This and That Newsletter
Vol 14 Issue 676 Circulation 5,000 January 7, 2010
PO Box 11
Ardmore, Oklahoma 73402
email address: [email protected]
580-657-8616
Extreme cold has gripped much of the United States. They predict 9 degrees tonight. I sure hope this winter blast does not continue for long. I hate wintertime.
From the November 15, 1997 T&T: DO PERSIMMON SEEDS FORECAST THE WEATHER?
I received the following email the other day. I have never heard of it, but maybe some of you have. Let me know if you've looked into the future through the lowly persimmon seed.
"Well as the winter approaches, people start wondering how bad a winter is coming. The old way of forecasting it was to cut open a persimmon seed and see if a 'knife', 'fork' or 'spoon' was inside. The knife meant it was to a cold, wet winter. The fork meant that the winter was to be a wet, mild winter. The spoon meant that the winter would be dry and mild."
I remember going to the Park Theater on Main Street in the early 1960s to see the movie The Blob (released in 1958). That movie scared me to death, couldn't sleep that night, all those people running from the Colonial theater in the movie. Little did I know until now, that Steve McQueen made his first debut in the movie The Blob. But the movie didn't actually make it big at the theaters until McQueen made it big in his hit series, Wanted: Dead or Alive. And to top it off, Burt Bacharach wrote the movie's theme song Beware of The Blob.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqZ86pJkz-M
I've added a few more 1975 businesses along 3rd NE to last week's aerial photo. (You may need to hit the Refresh button.) I still can't remember, and no one has said, what was the business straight north of Ardmore Plumbing?
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/3rdNE_Aerial.jpg
A Reader wrote in questioning where Dr Boyd's office was located. It was the house just south of the "Big Swimming Pool" in the SW corner of F Street and 2nd NE. Here is a close up of that area.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos10a/ArdmoreAerial1975a.jpg
Last Saturday Jill and I went to south Oklahoma City to visit my 1st cousin, Joyce Boyd Brakebill. Joyce was born in Ardmore but lived her adult life in OKC. Joyce and her husband, James, treated us to hamburgers from the Soda Pops Cafe at 119th Street SW and South Walker. The owners have been collecting pop bottles from all over the country and have a large assortment on display. I snapped a few pictures of the tons of pop bottle memorabilia on display. Some sure bring back memories.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos10a/SodaPopsOKC010310a.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos10a/SodaPopsOKC010310b.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos10a/SodaPopsOKC010310c.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos10a/SodaPopsOKC010310d.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos10a/SodaPopsOKC010310e.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos10a/SodaPopsOKC010310f.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos10a/SodaPopsOKC010310g.jpg
Here is a photo of an old Coke advertisement car with "50,000 Sold Per Day in Baltimore" on the door. Anyone recognize the make of the car?
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos10a/SodaPops50000.jpg
They even had a shelf with Beatle memorabilia on it.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos10a/SodaPopsBeatles.jpg
And here's a picture of my delicious bacon burger. I know, 5,000 calories, but was it good.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos10a/SodaPopsBurger.jpg
I snapped this pic just as we were about to leave the Soda Pop Cafe
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos10a/SodaPopsOKC_entrance.jpg
Gas prices today in the Ardmore area......
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/gasprices.html
Q.
Douglas Bomber Assembly Plant was used during what war?
A.
WWII
Q. What Oklahoma governor
was called "Honest Tom"?
A. (answer in next week's issue)
Some mail from this week's MAILBAG.....
"I read this sentence in last week's T&T and gave a chuckle. When I was a kid at Wilson HS, my folks lived out in the Bayou on an oil lease. Naturally, I roamed the woods which was usually a bad idea because I caught poison ivy just looking at it. Invariably, my Mom took me over to the good Dr. Boyd, who gave us a bottle of small white pills with some kind of clear fluid included. Dr. Boyd's pills were the only thing that always cured my poison ivy.There was a bonus visiting Dr. Boyd's office/home because my great-grandma lived right across the street east from him and we always stopped to visit her when we went to get my pills."
Jim Bramlett
Henrietta, TX
"WHITE CHRISTMAS ON DECEMBER 25, 1975, last one before this year (2009), and in my lifetime, I'm 71 years old." -Dennis Lavers
"Butch, I've been meaning to send this to you. Photos of the early stages of Ardmore's New Water Tower on North Commerce, West side of Commerce just NW of the Quinton Little Building. There's lots of large water pipes and construction in the area on both sides of Commerce. Looks like they are making connections from the old water tower which sits on the East side of Commerce. I've been told that the new one will replace the old one but that they decided to leave the old in place. Glad to hear that as the old one is an Ardmore Landmark. Also included photos of the old water tower." -Dwane Stevens
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos10a/NewWaterTower10a.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos10a/NewWaterTower10b.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos10a/OldWaterTower10a.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos10a/OldWaterTower10b.jpg
"Butch: I have found this software to be really be worth the free cost of it." -Scott Bumgarner
Q. "Butch, what is that free antivirus you mentioned a few weeks ago?"
A. Its Security Essentials by Microsoft. Its both an anti-virus, and anti-spyware program. I have it running on over 40 computers at present, works great, and no problems. Here is a link to the download page. I recommend you not having more than 1 antivirus program running on your computer at a time.
http://www.microsoft.com/security_essentials/
"My name is Brook Roberts. I am a Carter County resident. I have been working on preserving a school house (built in 1903)called Fairview #67 located in Roosevelt, Ok. (Kiowa County). On Feb 3, 2008, the Oklahoman wrote a story about it. The school house has been chosen as one of Oklahoma's most endangered historical sites of 2010 by Preservation Oklahoma ( www.preservationok.org ) A relative suggested I write you about this historical tidbit." -Brook Roberts
Museum Memories
Contributed by Melinda Taylor
~~The Wilson News September 14, 1916
New Invention
Mr. Robert J. Burns of this city has just completed a new invention, in the way of a foot warmer for cars and buggies or can be used in several different ways. It has been tested thoroughly and has proven satisfactory. Mr. Burns stated that his patent had been applied for and that the invention would be on the market soon.
~~ Roy Mobley who was appointed postmaster several months ago, but has been waiting to be checked in, was put in charge Tuesday, and will conduct Uncle Sam's business here for the next four years.
~~September 21, 1916
BIG WOLF HUNT
There will be a big wolf hunt two miles east of Orr on the 29th and 30th of this month.
Everybody is invited to come and bring their dogs, there will be an entry fee of $2.00 for each dog.
~~ Misses Louise Mobley and Effie and Mabel Corsby went over to Ardmore to visit the Style Show last Wednesday.
“Winter either bites with its teeth or lashes with its tail”
See everyone next week!
Butch and Jill Bridges
Nashobish Ikana
PO Box 11
Ardmore, Oklahoma 73402
Save 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/
Ardmore School Criterions
http://www.ArdmoreCriterion.com
All previous issues of This & That can be found on my Website.
Feel free to forward this free newsletter. Mailouts: over 1,600.
To be removed from my T&T mailings, just send me an email.
I do not sell, trade or give my mailing list to anyone for any reason.