PO Box 2, Ardmore, Oklahoma 73402
Email: [email protected], Phone: 580-490-6823
“What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us,
What we have done for others and the world remains and is immortal.”
A Glimpse Into The Past
Gas Service
In 1903 oil and gas were discovered in Carter County in the Wheeler and Oil City area. Gas was being used in the field at that time as fuel to drill additional wells. Ardmore Heat and Light Company was formed in 1906 by a group of Lima, Ohio men for the purpose of piping gas in Ardmore. J D S Neeley was president and A.C. Reichelderfer, general manager. A franchise was secured during the fall of 1906 and gas lines were laid
The group did not have control of gas in the Wheeler Field and was attempting to obtain a supply. In the meantime, the Ardmore Gas Company was formed by a group of citizens with W. A. Ledbetter as secretary. This company obtained the gas supply and was endeavoring to get a pipeline built to Ardmore. After much negotiating, an agreement was reached June 19, 1907, hereby we’re by the Ardmore Gas Company was to build a pipeline from Wheeler to Ardmore, where they would sell the gas to the Ardmore Heat and Light Company, which were distributed it in Ardmore.
After considerable delays the right-of-way was secured and construction of the pipeline from Wheeler to Ardmore started on October 2, 1907. This was a 6-inch pipeline.
The Ardmore Heat and Light Company constructed the rest of the distribution system, laying 12 to 15 miles of pipe in Ardmore. The pipeline from Wheeler was completed and gas was turned into Ardmore December 18, 1907.
With the discovery of oil in the Healdton Field more gas was discovered. About 1913 a pipeline was constructed from the Healdton Field to connect with a line to Ardmore at Oil City. The Ardmore Gas Company was sold November 29, 1915 to a new company, the Ardmore City Gas Company. This company continue to operate the wells in the field, their compressor station and pipeline to Ardmore and sell gas to the distributing Company.
The Consumers Light and Power Company purchased the Ardmore Ice, Light and Power Company and that Ardmore Heat and Light Company February 21, 1917 and operated both Electric and Gas Distribution Systems in Ardmore. The Ardmore City Gas Company furnished gas through its pipelines from the fields. In 1919 the compressor station at Wheeler was moved to a point near the Fox and Graham fields just south and west of Graham.
A pipeline was laid from Wheeler into the Hewitt Field in 1923, furnishing additional gas for Ardmore.
In 1924 four additional compressors were installed in the station near Graham to keep up pressure on the gas system in Ardmore. They also started rebuilding the main lines to Ardmore that year, increasing the size of the line from 6 to 8 inches. This was completed in 1928.
The Consumers Light and Power Company and the Ardmore City Gas Company sold their properties to the Oklahoma Gas & Electric Company and the firm operated both the gas and electric systems in Ardmore, Healdton, Ringling and the gas system in Wilson.
On February 20, 1928 the gas systems in Ardmore, Healdton, Ringling and Wilson were sold to the Oklahoma Natural Gas Company which has operated them continuously since.
Gas was extended east from Ardmore to Johnson County near Randolph in 1930 to serve Madill and Tishomingo.
Oil and gas were brought in at the Caddo field north of Ardmore in 1943 furnishing additional gas to Ardmore.
Continually seeking additional gas supplies for this area, a line was constructed from the Fox Field to Velma where a large gasoline plant was constructed in 1948. In 1949 the Ardmore system was connected with the general system of Oklahoma Natural Gas Company, assuring Ardmore a dependable and plentiful gas supply.
Also in 1949 the gas line was extended to Lake Murray State Park to supply gas to the cabins and Lake Murray Lodge that were being built,.
With the reopening of the Ardmore Air Force Base, a gas line was extended from the line east of town to the base. Numerous additional lines have been laid to new wells in the Fox field and throughout the area from Fox to Velma and all through the Sho-Vel-Tum field
-Carter County History Book 1957
The old Jefferson Elementary School in southeast Ardmore. Was basically rebuilt
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos21b/OldJeffersonSchoolArdmore.jpg
Tom Arnold attended Jefferson school from 1965-1971 and always wanted to see a photo of the old school. Tom passed away a few years ago.
This is a picture of the Jefferson school (after the red brick 2 story 4th ward and before the current building). -Tom Arnold
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos7a/JeffersonSchool07.jpg
1963, Live Bait, Ardmore, Oklahoma
Cottingham Bait Store 906 Lake Murray Drive
Davis Bait Shop 935 Lake Murray Drive
Art Modesto Bait Shop 966 Lake Murray Drive
Norman’s Bait Shop 1005 Lake Murray Drive
Tipps Grocery 720 Lake Murray Drive
Whitehurst Bros Fish Bait 320 Lake Murray Drive
June 1968
May rainfall for Carter County was heavy throughout the area. L. P. Young at Newport north of Lone Grove reported a total of 14.7 inches fell on his place.
June 1968
Construction crews are at work carving Interstate 35 through the Arbuckle Mountains. Engineers forecast completion by 1971, including all the 68.5 miles of roadway under construction from Purcell to Love County. Amis Construction is doing the work of blasting the way through solid limestone in the Arbuckles and will move more than 3.2 million cubic yards of evacuation material.
June 1927
A hit-and-run driver Wednesday ran down a mule owned by E. L. Baird, who resides three miles west of Lone Grove. The animal, valued at $75, was so badly injured it had to be put down to end its suffering.
Robert Hensley sent in the following 3 photos this week.
London siblings : Ethel, Carl, Walter, and Boyd.
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos21b/LondonSiblingsArdmoreIT.jpg
Christmas window display in 1904 Ardmore Dry Goods Co. Ardmore, I.T. J. G. Beard manager, dry goods, clothing, shoes etc 114 E Main street
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos21b/ArdmoreDryGoodsCoChristmasDisplayArdmoreIT.jpg
Gary with his dog. Indian Territory.
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos21b/GaryWithHisDogArdmoreIT.jpg
We’ve almost reached that Million Dollar mark. We’ve gone over the $995,000 mark, so we are making progress locating people or their kin with unclaimed insurance money at the State Treasurers office in OKC. And the search continues….
How long has it been since you checked your name or a family member’s name? Its easy to do a search at the Oklahoma State Treasurer link below. I think every state in the union has a unclaimed property website through the respective state treasures website.
https://apps.ok.gov/unclaimed/
Q. Where in Oklahoma is the rock formations “Old Maid” and “Wedding Party” located?
A. Black Mesa in the western Panhandle of Oklahoma. CLICK HERE
Q. Where was Oklahoma’s most profitable gold mine located?
A. Answer in next week’s newsletter
Some mail from this week’s MAILBAG…..
Q. Carter Seminary School
My name is Kay Gibbs here in Youngtown, AZ. I’m the person who called you on the phone Tuesday evening 20 Jul 2021 about any info you might have about this school starting in 1966. My questions are:
1) Are there any records located locally that would name students attending this school?
2) When did Carter Seminary on Chickasaw Blvd officially close down?
3) Does the Chickasaw Nation still have any holdings in this school?
A. Hello, I used to work at Carter Seminary / Chickasaw Children’s Village from 1985 to 2020 as a dorm parent, Academic Guidance Counselor.
1. No records are located locally that I am aware of , When I worked at Carter Seminary the records were boxed up and sent to Fort Worth, Tx to the National Archives at Fort Worth . You can contact them to find out about the records. Below is the information to contact them.
National Archives at Fort Worth
Textual Research
1400 John Burgess Drive
Fort Worth, Texas 76140
https://www.archives.gov/fort-worth/index-test.html
Microfilm Research
2600 West 7th Street
Suite 162
Fort Worth, TX, 76107
Telephone: Textual research: 817-551-2051 Microfilm Research: 817-831-5620
Fax: Textual Research: 817-551-2034 Microfilm Research: 817-551-5621
Hours:[2]
Textual Research Monday through Friday by appointment.
Microfilm Research Monday through Friday, and 3rd Saturday of the month, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
2. Carter Seminary officially closed in March of 2003 when the school moved and was renamed the Chickasaw Children’s Village in Kingston, Oklahoma.
3. Yes, the Chickasaw Nation still operates the current Chickasaw Children’s Village. The Chickasaw Nation took over Carter Seminary in 1984 from the BIA.
Where the boys/girls dormitory built in 1970 used to be on the old Carter Campus is now cottages for Chickasaw senior citizens . The old dairy barn, administrative offices, directors home were razed in the early 2000’s. -Robert
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Did anyone ever locate Aaron “Punk” Gay who disappeared south of Lone Grove?
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/14297035/aaron_punk_-gay
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Butch, according to a past T&T, Mode O’Day was a women’s “ready to wear” store. It appears to have been a national chain. -Wes Womack
1963 – Ardmore Ladies Ready to Wear Stores
CR Anthony Co 215 W Main
Baum’s Ladies Ready To Wear 126 W Main
Daube’s Department Store 107 E Main
Eason’s Department Store 14 Broadlawn Village
Guys and Dolls 700 N Commerce
Herzmark’s 124 W Main
Jarold Shops 113 W Main
Jean Lee Shop 108 W Main
Klein’s Ladies To Wear 109 W Main
Mode O’Day Frock Shop 7 W Main
Norma’s Ready To Wear 15 N Washington
Stin-Tex Dress Shoppe 14 E NW
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Below is from This and That newsletter archives of July 30, 2009
Buck and his wife lived at North Washington and 3rd Street where the present day Washington Theater (old Ardmore school auditorium) is located. Back in Garrett’s day there was a 2 story residence Buck and his family lived in located on that corner. After Buck’s death, his widow and family continued living there, Mrs. Garrett turning it into a boarding house to generate some cash to make ends meet.
In about 1942 or 1943 a black man was in the house talking to Buck’s son and an argument began between them. The black man ran out the front door, turning north across the lawn, and into the street. Buck’s son was following right behind him and pointed a gun at the fleeing man, shooting him to death on the red bricked street between the house and the old Ringling station depot (ONM&P railway line).
Mr. Brown could not remember what the argument was about, but sure remembers watching it all take place, and his grandmother (they lived across the street to the east beside Harris Gas Station) grabbing the boys up and rushing them into the house for safety.
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“Here is a little more info on the Rufus Binyon hanging (1904) of the last weeks T&T mailbag entry.” -Fran
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The Daily Ardmoreite
Ardmore, Indian Territory
Friday, January 14, 1902District Court
RUFUS BINYON, charged with murder of his stepdaughter, MARY HAWTHORNE, on May 15, 1900 then set her on fire and burned the body.
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Thursday, January 16, 1902District Court
RUFUS BINYON, guilty of murder, will have to be sentence to be hung.
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Ardmore to Have Hanging
At last Ardmore is to have a hanging, in the case of RUFUS BINYON, guilty of murder? Ardmore has never had a hanging? Ardmore already has the gallows across the street NW from the courthouse.
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/ArdmoreHanging1904.jpg
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“Butch here are some new school buildings at Geronimo, Oklahoma. A weird sight from the highway.” -Doug
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/GeronimoOKschools2009.jpg
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“Hi Butch: Enjoyed your note about the Courthouse clock in the July 16th issue and also the article and pictures you wrote a while back about working on it yourself. Brought back childhood memories to me….. While up there in the clock tower did you see “JHColbert” inscribed on the inside of the clock anywhere? Jimmy Colbert was my Dad and he kept the clock running for many years. He was an Ardmore postman who had a clock shop in his home and repaired many of the clocks in the area until his death in 1976. Going up the iron staircase into the clock tower with him was a great treat for me as a grade school child (the two or three times that I was allowed to do so in the early 1940s) and I remember that I could see the big pecan tree in our backyard on G Street, NW from there.
Tania Colbert Patrick
Plano, TX
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“Butch, there were two letters in the recent T&T that amused me….the tree they were talking about looking like an animal, …several times I have told my wife as were were driving NE on hwy 79, and about 2 miles from this tree, to me it appeared as an oversize Rooster….Tail feathers (limbs) and the head and crown, (more limbs)…so it makes me feel better that someone else saw the tree and made something of it.”
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/WaurikaTree09a.jpg
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“Hello Butch, I’ve written to you before about the Durwood Cemetery. I have been reading all of your newsletters and would like to tell you a little about my dad. He worked at the Hamburger Inn in Ardmore as the cook, I just don’t remember the years. He also worked at the 5 o’clock club as the chef. He put out the first seafood buffet at the Holiday Inn and is pictured on one of their postcards. His name is W. B. Griffin also known as Griff or as they call him in Healdton where he grew up “Dub”. He was in the Air Force for 20 plus years mostly stationed at Offutt Air Base in Omaha Nebraska. He was the chef at the officers club and cooked for many famous people including JFK and Bobby Kennedy. I’m sure some of your readers would know him. The veterans memorial in Healdton does not have his name on it. Do you know if there is some way I could get his name included on this? I would be willing to pay to have his name engraved on it.
My Dad passed away on Oct. 31, 2006 at the age of 79 at his home in Healdton. He is buried in Mt. Olive Cemetery in Healdton. Maybe some of your Readers could share a story about him, I still miss him terribly. He was my best friend. Thank You.” -Debbie [email protected]
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The Wilson News
May 11, 1916
Last Tuesday night while Ples St. John was returning to Hewitt, he was held up by three men and robbed of $9.25. He had been to the picture show at Wilson and says that three boys were in the lobby when he was given the change, and the police are trying to locate these boys.
May 18, 1916
What is known as the city Tennison has just opened up 6 miles northwest of here, between Wilson and Ragtown. The principal builder, Mr. W. H. Tennison, who the town was named after, said that while the town was very small (one general store and one hotel) it was a sure comer, and the name of Tennison, Okla., will be on the map some day.
What might have been a serious fire was averted last night at the Royal Cafe by the timely actoin of some of the men, who were close by when a rag that had been used to clean off the stove caught fire. Mr. Harper stated that outside of the loss of a good stove rag no damage was done.
Black eyed peas .07 a bushel.-Wilson Historical Museum hours: Tues. Thurs. Fri., Sat., 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. We have a great boy scout display!!
Note: I am unable to find any info on Tennison, Carter county, Oklahoma.
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—————————————————–Oklahoma Morning
Writer Jerry ChestnutOh!
On an early autumn day
Freshness of the breeze brought the mornin’
And the sun came risin’ up
Shinin’ down on leaves that
fell like golden snow
And the mystery of it all
Made the problems of the day seem unimportant
That Oklahoma mornin’
Puts Oklahoma sunshine in my soulThere ain’t nothin’ like an Oklahoma mornin’
Nothin’ like it when you’re feelin’ low
It warms up your mind and your body
It puts Oklahoma sunshine in your soulOklahoma Morning by Charley Pride (1934-2020)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1FfSu9Ii-o
See everyone next week!
Butch and Jill Bridges
“Friends Make Life Worth Living”Ardmore, Oklahoma
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Oklahoma History Website #2 (backup website)
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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
Ardmore Army Air Field/Ardmore Air Force Website
https://oklahomahistory.net/airbase/
Carter County Government Website
http://cartercountyok.us
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