This and That Newsletter
Vol 13 Issue 654 Circulation 5,000 August 6, 2009
PO Box 11
Ardmore, Oklahoma 73402
email address: [email protected]
580-657-8616 (not a toll free number)
Last week there was mention in the Mailbag of Tennison, Oklahoma in western Carter County:
May 18, 1916
What is known as the city Tennison has just opened up 6 miles northwest of here, between Wilson and Ragtown. The principal builder, Mr. W. H. Tennison, who the town was named after, said that while the town was very small (one general store and one hotel) it was a sure comer, and the name of Tennison, Okla., will be on the map some day.I have searched high and low, even looking in the book Oklahoma Place Names, and can not find any mention any where of such a town in this county's past. Tennison maybe be a town that faded away with the passing of years, and now thanks for a T&T reader's submission its back and won't be forgotten.
A T&T Reader was traveling near Walters, Oklahoma week before last and saw a man at a roadside stand selling Black Diamond watermelons. He stopped and picked up a couple and gave one to Jill and I when he got back to Ardmore. It was a good sweet melon, and the chickens loved eating the rind.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/Watermelon072509a.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/Watermelon072509b.jpg
Another T&T Reader was up near Okarche, Oklahoma (northwest of OKC) last Saturday visiting friends and got to pick up a Black Diamond that came right out of the field that afternoon. She thought about Milo and his hens and brought us one of those Okarche watermelons to enjoy. Of course that's after us two humans ate the deliciously sweet red meat out of it first. lol
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/OkarcheMelon080409.jpg
By the way, I picked up a Rush Springs, Oklahoma watermelon today from Homeland for $3.50 Will let everyone know how it is in next week's T&T.
This is to all you HAM radio people out there. A friend is looking for the following: 2 sections of a Rohn 25G tower. If you know of any send me an email.
I am still looking for a utility trailer to pull behind my pickup. If anyone has such a trailer for sale, let me know.
Ten cheapest places to buy gas in the Ardmore area......
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/gasprices.html
Q. Where was Oklahoma's most profitable gold mine located?
A. Wichita MountainsQ. What did the Dawes Allotment Act do?
A. (answer in next week's T&T)Some mail from this week's MAILBAG.....
"Hey Butch, The reader who posed the question about the button found at the site of the plane crash in LA has a button from a WWII Army uniform, most likely from a set of coveralls used by the Army Air Corp. These coveralls were first issued in 1938. This button was also used on the HBT uniforms as well."
HBT Field Uniforms in World War II
In 1938 the U.S. Army introduced cotton HBT (herringbone twill) for summer weight coveralls and uniforms. The HBT uniform was originally intended to be only for work duty but quickly became the standard dress for all types of informal temperate weather activity, including combat, replacing the cotton khaki uniform. It was also used as an outer layer over wool shirt and trousers in very cold weather locations where more layers were needed. The HBT uniforms and coveralls had a metal buttons with 13 stars on them.http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/MysteryButton09a.jpg
"Butch, here are some picture of the Park Hill Presbyterian Church bell. It's located just southeast of Tahlequah. It was cast in 1847, destroyed by fire in 1886, then re-cast in 1889. This church was established in 1843 as a mission for the Cherokee nation. One of the principal contributors for the bell was then Chief of the Cherokee Nation, John Ross. The church is only about a mile from the John Ross cemetery where he and a good number of his family are buried. Thought everyone might enjoy these pictures." -Lynn McCumberhttp://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/ParkHillPresbyBell09a.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/ParkHillPresbyBell09b.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/ParkHillPresbyBell09c.jpg
"That is a very interesting bronze bell near Tahlequah, Oklahoma! Obviously it has suffered some damage since recasting - a significant crack through the waist, plus a broken & welded yoke. But the story which the inscription tells is unusual. Excellent photos, too." -Carl Zimmerman
"Mr. Bridges, my dad, Herman Kirkwood, asked that I email this picture to you. This is my son Austin Denney who is the great grandson of Sheriff Robert Denney. He is 11 years old and will be starting the 6th grade this year. He never met his great grandfather but he did attend his funeral. I must say I have never seen so many law enforcement officers in my life." -Kellie Kirkwood-Bruner [email protected]http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/HermanKirkwoodAustinDenney.jpg
"Butch, Joe Ramer (retired) and Austin Greene work for the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association (TSCRA)."
"Hey Butch, The quarry face shown in last weeks T&T (picture by Lynn McCumber) is the old Dolese Rayford Quarry, located on the Flying L Ranch south of Davis, Oklahoma. This quarry was opened by Metropolitan Paving Company of Oklahoma City to furnish crushed stone for their asphalt plant in Okc as well as other commercial sales. Dolese bought the quarry about 1950 and operated it until it was closed. I am not sure of the date it was closed but could have been sometime in the 1970's. Alas ! Rayford and Big Canyon are long gone and they have very pleasant memories for me as I spent 13 happy years at Big Canyon." -Roy Miller, OKChttp://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/WashitaValley071309.jpg
"In reference to the letter inquiring who was the golf pro at Falconhead. My husband remembers that there were three Gers boys, Chris, Aldy and Harlow, Jr. If Aldy was not the pro, it could have been Chris who had a driving range on Hwy. 77 south of Ardmore." -Jane Gilcrease OKC
Museum Memories
Contributed by Melinda Taylor
The Wilson News
8-3-1916
NEW GIN BURNED UP
Last Saturday night about 9'oclock fire was discovered in the new gin just completed by Todd Bros. and before anyone could get to it it was in a mass of flames, burning just like kindling wood. The building and machinery was completely destroyed, and owing to the fact that it was not quite completed, no insurance had been taken out.
There was a good deal of talk that it had been set on fire, but no clue could be found of the guilty parties if it was work of incinderies.
8-17-1916
NOT GUILTY OF BURNING GIN
The case of S.P.B. charged with burning the gin of Todd Bros. came to trial Monday. The County Attorney throwed it out on the charge that there was no evidence. About forty men were called from here as witnesses.~ Wilson Historical Museum opened Tues., Thurs., Fri., Sat. 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
The Lone Grove Ledger
From the Archives 85 years agoContributed by Melinda Taylor
11-18-1913 ~ A Masonic Lodge building, two stories high is to be erected at once in Wilson by the Masons of Hewitt, who yesterday closed a deal for lots on which to erect the building. This is the first secret order to commence a building in Wilson, but practically all of the church organizations have secured locations to be put up in the near future.
4-14-1914 ~ New Wilson, the infant city on the line of the ONM&P, is proud of the new high school building just completed. When the town was first organized, it was decided to invest ten thousand dollars in a new high school building. Each room is equipped with its own heating plant, which makes each independent of the other. Prof. A. A. Rogers will be the head of the school, and will be assisted by Mrs. A. A. Rogers, Miss Florence Corley, Miss Ruth Hewitt, Miss Marian Prater, Miss Alice Woods, and Miss Helen Goff.
11-11-1914 ~ Wilson is the "Wonder city of Carter County, the fastest growing place in the state at the present time." Only in an oilfield where faith has been followed by rapid development could a town grow so fast within sixty days time. With the telegraph service being installed by the Ringling Railroad, and a complete telephone system throughout the town and surrounding country now in operation, Wilson is in direct connection with the entire world. Wilson now has 800 people and 500 teams. Everything that goes to the Healdton field must come to Wilson by train. The town has four lumber yards, three oil supply houses, two hotels, a half dozen restaurants, a steam laundry and a moving picture man in town.
12- 8-1914 ~ New Wilson. Mr. foster has just completed a hotel on the west side of town which will be known as the Teamster's Beanery. Miss Shannon of Marietta has built one of the finest rooming houses in the city. Rhodes Brothers of Stroud have purchased the dry goods business of Mobley, the tailor. Work will soon begin on the grading of the streets and oil will be sprinkled daily, which will be one of the greatest boosts for our little city of nearly 3,000 people.
~ Wilson Historical Museum opened Tues., Thurs., Fri., Sat. 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
“When one has tasted watermelon he knows what the angels eat” -Mark Twain
See everyone next week!
Butch and Jill Bridges
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net
Nashobish Ikana
PO Box 11
Ardmore, Oklahoma 73402Save on long distance calls, just a couple cents a minute!
http://www.CheapLongDistance.org
Oklahoma Bells: http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/bellpage.html
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 schools, past and present
http://community.webshots.com/user/oklahomahistory
Carter County Government Website
http://www.brightok.net/cartercounty/
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