PO Box 2, Ardmore, Oklahoma 73402

Email: [email protected], Phone: 580-490-6823

In a couple days I will have been working for Ardmore Trailers and Truck Service on Springdale Road for 4 weeks. I must say I have really enjoyed working for Rick and Brenda Carrell. And no, I will not be driving a truck. lol  I am working on their computer networks and equipment. My last 2 jobs were ok, but I felt like a fish out of water, not to mention the physical labor was pretty hard on an old body.  Now I’m working with what I have done for over 30 years, computers and networking.

Actually my work with Carrell Trucking started about 30 years ago when Rick called me asking if I could hook up 5 computers in his office as a network. I said sure. Needless to say I’m glad to be back working at Ardmore Trailers for Rick and Brenda!

Here is an aerial view of where I work. My office is in the building circled in red.

https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos18b/CarrellTruckingAerial082318.jpg

July 1934
Faced with the necessity of hauling water for their livestock unless rain falls within a few days, farmers must look out with nothing to do but hope. Caddo Creek is dry and the Washita River bed can be seen in many places, an unusual condition.

July 1934
Funeral services were held at the Methodist Church in Lone Grove for Ella Marie Dutton, 10, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. O. Davis. Besides her parents the child is survived by a sister and two brothers. The child died of lockjaw after a splinter had pierced her foot.

July 2003
Donnie and Kay long and children Jasper and Raley, have closed the Longhorn Grill in Lone Grove after 15 years of operation and taking over ownership of the Cattle Rustlers Steakhouse.

The Temple Theater was located in today’s Ardmoreite Building (Gilbert Building back then). If you go to the NW corner inside of the 1st floor, you can still see remnants of the theater near the ceiling.

https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos18a/TempleTheatreInside1940.jpg

https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos18a/TempleTheatre1940.jpg

Photo of Lorena Park north edge of Ardmore at Dornick Hills. Lorena Park no longer exists.

https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos18b/LorenaParkArdmoreOK.jpg

Inspiration Point at Sulphur, Oklahoma

https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos18b/InspirationPointSulphurOK.jpg

Fletcher Feed Store at Meeker, Oklahoma

https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos18b/FeedStoreMeekerOK_1.jpg

This is a photo of the no longer in existence Madill, Oklahoma depot from bygone years.

https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos18b/MadillOKdepot.jpg

Q.  When and where in Oklahoma is the Grape Stomp Festival held?
A.   Grape Stomp Festival at Slaughterville, Oklahoma
Sep 30, 2018
Canadian River Winery
7050 Slaughterville Rd
Lexington, OK 73051
https://www.travelok.com/listings/view.profile/id.22014

Q.  Where in Oklahoma is Dead Woman’s Crossing?
A.  Answer in next week’s newsletter

Below is from This and That newsletter archives of August 31, 2006

I was driving on South Washington the other day and noticed Brent Hodges has his Quality Builders Supply building up for sale. A friend told me later that Brent is kinda going into semi retirement and moving to the Houston area where he has his boat docked. Brent plans to open a small cabinet and woodworking shop close by. Last Fall when I was trying to get set up to pour the cemetery markers for the veterans section at Rosehill, Brent came to my rescue when the 4x4s I bought at the lumber yard were out of square. I gave Brent a call, and he said come on down. Brent had his long time employee Michael put the 4x4s through the planer, and when he got through the boards were perfectly straight and square. I use the 4x4s to make the form to hold my mold in place until the material sets. Here is a pic I took the other day of the 4×4 form.  -Butch
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos6a/MarkerForm082806.jpg

Brent helped when I really didn’t know what I was doing, just knew I wanted to make markers, and vaguely had an idea how to go about it. But like so many others out there, Brent came through when I needed that help, and didn’t even charge for his service. Brent’s cabinet making business was located at 205 South Washington here in Ardmore behind Animal Health Center. By the way, most people have forgotten the Animal Health Center is where Chickasaw Regional Library originally started out about 1950.
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos6a/AnimalHealthCenter6a.jpg
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“I had forgotten how beautiful the Blue River is. I still miss the old swinging bridge over Pennington Creek in Tish. I also enjoyed the pictures of the remodeled Gainesville zoo. It looks great. And you have added another hamburger place for me to try. Keep up the good work. Your 1908 graduation program of AHS seniors had my grandmother’s name in it (Mary Mueller). She is my mother Frances Holder Arnold’s mother. Keep up the great work Butch!!!!!” -Tom Arnold
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“Butch, That Poem by Woody Guthrie Brought back memories I was Three years old when my Dad and Mom loaded me my two older sisters and older brother and we started out west on our way to California. We run out of money in Tucson Ar.and lived there untill 1938 for five years then we went back home to Ada. The movie Grapes of Wrath told the story just the way I remember it we were Okies. you could tell a rich Okie from a poor Okie the rich one’s had two mattresses on top of their car.” -Paskell
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Butch. This is a picture of the Ardmore grade schools in 1936. -Grover
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos6a/ArdmoreGradeSchools.jpg
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“Your visit to Gainesville, Texas to the Gainesville Zoo brought back some boyhood memories of the area of Leonard Park in which it occupies when I resided in the city in the late 30’s, 40’s, and 50’s. During the 30’s no city zoo existed in Leonard Park and the current stately, tall pecan trees were youngsters such as was I. Your visit to the Gainesville zoo also stirred up some other memories of Gainesville which follow. The creek that flows through a portion of the city zoo was of inconsequence at the time. But the creek then and now commands an approach into the city from the West. Apparently in the late 30’s the old bridge was decrepit (most likely wooden) and needed replacement. Therefore, under the auspices of the WPA it was removed and was being replaced with a new one made of concrete and steel. I remember my Uncle Willie Joe Gore and I carried a freshly made hot lunch each working day during the summer of 38 or 39 to his brother and my maternal uncle, Harold Gore, who among other men, was employed by the WPA to build the new bridge. The workmen evidently did an excellent practical engineering job because the bridge continues be in use this very day. A posted plaque on a post of the bridge is dedicated to their workmanship. My Uncle Harold was proud of his participation in building the bridge. In the late 30’s I lived in Gainesville, Texas with my maternal grandparents Elmer and Jodie Gore. We first lived in a house on Gribble Street that was located abut two blocks north of the local dairy where us boys would visit daily during the summer to look for free inscribed ice cream bar sticks. Later, we moved to 335 Ritchie Street. While living on Gribble Street I remember an elderly black gentleman we called Uncle Tom, who lived in a rundown house in a thicket of small trees and brush. He was very friendly and loved company. So us boys stopped by to visit with him each day we visited the local dairy. If he had some old fruit or vegetables he had found at a grocery store disposal unit he would share it with us. We would refuse it but he insisted that we take it. So we did. Some times the fruit or vegetable was okay. At other times . .. . well. We had a vegetable garden about one block east of us located on a once thriving metal junk yard. Because of the enriched soil created by some of the metal we grew some fantastic vegetables. Later we moved to a three bedroom house in 1939 located on 335 Ritchie Street my grandfather Gore had bought with a bonus that was bestowed upon him by the Federal government for his participation in the Philippine War. The house he bought was built in 1900 and need repairing. So the older boys and our grandfather replaced the shingle roof, the front porch, and repainted the house white. The house still remains there today. Passing by it brings back many fond memories. In the 40’s a dam was built across the creek that flows through the Gainesville Zoo. I think I was about 14 years old at the time. We young boys enjoy swimming below the dam and diving from a homemade diving board into the creek. I learned later during a visit the dam was destroyed by a rainstorm that dumped several inches of rain in the Gainesville area. In that same creek using bailing wire I caught a huge Garfish that measured four feet long. Later in 1957 my family and I moved back to 335 Ritchey Street in Gainesville and lived there for seven enjoyable and happy years which included attending the Nazarene Church located only a short block north of our home. My wife and I reside in San Antonio, Texas. Our children are grown and are raising their own families. Though I was born at Fort Sill, Oklahoma and raised there until age 6, I call Gainesville, Texas my hometown because of the fond memories of most of my boyhood.” -Grant West
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Some mail from this week’s MAILBAG…..

I used to carry a sack of cement on each hip to build curbs in the cemetery. For a few years I have been grateful for the 60 lb. sacks to set fence post. Now I am hoping that they do a 40 lb. sack! Growing old ain’t for sissy’s!
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Well Butch it sucks to be a senior, I can relate and don’t like it, I am not as strong this year as I was last year. I specially remember last year I went to Atwoods and pick up 2 sacks of horse feed and carried them both at the same time, last week I went to Atwoods and purchased 2 sacks of the same feed and had to stop twice before I got them in the barn, AND I was only carrying them one at a time, Really Depressing, I know how you feel my Friend. -Dave
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My dearly departed wife, the Patricia Sue Paschall of Marietta, Oklahoma said, “Getting old isn’t for sissies”. When my father, the Bill Davidson of Noble, Oklahoma was 90 years old he said, “Life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer you get to the end the faster it goes.” I always knew I’d get old some day. I just didn’t know it would happen so soon. Welcome to old age, Butch. -Don Davidson, Brenham, Texas (Formerly of Moore, OK)
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Oh, I do love your newsletters. Every week seem to bring back a memory. I was moved by the article about the J.C. Penny store in Ardmore that opened. The owner, J. C. Penny himself, visited the store. I guess they couldn’t or wouldn’t do something like that today.

I remember my aunt, Myrtle Stewart, used to work for JC Penny. She was a pioneer for direct mail and didn’t know it. She used to tell of going to the post office and getting a “penny postcard” — which was a lot of money during that day. She would go through the phone book at night and send post cards to all her friends at church and other places telling them about the ‘White Sale” that was going on at JC Penny. She would tell the story about managers coming up to her wanting to know why so many people were coming into the store asking for her to and making these purchases. I think she was number one sales person many times during her time at Penny. And it all had to do with staying in touch with customers! -John Bagwell
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Our high school friendships we soon must sever,
And fade as the dying day,
Our closest bonds must all be broken,
As through the world we wind our way,
But yet, whatsoever be life’s fortunes,
We love thee still, OUR ALMA MATER,
Dear Ardmore High so true.

-1936 Ardmore High year book

See everyone next week!

Butch and Jill Bridges

“Friends Make Life Worth Living”PO Box 2
Lone Grove, Oklahoma 73443

https://oklahomahistory.net

Vicious Dog Attacks in Oklahoma
https://oklahomahistory.net/viciousdogs.html
Oklahoma Bells: https://oklahomahistory.net/bellpage.html
Bill Hamm’s Cemetery Database
http://www.usgwarchives.net/ok/carter/cartercm.htm
American Flyers Memorial Fund – Administration Webpage
https://oklahomahistory.net/crash66.html
Official American Flyers Memorial Website
http://www.brightok.net/~wwwafm
Ardmore Army Air Field/Ardmore Air Force Base Website
http://www.brightok.net/~gsimmons
Mirror Site of the Ardmore Army Air Field/Ardmore Air Force Website
https://oklahomahistory.net/airbase/
Carter County Government Website
http://cartercountyok.us