This and That Newsletter
www.OklahomaHistory.net
Vol 22 Issue 1,104 Circulation 5,000 March 22, 2018
Ardmore, Oklahoma
My permanent email address: butchbridges@oklahomahistory.net
580-490-6823
I've been working at the Michelin Plant a year and two months in the computer department. Sometimes when I go out to the tire production area, I look in a long display case just before the double doors and there in the display case are many Uniroyal/Goodrich/Michelin nostalgia items from past years. One thing that would catch my eye was a 45rpm record in the display case. I sometimes stopped, look, and wondered what was on that black vinyl record. This week I received the song on the record in digital form. The 45rpm record is entitled The Ardmore Way. It is a MP4 format and a large file, 12 megs, so it will take time to download. Hope it works on your cell phone or PC.
As the record spins you'll see the Uniroyal logo on the label from the 1970s.
http://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos18a/TheArdmoreWay.mp4
One of several sandblasting projects I did this week.
http://oklahomahistory.net/bricks/ZoeDogPaver.jpeg
Q. Where in Oklahoma is the place to gaze at the stars, millions of them, maybe even the best place in the U.S. to star gaze?
A. Black Mesa State Park at Kenton, Oklahoma (Oklahoma Panhandle)
https://www.travelok.com/article_page/out-of-this-world-oklahomas-stargazing-hotspotsQ. This one small Oklahoma town has more outdoor attractions than any other place in the state. Where is the town?
A. Answer in next week's newsletter
Below is from This and That newsletter archives of March 30, 2006
This is an interesting photo in 1918 when the Simpson Building at West Main and A Street was brand new. (Citizens bank is on the first floor of the Simpson Building today.) What is interesting about this picture is the buildings to the east (left) of the Simpson Building. Next door is the water department where people would pay their water bill.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos6a/SimpsonBldg1918.jpg
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This is a picture of the Elks Home in Ardmore before statehood (1907). The building is no longer located at North Washington and West Broadway.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos6a/ElksHomeArdmore1906.jpg
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A couple of weeks ago a Reader wrote in telling about one of those old timey concrete street markers being at C Street and 7th NW. I have since learned that is not a street marker at that location, but rather an old concrete hitching post!
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos6a/HitchingPost6a.jpg
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"Butch, are you sure that isn't a sandbur? I think a goathead only has 4 prongs." -Minnie Lou Whittington
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"Hi Butch, I look forward to TGIF and the arrival of your T & T newsletter. The Goathead sticker made a lasting impression on me as a barefooted child, They grew on a plant that put out runners that laid flat on the ground. It seemed that they grew in profusion on the vacant lots, cotton yards and on the school playground. They were a little larger than Grass burrs, about the size of the diameter of a cigarette and the spines were a lot larger at the base. They didn't have a lot of spines, about 5 or 6 on each seed, One was always pointing up and they really made a puncture wound. the wound would hurt for hours it seemed. I have surfed the net looking for pictures but haven't found any. As I haven't seen any growing for years. I would appreciate someone posting a picture of one on T&T. Surely they are not extinct." -Bill Uhles
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------------------------------------------------------------------------Some mail from this week's MAILBAG.....
This is a rare prisoner of war envelope with letter enclosed that was sent to Germany from a prisoner of war camp in Powell, Ok. The letter was censored by number 10514 before being sent. the Headquarters of this camp and one in Tishomingo was in Madill, Ok. It opened April 23rd 1943 in the old first National Bank building and closed April 1, 1944. The Prisoners were located at Powell, Ok, about 8 miles south of Madill. This camp opened on April 29th, 1943 , the German prisoners were used to clear brush and trees from the bed of lake Texoma which was just being completed. It closed Sept. 1, 1944. The camp in Tishomingo located on old hwy 99 north of the Washita river and south of Tishomingo opened April 23rd 1943. 300 german men were confined there. It closed June 13, 1944 and is the site of the airport now. Two escapes were reported.
From Madill Record, Madill, Ok. June 17, 1943 Rudolph Arens, Jacom Braun, they didn't actually escape, but were left behind when a truck transported the work crew back to camp. They were found walking back to camp.
Gene Autry, Ok, had a prisoner of war camp adjacent to the town of Gene Autry, 13 miles NE of Ardmore, at the Ardmore Army Air Field.It opened June 1, 1945 and held between 200 and 300 prisoners. A branch of the Camp Howze, Tx base camp. It closed Nov. 1, 1945.
I will send the letter to you by my phone so maybe someone can translate it to see what the prisoner had to say. -Robert Hensley
Here is part one and two of German prisoner of war letter from Powell, Oklahoma camp 1943. -Robert Hensley
http://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos18a/GermanPOWletter1943a.pdfhttp://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos18a/GermanPOWletter1943b.pdf
http://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos18a/GermanPOWEnvelope1943.pdf
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Here is a 1906 photo looking south from North Washington and Broadway. -Robert Hensley
http://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos18a/ArdmoreWashingtonAndBroadway1906.jpg
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1. City National Bank with city hall and fire station in background also the first street car in Ardmore, Ok. Postmarked 1909
2. Wheeler oil and gas field near Ardmore, Ok. postmarked 1909.
3. St. Agnes Academy, Ardmore, Ok.
-Robert Hensley
http://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos18a/ArdmoreCityNationalBankStreetCar.jpghttp://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos18a/WheelerOilFieldArdmoreOK.jpg
http://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos18a/ArdmoreStAgnesAcadamy1910.jpg
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Carter County OnlyI recently received a complete copy of unclaimed insurance. It appears that insurance companies are permitted to hold unclaimed insurance rather than sending it to the state office. This list contains amounts ranging from $437.49 thru $25,376.06. The state limited the size of their data files and the one attached is just for the larger individual amounts (the balance are in two other files not attached).
Notice there are several business names on this list – do them a favor and let them know that they have unclaimed funds.
Many of the individuals are deceased so one would need to search for next-of-kin through obituary or court records. -Larry Stephens
http://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos18a/CarterCounty_Insurance032018.pdf
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-----------------------------------------------If the winds of fortune are temporarily blowing against you, remember that you can harness them and make them carry you toward your definite purpose, through the use of your imagination. -Napolean Hill
Butch and Jill Bridges
"Friends Make Life Worth Living"
PO Box 2
Lone Grove, Oklahoma 73443
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net
Vicious Dog Attacks in Oklahoma
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/viciousdogs.html
Oklahoma Bells: http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/bellpage.html
Bill Hamm's Cemetery Database
http://www.usgwarchives.net/ok/carter/cartercm.htm
American Flyers Memorial Fund - Administration Webpage
http://www.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
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/airbase/
Carter County Government Website
http://cartercountyok.us
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