This and That
Newsletter
A Weekly Publication
Vol 17 Issue 859 Circulation 5,000 July 11, 2013
PO Box 11
Ardmore, Oklahoma 73402
email address: [email protected]
580-657-8616
I made a very special brick for Lone Grover Stephen Smithers and boy scout troop A404. The brick is going to West Virginia! The brick from this area (Arbuckle Area Council) will be one of many used to make a huge fire ring in the gardens as the new location for the 2013 national Boy Scout jamboree in West Virginia. Hundreds of other bricks from around the nation will form the only fire ring or structure built in that place. I am proud this brick will represent our area of Oklahoma!
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/bricks/TroopA404.jpg
Speaking of bricks, for the past couple of months I have been engraving pavers on the west side of the courthouse. The Carter County commissioners gave me the OK to engrave the names of employees who retired from county government since 1970 on the pavers that are already in place around the gazebo on the west side. 1970 and later was selected as that was the year Carter county government became a member of OPERS retirement system. Employees must have retired through the county's OPERS retirement system to qualify for a paver with their name and years of service engraved on it. So far I've made good progress and created the webpage below showing those who have already received a paver with their name (black outlined box), or should in the very near future (green outlined box). The pavers are being engraved at no cost to the county.
http://www.brightok.net/cartercounty/pavers
I had an interesting question posed to me this week. If Oklahoma was "dry" up until 1959, how was it liquor permits were issued in the 40s?
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos13a/WhiskeyPermits1948.jpg
The Daily Ardmoreite March 1971
District Attorney James Clark said charges of assault with a dangerous weapon
will be filed against State Auditor Joe Bailey Cobb in connection with alleged
threats against a Ravia City councilman. Clark said Cobb was angry because the
city of Ravia cut off water to his resort trailer home. Cobb subsequently
threatened William Homer Gilcrease and Henry Hester, Ravia city councilors, who
said Cobb pointed a .38 caliber revolver at Gilcrease's head and threatened to
kill him.
http://newsok.com/ex-auditor-joe-b.-cobb-dies-at-72/article/1998777
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=25840119
The Daily Ardmoreite December 1968
Persons attempting to negotiate the corridors at the Carter county courthouse
are having to be extra careful these days. If they get careless, they might trip
over the used elevator being installed. The elevator was purchased several
months ago from Stephens County for $500.00. Commissioners have budgeted $10,000
for installation.
For a couple weeks we have had deer coming to our backyard and hanging around. Two of them are baby deer, still have their baby spots. I bought a feed block from the Gainesville, Texas Tractor Supply Store $12.48 (and no tax) last Saturday and put it out for them. It only took about 48 hours and the deer are enjoying the apple flavored deer feed block, and we are enjoying watching them from our kitchen window. The other day the 2 baby deer even laid in our backyard for 2 hours while their mother licked on the feed block. Beautiful.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos13a/DeerFeedBlock.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos13a/FourDeer070513.jpg
Since rains several weeks ago our 8 crape myrtle trees have blossomed out more beautiful and full then we've ever seen them.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos13a/FrontEntrance063013a.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos13a/CrapeMyrtle063013.jpg
The past 2 months I have had 3 cans of Rustoleum black paint go to waste because the nozzle stopped up about half way through the can. After googling the problem I discovered this has been an ongoing problem for nearly 3 years. I figured out the reason it's happening, I think, is because the paint is too thick. When I pick up a can, even a new unused can, I have to shake it like crazy to get the little metal ball to break loose, and start their work at mixing the paint. So I switched to Valspar spray paint the other day and I've not had a problem with stopped up valves. Two shakes and the metal balls are lose at the bottom of the can and mixing the paint. I can tell the Valspar paint is not as thick. I will never waste money on Rustoleum again.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos13a/RustoleumValspar.jpg
I had to put my sandblast cabinet outside because it was just TOO HOT inside my metal cargo building, like a oven. But outside where it is now, so much better. So I was busy July 4th and 5th making a lean-to shed for my sandblast cabinet. I used metal rafter hangers to secure it to the 3 posts and to the wall. I have 5 inch lag bolt through the 2X4 on top of each post. And 3 bolts and nuts through the 2X4 on the wall all the way to the other side of the wall. Its SOLID, that's for sure. Each 4X4 post is 12 inches in the ground in a bag of Sakecrete. I engraved 8 bricks Saturday, and boy was it HOT.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos13a/LeanToShed070713b.jpg
Q. What Oklahoma City shopping
destination was originally constructed as an open-air facility?
A. "The answer is Penn Square Mall. We lived in Oklahoma City until
1963 when I was 8 and we went out to Penn Square quite a bit before it was
turned into an enclosed mall." -Greg DeBerry
Q. What Oklahoma river's name
is from the Spanish name for "River of the Wild Sheep"?
A. (answer in next week's T&T)
From This and That
newsletter archives of July 10, 1999:
South of Ardmore at the
edge of town on Highway 77 used to be what was called the Hilltop Cafe back in
the 60s. I ran across this pic of Alvin's Chicken in the Rough restaurant and it
looks exactly like I remember the Hilltop Cafe when I was a teen. Alvin's was
located on Highway 77 south too. I believe it is the same place.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/alvins.jpg
----------------------------------------------------
This week I saw a photo of the Second
Ward School here in Ardmore, also known as Washington School. The photo was from
many years ago before the brick Washington School now called Early Childhood
Center on 5th NE. I attended Washington School. In 1907 my grandfather Stanley
Carmon lived in Gainesville, Texas with his parents. He was a teen and came to
Ardmore as a bricklayer to work on the new 2nd Ward School. My grandmother,
Addie Wilson was a student in that school. Stanley was laying brick on the
outside and noticed this young lady inside, and had an eye for her. 60 years
later a lady who lived at F Northeast and 4th by the name of Ella Bone would
tell me she sit next to the window and passed the notes back and forth between
Stanley and Addie. Addie would soon share his last name, Carmon. Here's a pic of
the Second Ward School on 5th and G Street NE.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/photos/2ndWard1906a.jpg
----------------------------------------------------
This is an rare and historic composite
image of the ten principle Chiefs of the Cherokee Nation made in 1909 by O. W.
Osborn of Tahlequah, Oklahoma. Center figure is the famous Chief John who served
under Andrew Jackson in the War of 1812 and led his people during the "Trail of
Tears", the Cherokee removal 1838-1839. The principle chiefs depicted are John
Ross from 1828-1866, Lewis Downing 1867-1871, William P. Ross 1871-1875, Chas.
Thompson 1875-1879, Dennis W. Bushyhead 1879-1887, Joel B. Mayes 1887-1891, C.
J. Harris 1891-1895, S. H. Mayes 1895-1899, T. M. Buffington 1899-1903, and W.
C. Rogers 1903-1909.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/photos/CherokeeChiefs.jpg
----------------------------------------------------
The Maire Hotel in Bartlesville, OK
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/photos/MaireHotel.jpg
----------------------------------------------------
For three years I have been searching
for a photo of a man named James Cruce who was sheriff of Carter County for 30
days back in 1925. Thanks to my friend Ernest Martin, and a book he found titled
"Carter County Schools 1923", I now have a photo of this mystery man. Sheriff
Ewing London was ousted from office in 1925 and James Cruce was installed as a
sheriff temporarily until after the litigation. A judge in Purcell ordered
Sheriff London re-instated, so James Cruce was only sheriff for 30 days. Here is
a pic of Mr. James Cruce, the mystery sheriff everyone forgot about until I ran
across his name in an old Ardmore Statesman newspaper.... what a find!
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/cruce.html
----------------------------------------------------
Friday I was at the 42 mile marker north
bound..... and saw a pickup have a blowout, shred the tire, run into the median,
and even set the grass on fire in several places. I picked up my c-phone and
called 911. Now picture this, I am at the north edge of Ardmore. The 911
operator answers and says: "Sulphur Police Department." Hey, that's 32 miles NE
of where I was. Yikes! Technology run amuck. I was in the Ardmore City Limits
and should have gotten the Ardmore Police Department.
----------------------------------------------------
Gas prices today in the Ardmore area......
http://www.oklahomagasprices.com/index.aspx?mss=152754
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,
I am trying to track down something that happened in Ardmore back in the 1970s and thought I would try your newsletter. It is a long shot but one never knows.
I used to know a geologist and paleontologist named Allan Graffam who had a geological laboratory and business in the south part of Ardmore back in the 1970s. He furnished fossil specimens, etc to universities, museums and private collectors all over the world. I was one of the charter members of the Chickasaw Historical Society there in Ardmore and went into the field with him on numerous occasions. When we first began trying to get a museum started at Tucker’s Tower, he would come to some of the meetings and was always very helpful. He actually discovered many sites all over North America and even into South America.
Eventually, he and his wife went through a divorce and some of his specimens from a site in South America were lost to his former wife. She moved over to the east side of town, not far from where Dr. Boyd’s house / office used to be (F Street NE). When I made inquiry of her about these specimens back then, I was told they had been sold in a garage sale. These items were chipped stone projectile points (at least 6 or 8 of them) and were made from a natural, black, volcanic glass (obsidian). I am sure that whomever ended up with these “arrowheads” thought they were pretty but had no idea where they came from originally. They may be residing in someone’s box of artifacts today and I would like very much to relocate them.
I believe Allan is long gone from this earth but he would appreciate my efforts to re-identify them. Maybe one of your Readers has some personal knowledge about this? Any information would be useful. Thanks.
Towana Spivey
[email protected]
http://www.chickasaw.net/hof/inductees/780.htm
Butch, do you know if there were yearbooks for Healdton schools prior to 1950? If you know of anyone who has one (if they exist) and would like to donate them to our school museum, please get in touch with me. Thanks! -Judy Roberts
The Boy Scout Oath
On my honor, I will do my best
To do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law;
To help other people at all times;
To keep myself physically strong, mentally awake and morally straight.
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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