"Once Upon A Time.... some Ringling residents will remember the Cornish Children's Home that began as a dream for Moses E. Harris, who taught school at the Chickasaw Chapel near Marietta. He dreamed one night that he built a magnificent orphanage. Shortly after his dream, Harris began securing funds to build such a place in Cornish, Oklahoma.
The frame structure was started in October 1903. Then in 1917 the three-story wooden structure caught fire. It was a sad day for all the kids who lived in the home, but it didn't take long for rebuilding to begin. Funds were slow to come in so Wirt Franklin, a local oilman, paid for the completion of the building after striking oil near Oklahoma City.
After Harris reached old age he sold the 297 acres and home for $7,000 with the understanding that the home would keep going. After about two years it sold to an individual and the doors were closed forever. The home ultimately housed over 1,700 homeless children." -Recorded by Betty Carroll October 17, 1984
March 31, 2001 email: "Butch, I have the two books that were written by Moses E. Harris, From the Cradle to Old Age, this is how he worked hard to get some education- he could not read or write at the age of eighteen. He became a teacher and editor. This is his life story of growing up . He was born Dec. 13, 1869 and this book was written in April 1945, at the age of 75 years and 5 months. The second book is A Story of The greatest Human Interest. The story of a plain country boy and the greatest institution in Oklahoma, where hundreds of homeless orphan children are given a chance for a better life. These two books have pictures of the first orphanage and after the fire how he struggled and rebuilt the second home with the help of Wirt Franklin, many children from Carter County and all around came to this home, he even traveled and picked them up. This is the complete story of how a man had so much love to give to children and let them know what it was like to be loved and have a safe place to live. All of the pictures of all the orphans, the matrons, the rules the children had to go by and the work and the schooling they were taught. I would have liked to have met such a man that so much love and giving of himself, and still had a family of his own that found a way to bring happiness. "
Received an update email on 10/09/14 from Brad and Nellie in Australia about their cross country trip.
"G'day Butch,
We are still in Western Australia, do not have to be home until early November.
Good to see you thinking of your law enforcement folk. I had 33 years in the
Queensland Police Force until I retired last year. If you get killed on duty
with our mob you get a Police boat named after you, luckily we don't have that
many boats. We have spent the last week or so inland a bit from Geraldton. It is
wheat growing country that was settled around 1860 and all the the towns have
great little museums and history walks, it has all been very interesting and you
would have enjoyed it. The country here is vastly different to the cattle
raising country further to the north. Up there a cattle station would average
around 1,000,000 acres and the cattle lived on thin air and rocks. The only
creek we crossed on the Canning Stock Route was Savoury Creek which drained nto
Lake Disappointment. The creek was about 6 inches deep and salty enough to float
a rock. Down here where we are now the rivers even have water and some of it
running!!!. Wheat covers the countryside as far as you can see and the average
farmer farms about 20,000 acres. Up north,
traveling
from Meekatharra towards the coast we traveled 350km (217 miles) and did not
see another vehicle. The area here is much more popular with tourists and is
famous for it's Spring wildflowers however we were just a little late and much
of the flowers have been and gone. From here we will travel towards the south
coast and then head slowly back
east across the Nullarbor
Plain. Cheers for now." -Brad and Nellie Walker
Anyone remember Ardmore's Tom Cooper Farms? A reader sent in a picture of the lid from a 1 pint container of Cooper Farms sherbet.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos14b/CooperFarmsSherbet.jpg
A Reader sent in the following couple photos he took at Oklahoma's state capital. This first one is the granite monument with the Ten Commandments inscribed on it.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos14b/TenCommandmentsOKC.jpg
This second photo is a view from the north of Oklahoma's capital building.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos14b/OKStateCapitol2014.jpg
My vicious dog attacks webpage for Oklahoma grows longer with each passing month.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/viciousdogs.html
Carter County Government has a new website and look. Bookmark the new URL on your computer.
Below are a couple pavers I sandblasted the past week.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/bricks/MissPrissyPaver.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/bricks/TheresaJacksonPaver.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/bricks/SturgesPaver.jpg
Q. The largest independent cattle marketing company in the nation is based
in what Oklahoma town.
A. Winter Livestock, headquartered in Enid, Oklahoma
http://www.enidbuzz.com/enid-trivia/
Q. In his 32 years in crime,
what Oklahoma born outlaw is claimed to have robbed more banks than both the
James-Younger Gang
and the Doolin-Dalton Gang
put together?
A. (answer in next week's T&T)
From This and That newsletter archives of October 14, 2000:
Twenty five miles north of Ardmore is Davis, Oklahoma. In about 1850 after migrating to Indian Territory, the Nelson Chigley family settled in that area, eventually acquiring nearly 2,000 acres of land. The land would be called Chigley Flat. When the Santa Fe came through in 1887-1888, railway officials made arrangements with Mr. Chigley to survey part of the land into lots, so began the town of Davis. These lots were chained off by government surveyors and sold for $5.00 for a 50 foot lot. Mr. Chigley, a civic minded man, donated four corner lots to be the Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian and Christian denominations, and no doubt, the land on which the Davis city park is located. Mr. Chigley built a two story house in the east part of Davis in 1891. He hired teachers and boarded Indian children in order that they might have an education. That house still stands today, and is known as the Chigley Mansion. It's present owners are B.J. and Connie Wigley. They have turned the Chigley Mansion into a Bed and Breakfast.http://chigleymansion.com/
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Sometimes I wonder where the word "service" in the business world has gone to, as seemed to be the case here a few days ago. I also wonder about some other words that were held in high esteem by our ancestors, like helping, caring, and honesty, My cousins were down from Oklahoma City taking care of some last minute business details of my 89 year old aunt and uncle. They had just recently moved to Oklahoma City and left some details undone. One thing to be taken care of was to find out where they had their home insured. We knew it was with State Farm, but did not with which agent. My cousin called all seven State Farm offices in Ardmore for help. They all said the same thing, "we can't help you". So he gave up and went back to the Oklahoma City. The next morning he picked up the Oklahoma City phone book, looked in the yellow pages for a State Farm office, called, explained the situation of these two 89 year old and nearly senile relatives of mine, and within a couple minutes, they had my aunt and uncle's account on their screen. The Oklahoma City agency told my cousin the homeowners policy was with a State Farm agent in Durant, Oklahoma
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Here's an interesting pic, the business card of the Ardmore Oil and Milling Company, W.F Lindsay, General Manager. Circa 1915.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos14b/ArdmoreOilRefinery.jpg
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"Butch, about the reported air park that once existed south of the Hickory Creek bridge in the 50's. I wasn't born until 1946, But lived at Lake Murray for 17 yrs. and went to school with a nice family that lived just up the hill, north of the bridge, spent lots of time in that area and never once heard a story of any air park around there. Don't mean their wasn't one but it seems that, that would have been a good conversation piece. Between that old bridge and their house (north of the bridge 1/2 mi. east side of the road was an old cemetery that always stirred my imagination. Always wanted to walk in there and see what I could find out but thought I would be treading on sacred ground. I really enjoy your T&T, Thanks Butch. People like you are rare, and a breath of fresh air in this day and time."
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"Butch: There was an airport south of Lake Murray Dam located immediately west of the Enville store across the road. The Enville store is now closed but was run for many years by Von Dee Lemons and his wife. Keep up the good work."
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"Does anyone else remember any of the business's on Caddo. There was Mrs. Mayall 5&10 store where my Granddad Frank Rountree would buy his yearly Westclock pocket watch for a dollar and you could still get a barlow knife for a dollar. I remember a feed store on the corner that also cracked pecans in the fall. There were several bars along the street. The last one I remember was owned by Sam McLain. My great uncle Othor (Runt) Rountree ran a couple of the old bars on Caddo, in fact he died in an apartment above one of them. Also was the street ever officially named Caddo?"
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"Hi Butch, I also grew up in Ardmore, and reading your glimpse into the past, really brought back my childhood there. I have a picture of the old Tyler & Simpson Co. That was taken the year we were born. It also has the names and pictures of the people working there. My grandfather E.W Clifton and aunt Kathryn Clifton both worked there. This was taken in1949. Left to right - Leland Jones, Eddie Ellis, Red Hawkins, C.G Stout, Ted Hensley, Wilton Nelson, J.T Nutting, Marion King, Bill Goddard, Carl McCann, Billy Hayes, Kathryn Clifton, Dale Trotter, R.H McConnell, Clariuce Bridgemore, E.W Clifton, Truck driver for Mrs Tuckers, Hicks Stamps, Dick Bagwell. I didn't go to school in Ardmore, I went to Dickson."
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos8a/TylerAndSimpsonCo.jpg
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"Yes, I remember Mrs. Hart's canaries ( Hart's Grocery at SW corner of 3rd and P street NE) and my brother and I bought my mother one for her birthday, she had him for many years before he died! I can still hear him sing!"
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"Hi Butch, I found a couple pictures of Oklahoma from the Fort Sill area. One is the Guard House on the Military grounds back in 1941-2. He said he would probably spend a lot of time there. Well, he did. He ended up being a Military Police (MP) and spend hours on guard there."
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos14b/FtSillGuardHouse1942.jpg
"The next one is the Officers Club where my
dad said that the only time he will ever get to go into it is if he was cleaning
it up. The picture was also taken in 1941-2. He never did say weather he ever
got to go inside."
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos14b/FtSillOfficersClub.jpg
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Gas prices today in the Ardmore area......
http://www.oklahomagasprices.com/index.aspx?mss=152754
Non-ethanol gas (pure gas) stations in the Ardmore area.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/puregas.html
Some mail from this week's MAILBAG.....
"Butch, Susan and I were in Colorado last week and coming into
Leadville, from the south on US24, there is this red building with a bell tower
and bell. I don't know if it is an old school or church. No one there to tell
us. We have seen it before but I stopped to take a picture this time. Was
thinking of your many
documented bells. Colors were beautiful with the Aspen trees turning. Gold,
yellows, reds and greens with a fresh fallen snow." -David Willingham
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos14b/LeadvilleCObell100214b.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos14b/LeadvilleCObell100214a.jpg
"I just uploaded Roy Miller's historic 1950's Dolese Operations photos of the Crusher at Big Canyon, Okla. (with permission) to my Flickr account. There are several shots of the Santa Fe main along the Washita River. Especially check out Photo #12 and note the description underneath the photo. Roy tells of how they worked 30 hours straight trying to save the line when the river was flooding." -C. Dwane Stevens
https://www.flickr.com/photos/railheadok/sets/72157648772299605/
"Butch, in last week's TNT (year 2000 archives) there was a letter from Ernest Martin..... The store next door to Jones' Furniture wasn't really a store, it was an insurance agency owned by the Bramlett's and next door to them was Glancy, Ford & Hunter Ins. Agency where I worked when I got out of high school. Ernest drugstore was where we went for coffee each day. Just a little trivia there!!!" -danna
"Thanks for last week's history of the in-n-out burger in Southern California. My and Fern's destination whenever in the vicinity. Plan to be there June, 2015. They also have cute tee shirts souvenirs." -Joanna and Fern
"Railroad pictures of our Durango, Colorado trip." -Doug Williams
http://dougwilliamsphotography.smugmug.com/Durango-and-Silverton-NGRR/
"Mesa Verda National Park, Colorado pictures." -Doug Williams
http://dougwilliamsphotography.smugmug.com/Mesa-Verde-National-Park/
"Monument Valley and Arches National Park, Moab, Utah pictures." -Doug Williams
http://dougwilliamsphotography.smugmug.com/Moab-Utah-and-Monument-Valley/i-rP7xCnp
No doubt the most famous singer of all time in Australia. He was even given a state funeral and the Prime Minister attended.
Waltzing Matilda by Slim Dusty 1927-2004
Once a jolly swagman sat beside the billabong,
Under the shade of a coulibah tree,
And he sang as he sat and waited by the billabong
You'll come a waltzing matilda with me
Waltzing matilda, waltzing matilda
You'll come a waltzing matilda with me
And he sang as he sat and waited by the billabong
You'll come a waltzing matilda with me.
Down came a jumbuck to drink beside the billabong
Up jumped the swagman and seized him with glee
And he sang as he tucked jumbuck in his tuckerbag
Down came the stockman, riding on his thoroughbred,
Down came the troopers, one, two, three.
"Where's the jolly jumbuck you've got in your tuckerbag?
Up jumped the swagman and plunged into the billabong,
"You'll never catch me alive," cried he
And his ghost may be heard as you ride beside the billabong,
You'll come a waltzin Matilda with me.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwvazMc5EfE
"The world is so empty if one thinks
only of mountains, rivers and cities; but to know someone here and there who
thinks and feels with us, and though distant, is close to us in spirit - this
makes the earth for us an inhabited garden."
-Johann
Wolfgang von Goethe 1749?1832
See everyone next week!
Butch and Jill Bridges
PO Box 2
Lone Grove, Oklahoma 73443
Vicious Dog Attacks in Oklahoma
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/viciousdogs.html
Bells of Oklahoma
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/bellpage.html
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/
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