This and That Newsletter
A Weekly Publication

www.OklahomaHistory.net

Vol 19  Issue 949      Circulation 5,000       April 2, 2015

PO Box 2

Ardmore, Oklahoma 73402

email address:  butchbridges@oklahomahistory.net

580-490-6823


January 1931 - Nearly a thousand unemployed men raided a grocery store within three blocks of the state capital in Oklahoma City. A hundred police and scores of other officers made wholesale arrests. The riot occurred after a delegation of men visited the Mayor and demanded that he furnish food for the unemployed.

February 1931 - Dr. John Dorough, county superintendent of health, advised the smallpox situation is daily getting worse. During the past week the disease has broken out in Zaneis, Rocky Point, Rock Springs, Woodford and Cool Branch schools. He says all school children and teachers should be vaccinated, it's free of charge and painless, and he will do it. Unfortunately the Carter County Health units is now completely disorganized and defunct, because there are no funds left to pay any nurses or buy medicine.

February 1955 - Shelby McKerson, prominent Ardmore Negro, who was the apparently the first of his race to file for the school board, withdrew today. McKerson's eligibility for the office had been questioned, due to a law dating back to early statehood days limiting filing to those person who are the same race as a majority of persons in the school district.

January 1964 - Landowners in the area of Ardmore's Newport water well field met and formed a "Newport Water Basin Protective Association." The will contact the Oklahoma Water Resources Board to ask a hearing on the water rights of the basin. Chairman of the group's governing committee is Dr. N.E. McBride. Other members include Jess Mitchell, Lone Grove Mayor, Leonard Robinson, Bernard Price, D. Ramsey and Dale Fuqua. They say their wells will produce only when the Ardmore wells are turned off. According to McBride, "Ardmore owns only one acre of land under each well. They are taking water that may not be replenished for centuries."

As of April 2, 2015 the Chickasaw Towers (old Highrise) is no more. Demolition crew has it completely down.  They started on Monday March 23rd and now 9 working days later its just a pile of rubble.

http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15a/HighriseDown040215.jpg

The warmer weather has me outside sandblasting a few pavers.

http://www.oklahomahistory.net/bricks/BoomerDogPaver.jpg

http://www.oklahomahistory.net/bricks/WelcomeStone032915.jpg

Below are some natural stone I have available for engraving.

http://www.oklahomahistory.net/stonenew/

After more than 2 weeks of being stuck, I finally broke below 177 pounds. I know 176 lbs. is nothing to write home about, only 1 pound less, but hey, TruVision is still at work, and I'm feeling better than I have in years.

I've met over 100 TruVision friends at the mailbox in the Walmart parking, that mailbox is becoming famous. If anyone wants to try it give me a holler. "I'll meet you at the mailbox." My TruVision family is growing like a weed. Come join us and check it all out at the link below.

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

http://butch.truvisionhealth.com/

Q.  What is the official state monument of Oklahoma?
A.  Golden Driller: Titanic Oil Man at Tulsa
http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/2190

Q.  Carl C. Magee invented patented what invention in 1932?
A.  (answer in next week's T&T)

From This and That newsletter archives of March 27, 1999:

About 50 miles east of Ardmore is Coalgate, Oklahoma. For many years there was one thing that Coalgate was noted for.. the home of Hudson's Big Country Store. When I was a teen I drove all the way over there to buy some cowboy boots. But one thing I didn't have with me was one of those Hudson's tokens.
http://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15a/HudsonToken.jpg

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I was digging around in a chest of drawers the other day and found a ring I handmade when I was a teen. I would take a fifty cent piece (they were silver in those days) and a spoon, to create a ring. It would take me about a month of beating on that ring, round and round and round, before I had it down to the size to fit my finger. I'd then take a drill bit and carefully drill it out. You could see the date and some of the wording on the inside. A person could use a present day fifty cent piece, but remember it has copper in the center. I used a tablespoon and by the time I had the ring made, the bottom of that spoon looked like it had been through a war.
http://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15a/HomeMadeRing.jpg
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"I notice that your courthouse photo collection doesn't have one from Bryan County, so I'm in low-speed pursuit. Ours is a little bit unique - out in front there's a statue of a Confederate soldier, with his musket, at parade rest. It was a contribution many years ago of the DAR. When I ask people if they have one I get an almost universal "No I don't--but I wish I had one." We got side tracked a little the other day when someone came up with an old color photo of Durant's now-gone Tom Tom Tavern. Don't suppose you'd be interested in starting a page of famous Oklahoma beer joints."
http://www.civilwaralbum.com/indian/durant1a.htm
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"Hi Butch. There used to be an old feller that rode a mule, and behind him trailed a train of horses. This feller also had a white beard, and was seen riding the roads of Carter, Love, Jefferson, and countless other counties. If I remember correctly he was called whiskers, and was a horse trader. Not many people knew anything about whiskers. He reminded me of the bearded man riding the bike in Ardmore."
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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, Some time ago a gentlemen had mentioned a musical event that took place in the mid 70's in Atoka that was called 48 Hours in Atoka. I have since found some pictures and wanted to share them with him. I think he may have been writing a book about it??? Does anyone know how to get in touch with the man?"  -Rhett
"Butch - The car was a 1987 Trans Am GTA.  It had the "Corvette" 350 cid TPI engine (and of course it was red).  There were only a limited number of these made.  The wreck happened right next to Randy Cramer's body shop (Oklahoma Body Shop, at the time, I think...).  Randy got the bid to repair the car.  Because of the value of the car, the insurance company wanted to rebuild the car, rather than total it.  Randy was able to find a similar year car and graft the back of it onto the front of the wrecked one.  His work was truly magnificent; it looked like a brand new car when he was finished.  There are some amazing automotive craftsmen in Ardmore!  We got the car to do some minor work to the front suspension and alignment.  I wish I had had a car like that when I was her age!"
--
Dan Major
Norman, Oklahoma

"Otasco was an acronym for Oklahoma Tire and Supply Company.
"I knew Floyd Cantrell when he lived in Nocona, he traded at my dad's service station just a couple of blocks from where he lived and I kept my horse across the street from him. I also live next to the Boren Cemetery and have visited it." -max brown  mbrown99@aol.com

"Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it" -David Henry Thoreau (1817-1862)

See everyone next week!

Butch and Jill Bridges

PO Box 2
Lone Grove, Oklahoma 73443


 

Follow me on the TruVision lose weight program
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/truvision.html
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
Ardmore High School Criterions Online
http://www.ArdmoreCriterion.com/
Oklahoma Bells: http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/bellpage.html
Bill Hamm's Cemetery Database
http://www.usgwarchives.net/ok/carter/cartercm.htm
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://cartercountyOK.us/

All previous issues of This & That can be found on my Website.
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