This and That
Newsletter
A Weekly Publication
Vol 15 Issue 758 Circulation 5,000 August 4, 2011
PO Box 11
Ardmore, Oklahoma 73402
email address: [email protected]
580-657-8616
I received a request on my Facebook this week
asking where a person could buy sorghum molasses. My first thought was
Key's Grocery down near Caddo Street. They sell Muddy Road Sorghum made by
Muddy Pond Sorghum Mill in Tennessee!
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos11a/MudddyRoadSorghum1.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos11a/MudddyRoadSorghum2.jpg
I found on Youtube a neat video produced by the Muddy Pond Sorghum family
showing how they make the sorghum every Fall. Interesting!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JESJpXjSBHY&feature=related
Key's Grocery in Ardmore also has pickled
eggs. You don't see that much
anymore. All the small grocery stores sold pickled eggs when I was a kid.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos11a/PickledEggs080411.jpg
And let's not forget their HUGE sandwiches. They have several choices!
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos11a/KeysHamSandwich012511.jpg
Here is pic of Key's Grocery. They have items
inside this store you won't find hardly any other place. When your down that
way, stop and browse, check it out. Its a step back into the old days.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos11a/KeysGrocery080411.jpg
This is a pic I snapped where the old Sports Club use to be on B Street NW
behind the Tivoli. The Ardmore Soup Kitchen is now housed in that
building. More in the Mailbag below.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos11a/SoupKitchenArdmoreOK080411.jpg
And I noticed on the north wall of the old Sports Club one can still see a
Bull Durham sign painted on the side of the red brick wall.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos11a/BullDurhamSignArdmoreOK080411.jpg
Dry Dry Dry is the word in all of Oklahoma. Back in 1972 OSU contracted with a California company to do cloud seeding near Stillwater. If it gets any worse, we may have to contact that company again for help. Or better yet, I may go into the cloud seeding business. What's that old saying: Build a better cloud seed and the world will beat a path to your door, or something like that.
http://www.drought.unl.edu/dm/monitor.html
From This and That newsletter archives of
August 1, 1998:
"Your note about the sale of the Treasurer's safe last week reminded me of a
nostalgic discovery on a recent trip to visit Mom in Ardmore: at Wall's, the
junk store on East Main, they still have upstairs the old walk-in safe labeled "Westheimer
& Daube." When I was a child of five or six, my father was a geologist for the
Daubes' oil operation, and my little brother and I would go down to his office
sometimes on the mezzanine between the first and second floors of the department
store, and I was always fascinated by that (then, to me) _huge_ old safe. It was
great to see that it still exists, even in much-altered surroundings. (And do
you remember the pneumatic tubes for making change at Anthony's downtown? I
think Daube's may have had a pneumatic tube system at the time, too.)"
Russell Martin sent in some photos last week. This
first one is of an old bell taken at the Pleasant Hill Baptist Church at Paden,
Oklahoma.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos11a/PadenOKbell073011.jpg
And this is a box car turned into a cabin SE of Okemah, Oklahoma. I hope it has air conditioning!
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos11a/CabinSEofOkemahOK073011.jpg
This two views of an old bridge Russell took just north of Byers, Oklahoma. Russ thinks it may have been a railroad bridge at one time.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos11a/ByersOKbridge073011a.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos11a/ByersOKbridge073011b.jpg
I see the Blue Pig has reopened on the west side of I-35 from its old location last week. Its now in the SW corner of the I-35 "cloverleaf" next to the Conoco station.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos11a/BluePigBBQ073111.jpg
Smokin Joe's is still open at North Commerce and Broadway behind the old Blockbuster Video.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos11a/SmokinJoesArdmoreOK073111.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos11a/SmokinJoesMenu073111.jpg
Speaking of Blockbuster, I see there is now a Blockbuster Express Kiosk in front of the Love's Store at West Broadway and K street, across from McDonalds. Also a Kiosk located at Loves Store at I-35 and 12th Street. And another one coming soon to Homeland on North Commerce.
http://www.blockbusterexpress.com/
And I'm sure everyone has heard Casa Romo on East Main Street has moved to its new location across the street from J.C. Yeatts Store in the old Rawlins Furniture Store location.
In 1907 A. Bledsoe Rawlins came to
Ardmore, Indian Territory, and established a second hand store. He later started
the Rawlins Furniture Store. His wife Ida, was tragically killed in a buggy
accident. A. Bledsoe Rawlins later married Henryetta Younger, who was a sister
to Cole Younger. There were no children by this marriage. A. Bledsoe died in
1935. Meredith Rawlins, the son of Philip A. Rawlins, was born in 1910 in
Lancaster, Dallas County, Texas. The Rawlins family home at Lancaster was built
by the family in 1854 and is the oldest home in Dallas county, to be
continuously owned by the family who built it. It has been listed among the
National Registry of historic homes. Meredith lives in Ardmore with his wife
Geraldine, a well known and loved music teacher in the Ardmore school system for
many years. She has led most of the important choral groups in Ardmore and
directed the First Methodist Church Choir for many years. Meredith continued to
operate the family furniture store in Ardmore until it was sold in 1959.
Meredith and Geraldine have one daughter, Shirley Rawlins Hatfield Dibrell.
Shirley is the organist at the St. Phillips Episcopal Church in Ardmore.
-from the Indian Territory and Carter County Pioneers Book 1983
This is a photo I took of the entrance to the old Rawlins store at 120 West Main
back in 2008.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos8a/Rawlins08a.jpg
And this a view from the middle of the street. Back in 2008 it was The Clothes
Box.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos8a/Rawlins08b.jpg
Here's a pic of the beautiful new Casa Romo in downtown Ardmore.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos11a/CasaRomoArdmoreOK080111.jpg
Here's a pic I snapped right quick of a concrete truck that over
turned in the highway construction zone at Lone Grove early Thursday morning. I
heard it took several hours to get that truck upright.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos11a/ConcreteTruckOver.jpg
Here's a piece of Ardmore history from not too many years ago I
stumbled across in my desk drawrt a while back and almost forgot about. It's
a campaign card of Henry Sampley for Carter County Assessor. It has the Printers
Union stamp on it too. Back in those days, you didn't even think about having a
campaign poster or card printed by a printer who was not a member of the
printer's union.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos11a/HenrySampley.jpg
An exciting new event is coming to Downtown Ardmore on September 10th. Attached
is a press release with additional information.
There will be fun for everyone and all ages will enjoy the food and unique
shopping booths, as well as a very nice children’s play area with moon bounces
and wall climbing. Live music will play from 12:00 pm until 9:00 pm from 2
stages (one on Main Street and Caddo, and another under the Marketplace on
Broadway covered pavilion. Vendor Booth space is limited and going fast. Those
interested can call the Ardmore Main Street Authority, or visit the website at
http://www.fiestaoklahoma.com
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos11a/FiestaOklahomaPressRelease2011.pdf
Jennifer J. Crosby
Ardmore Main Street Authority
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos11a/PRIDsalve1.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos11a/PRIDsalve2.jpg
I'm still having great success with two free anti-spyware and virus removal
programs. The first one is
SUPERAntispyware
using their portable scanner version. Here is a screen shot of an actual
computer I cleaned up with a couple hundred bad stuff including 5 trojans. Now
wonder it was SLOW, plus it wouldn't get on the internet.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos11a/SUPERAntiSpywareFinds1.jpg
After downloading and installing SUPERAntivirus program, I downloaded and installed Microsoft's free AntiVirus program Security Essentials and it found another trojan and 2 other problems, and removed them. This is a screen shot of that cleanup.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos11a/SecurityEssentialsFinds1.jpg
I have yet to come across spyware and viruses I can't remove using the above 2 programs.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/virushelp.html
Q. What state has more man-made
lakes than any other state?
A. Oklahoma (or at least until this year's drought)
Q. What famous woman
outlaw is buried near Porum, Oklahoma?
A. (answer in next week's newsletter)
Gas prices today in the Ardmore area......
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/gasprices.html
NEWS FLASH! I received a call from Casey Morgan today, he's going to install our long awaited storm shelter Tuesday!http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos11a/StormShelter102009.jpg
Some mail from this week's MAILBAG.....
WIND FARMS IN ARBUCKLES MTS: There is a planned
windfarm along the ridge of the Arbuckles. Windmill are between 400 and 480 feet
tall. Must be at least 200 windmills on both sides of I-35. This would be like
200 40-story buildings sitting up on top of the mountains. You’ll be able to see
them from Ardmore, easily.
http://www.caller.com/data/economy/windfarms/
"Hey butch, just to let you know we sell gold and silver eagles at Jerry's Gun Shop on Grand Avenue. Silver eagles are about $6.00 higher than spot which is $39.96 today. We also have quite a few other coins in stock." -Steven Harris
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos11a/JerrysGunShop081111.jpg
"We have good sorghum at our store, Key's Uptown Downtown Grocery just off Caddo. It's made in Tennessee the old fashioned way." -Alicia Key
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos11a/KeysGrocery080411.jpg
"Hi Butch, I braved the heat today and went over to Bethany, OK, today and took these images of some wall murals. I thought that you might like to see these. I imagine most folks are more interested in your part of the state, but here is a little bit more history from central Oklahoma. I sent a street scene of the antique shops in Bethany. I guess that I should have waited for a cooler day, but I just had to have these images. I think that I got a bit of heat sickness from being out walking around the area. It is supposed to get to 108 by midweek around here. Be careful in the heat." -Cecil Elliott in OKC
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos11a/BethanyOKmural073011a.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos11a/BethanyOKmural073011b.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos11a/BethanyOKmural073011c.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos11a/BethanyOKmural073011d.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos11a/BethanyOKmural073011d.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos11a/BethanyOKmural073011e.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos11a/BethanyOKmural073011f.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos11a/BethanyOKmural073011g.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos11a/BethanyOKmural073011h.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos11a/BethanyOKmural073011i.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos11a/BethanyOKmural073011j.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos11a/BethanyOKmural073011k.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos11a/BethanyOKmural073011l.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos11a/BethanyOKmural073011m.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos11a/BethanyOKmural073011n.jpg
And lastly a picture of downtown Bethany street view
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos11a/BethanyOK072611.jpg
"Gas sticks? I remember about some kinds. My Grandfather's Model T Ford had its gas tank under the front seat. To measure the gas or fill the tank you picked up the driver's seat cushion and put it on the passenger side. Then you unscrewed the gas cap and stuck the stick in to see how deep the gas was. As far as I know the drivers got to know from experience how deep the gas was on the stick for amount of gas. He used a piece of cut-off yardstick, I'm guessing about 14 inches long. It was about an inch wide and flat about quarter inch thick and was left lying handy, covered by the seat cushion. I remember the cushion having wood frame around the bottom with springs up inside. .
My Father ran the Conoco gas station on Broadway facing the now Ardmoreite. Gas was in underground tanks. He had long a long gas stick, metal about 8 feet long. I think it was marked in gallons for a given depth. I remember he had to 'stick the tanks' every night before quitting.
Back to Model Ts, no fuel pump, the gas flowed by gravity down to the carburetor on the lower right side of the engine. Early 1920s, before the hairpin curve was built on 77 at Turner Falls, the road was a lot steeper. People used to talk about having to back up the hill coming back from Sulphur in Model Ts. The grade was so steep the gas wouldn't flow to the carburetor, so to put the gas tank higher they backed up. I heard it several times and probably true especially if the tank was low on fuel." -Bob McCrory
"Butch, the pool hall north of the Tivoli theatre was the Sports Club. It actually shared the north wall of the Tivoli. When the Tivoli burned in 1958 the north wall was not damaged. All the fire and destruction was the south of the building, the lobby, offices, balcony, projection room and front third of the building. If you look at the east wall of the Tivoli, you can see a change in color of the brick. That is where the east wall caved in. Elmo Eden and Clint Ross were out of business for a while. Elmo due to smoke and water damage and Clint, destroyed. That's when he moved to Grand Avenue. The Sports Club building went to the alley on the north side of the building. I can't remember what was north of that alley. Who does?" -George Davis AHS Class 1960
"The Sports Club was owned by my cousin, Bruce Harris." -Virgil Harris
"Really liked the murals of Hominy last week. I send you pics I took several years back of murals in my home town, Anadarko, Oklahoma. I was told that the Highschool Art teacher and some of her students done the paintings. There are a several other pics included. You can disregard them." -Ken@Wilson
Here are two of my public shows this month that might be in your area.
August 13 – Prairie Rose Chuckwagon – Benton, Kansas - 6pm. A great chuckwagon supper followed by lots of music and laughs. Also featuring the Prairie Rose Rangers. Call 316-778-2121 for reservations and directions.
August 18 – Lake City, Colorado – Mosely Arts Center - 7:30pm. An evening of great western harmony and fun. Also featuring Call of the West (Jeanne and Jerome). For more information call 970-944-2678
I hope some of you can join us.
-Les Gilliam, “The Oklahoma Balladeer”
“2010 Inductee into the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame”
"I bet I'm joining a whole bunch of Ardmoreites replying to Jim Bramlett's (Henrietta, Texas) question re the club on B Street behind the Tivoli in the '50s and '60s. We Golden Oldsters well recall Bruce Harris' Sports Club where girl's didn't go (except on a dare) and guys hung out a lot of the time. After all these years, I still thoroughly enjoy your This and That newsletter." -Anne Boland, Houston, Texas
"I went to the Ardmore Public Library today and perused the city directories for 1935 and 1941. They had nothing between. 1935 shows the Oasis 414 W. Main, C. Hoak Brewer, Colquitt E Sykes, Robert Bullock Mgr. No Green Frog 1935 1941 shows Green Frog 511 Main, Raymond Monaghan and --Oasis 414 W Main
Problem raised is that 511 W Main is Central Park which was not possible. My guess is an error in 511. It also showed other businesses in the 500 block. Conversely it correctly showed the First Methodist Church at 501.
As I said before, my fuzzy memory has the Green Frog approx at today's Chamber of Commerce and unable to place the Oasis. I have to believe the Oasis is correct and suspect they were a block wrong on the Green Frog - it should have been 411 not 511.
The above is consistent both in listings by street number and listings of restaurants. I looked also in the 1932 directory which had the same Oasis address. No other directories in the 1932-41 period. Of interest was Wirt Franklin offices were at 313 W Main and a filling station at 424 W Main." -Bob McCrory
Oklahoma Amusement Parks: Turn your sound on and remember.........
http://ndepth.newsok.com/thrills-gone-by/?custom_click=lead_story_title
The Postal Service is looking at about 3,700 post offices with low sales and few customers for possible elimination as early as January, Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe said Tuesday. Most of those under review take in less than $27,500 a year and have only enough customers and mail to keep them busy two hours a day, Donahoe said. The Postal Service will spend at least four months evaluating each post office. Anyone who objects to a closing has 60 days to submit comments to the Postal Service.
http://about.usps.com/news/electronic-press-kits/expandedaccess/states/oklahoma.htm
The Daily Ardmoreite - February 13, 1946
Rosella Hightower Appears in Chicago
Rosella Hightower, the part Indian girl from Ardmore, who rose to be a prima ballerina with both Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo and Ballet Theater, is a member of the personnel of a troupe of dancers now appearing in Chicago, on the "Ballet Russe Highlights" programs. Each of these programs will consist of 12 - 14 numbers. Emil Kahn conducts the 35-piece orchestra.
Worm or beetle - drought or tempest - on a farmer's land may fall, Each is loaded full o' ruin, but a mortgage beats 'em all. -Will Carleton 1845 - 1912
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
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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