all you can do to eat the whole thing I promise you wont be disappointed. P.S. THANKS for all your computer help several years ago when Marietta Police Department started using computers. Keep up the good work.”
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“Butch if you haven’t been out in eastern Marshall county lately you need to make a trip. My cousin Kathy has bought the Tex’s Corner store in Little City. It’s the white store on the south side of 199. My great Aunt Jean Anne makes the pies there. You can get you a good hamburger and other stuff from the Grill. MUM MUM MUM good stuff. Also the burgers at Geo’s Drive Inn in Durant on North 1st is awesome.” -Jayson Pruitt Dallas/Madill [email protected]
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“Hi Butch, I am looking for or interested in a 1958 Chevrolet Station Wagon. Can you print the information in next weeks newsletter and see if anyone has one? Thanks.” -Mike Pennington [email protected]
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“Butch, saw the lyrics to City of New Orleans in your last letter. It was not written by Arlo Guthrie, it was written by Steve Goodman, see at this website: http://www.arlo.net/lyrics/new-orleans.shtml
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“Butch, the glasses and dishes were in Mothers Oats seem to me there was a brand something like Crystal Oats also.” -Anna Heath
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“I enjoyed your website where I saw my grandfather’s photograph of the men hanging in the barn. As far as I know, Guy Logsdon is the only one who has ever given him credit when using the photo and is the current owner of the original glass plate. My grandfather was N.B. Stall who was the photographer in Ada from 1905 to 1950. It would be nice if the early photographers were given credit for there work when known. Thank you.” -Emily Stall
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Butch, I wonder if you or any of your readers know anything about a man named “J.C. Priddy” that had a business and lived in Ardmore sometime between 1894 and 1922. The reason I asked, I inherited Two metal ‘Pin Trays’ from my Grandparents who lived in & around Ardmore in the early days from 1894 to 1922. J.C. Priddy must have given them away and used them to Advertise his business because the metal trays have a picture of a Spotted Bird Dog and these words printed on them:
“J.C. Priddy for Saddles,
Harness and Buggies Ardmore, I.T.”
I’d like to know more about J.C. Priddy so I could include him in the History of my Grandparents. This is all I’ve been able to find about him so far:
“From the Nov. 1908
“Ardmore Statesman” published in Ardmore, Carter Co., OK: Ardmore’s first “First Monday” was a big success, and the number of farmers brought to town was very gratifying, while the exhibits made would have pleased the management of any fair. There were fine-looking hogs, thoroughbred poultry, blooded horses, mammoth specimens of vegetables, luscious specimens of fruit and an attractive display woman’s handiwork. The parade that was given in the afternoon came up to all expectations and elicited remarks of surprise all along the street, at the magnificent specimens of horse flesh and the pretty rigs in line. This item donated by J. Priddy Best span of work mules, any age–pair of collars donated by J. Priddy and awarded to M. Wisdom of Sneed” I’ve been unable to find J.C. Priddy in the 1900 Indian Territory Census or the OK Census of 1910 & 1920 and would really like to know more about him.”
-Nell Lewis
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Santa Fe Depot …. Sulphur, Oklahoma <—– Click Here
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If your a praying person, pray for the victims of Katrina. Prayers and support are so needed.
When things go wrong as they sometimes will;
When the road you’re trudging seems all uphill;
When the funds are low, and the debts are high
And you want to smile, but have to sigh;
When care is pressing you down a bit-
Rest if you must, but do not quit.
Success is failure turned inside out;
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt;
And you can never tell how close you are
It may be near when it seems so far;
So stick to the fight when you’re hardest hit-
It’s when things go wrong that you must not quit.
“Don’t Quit,” Author Unknown
See everyone next time!
Butch Bridges
Lone Grove, Oklahoma
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