This and That Newsletter
A Weekly Publication

www.OklahomaHistory.net

Vol 15  Issue 762      Circulation 5,000       September 1, 2011

PO Box 2

Ardmore, Oklahoma 73402

email address:  butchbridges@oklahomahistory.net

580-657-8616


Several of you wrote in to say those two old barrels at the end of Field Trail Road at Lake Murray near the rocks are used by noodlers.  Even if they are barrels used just for noodling, I think one Reader summed it up:  "I would love to see that cleaned up. They could use plastic barrels instead, less pollution and danger for everyone, and let's make the lake beautiful for everyone!"  I agree.  Those in charge of Lake Murray needs to get those rusty barrels removed.

"Butch, the barrels were probably placed there by Okie Noodlers in hopes a catfish would take up residence. Makes for easy pickin?s and is common in the sport. Some people even use old bathtubs upside down as the same." -Bryan Pullen, Davis

http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos11a/LakeMurrayBarrels082511a.jpg

http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos11a/LakeMurrayBarrels082511b.jpg

Speaking of noodling, on one of last week's David Letterman Shows, he talked for 5 minutes about "handfishing' in Oklahoma. He really carried Oklahoma high for those few minutes, making statements like, "can you believe that? They hand fish in Oklahoma?" He never used the word noodling the entire time.  lol

Next week the Carter County Free Fair starts at the Ardmore coliseum. The Carter county fair was one of the first organized in the state dating back to 1915. Check out the link below for all the info and fun!

http://www.freewebs.com/ccfair/

I'm embarking on another project over the next few weeks.  I'll be converting my old pickup to get more than 15 miles per gallon by supplementing the engine with potassium hydrogen gas through the carburetor. I have just started the webpage below and will be adding to it every few days as we go GREEN!

http://www.oklahomahistory.net/goinggreen.html

U.S. drought monitor

http://www.drought.unl.edu/dm/monitor.html

From This and That newsletter archives of August 28, 1998:
"This is a photo taken the summer of 1950 of "2 Lakes Skyway Courts" located at the SE corner of Lake Murray State Park. My in-laws, Bert and Mabel Paschall, operated the courts for years. It was built in 1948 when there was very little activity over on the SE side of the lake. The paved road in the park stopped at the state cabins then. That's where the lodge is these days. Few people came over to the SE part of the lake then and we pretty well had that part of the lake to ourselves most of the time. When 2 Lakes Skyway Courts first opened for business there was an airplane landing strip in front of the store. After two plane crashes within the first three years which killed some people, Bert closed the air strip, changed the name to Paschall Village, and planted peanuts where the air strip was. When the state finally paved the road all the way around the lake more and more people came to the SE part of the lake and frequented the store. Weekends during the summer were really busy. My wife and I would sometimes come to visit for the weekend and would end up working most of the time. If you ever came over to that part of the lake and stopped at the store, I probably at some time gassed your vehicle or sold you some minnows. Bert and Mabel sold the store and cabins in 1972. They are no longer with us and the store has long since burned and been torn down so we haven't been there in years."

09/01/11 Added info: "The courts were built in 1946-47 by John B. "Bert" Paschall and his father-in-law, E. A. Patrick. Bert and his wife, Mable, operated the place until 1972 when they sold it. Bert also sold cabin sites east of the courts. C. B. and Theopa Warr of Warr Lumber Company in Warr Acres, OK; Blain and Mamie Cuppy of Oklahoma City; and E.A. and Susan Patrick built cabins as did several other people.

In the north end (left side in photo) of the up front building was a fast food cafe and in the south end was a convenience store. There were eight units with two separate living quarters per unit. A small landing strip was across the road west of the cafe and store. But, after two small plane crashes in which one man died, Bert closed the landing strip. Over the years an ice house was added on the north side. A bait and minnow stand was added on the south side. Mobile gas pumps were added north of the ice house. Boat storage units were added north of the front court unit. They sold fishing and hunting supplies. As water skiing and snorkeling became a popular sport on Lake Murray they sold ski products and diving air. In the Fall dove and quail hunting were popular as was deer hunting. The store was a popular meeting place for hunters before and after the hunt. My wife is Patricia Sue (Paschall) Davidson. She is the oldest daughter of Bert and Mable."
  -Don Davidson, Brenham, Texas

http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos11a/TwoLakesSkywayCourts1950a.jpg

http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos11a/TwoLakesSkywayCourts1950b.jpg

Q.   Who was the world famous singer born in Hugo, Oklahoma?
A:   B. J. Thomas  Rain Drops Keep Falling on my Head

Q.   What is Oklahoma's official state country and western song?
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.....

"When I was a teenager I lived on A St. SE about a block from the Whittington's (Coleman's mother and aunt). I don't know if Coleman was in college at the time or where he resided but he would come to Ardmore now and then. He was a dashing fellow, usually wore a blue double breasted jacket with a white ascot. We girls loved to get a glimpse of him as we never saw anyone like that in Ardmore. Vada Blalock (James' mother) lived two doors down from us and she had lived in Ardmore all her life. She said that Coleman was in love with a woman but his mother and aunt would not allow him to marry her. That is when he began his slovenly ways. I think it was after his mother and aunt passed away that he began picking up trash everywhere he went. He cleaned the laundry on Lake Murray Dr and I thought that perhaps Jack Thompson hired him just to help him out. I also saw him at Wig's Wag a Bag cleaning. Wig told me that Coleman went around collecting trash and took it all home with him. Wig finally told him not to come into his store again. He would empty the waste baskets at the Laundromat and take it home. He piled it on his front porch. Someone told me that there was a trail through his house as it was piled to the ceiling with newspapers and trash. When the house became full, he began putting it on the front porch. The fire department finally told him that it was a fire hazard and that he would have to remove all of it. At some point during this time he reunited with the sweetheart of his youth. She lived on Stanley S.W. near the old Carnegie library. I am not sure if they ever married. Some people said "yes" some said "no." I lived on the corner of Sixth and Douglas Blvd. until I left Ardmore, so I saw Coleman frequently and had some interesting conversations with him. He was a well educated gentleman, very intelligent and courteous. I found it hard to believe that he was the same man that I used to admire so much when he was so dapper. I don't remember which university he attended but I do remember that it was an ivy league. He drove that old blue car for many years." -Francis


"I don't know about what other autos Coleman might have had in his garage but one of his vehicles was a 1936 Chevrolet Master Coupe. I know this because he and I discussed the differences between his '36 Master and my '35 Standard. He was still driving that vehicle in the late '50's at least. I wanted to buy it but he refused to sell."  -T. E. (Thal) McGinness, Conroe, TX

THE DAVIS NEWS - 100 YEARS AGO THIS WEEK:  Prof. Hilton Ira Jones of the Oklahoma Geological Survey was going to establish an assay office in the Mining Exchange at Davis. He was a graduate of Harvard University. "Mining men will now receive the best of service at home," editor Fay Crossett wrote. The Guggenheims of Colorado and Alaska were in the area trying to get control of the rich mineral lands of the Chickasaw nation, according to a dispatch from Muskogee. They had already tried to grab the coal lands of Alaska. "It was first reported that gold was struck in paying quantities," according to the report. "It is declared that enough gold might be secured to pay for the milling, but that the lead and zinc is (sic) going to be the big product."

Pastor Elmer Ridgeway of the Baptist Church moved to Sallisaw.

Editor Crossett announced one more auto for Davis. County Commissioner D.F. Ellis bought a five-passenger Cadillac in Oklahoma City. "Mr. Ellis can now qualify as a member of the Grand Army of Joy Riders," Crossett wrote.


"I talked with my mom recently -- who told me about the Ardmoreite story about some of the former Jefferson school students planning an all-school reunion. This has really got my mom's interest up. I think it's a great idea. D'you suppose some of us old Washington alumni could pull a similar effort together for our old school?"  -TOM ELMORE  Gtelmore@aol.com
"The Wilson Homemakers are selling Fried Pies in downtown Wilson, OK tomorrow (Friday) 9:00AM. All your favorite flavors, Apricot, Peach, Apple, chocolate, etc. Come on down and help the ladies." -Ken@Wilson
"Butch ? I came across your website the other day and would like to be added to your Newsletter. It is such great reading and brings back my memories of Hennepin Oklahoma. My Mom and Dad used to own the grocery store in Hennepin in late 50?s and early 60?s. It was called Mac?s Grocery. We lived out on the Web oil lease prior to him buying the grocery store. My oldest sister Sharon (Sherry) McGowan graduated from Woodland High School as Valedictorian. She went on to work for Colvert?s Dairy Products in Ardmore. My favorite memories of Hennepin are of the school and Mr. and Mrs. Drennan. Before I started the first grade I went to work with Mom and Dad every day at the grocery store. I would walk down to the caf? for breakfast and lunch. I remember Doc and Audrey Nix and the Wolfe?s owning the restaurant. Daddy would put me in the back of his pickup in front of the ice house and give me a cigar box with money in it and told me to sell the watermelons! I knew better than to come up short the end of the day. Also the red book mobile would pull up to grocery store once a month and everyone in the area could check out library books and keep them for a month until the red book mobile came back. The driver used to save me all the new books! I loved the smell inside that book mobile. There is nothing like the smell of books in a library! Also, my Dad would get in these small cardboard boxes, they were round, with salted Spanish peanuts inside them. Most put them inside their cokes. These boxes though sometimes had a coin in the bottom. You never knew if there would be a penny, nickel, dime, and a few quarters were there sometimes. I could not wait till he got a new shipment in. I would go through the order and shake each small box trying to find one that I thought had a coin in it. I would do this before my siblings got home from school. My Mom and Dad were M.L. (Mac) and Neely Mae McGowan. My sisters are Sharon (Sherry), Kathy, Jean, and my brother M.L., Jr.. He was called Junior here in Hennepin. I went to Hennepin School and my friends were Janet Brown and Teresa Washburn. If anyone knows anything about these 2, I would appreciate it.

I also remember going to watch the Woodland Warriors win the state basketball championship. My Daddy was holding me up in the stands and when he jumped up to holler one time, he almost through me up in the stands. I ended up sitting with my Mother.

Also, upon one return visit, the sign on the back of the Hennepin grocery store still read Mac?s Grocery. We went to visit Hennepin and Woodland on August 28th. The store was closed and the sign gone from the back of it. Does anyone know who owns the building? I thought the sign might have been put up inside the store at the back. I would love to have that sign for my brother.  Thanks!"  -Judy Price   judyprice@ipadenton.org

"I was in that Our Gang movie in 1946, Butch.... It was made at Whittington Park!" -Danna Rice

http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos11a/OurGangMovie1946.jpg


"Was rambling thru the internet this a.m. and happened on a website. Remember when you opened your car door and glanced down on the sill and there stamped were the words, "Body by Fisher" ? I never realized the Fisher Brothers were so influential in the auto industry. Not only with GM but other auto makers as well. Any old car buff will enjoy this site."  -Ken@ Wilson http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fisher_Body
Title: 1st Saturday Sidewalk Sale
Date: Saturday September 3, 2011
Time: 12:00 am - 12:00 pm
Location: 1100 Woodall-Rodgers Freeway, Dallas, TX
http://www.sidewalksale.com/

"I am searching for any information regarding Ferguson or Fergurson Elementary school that was located northeast of Seminole, Ok. I attended my first year of school there in 1936. I would love to see a photo if one is available. Thanks for any information at all anyone can locate for me."  -Nadine Thompson   MSAD2000@aol.com
"I too think the house on I Street NE, the Labbatt's lived in - Johnny and Bernice (Bernie). They had two children, Anne and a boy whose name I can't remember. Johnny was an avid fisherman. Bernie worked at Daube's in the fabric department for many years. Does anyone else remember? Am I right?"  -Christie Reeves
"We are using Connections Academy. It is a nation wide Public school our is in Sperry, Oklahoma. It is totally awesome. The Academy supplies and ships everything to us, including a jump rope for PE and art supplies for Art classes."
http://www.ConnectionsAcademy.com/

The Oshkosh 2011 Air Show

http://www.twaseniorsclub.org/Oshkosh.html


"That was Buck's Hilltop grocery when I was a kid in the '50s." -Dave Coulter
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos11a/Farrington_Hilltop_Grocery_1946.jpg
"Great work up on Coleman Jones last week. It was very satisfying reading it. Do you have any stories about the so-called "Cat Woman" who lived on Stanley and the corner of M(?) street? She lived in an old broken down home with hundreds of cats. This is reported to be the good female friend of Coleman." -Randy
"Hey Butch, Back in the late '50s I worked for Cy Hunt, the Morton Foods distributor at that time, we used to call on the Moran grocery once a week. I always enjoyed going in there. He was a very nice man." -Wayne Mitchell
Museum Memories
Compiled by Melinda Taylor
The Wilson News
October 27, 1916
SCHOOL NEWS
The school has purchased 200 of the 10-cent classics and same have been distributed among the different rooms. The teachers report that these classics are being read with much interests. The New International Encyclopedia has been recently added to our library and great and good results will follow. Miss Hewitt reports an average daily attendance of 50 pupils in the first and second grades. This grade is in the new building and the pupils are somewhat crowded, but nevertheless satisfactory work is being done in this room. The eighth grade pupils are contemplating buying a victrola at no far distant future.
November 10, 1916
C. P. HALL THE OUTFITTER, IN NEW BUILDING
For two weeks the furniture and hardware stock of C. P. Hall which is efficiently handled by J. S. Lively, has been on the move into one of the new brick buildings recently completed by Ben E. Mobley. This will be one of the most attractive stores in Wilson when the up-to-date stocks have been finally arranged according to Mr. Lively's experienced ideas.
November 17, 1916
BRUGLARY REPORTED
J. J. Cathey reports the loss of harness taken from the wagon yard in this city last Thursday night. Constable Chas. Jones is on warm trail and it is thought that he will soon secure the stolen property and capture the burglar.
MORE CONCRETE WALKS
In business block No. 22 on North side Main Street, concrete sidewalks regulation width are this week being laid by the following firms: Means & Lee, 100 ft.: H. A. Watson, 25 ft.: B. T. David, 25 ft.: W. B. Gill, 25 ft: First State Bank, 25 ft. Other property owners in this block should take a hunch and do their part in completing this good work.

Visit the Wilson Historical Museum online at www.wilsonhistoricalmuseum.org or visit the museum in Wilson Tues., Thurs., Fri., Sat. 10:00 - 4:00


An Expression of Faith - B.J. Thomas, born in Hugo, Oklahoma

If we're only brief candles
Let's burn for a day
If we're only poor players
Let's rush to the stage
And if we don't know the ending
Let's begin anyway
It starts in your heart
An expression of faith
It starts in your heart
An expression of faith

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuHXaiD-lE0

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.