I created a page on my website about Coleman Jones. I remember him so well. Check it out at the link below. https://oklahomahistory.net/ardmores-coleman-jones/ Ardmore Main Street 1940s Ardmore before statehood and cars. You can see the water well in the middle of Main Street. Broadlawn Shopping Center at Maxwell and Harris NW From This Weeks…

The Daily ArdmoreiteOctober 9, 1977By Rusty Lang Recluse Yields to InterviewDisavows Unrequited Love Tale   He could have lived at any place at any time and from the stories that go around about him you would believe he has. There are probably a multitude of stories hidden behind Coleman Jones’ gnarled white beard that he…

This AI stuff is getting too smart. I tried out the Google Lens feature on my “smart” phone asking it to identify this tree by the leaves. Amazing. And I hardly know what a rose looks like. Back in the 1960s a man lived a block north of us named Virgil Gaines. He would take…

Leon, Oklahoma FFA convention I used AI to colorize this photo of the Ringling, Oklahoma Childrens Home I have several “rocks” like this, with this being the largest. Maybe some of my geologist friends on here can tell me what kind of “rock” this is. Its VERY heavy, like heavy as lead and very dense,…

Above is the Ardmore Fire of 1895 (AI colorized)Ardmore progressed rapidly from 1887 to 1895 but it was at this point that the citizens were to suffer their first town-wide setback- the big fire of 1895. The blaze started on Caddo Street just west of the railroad tracks and ran uncontrolled through the business district.…

The Daily ArdmoreiteOctober 14, 1932 Body is found by son but few rods from shore It was believed small metal boat he used capsizedand he was unable to reach shore  Well known to sportsman  Funeral services are to be conducted by Reverend Harry S. DeVore Oscar Whitehurst, 45, in charge of boat renting and fishing…

Back way over 100 years ago the Santa Fe railroad ran west down Grand Avenue in Ardmore. When the railway closed down the railroad right of way, land was sold and the tracks removed. There was one piece of property at 517 Grand the City of Ardmore owned. Fast forward to 1970. The Southern Oklahoma…

The Daily ArdmoreiteJanuary 31, 1957 Two Ardmore policemen were appointed to the rank of detectives Wednesday by police chief Ott Welch in a move to strengthen the department’s effectiveness.   Appointed as detectives were Lee Wallace and Buck Houchin, both present employees of the department. Chief Welch made the announcement in a news conference early Wednesday.…

“Butch…that is an old Jet Commander. If it has 5 windows, it was the original Commander also known as the 1121 Westwind. Those were made at the Aero Commander manufacturing site that used to be at Wiley Post Airport in OKC. They were made between 1960 and 1968. In 1968, the Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI)…

April 1978: Although no arrest is eminent, police believe they are homing in on a prime suspect of the Friday night fires that damaged the third and fourth floors of Ardmore’s Carter County Courthouse. Authorities are still speculating as to the motive of the fires, but the primary target was the office of court reporter…