This and
That Newsletter
A Weekly Publication
Vol 17 Issue 871 Circulation 5,000 October 3, 2013
PO Box 11
Ardmore, Oklahoma 73402
email address: [email protected]
580-657-8616
Last week I received a 1958 aerial
picture of the old Ardmore Airbase NE of Ardmore. There are about (what is
thought to be) 70 C130's on the runways and tarmacs.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos13a/ArdmoreAirfieldAerial1958.jpg
On Tuesday of this week I was proud to attend an appreciation event for Leland Walker at the District 1 county barn at Springer, Oklahoma. It was in recognition of Leland's 50 years service working for Carter county government. Leland started in 1963 and has worked for 5 administrators; Commissioners Huss Standifer, Boise Harris, Joe Dean McReynolds, Bill McLaughlin, and now present Commissioner Joe David McReynolds. I say I was proud to attend because I can hardly imagine anyone achieving 50 years of continuous employment in the county government system in this state. Leland has probably set a record for county government. Senator Frank Simpson, Representative Pat Ownbey, and Representative Tommy Hardin were on hand to present certificates of appreciation to Leland including an appreciation certificate from Governor Mary Fallin.
http://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos13a/LelandWalker100113a.jpg
http://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos13a/LelandWalker100113b.jpg
Commissioner Joe David McReynolds presented Leland with a plaque in appreciation for his years of service to District 1.
http://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos13a/LelandWalker100113c.jpg
Everyone in attendance had a great time and we all partook of punch and cake with a Diecast model grader atop the cake that fit the celebration.
http://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos13a/LelandWalkerCake1.jpg
http://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos13a/LelandWalkerCake2.jpg
Oh, and I need to mention, this was not a retirement party, Leland Walker is still on the job! Congrats Leland for 50 years of service and still going!
Oklahoma's smallest bank survives, thrives in Elmore City, Oklahoma.
http://newsok.com/oklahomas-smallest-bank-survives-thrives-in-elmore-city/article/3878024
Last month the old home of Ardmore oilman Waco Turner was added to the National Register of Historic Places. The old mansion was located at 1501 3rd Southwest. Waco is buried in Rose Hill Cemetery.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos13a/WacoTurnerHomeplace.jpg
Group photo of Ardmore Police Department - 1964.
http://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos13a/ArdmorePD1964.jpg
In the southeast corner of Ardmore's City Hall stands a monument erected in 1987 to honor the mayors of Ardmore from 1887 to 1987.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos13a/ArdmoreMayors.jpg
Bill Dixon at Healdton was in Ardmore
this week and brought me a couple of train videos recorded in West Virginia.
Bill said when he saw them the first thing he thought of was Dwane Stevens and
me. Bill asked that I pass them along to Dwane in Lone Grove when I'm through
watching them. I know Dwane would like to get his hands of these as soon as
possible but he'll have to wait until next week. I have special plans for these
train videos over the next few days.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos13a/TwoTrainVideosA.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos13a/TwoTrainVideosB.jpg
I bought a new sandblast gun the other day smaller than the one I've been using to make custom engraved bricks. The 3/16 hole cuts much better than the 1/8 inch opening that I've been using to cut the letters. Plus I've switched from the ceramic nozzle end to a tungsten carbide nozzle. The tungsten carbide will last through 100's of sandblast jobs instead of about 30 when I was using the ceramic. Amazing what 1/16th of an inch can make. Below is a 6 inch by 12 inch by 1 inch thick marker I made for a family at Wilson, Oklahoma.
http://oklahomahistory.net/bricks/CauthronMarker.jpg
Q. In 1889 the opening to white
settlement of a choice portion of Indian Territory in Oklahoma set off one of
the most bizarre and chaotic episodes of town founding in world history. What
was the name of that Oklahoma town?
A.
Guthrie, Oklahoma. Went from zero population to 10,000 in the matter of a
few hours. Nothing had ever happened like that in the history of the world.
Q. Only one Geronimo automobile
still exists. What Oklahoma town made the Geronimo autos for a period of time?
A. (answer in next week's T&T)
From This and That newsletter archives of October 2, 1999:
I've lived all my life here. I've been
through Dickson, Oklahoma (9 miles east of Ardmore) a million times. A couple
weeks ago I first noticed two things in the center of Dickson along highway 199.
First, there is one of those green historical markers on the south side of the
highway, across from the Dickson High School. That marker tells about a Durwood,
Oklahoma (located just south of Dickson) resident by the name of Rosella
Hightower.
Ms. Rosella Hightower was born in 1920 and later became a renown prima
ballerina. The U.S. produced five world leading prima ballerinas at the same
time, and they all were from the eastern half of Oklahoma, all of Indian
heritage. No other nation ever produced five prima ballerinas at the same time.
The five prima ballerinas were: Yvonne Chouteau (Cherokee Indian) from Vinita,
Oklahoma; Moscelyne Larkin (Peoria Indian) of Miami, Oklahoma; Maria and sister
Majorie Tallchief (Osage Indian) of Fairfax, Oklahoma; and Rosella Hightower
(Chickasaw Indian) of Durwood, Oklahoma. Here is a photo of the historical
marker in Dickson, Oklahoma dedicated to Ms. Hightower.
http://oklahomahistory.net/photos/rosella1.jpg
Secondly, in Dickson, Oklahoma right beside
the above historical marker is a sign denoting a park. I have never heard of
this park nor do I know anything about it. The sign reads Lazy Creek Park. You
travel south a few hundred feet and come to what I guess is the park. But when I
was there, the gate was closed and locked. Maybe someone knows more about this
park?
http://oklahomahistory.net/photos/lazypark.jpg
----------------------------------------------------
The present day
Durwood
Baptist Church was erected in 1963 thanks to the generosity of an Indian
lady by the name of Janie Chubbee.
http://oklahomahistory.net/photos/chubbee1.jpg
----------------------------------------------------
Last week I was visiting the Chickasaw
Regional Library and across the street in an open field sat a helicopter. I was
told the pilot had landed/parked there while staying at the Hampton Inn next
door. I happen to noticed on the helicopter tail the words "boatpix.com" Come to
find out the helicopter is from Florida and used by a company to take photos of
boats. I still kick myself for not asking for a ride!
http://oklahomahistory.net/photos/boatpix.jpg
----------------------------------------------------
"Gee, thanks. Your story about Chock
and the Hamburger Inn just set my taste buds for a couple of coneys and an order
of those wonderful, greasy fries they used to serve. Heaven! And they're nothing
even remotely close to either one in Norman, so far as I know. Does the Inn
still have the same food that it used to have? I haven't eaten there in years;
when I'm in Ardmore the place is always closed. When I was in high school in the
early seventies, we used to RUN, not walk, to the Hamburger Inn for lunch. We'd
go to the drive up window and order a coney or burger, fries, and a coke, and
sit outside on the patio in the back to eat lunch. It cost a buck or so, maybe a
little more. Lunchtime has never gotten any better than that."
----------------------------------------------------
"Man, some people will do almost anything for a coconut cream pie from Hamburger
Inn, huh?"
----------------------------------------------------
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
Non-ethanol gas (pure gas) stations in the Ardmore area (updated).
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/puregas.html
Some mail from this week's MAILBAG.....
"Hi Butch, Latest T&T prompts a few comments from Memory Lane... Hamburger Inn, I graduated 1941 and sometime bought lunch there thru the window on the street. Never went inside but recall they had about 5 stools at the counter... Mid to late '30s I went several times to Adcock's drug store, then 3 or 4 doors West of Caddo, on Main So. side...'40-41 Martin-Fedler drug was on NW corner Main & Caddo, they had a popular huge malt-freeze for a nickel... The Turner Falls view gas station & gift shop, site of the mentioned Palacine Indian, was run for years,, by Doc Long & wife Volley, lived there, 1930s. My Dad, 1930-31 was 'Filling Station Manager' for Wirt Franklin, OK City, & had dozens of the Palacine Indian ashtrays at home, kept to present to good customers, actually made of pot-metal then, replacing the earlier one of heavy bronze... I recall several times stopping at Bob's Pig Stand when we went thru Pauls Valley." -Bob McCrory
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"I remember the Bourns family well. Someone was trying to remember Sonny Bourns' wife first name, and I think her name was Charlene. I also remember hearing Ricky sign off the air at midnight saying his sign off song which was a top hit called "Soul Deep." I was totally shocked to learn the next AM what had happened to Ricky. I am aware that both of his parents never were the same after losing him. He was a fun loving kid, and was nice to all the customers at the W. Broadway Pac A Sak."
Soul Deep by the Box Tops - 1969. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--f55NUHGbo
"Butch, that picture is not the bank, but it is the old General Store at Gene Autry.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/BerwynBank1907.jpg
The old Berwyn bank (now Gene Autry, OK) was located south and across the street and on the WEST side. The floor is still in this location on the west side, or it was a few years ago. The two buildings look a little alike, but are two separate locations." -Mike
Infamous Quotes: The last thing I want to do is hurt you, but it's still on my list.
See everyone next week!
Butch and Jill Bridges
Nashobish Ikana
PO Box 11
Ardmore, Oklahoma 73402
Carter County Courthouse Paver Project
http://www.brightok.net/cartercounty/pavers
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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