This and That
Newsletter
A Weekly Publication
Vol 16 Issue 820 Circulation 5,000 October 11, 2012
PO Box 11
Ardmore, Oklahoma 73402
email address: [email protected]
580-657-8616
After 820 issues (16 years) the Readers of my newsletter never cease to amaze me. In last week's T&T former Ardmoreite Dean Pelton (now of Tyler, Texas) wrote in to tell about losing his AHS class ring (1961). Within 15 minutes of hitting the SEND button last week, I received the following email:
"Dear Butch, saw in today's This and That that someone from AHS Class of 1961 lost his class ring and is looking for a replacement. I have the 1961 class ring of my precious brother who died one year ago August. I know he would be delighted to know that it went to a classmate of his. Though I have loved having it, I would love one of his classmates to have it now. Have that person contact me please." -Pat
When I receive an email like the above, it makes all the work in publishing this rag every week worth it. I'm just proud to be a part of this great big family of T&T Readers.
In the last issue we talked about the horseback riding ladies of southeast Ardmore back in the 60s. Several said it was Zula Hollingsworth and her daughter Isabel that rode their horses all over the SE part of town. I learned this week from Sally Gray's daughter, Terry, there is a chapter on the Hollingsworth family in Sally's book, Territory Town, The Ardmore Story. Below is a link to the scanned article on the Hollingsworth family.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos12a/HollingsworthStory.jpg
If you have not read Sally Gray's book, I highly recommend it.
Last Saturday Jill and I went to Tishomingo to check out the annual Chickasaw Festival. Tish (3,000 people) must have grown by several more thousand people on that one day, it was packed from one end of town to the other by visitors from all over. If you didn't make it that day, you missed a wonderful experience. I can tell you the Native American spirit was alive and well, I could see it everywhere Saturday. As I walked around my mind would imagine back to my great grandmother's family in Blount County, Alabama. Here are a few pictures I snapped while attending the Chickasaw Festival at Tish.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos12a/ChickasawCapital100512.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos12a/ChickasawBell100612a.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos12a/ChickasawBell100612b.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos12a/ChickasawFestival100612b.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos12a/ChickasawFestival100612c.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos12a/ChickasawFestival100612d.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos12a/ChickasawFestival100612e.jpg
The tent set up by the Chickasaws on the west side of the old Chickasaw Capital Building was the largest tent I have ever been in.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos12a/ChickasawFestival100612a.jpg
Oh, and let's not forget the parade through Tishomingo, it was one of the nicest I've ever seen, loved it. After the parade we went to eat and two of the clowns who were in the parade sat right across from us.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos12a/TishomingoOKclowns100612.jpg
Last Monday evening late we were in Davis, Oklahoma and decided to stop and get a fried pie at Arbuckle Mountain Fried Pies (Exit 51 and I-35). We get one every now and then when we are in the area. But I know now we are going to be stopping there more often, their Sweet Potato Fried Pie is to die for! Never tried one before, but their Sweet Potato Fried Pie is absolutely delicious! I had never really check out the inside of the building, and they have just recently remodeled using Bead Board. Beautiful. And there is an upstairs section where a party or gathering of some kind could be held. Here are some pics I snapped of the inside.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos12a/DavisFriedPies100812a.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos12a/DavisFriedPies100812b.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos12a/DavisFriedPies100812c.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos12a/DavisFriedPies100812d.jpg
Oklahoma History Revisited by Larry Guthrie, Sulphur
Question: Name some of the ringleaders in the Boomer movement.
Answer: The railroads
were making efforts to have congress organize Oklahoma as a territory. Elias Boudinot, attorney for the Katy, issued a statement that the unassigned lands in
central Oklahoma were public domain, and as such open to settlement. In spite of
a proclamation by President Hayes against it, a movement into the open lands was
started.
Soldiers and settlers soon began to play a game of chase. As fast as a boomer
camped on a piece of land, the soldiers chased him off. Some rushed across the
border and staked claims on Indian land, where there was no possible chance for
them to profit by it.
In the fall of 1879 David L. Payne returned from Washington to Kansas, his home,
and until his death was the active leader of the boomer efforts. Payne led
numerous parties into Oklahoma, was arrested each time, released each time and
then led another group into Oklahoma. When the troops closed the Kansas Oklahoma
border he led them across the Texas Oklahoma border.
From This and That newsletter archives of October 10, 1998:
I've noticed something all over Ardmore. As
you know, we didn't get much rain here for several months. Over 60 days with the
temps way over 100 degrees. Then a couple weeks ago the rain came back..... and
all over town, in yards, I noticed these toad stools popping up. One friend said
he used to go looking for mushrooms. I'd be scared to eat any mushroom I found
in a backyard!
----------------------------------------------------
On Monday, October the 12th, we
celebrate Columbus discovering America.... Was it missing? My Choctaw Indian
ancestors knew where it was all along.
----------------------------------------------------
John Dillinger, gangster, terrorized
the central part of the U.S. for 14 months after being released from a 9 year
prison term in May 1933 in Indiana. One strange fact I noticed was Dillinger,
after being killed outside the theater, was taken to Harvey Funeral Home in
Mooresville, Indiana. We have had a Harvey Brothers Funeral Home here in Ardmore
since the city's beginnings. I wonder if the owners were kin? What a lot of
people don't remember, was parts of the movie Dillinger were filmed right here
at the courthouse in Ardmore (1977). The part where Purvis is getting his shoes
shined in the courthouse is our courthouse here. They also used some local
residents in the filming..... Ray Bacon, his son David Bacon, James Clark, and
others. Filming also done in places near Ardmore, including the recently burned
down Chickasaw Club Lake house.
----------------------------------------------------
Gas prices today in the Ardmore area......
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/gasprices.html
Check gas prices by town or zip code anywhere in U.S.
http://www.kmov.com/traffic/gas-buddy
Some mail from this week's MAILBAG.....
"Butch, Anita Jean Blalock Scearce also worked selling tickets at the Ritz and Paramount Theaters. I was told that Martha Richardson Dillard worked there, too. Don’t forget Joyce Setzer Canafax. And there was an older man named Elmore who took tickets at both theaters. This would have been back in the 40s. Another was Mary Cypert Wilson. Doniece Duck (and that was her real name) married a man named Koons from Mannsville. Remember that Dolly Talkington was well known for her jewelry. I still have a few pieces of it. It was given to my mother by Dolly’s husband, Sam Talkington." -Frances Dunlap
"I grew up about two blocks west from this location. It was the neighborhood grocery store that our family frequented each week. I recall the name was "Pratts" during the early to mid 60's, and sooner thereafter was renamed "FoodWorld". I also fondly recall Mr. J.B. Harper, our next door neighbor, who was the butcher in the meat department at the back of the store. He was a lifelong bachelor with a friendly disposition and fan of OU football. He was the first person in our neighborhood to afford color television. This was quite an attraction to a young boy like me and my dad." -Larry Walck
"My Supervisor & I (married 62 years Oct. 17) eat hamburgers on Saturday. Tried most around town. Last T&T sent us to Baldwin's which we put on our repeat list. Alphabetically Baldwin's, Braums, Burger King & Whataburger.
But for the main reason -- I'm looking for a photograph in memory lane. In the '50s till his passing in '76 my Father had a kind of trading post on So. Commerce between the soldier's home and Myall. For years on highway 77 toward Springer someone had a real civil war cannon in front of his place, close to the road. My Dad for years wanted to buy it to put at his shop. In the '60s I was visiting and learned Dad was disappointed the cannon had been sold.
I suggested we make a cannon. He had a pair of old wagon wheels on their axle, the mount and trail of wood from Hudson Houston lumber yard. Jinks Berryhill rolled us a barrel from sheet metal. It was about six foot long, tapered from six inches at the muzzle to nine inches at the back. More wood work completed the ends. In black tar paint made it looked more than real up the roof of the shop - and it weighed half a ton less than a real one.
People from far & wide told my Dad they had heard of his shop with the cannon on top. In this photo the wheel of the cannon is seen in the upper right. Dad mounts his friend's ride out front. If anyone has a picture of the shop showing the cannon I'd like to borrow it and make a copy for my family records." -Bob McCrory [email protected]
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos12a/McCroryatGunshop1965.jpg
"Good morning, Butch... I just now was reading through your current post from last night and immediately noticed the piece on the Hollingsworth women. They were so intriguing to me. My family relocated to Ardmore in the autumn of 1960 and I lived there until 1963, often visiting my parents in years after that. They attended St. Philips Episcopal Church where my family were members and on a couple of occasions, I spoke with them. At the age of sixteen, I found them incredibly interesting, especially finding them in the relatively small community of Ardmore. I was an equestrienne myself so that was something we had in common. Frank, Elane (his sister), and I often remember these women when we are reminiscing about those early years of the '60s. I so enjoy the different things you cover on your website! My sister, Nancy, from Honolulu sends her aloha to you and Jill...we were just talking about you yesterday and remembering our very delightful lunch with you in Ardmore. With aloha," -Kristin (Hedlund, Rusnak) Anderton
09/29/12: "Mike's cousin in St Louis has had a pit bull since she was a tiny puppy. Her father gave her to his daughter who was 12 years old at the time. She was the family pet for 6 years. Groomed, babied, snuggled, loved, the baby of the family. She pretty much slept in the basement with the daughter for 6 years. Tabitha is now 19 years old and her brother is 18. She is Tabitha's baby, the beloved family pet. Tabitha was out of the house with her mother... her 18 year old brother was home with his father and girlfriend. Spencer was playing games with his girlfriend in the kitchen. The pit bull walked in the kitchen and unprovoked, attacked his girlfriend. Spencer (raised around this family's beloved baby for 6 years) pulled the dog off her with his father's help. The girlfriend suffered 60 stitches... Spencer spent 2 nights in the hospital after surgery to remove the 2 (count them... 2) teeth from his leg. His dad had multiple bite wounds and stitches as well. This sweet, loving, "baby" attacked two of her family members with no warning, unprovoked. They are in shock... when the police and ambulance arrived, the dog was scratching, clawing, and fighting at the back door to get back in the house. This dog couldn't have been raised in a kinder household since it was a teeny tiny puppy. Wow." -Christy Greene McCullers
"Hi Butch, I went to Atwood's today in Madill and in the grocery dept I found a pint of Sorghum. Not Cranmore's, but sorghum none the less. It was some change over four dollars. Thought I would let you know." -Hazel
"Hi Butch, The posting last week that really brought a smile to my face was the Raccoon story: Way back in the late 50’s my father took me to the Brookfield Zoo in Chicago during Easter. In those days all the women wore hats and everyone dressed up on a holiday. The zoo had announced that a new baby Hippo had been born and since they stay in the water for a while, the Hippo would probably come out of the tank for all to see on Easter Sunday. Well the Pachyderm house (fancy word for Elephants and Hippo’s) was jammed packed, Dad and I were jockeying for a view when the baby came out of the water, the place went up for grabs with Ooh’s and Aah’s. When the flashbulbs went off, the mother Hippo came out to protect her baby. My father grabbed me and pulled me behind this very large roof support in the middle of the building. I was upset at first but quickly understood why he did it. The mother Hippo had backed up against the concrete wall and started to swing her short broom straw tail back and forth. Then she added massive quantities of Hippo dung to the action. It spread in a a half arc up the back wall and out front hitting the crowd. Since it was jam packed nearly everyone got hit, except my dad and me. The smell was horrendous and it was as slippery as you can imagine. Somehow being an old hillbilly from Mississippi, my dad knew what was going to happen and saved the day. I can still see this very prim and proper lady with her yellow Easter hat full of flowers (and Hippo dung) throwing up while dad and I just walked out unscathed. Dad said, them Yankee’s never knew what hit em!" -John Trusty
"I run the anti-spyware program Spybot every week or so to help clean my computer. I kept getting a casaelmedia.com in my results. I would remove it and the next time I ran spybot, it would be back. I read up on it and found that I could block it in my cookies. By doing this, I see my computer has sped up considerably. They sure can stick a lot of stuff on your computer without you knowing it. Thanx for all the info you have provided me. It keeps my computer humming right along." -Ken at Wilson
"Butch, we are trying to locate the exact spot the Bywater store at Woodford or north 1 mile near the old stage coach stop where the fresh water flowed out of the ground. If any Reader knows for sure, let me know." -Herman Kirkwood, OKC [email protected]
"We watched a movie titled BERNIE last night. It stars Jack Black as Bernie who has taken course work to become a funeral director in Arkansas. He applies for a job in Carthage, Texas and we watch as he becomes a part of the community. The wife (Shirley MacLaine) of the bank president looses her husband and Black befriends her and they become a couple. Matthew McConaughey plays the sheriff. The story is real. This is the best role Jack Black has ever had. He does a wonderful job with the role and does quite a bit of singing in the movie. A lot of local people are used in the movie and they really add a lot of color to the story. As the movie starts Tricia and I recognized the general area and weren't surprised to see the the sign telling us it was Carthage. I used to quail hunt outside of Center, TX which is less than 30 miles south." -Monroe Cameron in Montana
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7VSAFvPq7c
"Butch, I was out hunting old bottles yesterday and found three Dr Pepper bottles. I'm guessing they were made sometime between the 20's and 40's...the makers mark on the bottom of the bottles all say ' Ardmore ok' ...was there a bottle maker in Ardmore during that time?" -Barry Smith TX
"I was watching one of those reality shows on tv the other day and they were raising quail. This brought me back to another memory when I was living in Lone Grove. Must have been in the early 80's My home in Lone Grove had a bunch of empty acres behind me and early in the morning I could hear quail calling. Then after a few years they were no longer there.
Blame it on dry weather, wild cats, fire ants, or more population of people. I only know the quail population had dwindled down to a precious few. I decided I would raise some birds and turn them loose. I found a place in Mcloud, Ok. that had quail eggs for sale. I told my friend, Houston. what I wanted to do. He said, "I have a friend with an incubator that will hold 8 doz eggs." So I put it all together. And in a few weeks I was in the quail business. That is until my Schnauzer, Tilllie, decided to get in on the action. I had the young quail on the floor of my shop in a boxed in area. Can you imagine 90 some little chicks running around .
One day I accidently left the door open to my shop. And to Tillie they looked
like mice, I am sure. She was a true killer. Her instincts kicked in and she
killed nearly all of them. She would grab one, kill it and then get another.
What few I had left, I raised till they were old enough to be on their own I
turned them loose in my in my back yard. But I never heard another quail whistle
or call after that. Some things are just not to be." -Ken at Wilson"
http://youtu.be/9zMJU0X7bR8
From A Distance -Bette Midler 1990
I have walked and I have prayed,
I could forgive, and we could start again,
In the end, you are my one true friend.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKzd2Wh3xNk
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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