This and That Newsletter
www.OklahomaHistory.net
Vol 23 Issue 1,180 Circulation 5,000 September 5, 2019
Ardmore, Oklahoma
My permanent email address: [email protected]
580-490-6823
Wolverton Grocery Store
Mr. William S. Wolverton, manager of the Wolverton Grocery Company, is a native of Tennessee and came to Ardmore in 1893. In 1894 he established the firm which bears his name. His place of business has always been, since the start, just where it is now, at the corner of Main and Minco streets in Ardmore. His two sons are in business with him, and are capable young men. In the matter of stock, it can be stated that everything usually carried by up-to-date grocers is to be found here. The annual sales are gathering larger each year and are the surest indication of straight business practices of the firm. Oats, corn, hay and all kinds of country produce are brought bought.
-Indian Territory and Carter County Pioneers book 1982July 1935
Cole Johnson, for the past four years, County Commissioner for the third district, tendered his employees a barbecue at his ranch near Blue Ribbon. Employees of his district and friends to the number of about 200 assembled to enjoy the feast. In remarks, Johnson said the district paid its own way and did not buy anything that could not be paid for with cash.I stumbled across an Ardmore street this week by the name of June Avenue Northeast. In 1930 it was around North Washington and Freeman Street. Anyone ever heard of it?
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos19b/JuneAveNE_Ardmore1930.jpg
Q. Where is the unusual Calyx Dome located in Oklahoma?
A. Behind Holland Hall Primary School in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/australianshepherds/5817495799Q. Where is the only rail-based, still operating trolley left in Oklahoma?
A. Answer in next week's newsletterBelow is a picture taken by Ardmoreite Cheryl Key early one morning this week when she was at the local Walmart store. The photo was taken at the far south end of the store, looking east across the Valero station. You can see the cross in the background at Mercy Hospital on the east side of North Commerce.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos19b/WalmartOklahomaBirds090219.jpg
A flagstone paver I sandblasted this week. I really like the look of it, wish I had 100 more like it.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/bricks/OllieFlagstone.jpg
Below is from This and That newsletter archives of September 6, 2007
A few weeks ago we talked about there being 2 Fort Arbuckles. The later one just west of Davis, but another earlier one located near Sand Springs, Oklahoma in Tulsa county. Well, there was another surprise this week when Albert Cullum of Overbrook came by with an 1885 map of Indian Territory. On the map just about 10 or so miles NE of Pauls Valley was "old Camp Arbuckle". I did a search in google and found the following picture and info on Camp Arbuckle.
http://www.forttours.com/pages/moharbuckle.asp
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Of the old 1885 map Albert brought in, here is a scan I did and marked in red for reference where Ardmore and Pauls Valley would have been located. There was no Ardmore but I see there was a Healdton on the map, and the road went east from Healdton to Lou (Gene Autry), then turned north. Old maps are so interesting to study. I can never get enough of them.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos7a/OldFtArbuckle1885b.jpg
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Wayne Vaughn had the honor of painting the last finishing touches on the 3rd floor rotunda at the Carter county courthouse this week. Wayne and James Lindsey have been busy the past few weeks painting the trim in the rotunda, transforming it from just a plain white surface to a colorful work of art on all three floors. It is really a transformation, returning the rotunda's wood trim to how it most likely looked in 1910 when the courthouse was completed. If you haven't been in the courthouse lately, and you live nearby, I recommend you stop by and see for yourself the new look inside. And if you come early, you might even be able to find a cup of coffee brewing in some of the offices.Stop by your courthouse from time to time and spend a few minutes looking at a 96 year old piece of history. She still stands as a beacon for the people of this county.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos7a/WayneVaughn090407.jpg
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We talked about the house movers were in town moving the old Loaves and Fishes building from across the street from the First Baptist Church to SE of Dickson across the road from the Tiny Chapel. Last week the building was cut in half and this week both pieces were moved to the new location east of town.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos7a/LoavesAndFishes07a.jpgBelow is a pic of the house after it was cut in half and the west side moved to Dickson.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos7a/LoavesAndFishes04c.jpgBelow is a couple of pics of the east side of the building being moved out of town.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos7a/LoavesAndFishes07d.jpghttp://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos7a/LoavesAndFishes07e.jpg
And this is how the lot looks with the Loaves and Fishes gone.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos7a/LoavesAndFishes04f.jpg
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Curtis Watts is the house mover out of Paden, Oklahoma who did the work getting the building cut in half and moved 12 miles east of Ardmore.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos7a/WattsHouseMovinga.jpghttp://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos7a/WattsHouseMovingb.jpg
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Jill and I were leaving the house last Saturday for a little trip and about a block south I noticed a guy on the corner with an easel painting something. I had to investigate. I stopped and he said his name was Chris Easley and he had just moved to Ardmore about 6 weeks ago. He said he is always looking for something to paint, and noticed the historical beauty in the old Sayre-Mann house at 323 F SW. He waved his hand from left to right and mentioned this area of Ardmore was the most beautiful of the entire town. Kinda made me proud to live in this historic part of Ardmore.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos7a/ChrisEasley.jpghttp://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos7a/EasleyPainting7a.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos4a/SayreMannHouse.jpg
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"Butch, I lived at 707 K St. NW from about 1946 until 1954. The store I remember was at the NE corner of K Street and 8th. I do not know the names of the people who owned it. I have a cute story about that store and the different times back then. At about age 5 or so I decided to take some change from my mother?s purse and go over to the store for a treat. I believe I bought a pop and a candy bar. By the time I got home my mother was waiting for me. The people at the store knew I shouldn?t have had that much money and that I wasn?t allowed to cross the street without permission. They called my mother to let her know I was buying candy and pop. I got to cut my own willow switch from the tree out back. I learned several good lessons that day." -Carrol Evans
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The Wilson News 4-15-1915 submitted by Mindy Taylor
Fire Damages Printing Plant
On Wednesday morning of last week a fire occurred in the office of The News printing plan and the damage to machinery and material was such that we were unable to get out a paper last week, and from present indications we may be obliged to give our subscribers a small paper such as can be printed on the job press until we can get the news press repaired. We are not in shape this week to do much more than get out this small sheet in order that our readers may know the conditions existing. While the damage to the plant is severe, we hope to be able in a few weeks to resume full publication of The News. It will greatly assist if those knowing themselves indebted to us will pay up at this time. We wish to take this opportunity to thank those good citizens who so valiantly fought the fire and prevented further damage. We also thank the managements of the Ardmoreite and Statesman of Ardmore, and the News of Ringling for offers of assistance in getting out a paper when they thought this plant entirely destroyed. Now we hope to be able to begin making repairs so that we may soon resume the full size publication. No reasonable adjustment of fire loss however, can fully compensate for the actual damages sustained in a case of this kind; and it is going to be hard to get back. We are going to need every dollar we can raise. If you owe us for subscription, or otherwise, please remember that NOW is the time we need the money. Wilson museum hours, Tues., Thurs., Fri., Sat., 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
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-------------------------------------------------------------------------Some mail from this week's MAILBAG.....
Hi Butch, I saw Captain Combs in the article that you had on the parade in Tish around 1970. Jelly Bryce was another good fast draw shooter. -Cecil Elliott
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUm7JfwbYMUhttps://www.activeresponsetraining.net/legendary-lawman-the-story-of-quick-draw-jelly-bryce
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Notice W.F. Whittington general store on right corner in the photo and across the railroad tracks you can see Westheimer and Daube's store that faced the train tracks. There is an unusual building jutting out into the street around current Mill Street. This is a rare view of Ardmore East Main Street when Ardmore was only six years old in 1893. -Robert Hensley
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos19b/ArdmoreEastMain1893.jpghttp://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos19b/HarpersMagazine1893Page1.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos19b/HarpersMagazine1893Page2.jpg
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Hi Butch, That was a very interesting bit of video from Tishomingo. The Trooper shown in portion of that video is Capt. Dan Combs. Dan was an amazing exhibition shooter and well known safety speaker for the OHP. I remember being a kid and watching him on the Wallace wildlife show put on one of his shooting lectures to a group of OHP cadets. Dan Combs was born in Lindsey, OK. Good stuff! Always like seeing the This and That come in. Thanks! A little more about Dan. -David
https://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/2018/10/22/profile-oklahoma-highway-patrols-captain-dan-combs/
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Butch, here's an input and a hunch. The hunch first. I grew up in western Carter County in late 40's and 50's. Horny (Horned) Toads and Mountain Boomer lizards we're everywhere. Jack rabbits also by the way. What was not here in those days was Road Runners, the birds. What do Road Runners eat? I'm saying the two little things mentioned.The input is about the Jesse James crew. My mothers side of the family, name left out intentionally, grew up with and actually rode with the James boys. Not during the bank holdups but Civil War days. Frank James visited my relatives in this part of Oklahoma after he was pardoned by the Missouri Governor. There's a very good picture of him in the Meers Restaurant. -Vince
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Last year at the Carter County Fair I visited a man in the fair office and asked him why the headstones for Hardy Murphy's horses were moved from the concrete slab south of where the old train was to the base of the flagpole near the front entrance of the building. He stated that he doesn't believe there ever were horses buried there. I said that I saw a photo in Butch Bridges history paper that showed some city officials, Hardy Murphy and dignitaries at the burial of one of the horses. There used to be a chain fence around the slab and now it is coming close to becoming a part of the parking lot . Are there any other photo's or articles of the burial of the horses so there will be proof they are buried under the concrete slab? The headstones should be returned back on the slab and another chain length fence around them to protect them like they used to be. It is ashamed that history is lost over the years due to either no one caring or not believing the horses were even buried there. The horses were buried there for a reason, as an honor to Hardy Murphy who trained them and they became world famous show horses and ambassadors to the city of Ardmore and around the world. -Robert Hensley, Ardmore historian and collector.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos19b/HardyMurphyAndOldBuckFtWorthTX.jpgMarch 1999 T&T: "Butch, This is a picture of some of the dignitaries at the burial of Hardy Murphy's horse (in Ardmore). Left to right they are: Floyd Randolph, Jim Askew Sr., Jim Askew Jr., Hardy Murphy, Mayor Iley Oxford, City Mgr. Emmet Brown, Ray Colvert, unknown, Quintin Little, Carl Holden and Guy Harris."
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/photos/hmhorse.jpgJanuary 21, 2016 T&T: Hardy Murphy, the man of whom the Ardmore fairgrounds Coliseum was named, what's perhaps perhaps Ardmore is best known ambassador of goodwill in this country and abroad. Hardy was born in 1903 in Gainesville Texas but spent most of his life in Ardmore living with his grandparents the Tom Olivers, early Ardmore pioneers. He was a world famous rodeo entertainer owned the noted horse "Old buck", a Spanish Palomino, who was Hardy's partner in the show. The two won blue ribbons in every event in the National Horse Show in Houston, which opened up performances in the Chicago Stadium, Madison Square Gardens in New York City, Boston Gardens, and a command performance before the Queen of England, and royalty of France and Germany. For ten years 1930-1940 the two held top spots at the Madison Square Gardens Rodeo.
Hardy and "Old Buck" made famous in pantomime the painting "The end of the Trail." They were the inspiration for the popular ballad "Gold Mine in the Sky", and Frank Luther's a "Cowboy's Best Friend", was dedicated to the pair. At age 34, March 3, 1957 "Old Buck" died, ending a legend that perhaps will never be repeated. He is a appropriately buried on the grounds of Hardy Murphy Coliseum in Ardmore where he performed so many times adjacent to the Santa Fe train. "Old Buck" had an understudy, "Silver Cloud", that Hardly purchased from Leon Daube and Silver Cloud became almost as famous.
When Hardy was not performing he was a real estate broker in Ardmore. His activities indicate his love for this city, and his interest in the preservation of history. He was the originator and regular sponsor of Ardmore's Birthday Party each July 28th and co-originator of the Junior Chamber of Junior Chamber of Commerce and the Ardmore Round-up Club, a director of the National Cowboy Hall of Fame, one of the twelve commissioners in Oklahoma representing the semi-centennial Fifty Years of Progress in 1957, headed many local drives for organizations to benefit others, helped fund and was chairman of the Ardmore Real Estate Board, and it was through his efforts that Ardmore's first structure, the 700 Ranch Building was restored and move to the Coliseum grounds.
Hardy was married to Elizabeth Jamison Murphy, who is a descendant of the first pioneers of this city. Elizabeth's grandfather was the first physician in Ardmore. Hardy died in 1961 and will be remembered by future generations of Ardmore for his many accomplishments and betterment of the place he loved as home. -Indian Territory and Carter County Pioneers book 1982
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Today we celebrated the life of my brother-in-law, Bill W. Culley (Ardmore Police Chief 1976-1994). I was only 15 years old when Bill started dating my big sister Janet. A year later they were married. I barely remember when he wasn't a part of our family. He deserves a medal for putting up with all of us for 60 years. Ardmore law enforcement paid tribute to his service of 30 years in law enforcement. We were all proud of his service to our community and very touched by their support at his funeral service. The full Honor Guard and 21 Gun Salute was so appreciated by my family. Pastor David Daniel of First United Methodist Church did a beautiful memorial service and my thanks for his words of comfort. A special thanks also to David Willingham for sharing a small part of his friendship on Ardmore Police Department with us. My niece, Monica Culley Coleman, shared a few of her personal thoughts and remembrances about her Daddy .What a blessing my very first niece has been throughout all these years. Bill and my sister, Janet, are blessed to have Monica and Darren as their children. I love you Bill and will forever miss you. -Cheryl Shurley Taliaferro
https://www.craddockfuneralhome.com/obituary/bill-culley
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-----------------------------------------------You are young, my son, and, as the years go by, time will change and even reverse many of your present opinions. Refrain therefore awhile from setting yourself up as a judge of the highest matters. -Plato
See everyone next week!
Butch and Jill Bridges
"Friends Make Life Worth Living"PO Box 2
Lone Grove, Oklahoma 73443http://www.OklahomaHistory.netVicious 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.usT&T Sign Up Form
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