This and That Newsletter

A group of men meeting in 1954 liked the town of Healdton, agreed with the statement made by the area's most ardent boosters, but on their occasional afternoon off they all had found themselves walking in circles and mumbling. They were golfers. And Healdton, with more than 15,000 persons living within a 15 mile radius of the busy community, had no golf course.

Soon a tract of land south of Healdton was secured and golf architect Floyd Farley was called in to draw up the plans. Healdton, in the middle of Oklahoma's largest oil fields, was well suited to the task ahead. Trucking companies, oil companies and dirt moving firms brought in equipment and volunteer workers came from all directions. Some of these workers had never had a golf club and got a lot of good natured kidding about "cow pasture pool" and "little boy executives" who had to have their toys. Many of these scoffers are not golfers with a vengeance, and more of the uninitiated element of the community are joining the sport every week.

The Oilfield Recreation Association, Inc., has a $90,000 golf course that cost but $20,000 and a fine $10,000 clubhouse. The club had 120 members who invested $100 each to get the project rolling. They get their money back at the rate of $20 per year. Yearly green fees cost $100. This is paid by the original backers as well as the late-comers. Non-members pay a daily green fee of $1 which is raised to $1.50 on weekends and holidays. The course is maintained in the best traditions of the golf course science.

Everidge Gosney (1915-1995), who served as president of the Oilfield Recreation Association, is credited with much of the push that got the ball rolling and added yet another bragging point to an already fine community. -from the book The History of Carter County 1957

Got a call from a lady in Oregon this week. She is looking for info and kinfolk to her grandfather, Bascom Burr Bridges, who died in Ardmore in 1917. His wife was Lovonia Adair Bridges. Anyone know of any descendants of Bascom or Lovonia let me know?

Strohm, Oklahoma: In Osage county, 7 miles northeast of of Fairfax. Named for Charles B. Strohm, Santa Fe Railway official. -Oklahoma Place Names

A couple of weeks ago a new hamburger place opened in Healdton, Oklahoma by the name of Jo B's Ice Cream Parlor and Gill. The inside is all decorated to the theme of the 50s and 60s rock and roll. Even Elvis was there! Of course Elvis kinda snubbed me, didn't even speak, but that's ok, he and I are in two different worlds, literally. lol

This is an outside view of the Jo B's Grill, located on Main, at the only traffic light in town.

And here is a pic of that delicious Bulldog Burger. If you notice, the meat is at the top, the correct way to make a hamburger.

Speaking of eating establishments, with the start of the new year, I decided to do something different (depends on your point of view if its different or dumb). It's something I haven't ate in 20 years, calf fries. Calf fries outside of Oklahoma and Texas are called Mountain Oysters. Casey's Catfish in Ardmore (just south of Grand Ave at 301 I street NW) just recently added calf fries to the menu, and it was one of the best meals I've eaten in a long time, not even counting the calf fries. The french fries are cut fresh, the english peas just right, the pinto beans just like grandma cooked, and even the white gravy was delicious right down to the texas toast! This first pic is an outside view of the building.

And this is that Oklahoma delicacy, tasted just like I remembered them over 20 years ago.

In the early morning hours of Monday, July 2, 1962 J.C. Boone was performing his night watchman duties for the city of Wilson, Oklahoma as he had been doing for over a year. Wilson resident and service station owner Leo Welch and his wife pulled up and stopped the car in the street in front of the bank, and called for Boone, who was walking on the sidewalk. When Boone started toward Welch's automobile, Welch opened fire with a .380 caliber pistol, striking Boone in the stomach. As he fell to the ground, Boone drew his pistol and emptied it into the driver's door of Welch's car. Welch, with his wife in the car with him, left for a couple of minutes and returned again, to fire more bullets at Boone. Welch then left and went to his D-X service station at the highway entrance of Wilson, and barricaded himself inside. Sheriff Gerald Cobb along with Deputies Elmer Fitzsimmons, Bud Hunt, Pete Fair and John Smithers surrounded the service station. Just when officers were about to hurl tear gas into the building, Welch surrendered. J.C. Boone was critically wounded requiring the removal of part of his stomach and intestine. But he would survive the shooting and continued to live in Wilson another 15 years.

Q. What Oklahoma town owns the worlds record for the largest pecan pie?
A. Okmulgee, Oklahoma

Q. What is the oldest chartered town in Oklahoma ?
A. (answer in next week's newsletter)

"Last summer, a bear decided to explore downtown Missoula, MT. He climbed a tree near the courthouse and after being tranquilized, fell safely into a net." -M Patten

"Butch, when you mentioned the big cow (or bull or steer) at the Sirloin Stockade it reminded me of the Big Bull with very large horns that one of my neighbors has. When he is close to the road I see lots of people stopping their car and backing up to take a closer look." -Dwane Stevens

"In 1947, this is what I would have seen as I walked towards the "movie houses" or other places in "uptown Britton" from dad's Kendrick Grocery at 1129 W. Britton, Oklahoma City. I didn't have a car of my own until I bought that 1929 Ford Model A (in 1950 or '51?). In those days, everybody walked, except to church or some special function anyway. After all, gas had gotten up to about 25 cents a gallon by then, and some tires cost more than $25 each. I can remember when folks thought we were making atrocious profits when our grocery store was forced to raise the price of a loaf of bread from 10 cents to 12! We actually made a smaller percentage at that price." -Roy Kendrick [email protected]

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Museum Memories

Compiled by Melinda Taylor

The Wilson News

10-27-1916

CAUSE FOR REJOICING

The members of the Church of Christ are congratulating themselves that they now have their church paid for and are free from debt. Just fourteen months ago they decided that they must have a church building and at once set in to raise the funds and with the hearty contribution and co-operation of some of the best citizens of Wilson, they now have a commodious building nicely furnished on the inside. They intend to finish seating the house also and installing electric lights and a bell. The congregation has grown to about 60 members and they have a large Sunday School numbering about 65 regular attendants.

The members are in correspondence with a preacher who will be permanently located with them by the first of the year. Bro. G. W. Thompson will continue to fill his regular appointment on the first Sunday of each month. The members are very hopeful and expect to accomplish a great deal for God and his cause at Wilson. Evangelist E. A Bedicheck has been retained to hold their protracted meeting for the summer of 1917.

The congregation invites all Christians to come and worship with them and those who are not Christians they ask to come and investigate their claims of taking the Bible as their only rule of faith and practice. You will always be welcome to attend any and all services. Sunday School and Bible reading at 10:00 a.m. Preaching and communion at 11:00 a. m. every Sunday.

Visit our website at: www.wilsonhistoricalmuseum.org - Wilson Historical Museum Hours: Tues., Thurs., Fri., Sat. 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

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