This and That
Newsletter
A Weekly Publication
Vol 14 Issue 718 Circulation 5,000 October 28, 2010
PO Box 2
Ardmore, Oklahoma 73402
email address: butchbridges@oklahomahistory.net
580-657-8616
Carter County was officially recognized as a StormReady County by the National Weather Service October 18, 2010. StormReady was a program started in 1999 in Tulsa that helps ensure communities have the communication and safety skills needed to save lives and property before and during severe weather events. Communities must submit applications to the NWS to receive StormReady status. Rick Smith, a warning coordination meteorologist with the Norman Forecast Office of the National Weather Service, said the new status recognizes the partnership between the county?s emergency management office and the NWS. ?It is a big accomplishment. It is a way to recognize the county?s ability to be as prepared as possible (for severe weather),? he said. It?s not only the county?s continuing work to improve abilities, it?s also the citizens of Carter County that make the system better. By taking the information and preparing themselves is what makes it work. The Citizens of Carter County should be proud of the accomplishment they helped the County achieve.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos10a/StormReadySign101810.jpg
I was traveling west from Ardmore on 12th avenue the other day, when I reached Memorial Road and Brock Road (north side of Lone Grove). I noticed in the NW corner of that intersection someone had installed new wind turbine for generating electricity. Its a really nice turbine but the kicker is they live less than a mile from a very large substation. Hopefully with the tax breaks and all, and putting electricity back into the grid, it will help!
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos10a/LoneGroveTurbine2.jpg
Speaking of wind turbines, I remember back in the 80s one of the first wind turbines in this area was erected just southwest of Brock Road and Highway 70 intersection (Lone Grove). I'd glance over at it over the years, but noticed for a very long time now, its been in a non working condition.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos10a/LoneGroveTurbine1.jpg
The other day the maintenance crew at the courthouse were busy with a bucket truck removing a metal panel from a 3rd floor window, so a contract crew could install a new window. When the panel was removed, one could see the dark red bricks, like were used in so many buildings back around 1910.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos10a/3rdFloorPanel101810a.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos10a/3rdFloorPanel101810b.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos10a/3rdFloorPanel101810c.jpg
I was in OKC a couple weeks ago visiting my ailing uncle, Jack Bridges, and he gave me a family photo with my dad, R.V. Bridges in it, taken probably around 1935 (my dad was born in 1917). I had never seen this good of a photo of my dad from those days (my mother and father divorced when I was 6 months old). Back in his high school years my dad won all the football trophies at Ardmore High, or so I was told. When I was young, friends who knew my dad would comment, "you sure didn't take after your dad," since I'm really not into football. lol
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos10a/RVBridges1930.jpg
The other day we had another eating establishment open on Main Street. This one is just a couple doors east of the old Daube's Department Store building. It's the Ten Star Pizza Kitchen. I stopped in there today at noon and took a picture, didn't order, but the good smell of cooking pizza made it tempting. Can hardly wait until Jill and I can get down there and try some delicious pizza!
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos10a/TenStarPizzaKitchen102810a.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos10a/TenStarPizzaKitchen102810b.jpg
From This and That
newsletter October 1997:
In 1925 the elected Sheriff of Carter county, Ewing London, was indicted by a
Grand Jury. London was temporarily removed from office and a new sheriff
appointed by the name of James Cruce. Cruce would only be sheriff for 30 days. A
Purcell, Oklahoma Judge would overrule the removal and order Sheriff London
reinstated to office. London would serve out the rest of his term unchallenged.
You can read the entire story on the link below. If anyone has info on James
"Jim" Cruce, we would like to hear from you. Cruce was a dairyman living north
of Ardmore on Mt Washington Road in 1925. Any help is appreciated in finding out
more about this "forgotten Sheriff".
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/cruce.html
Q. What Oklahoma city was
accidentally bombed during WWII?
A. Boise City, Oklahoma in 1943
Q. What was Oklahoma's
first mail route?
A. (answer in next week's newsletter)
Gas prices today in the Ardmore area......
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/gasprices.html
Some mail from this week's MAILBAG....."I remember when they constructed the new highway, US 70, west of Madill. My
dad used to call it the Raymond Gary Highway because it ran from Madill where
Gary was from. Actually, he was born somewhere between Madill and Kingston. I
remember Gary was known for his highway construction during his term.
Sometime after it was finished, on a Sunday drive, we discovered it driving
from the west. You're right about the turn at the end of the highway. There was
a barrier, a one lane exit to the left (south) onto a section line.
"Butch, I was just wondering if any Readers have ever heard of a general store along HWY 70 in Zanies near where Jap's Trading Post is located. My Grandmother-in-law said she remembers as a kid in the 1920's passing by that place on a wagon and there was a store called Oklahoma Tourism and that they also rented out small 10x10 rooms for people that was traveling and needed a place to sleep. The foundations to these building are still there. They (Jap and Otha Williams) bought the place in 1945 but no buildings were there at that time just foundations. If anyone has any information on this I would greatly appreciate it." -Michael Phelps
"Butch, my mother Jean Adams lives across the street from where Jean Edwards lived at the nursing home on 13th ave and A street N.W. Jean Edwards had two children, Mike who lives in Healdton, OK and David in Loco, OK. My mom always found time to go and see Jean and took her many meals when she could, and sometimes she had me deliver them to Jean. Even though Jean Edwards was a quadriplegic, she always had a kind work to say, I never once heard her say anything negative regarding the condition or circumstances that put her in the state she had to endure to live. She was a wonderful person and is sadly missed." -Harvey Adams
"I do remember when Channel 12 had a studio in Ardmore on N. Washington St in the block S. of AHS. They did have a teen dance show live each week and it was called Sock Hop. I can't remember the name of the young HS student who was in charge, but I think he graduated in 1958. I do know of someone I could ask, but thought I had better share this before I forget the name of the Program. Of course they played all the current top 10 hits and others that nearly all teenagers listened to daily via the radio."
To Cole: It sounds like it may have been a painting or poster used by the Santa Fe Railroad promoting the scenery through New Mexico and Arizona and especially the Grand Canyon and also the associated sighting tours run by the Fred Harvey Company with tne name "Indian Detours." -Wes Leatherock
"Hi Butch. My Grandfather, Henry Lafayette Willingham was killed on that day. It was my dad's second birthday. He had brought my Grandmother, Mary Etta Kerbo Willingham to Ardmore from Marsden. They were in a wagon with a team of mules. My uncle Arthur was with them. When the explosion took place, my uncle Arthur grabbed up Granny Willingham and ran with her. She was pregnant with my uncle Henry. His body was recovered and he was buried in Gordon Cemetery off of Oswalt road in Love county. The old section road was moved and the cemetery now lies on private property. My family and I have been going there for many years, every Memorial Day, to decorate my Grandfather's, great Grandfather's and great Grandmother's grave. The land at one time belonged to D Joyce Coffey and was sold several years ago to some folks from Texas. They put up a new pipe fence, graveled the road to the cemetery and cleaned up the cemetery. It looked nice. The new owners took the fence down from around the cemetery when they cleaned it up. Then the problems started. I tracked down the new owners and got a phone number. I called and explained that we go to the cemetery every year to decorate. The lady said there would be no problem and gave me her cell number. The first year we called they had not put up the new fence yet and the cemetery road was open. The next year the story was they could not be there to open the gate on Memorial Day. We had to come the day after. The next year I could not get hold of the people that own the land. The gate was open on Memorial Day. The next year the lady said she didn't believe she could make it. But she did and let us in a different gate. When we got to the cemetery I could not believe my eyes. My Grandfather's, great Grandfather and Mother's grave markers were knocked over and my Grandfather's marker was broken in half. We cleaned up a little, set my great Grandfather and Mother's markers back up and loaded my Grandfather's marker into my son-in-law's pickup. The lady owner came up to me and said that a big buck deer likes to sleep under these trees and he must have done it. The only problem is there is cow poop all over the cemetery. They had turned cows onto the cemetery property. They took the fence down and it was in bad shape but did not put anything back up. The lady said some other folks had talked about having a fence building day. I told her that I was taking my Grandfather's grave marker, all are tall marble markers, and either have it replaced or repair the old one and I would be back at some point and put the marker back.
I repaired the marker with epoxy and a brass dowel rod and called the lady to make arrangements to gain entry to the property. No answer and no returned call. I needed a couple of days to repair all three grave marker footings and reset my Grandfather's marker. Three calls were made when I could be off and three calls ignored. The state law says that I must make a reasonable effort to contact the landowner in order to visit the cemetery but the land owner cannot refuse entry to the cemetery during a reasonable hour.
Just venting. The explosion story just brought it back to mind." -David Joe copwilli@aol.com
"I know you like bells, saw this one and thought of you. Its small and probably pretty new. Its in Thackerville at the Red River Ranch RV."
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/bellphotos/ThackervilleOKbell.jpg
"BUTCH, THIS IS A LOVELY VIDEO OF THE AREA. Arbuckle Mountain Region Promo Video ."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWScDfJ_npQ
"Happy to see the dedication of the Pruitt Cemetery and the mention of Byrdie Pruitt. I remember seeing her when growing up in Ardmore, heard stories about her. Our Dad had cattle and worked at the sale barn on sale day weighing the cattle. Would her relatives share more about this iconic figure from that era?
World population explained using gumballs.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7WJeqxuOfQ
"A year after the misguided bombing of Boise City (July 5, 1943), the same bomber crew led an 800-plane daylight raid on Berlin and became one of the most decorated of World War II. All of the crewmembers survived the war and went on to tell stories about their slightly misguided raid on a small Oklahoma town. In fact, one crewmember even went on to marry a Boise City Girl." -Larry Guthrie
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5ih0STnpZo
I think I will end this issue with a good laugh on myself. A couple weeks ago I was shopping at Wal-mart near the bread isle, turned around to what I thought was my shopping cart, and off I went toward the checkout counters. I almost made it to checkout when I noticed it was not my cart. I looked around and two ladies, I think it was a mother and her young adult daughter were looking at me, and I told them I had the wrong cart. They started to chuckle and I started taking the cart back toward the bread isle where I found it to get my cart. I never did see anyone that who looked like they had lost a cart with groceries. Anyway, I proceeded to the checkout stands.
After checking out I went to the parking lot where I thought our car was parked, but when I tried my key it didnt fit, so then I knew I was at the wrong car! And would you believe those same two ladies were parked just a couple cars down from me, and I looked at them, saw they were watching me and laughing, and said, this is not my car. They both just died laughing, just like I did. I bet those two ladies were thinking, that poor man, I wonder if he can make it home, maybe we should following him to make sure he gets home safely. lol
A grandmother pretends she doesn't know who you are on Halloween. -Erma Bombeck
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
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