Bridges across the Red River from the Red River Historian website https://www.redriverhistorian.com/bridges I knew southern Oklahoma was in a drought, but this is terrible. We need rain so badly. Just a trickle coming over Turner Falls. This photo was taken Wednesday October 9, 2024. Aline, Oklahoma is located in Alfalfa county and a population of…

The Ghost of Burneyville’s Hotel -from the Red River Historian website. https://www.redriverhistorian.com/post/the-ghost-of-burneyville-s-hotel I was at the Carter county courthouse this week and snapped this picture of the dome being rebuilt. I have been inside it a lot over the years I worked there, it was in bad shape. I was in conversation with a friend…

Mary and Lee Tatum are the founders of Tatum, Oklahoma in the northwest part of Carter County. The link below is from the Red River Historian website maintained by Robin Cole-Jett. Robin has done extensive research on the once bustling town of Tatums and its history. “Lee and Mary Tatums founded an eponymous community surrounding…

Hello Butch, In the last issue of “This and That” you told about the killing of Ben Collins and the arrest of Henry Pruitt, H. Washmood, and Ben Tie as perpetrators of the killing.  The genesis for that killing occurred at Orr, IT three years prior, a shooting involving Poke Pruitt, brother of Henry.  This…

Before Oklahoma became a state, Ben Collins was an Indian policeman for the Chickasaw Nation. He lived east of Tishomingo and 5 miles south of Milburn, Oklahoma. One evening around 10pm in August 1906, Ben Collins was standing on the porch with his wife, when he was gunned down by several men from out in…

On Septembe 27, 1915 what would come to be known as The Great Explosion took place in downtown Ardmore. About 50 people lost their lives in an instant. Below is a documentery video on Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eq2_7fVTyV8 Photo of the inside of the Ardmore Light & Power Company 1919. Link to my unclaimed property webpagehttps://oklahomahistory.net/unclaimed-property-in-oklahoma/ HAM…

Since I started my Oklahoma History website in April 1996, the name Don Pinkston has been mentiioned about 10 times over the years starting in 2002 by others. Don is a local famed artist for decades who has did many paintings in charcoal, pen and oil. They are owned by people all over the country,…

Back in 1915 a song was written by a P. A. Booker and W. B. Freeze and arranged by G. C. Adams of Ardmore about the Big Explosion in Ardmore on September 27, 1915. Below is a link to the info and the original sheet music from that year. I hope a pianist plays this…

Joe S. Robison, the man who with a partner built the First Federal Building and who owns the opera house at Main and C Street Southwest, had another brainstorm about 1907, streetcars for Ardmore. He organized and was president of the Ardmore Traction Company which functioned until 1924 when it fell victim to the automobile…

I think everyone enjoys a mystery. The following story was told to me by a northeast childhood friend of mine and took place not very far at all from my stomping grounds at 3rd and H Street NE. True or not true, I don’t know… you be the judge. “Butch, this story took place in…