This and That
Newsletter
A Weekly Publication
Vol 14 Issue 687 Circulation 5,000 March 25, 2010
PO Box 2
Ardmore, Oklahoma 73402
email address: butchbridges@oklahomahistory.net
580-657-8616
This week I thought I'd have some fun trying my luck at FX trading. FX trading is really scary if you try doing it on your own because you can lose money very quickly when it comes to trading the foreign exchange currencies. But I'm using an automatic robot to do my trades. Within 48 hours the robot had me in the black, now to see what happens over the next few weeks. More on just what I'm talking about at the link below.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/okietrader.html
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos10a/TheWorks.jpg
Q. He was the only
Democratic governor who favored the New Deal by FDR?
A.
Q.
A. (answer in next week's issue)
Gas prices today in the Ardmore area......
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/gasprices.html
Some mail from this week's MAILBAG.....
"Butch; The Buffalo Ranch in Afton, Oklahoma is still in
business, but not the same as in the past. It is now a modern convenience store
named Buffalo Ranch Travel Plaza, but they still have live buffalo in a field
behind the store. I passed by there a few weeks ago. I didn't stop, but
imagine they still have buffalo burgers and tourist stuff for sale. It's off the
beaten path these days with the opening of the Will Rogers turnpike. The
convenience store is at on Highway 59-60-69. Route 66 is nonexistent there any
longer. The store is located where 60 & 69 "Y" off from highway 59. It's
nothing like what I remember when I was a child and we stopped by the Buffalo
Ranch. My first sight of a real buffalo and my first taste of a buffalo burger.
The best buffalo burger these days is found at the Rock Cafe in Stroud. This is
also on Route 66. The cafe has been there as long as Route 66. The rocks that
were used on the building were dug up as they laid the road bed for Route 66.
The Rock Cafe burned a couple of years ago, but the rock walls stood and it was
quickly rebuilt. It is still a landmark for those traveling the Mother Road.
It's definitely worth the time to stop, drink a cold bottle of pop, eat a
buffalo burger and rest a bit before continuing your journey. It's a favorite
spot of Michael Wallis. You never know who you'll see there or what country they
are from. Summer is always a good time to stop. Lots of folks from around the
world come to explore Route 66 and stop by the Rock Cafe." -Gerald
Whitworth
Here's a link to the blog about the Rock Cafe and its rebirth --
http://rockcafert66.wordpress.com/
"Butch, this might be some interest to everyone. Milo and Woodford has been been cattle country since state hood and they use to get together and drive their cattle to Davis and load them on trains for shipping. Men by the name Johnston and Creed Speake grandfather and others were involved in the drive. there are thousands of acres up there and it has always been for raising cattle. Curtis Trent at T&M Pharmacy was telling me a little about it." -Sam
"Butch, The man handling the bones is a Mr. Oscar Garrison who worked for years for the Soil Conservation District in Johnston Co. He had a fabulous arrow head museum located about 1/2 mile west of the Murray State Campus. The bones he is looking at came from about 2 miles North of Russett from an area where there was a pond being dug. He found them in the area where the equipment was digging. He told me there is a complete dinosaur there. He also told me he notified the O.U. Archeology Dept. but they expressed no interest. He had hundreds of arrowheads that he had found and he took pride in the fact that all of them were genuine. About 30 years ago he related to me that a "flint napper" came by to look at his collection and told him that he could chip and arrow head. He offered to show Mr. Garrison how it was done and Mr. Garrison said he gave him a piece of flint and in just a little while he hand him an arrow head that was as perfect as anything in the museum. He said not too long after that a family came by to visit the museum and the little boy asked his Dad to buy him one of the arrowheads. When the father explained to the child that the arrow heads were not for sale, Mr. Garrison told him he had one he could have. He said he gave him the one the flint napper made because he didn't want it on the place for fear it could some how get mixed up with his original arrow heads. If you will go to Google maps and pull up the intersection of Greasy Bend Rd. & Highway #1 West of Ravia. Look North up the fence line and you will see two ponds that look like they connect. The bones were found on the East side of the bigger pond.
Mr. Oscar Garrison died in 1988 when he was up in his 80's. He has a granddaughter who lives in Tishomingo and I talked to her this afternoon. Her name is Evelen (Mrs. Keavin) Troutman. The dinosaur bones were given to the Ardmore Museum and as far as she knows were never displayed. The one big bone that looks like a 5 foot long chicken thigh bone is now at the Tuckers Tower at Lake Murray with no information as to where it came from etc. She doesn't know how it got from the Ardmore museum to the Tuckers Tower. Mr. Garrison found the bones some time in the early 1960's." -Wendyle Andrews
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos10a/MysteryPhoto2010b.jpg
"I have no idea who the mystery man in photo 10a 2010 could really be. But I have an opinion who he resembles almost to a fault. Look at those eyes. Remove the facial hair. Voila, it's Paul Newman."
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos10a/MysteryPhoto2010c.jpg
"Dear Butch, The photo of men digging is, I think, an archaeological dig near Lake Murray by a Dr. Bob Bell of OU. I went to the lake to see the dig. I think it occurred in the 1960s. Don't hold me to any of this stuff but I think I am right."
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos10a/MysteryPhoto2010a.jpg
"To our friends in Kansas and Nebraska, and all the ships at sea. This coming Sunday, March 28, 2010, I will be appearing at the historic Brown Grand Theatre in Concordia, Kansas, along with The Curt Shoemaker Band. As many of you know, Curt is a Hall of Fame steel guitarist with a great band. Radio personality, Big Al Weekley, of Lexington, Nebraska will be the emcee and opening act. Show time is 2pm. Tickets are $10 at the door. No advanced ticket sales or reservations. Hope you can join us." -Les Gilliam "The Oklahoma Balladeer"
"The house you mention the "Drew House" is now owned by Denny & Jan Spradling. They have done quite a bit of maintenance and refurbishing of the house. The are presently adding new sidewalks. They love the house and all the history connected with it!! It is in good hands." -Helen
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos10a/DrewWallaceHome031610a.jpg
"Hi Butch, It's quickly approaching time for wild birds to be migrating through your area. Pull out your bird feeders and get them cleaned up and hung outside in areas where they can be easily observed. I have attached a pic of a good wild bird seed that you can get at Wal-Mart. It has a good mix of seeds and fruit and nuts. It should attract the seed eaters, the fruit eater, and of course the nut eaters. We do not have squirrels to contend with here in the Rio Grande Valley so maybe you need feeders that are squirrel proof ???? And while you are at it.. get some hummingbird feeders. Do not buy the hummingbird nectar. It's simple to make. 1/4th cup sugar to 1 Cup of water. Make up a batch in the microwave put about a cup in each feeder and store the extra in the refrigerator. If you put out too much it will spoil. It won't be long before you will need a better bird book than what I gave you. and, oh, the sparrows are the first to spot the feeders. they are the "finders". Don't worry if they hog the feed, sooner or later you will see all sorts of birds at your feeders and at your chicken feeders, as well. Enjoy, spring is on it's way." -Nancy
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos10a/ScottsBirdFeed.jpg
"I think Oklahoma had several highways, with state highway numbers, before the U.S. highway numbering system was established." -Wes Leatherock
"Hi Butch, Ran across something of possible interest. I had often heard that Buck Garrett had been involved in the Johnson County war in Wyoming in the 1890s. I had never, until now, seen anything credible in print. Below are pictures from an article from "The Rampant Colt", official pub of Colt Collector's Assn. The article is in support of a specific gun pictured in the article.
Text by author Dick Burdick has it that 22 'Texas Gunmen" were hired to enforce the cattlemen's interests. Things went from bad to worse and the US Cavalry rescued the 'gunmen' from the opposing forces. In the end all were released. The excerpts I show are the list of the participants, including Buck Garrett, and the guns they had, including some details such as type, caliber and serial numbers. The accompanying group picture shows the men by name. I enlarged the section showing Buck Garrett.
Collecting values being what they are today, if anyone in your T&T readership has one of the guns, they would have a prime collector's piece." -Bob McCrory
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos10a/BuckInfo1.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos10a/BuckInfo2.jpg
"Butch, Check out this link and you'll find the story of Bobby the Bull. I remember Col. Eskew talking about Monte Reger and his son Buddy. They owned the stockyards in Woodward."
Johnny Williams
Gravette, Arkansas
http://www.longhornmuseum.com/BobcatTwister.htm
"I have a shaving mug that has a photograph of Buck on a horse, firing a pistol on a city street. Attached a photograph of my mug. I am trying to determine where the photo was taken. Does the water tower look familiar? If in OK, who might have taken this photograph? Are their other photographs of Buck? My son, Scot Casey, is researching Buck's background for an article for an antiques publication. We are particularly interested in locating the barbershop where he got his haircut in Ardmore and if possible a photograph of the interior of that shop. An of course, any details or sources of any related Garrett escapades that would make for a more complete background of the original owner of my antique shaving mug. Where did Buck live when he was a U.S.D.M. out west before he moved back to OK?"
Jerry Thompson
mugrack@comcast.net
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos10a/BuckGarrettMug.jpg
Butch, The ending of today's newsletter (From a Distance by Bette Midler) reminded me of a poem I wrote a couple of years ago....copy attached. Your newsletter continues to be delightful. -Joh Gainey in Sulphur
ALL ARE ONE by Joh Gainey
From the cockpit of a space ship
Earth appears a great blue ball
With no sign of country borders
To divide the world at all.
There is just one lovely homeland
With the nations blending free,
As the flowers of one garden
Or the leaves of one great tree.
Manmade fences are all missing
And no border walls are seen.
Just one home for all the people
With no barricades between.
God?s own view of our creation,
When all is said and done,
Leaves no doubt of His intention:
That humanity is one.
See everyone next week!
Butch and Jill Bridges
PO Box 2
Lone Grove, Oklahoma 73443
Save on long distance calls, just a couple cents a
minute!
http://www.CheapLongDistance.org
Ardmore High School Criterions Online
http://www.ardmorecriterion.com/
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.