This and That Newsletter
www.OklahomaHistory.net
Vol 22 Issue 1,113 Circulation 5,000 May 24, 2018
Ardmore, Oklahoma
My permanent email address: [email protected]
580-490-6823
I joined Facebook in 2008. Several years ago I made the statement Facebook was the most powerful communication tool the world has ever known. It is an instant world-wide communication system. Just yesterday I posted a simple question on my Facebook, "Anyone ever heard of Grassy Lake in Carter county and its location?" Within a couple hours I had over 140 responses from people all over. Not only did I learn there was such a place and where it was south of Lone Grove, but even a couple maps showing the exact location. I did find out that the lake has been dry since 2005. So why did I ask the question? You will find the answer a couple of paragraphs further down.
March 1934
The strange romance of a white woman and the world's wealthiest Indian was officially ended by a federal judge in Los Angeles. The judge ruled that Jackson Barnett, 93 year old Oklahoma Creek Indian, was mentally incompetent. The LA properties of Barnett include a mansion on Wilshire Boulevard, and 100 acres of land in Coldwater Canyon. The judge said could employ his ex-wife, Mrs. Anna Laurie Lowe, to manage his household, as long as expenses don't exceed $2,500 a month.March 1934
One of the best equipped and most up-to-date distilleries to be captured in many months rested in the lobby of the Carter County Jail, the cynosure of many admiring eyes both from inside the bars and outside. The plant, with 200 gallons of whiskey, 1,000 gallons of mash, numerous kegs, barrels, fruit jars, and other accessories including 250 lbs of sugar was captured in the Grassy Lake area near the Cheek community. The operators were gone.
"Grassy Lake was (dried up in 2005) south on Cheek Road and then a mile or so west, out by the Drifts on the Bayou." -Gunner CalleyMap of Grassy Lake, north of Battle Springs Lake
http://oklahomahistory.net/maps/GrassyLakeMap.jpg
March 1958
Pat Battles, Carter County undersheriff, says he will have a dial telephone in the very near future, and a full year ahead of Ardmore. Roy Gauntt, telephone mogul at Lone Grove, recently bought out the Gene Autry telephone system. He now has exchanges at Lone Grove, Springer, Woodford, Dougherty, Gene Autry and Baum.March 2003
District 2 Commissioner, Kevin Robinson, recently bought a high-tech sign making machine. The equipment can crank out a new road sign in 15 minutes. New road signs are being installed in conjunction with the County's enhanced new 9-1-1 system.March 2003
Lone Grove city commissioners okayed drilling a water well a few years ago. That decision has evolved into a Clifton well. The Anderson Road site has been linked to the city's main line via a mile of pipeline connecting the new well to the supply line on Newport Road. However, the well house is not finished and the builder has asked for a 60-day delay on finishing the structure.Q. Where in Oklahoma can you dine in a beautiful setting overlooking a clean flowing creek and a big tree growing right in the middle of the dining room?
A. Well, I can't find the info and picture of tree this week. But I did see it last week somewhere on the internet. It was at The Old Plantation Restaurant in Medicine Park, Oklahoma. A tree right in the center of the dining room.
http://www.theoldplantationrestaurant.com/theoldplantation.htmlQ. Along the Pathway Parkway hike is a beautiful bridge that will completely mesmerize you. Where in Oklahoma is this bridge located?
A. Answer in next week's newsletterSome pavers I sandblasted recently.
http://oklahomahistory.net/bricks/LtWilliamRyterFTC.jpg
Below is from This and That newsletter archives of June 1, 2006
The history Mrs Juanita Tate shared with me last Monday afternoon was where most of the land came from that makes up today's Rose Hill cemetery. The land comes from the Indian land allotment for the family of Lutie Hailey Walcott (1872-1962) before statehood. Lutie gave the land so the people of Ardmore could have a cemetery on the south edge of Ardmore. (Before 1904 it was located near Central Park on McLish street.) The people of Ardmore are so indebted to Mrs. Walcott for her generosity. Mrs. Walcott owned hundreds of acres in the southeast and southwest part of Ardmore. There is an addition named in her honor called the Walcott Addition just off South Commerce. You will find it on the county maps and history books. I have marked in yellow the area in SW Ardmore that is designated the Walcott Addition."
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos6a/WalcottAddition.jpgThe area is bordered on the north by Moore SW, and on the east by C Street SW and on the south by Myall street and on the west by South Commerce.
Lutie Walcott passed away July 5, 1961. The follow is the obit from The Ardmoreite:
Last rites for Mrs. Lutie Hailey Walcott, one of the first members of the Oklahoma Historical Society, were conducted Saturday in the St Philip's Episcopal Church while flags at the Ardmore Veterans Home, formerly a home for Confederate veterans, flew at half mast.
Here to conduct the services was the rector of the church, Edwin A. Morton, who is serving as chaplain at Camp Chaffee, Ark.
A charter member and president of St Philip's Guild, the Ladies of the Leaf and the Ryonis CLub, Mrs. Walcott had spent most of her life in Ardmore, and was widely known throughout the state. She was married to Arthur Walcott Dec 12, 1894, and had lived in Ardmore since.
Always active in the United Daughters of the Confederacy, she served as its president of the national organization, and held many local and state offices.
She is survived by one son, Hailey, Cleveland, Ohio; and four daughters, Mrs. Helen Wood, 225 Stanley Blvd.; Mrs. Mitchell Jones, 15151 7th Ave SW; Mrs. Robert Bell, McAlester; and Mrs. Clem Johnston, Roanoke, VA. Also one sister, Mrs. Hattie Little, McAlester; 11 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren.
Mrs Lutie Walcott is buried just south of the main gate at "B and 3rd" in Rose Hill Cemetery.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos6a/LutieWalcottMarker.jpghttp://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos6a/LutieWalcottPlaque.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos6a/LutieWalcottPlot.jpg
Mrs Walcott's granddaughter, Guilda Davis of Ardmore, has shared a couple photos of her grandmother. I wish I could have known this wonderful lady who gave so much to Ardmore. Her gift will benefit the people here as long as the world turns. Since I have so many of my kinfolk buried at Rose Hill, this is for you Mrs Walcott.... "Thank you".
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos6a/LutieWalcott6a.jpghttp://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos6a/LutieWalcott6b.jpg
Guilda also sent in the following written by Lutie in 1961:
"Miss Lutie Hailey's marriage in Savanna to Arthur Walcott was an early-day event with a special train from McAlester to carry the large number of friends to attend the wedding. The Walcotts lived in Haileyville, east of McAlester, when the town was built and the first mayor was Arthur Walcott, the son-in-law of Dr. Daniel M. Hailey, for whom the town was named. The mining town just east of Wilburton was named Lutie in honor of Mrs. Walcott, daughter of Dr. Hailey. They later moved to Ardmore where Lutie Walcott donated the land for the Confederate Home, now the Veterans Home & Hospital. The land was a part of her Indian Allotment. Those who knew her said she was "extremely proud" of her Choctaw blood. Mrs. Lutie Walcott was President of the United Daughters of the Confederacy. On November 16, 1940 she was inducted into the Oklahoma State Hall of Fame. She attended every nation convention of the U.D.C. until the time of her death at age 89. Lutie Hailey Walcott had a mission in the world and that mission was doing good for her fellowman. She brightened the lives of others."
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Last week we talked about the book fresh from the printer by Ardmoreite Sally Gray. If you dont have a copy yet, your missing out, that's all I can say. Sally sent me the Index from her book Territory Town - The Ardmore story, so here it is as a text file. Note: Its around 30 pages or more when printed out. By the way, Sally mentions Lutie Walcott in several places through out her book.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos6a/TerritoryTownIndex.txtHere is the picture again of this great book of Ardmore history.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos6a/TerritoryTownBook.jpg
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Taylor Crowe in Alabama sent me an interesting magazine printed a few years ago and dedicated to the Cherokee Indian. I can hardly wait to get into reading it. Taylor is very close to finding info on my great great grandfather Murphree who lived in Murphree's Valley there in northern part of that state.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos6a/PastTimesMay1997.jpg
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Dianne Rankin came through this week with a wonderful picture of Cedar Falls. Cedar Falls is on private property just a couple miles NW of the Ardmore Airpark at Gene Autry. Now to get a pic of Henry House Falls and Hickory Creek Falls by Milo, Oklahoma.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos6a/CedarFallsPhoto.jpg
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Speaking of books, Ardmoreite Allen Young brought by a book on Mill Creek, Oklahoma this week. I spoke about this book in March of 2000, but I enjoyed looking again at this book and glad Allen brought it by. Mill Creek is about 30 miles east of Ardmore and Mill Creek resident Harold Garrison wrote a very informative book on Mill Creek history in 1995. As I was reading through the book, I noticed several interesting things. In 1921 Mill Creek schools started their football team. But in 1924, their star football player, Curtis Williams, broke his neck in a game against Ada. He died from the injury several days later. It was then Mill Creek closed down their popular football team, never to start it again. Also in 1932 Mill Creek had a very bad shootout with bank robbers. The bank robbers were eventually caught and sent to prison. I don't know if the book's author, Harold Garrison, still has any copies of this most unique book, but if you're interested, give him a call at 580-384-5415. The book is nearly 300 pages with over 50 rare photos in it. If it's Mill Creek, Oklahoma history you want, this is a great book!
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos6a/MillCreek1995.jpgBy the way, the Mill Creek book was printed in 1995 by Windmill Publications, Inc., 6628 Uebelhack Rd., Vernon, IN 47620.
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"Hello Butch, and all your readers: My heartfelt thanks for the link listed below found in your latest posting. Numerous searches for my cousin's (WWII personnel in Europe) burial location & death date have provided very limited information to date. However, THIS LINK was a great success, and my questions are now answered. Thanks again for you & your T&T & it's postings." -Benjean Rogers in Arizona Nationwide Grave Locator
https://gravelocator.cem.va.gov/j2ee/servlet/NGL_v1
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"Hi Butch, I enjoy your letter every week, The wood pile north of Kingston belongs to K.C. Parks and he still cuts his own wood. He sells all of it every winter." -Colleen
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos6a/KingstonFireWood.jpg
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"Butch, Thought you might like to see an old brochure from New State Hardware store. The store was located west of what is currently Stephanie's Boutique. (the parking lot on main street) New State carried hardware supplies as well as housewares. They even sold dynamite. My great uncle, Lance Crosby, was head of the paint department. My mother was assistant bookkeeper/secretary at the store from 1952-until the store closed around 1954 (not sure of exact date). She purchased her crystal (the Navarre pattern in the brochure) while working there. Also, Joe Ben Ponder, who was a college student at the time, worked upstairs in the toy department during Christmas. J. Dewey Clemens, father of Frances Ponder, was the owner."
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos6a/NewStatefront6a.jpghttp://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos6a/NewStateInside6a.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos6a/NewStateback6a.jpg
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"Butch, this site is pretty full of info for some that need mapping etc. thought you'd lke it."
Center For Spatial Analysis
http://www.csa.ou.edu/
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"Butch, Thought you might like to see a picture of a new gate on Kings Road." -Grover Wells
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos6a/KingsRoadGate.jpg
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------------------------------------------------------------------------Some mail from this week's MAILBAG.....
I wanted you to know that I think those who volunteer at Ardmore's Food and Resource Center are great people. Thank you for helping others in need. -Iva Lee Quetone
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Yesterday I ended our SNAP for the birds and animals in the area. It's always a moving target because the date depends on when we can get the food supply down close to zero.Tricia recently showed me an article on the life expectancy for red fox. I was amazed to see that it was only 3 years. I had always assumed it would have been close to what dogs experience. Anyway, we have been in our home 11 years and our oldest fox was here that first year. The other two fox that come to the house are a daughter and a grand or great grand daughter. They've all stayed healthy eating Ol' Roy and occasionally bird seed.
I can only assume that we have had a positive impact on their lives by feeding them during the winter months. -Monroe in Montana
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Enjoyed my visit via phone and looking forward to “This and That Newsletter” …Thanks, -Charlie Sledge, 92 years old, born and reared at Amerada oil field camp south of Lone Grove.
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The Sons Of Confederate Veterans annual Memorial Day service at Ardmore will be at 9:30am on the 28th. Please bring a lawn chair if you wish. Service should last approximately 1 1/2 hours. Rose hill cemetery Ardmore, Confederate section is in the far NW corner. -Terry Pierce
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-----------------------------------------------Next Monday, May 28th, is Memorial Day. Let us take time on Monday to remember the men and women who gave the ultimate sacrifice for this great country.
See everyone next week!
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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