Mark Coe sent in another great photo of downtown Ardmore he found on eBay this week. It's the Town Tavern on the south side of Main Street just a couple doors east of the old Solomon Bakery in the 100 block.
http://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15b/DowntownTavernCafe1940a.jpg
http://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15b/DowntownTavernCafe1940b.jpg
Here is a 1941 listing of the eating establishments in Ardmore, Oklahoma. You will see a couple lists as being on Boundary NW. Boundary was the city limits on the north in '41 and later renamed Monroe Street.
http://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15b/ArdmoreRestaurants1941.jpg
A few pavers I sandblasted the past week.
http://oklahomahistory.net/bricks/KickCancerPaver.jpg
http://oklahomahistory.net/bricks/LucyPaver.jpg
http://oklahomahistory.net/bricks/PioneerRoadPaver.jpg
http://oklahomahistory.net/UMCpavers/UMCEmilySpence.jpg
http://oklahomahistory.net/UMCpavers/UMCGordanLucas.jpg
http://oklahomahistory.net/UMCpavers/UMCAbbiFarmer.jpg
http://oklahomahistory.net/UMCpavers/UMCJackJustice.jpg
A number of friends and myself have been losing weight and keeping it off with TruVision, plus feeling better than I have in many years. If anyone wants to try it, give me a holler. "I'll meet you at the Walmart mailbox!" Join us and check it all out at the link below.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/truvision.html
http://butch.truvisionhealth.com/
"Just to update, I'm still saving 16? with the power saver. The next bill will probably not show much savings as this morning the temp was 58*. I was wondering why the a/c was not running. What a surprise. Just like in Oklahoma just hang around a few days & we will see what is going on. Will keep you posted." -Okefenokie Okie
Q. What Oklahoma governor was
the first elected Republican?
A.
Henry Louis Bellmon (September 3, 1921 ? September 29, 2009) was an American
Republican politician from the U.S. state of Oklahoma. A member of the Oklahoma
Legislature, he went onto become both the 18th and 23rd governor of Oklahoma and
a two-term United States Senator.
Q. Who was the first
governor of Oklahoma Indian Territory?
A. (answer in next week's T&T)
From This and That newsletter archives of August 25, 2001:
"Good evening Butch. It was a privilege and
an honor talking with you today. My heart has been made light by finding your
website today. For thirty five years I've cried myself to sleep remembering my
John's (John Odom) eyes. He had such a soulful look and was such a wonderful
person that even today I can hear his voice and remember his smile. He was an
athlete much greater than any Michael Jordan or Walter Patten. He went into the
military to help his mother and was a grand young man, a baby more gentler than
any lamb. He was kind and shy and I feel blessed just to have known him. There
are so many memories. Thank you for all that you have done for young men who
were not even related to you. I want to do more than just say words but I must
get through the next few days of memories now. I have cried today and will cry
more. John was my heart and I've missed him terribly. Please know that you are
loved for what you are doing and I plan on staying in touch. I honor you sir for
who you are. I hope you will write again. Much love and respect to you and all
that you do." -Texas
Note: John Odom died in the 1966 plane crash NE of Ardmore
----------------------------------------------------
This year two or three huge mounds of big
red ants started colonizing near the memorial site. The first stuff Paul
Mitchell bought to kill the red ants didn't work. Then he bought some stuff
called Amdro. There is not one live red ant any in of the mounds. Amdro is a
granular type stuff, the ants carried down into the den, where it kills even the
queen ant.
----------------------------------------------------
Two Graham cemetery books were in the
possession of Graham, Oklahoma resident Mary Kilcrease (she's 92 years young!)
Mary Kilcrease is the expert on the Graham Cemetery, she knows where everyone is
buried. Some time ago someone borrowed one of the two old books, and never
returned it. Maybe they'll repent.
----------------------------------------------------
J.L. Self, the 911 coordinator for the
county, bought herself a Bushnell Laser RangeFinder this week. I was looking it
over and took it outside to look up at the dome of the courthouse. I wanted to
see what it said the distance is from the ground to the dome. I was standing on
the east side of the courthouse, looking up through the viewfinder. There is a
bottom on the top that shoots the laser to the object, reflects, and then gives
you the distance.
So, what did I see? Boy, you got me. But it was fast. Very fast. I already had a pic of the courthouse, do I tried to draw an example of the "flash" as I saw in the RangeFinder. Maybe someone out there has an idea what this could be? My example is much whiter then what I saw in the sky behind the dome Tuesday at noon.
http://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15b/UFOArdmore082101.jpg
----------------------------------------------------
Another piece of Ardmore history is coming down, the Corinth Baptist Church. The church is (was) located at 10th and "N" Northeast. Crews started tearing it down this week.
http://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15b/CorinthBaptistChurch2001.jpg
This is how the church looked before the 1974
remodel.
http://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15b/CornithBaptistChurchBefore1974.jpg
This is how the church looked sometime
after 1974 after a remodel.
http://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15b/CorinthBaptistChurch1974.jpg
----------------------------------------------------
"Butch, someone wrote in and asked if
anyone remembered playing the children's game "Go In & Out the Window". I
remember that well. When I was a student at the Washington Elem. on 5th Ave. NE
we used to play that often. The words went something like this "Go in & out the
window...go in & out the window...go in & out the window for we have come to
stay." (I think this next line is correct but am not positive) "Go forth and
choose your (?)_____, go forth & choose your ___, go forth & choose your ___ for
we have came to stay." I know there have to be more words but it's too early in
the a.m. for my old brain to remember them (haha). I also remember that at
recess some of my friends & I (from grades 1 to 3 when we had to play on the
playground on the east side of the school), we would play "jump rope". Sometimes
we would take those big jump ropes & fold them in half. Someone would place
their hands on the center of the rope & hold on to it. Children would line up
(spaced about a foot apart) behind that person & hold on to the rope - one part
on their left side & the other part of the rope on their right. We would add
children until we had enough to fill the line with "horses"...then a "wagon
master" would grab the 2 ends of the rope and yell "Giddyap" & we would take off
running. You had to keep up or get trampled in the stampede. Many skinned knees
& elbows resulted in those who tripped & fell...but it was fun anyway. When we
went to 4th grade we got to play on the playground west of the school. It was a
nice little park and still had the old wading pool there (empty during school
times). We would play dodge ball in the pool. I can still see Mr. Conley & the
teachers out there sitting on those rock benches drinking their coffee and
keeping an eye on us. We must have been pretty good kids because I don't ever
remember any fights or scuffles. We just played. We would play kick ball, jump
rope, swing, play on the merry-go-round and the monkey bars. One cold day I was
on top of the monkey bars (the very top bar that went straight across), and was
laying over it on my stomach. We would do that & holding on to that bar, flip
our bodies over it. Well, that day since it was so cold, I had on wool gloves
and my hands slipped & I went crashing to the ground. I think I hit my head on
every bar on the way down. Guess that's what's wrong with my brain now days! haha. I had a large knot and some bruising, but they just put a wet paper towel
on my head and told me to lay my head down on my desk until I felt better. When
I went home my mother took a look at my injuries and said that I should've had
better sense than to do such a "dumb" thing...flipping over with my gloves on.
This day and time, the teachers and the school would be sued for "traumatic"
damages. My mom was right, though. I should've had better sense. Live & learn -
I never did it again. I came across some old pictures in my mom's picture box
recently of some of the kids I went to school with there. Brought back many
memories."
----------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------
Some mail from this week's MAILBAG.....
"Butch, My dad worked cleaning out the brush at the bottom of lake Murray in 1942 and 1943. He worked for the W.P.A. He got $2.40 a day and got eat up by the chiggers. We left for California in 1943. I went back a few years ago and camped in my motor home at the elephant rock mobile park. It was a beautiful park. What a difference from 1943. Dad would walk three miles to Ardmore then catch a truck to the work place at Lake Murray. I was 12 when we left Oklahoma. I have been back several times. I have lots of relatives around Ardmore. It has changed a lot there too. I started school at Baum in a one room building that had eight grades with one teacher for all eight grades then transferred to Dickson and left in the seventh grade/ Lots of memories there. Really enjoy your posts. Keep up the good work." -Orie Edwards"Dear Butch - A couple of weeks ago a lady wrote to you regarding the train engine by Hardy Murphy. She said her father helped lay the tracks to get it over there. I know that the significance of the train, I believe, is that it carried the doctors and nurses here when the big explosion happened in Ardmore, but was wondering if anyone knew any more history about it. Such as: Why did it wind up at the Hardy Murphy location, did the railroad give it to the City of Ardmore, and did it just stay in Ardmore after it delivered the doctors and nurses? Hoping some of your many readers can answer these questions. Thanks so much." -Diane Boland
"Butch, The last train to Ringling shown in that photo from my good friend Ken Fitzgerald was actually on Oct 31, 1976. I should have put the 1976 date on the photo as the copyright date instead of the 2008 date which was the date I sent out those photos (with Ken's permission). Sorry for creating the confusion." -Dwane Stevens
http://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15b/LastTrainRingling2008.jpg
"Loved the pics from Devil's Den. I recognized the one of my brother & myself in 1967. It's such a shame that this place is no longer available to the public and the brush has grown up around the boulders since I was last there in 1977. Do you know if there is a written history on the area or if any geologists ever tried to determine how all of those humongous boulders were formed??? Thanks!!!" -Kathi G. Fayetteville, Arkansas
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/devilsden/
"Butch, can't thank you enough for the Devil's Den photos. There are several photos in my mother's photo album and I've wondered about the location for years. They were taken in the mid/late 1920's and they show my Mom and Dad (before kids) standing on enormous boulders. There is even one that is a close match to the 'coffin'. Can you believe I was born and raised in Sulphur to 18 yrs old and I've never been to Devil's Den? Now it's on my to-do list." -Earlene
"Hi Butch, I always enjoy your weekly report and need to have you include a WANT AD when you can. I grew up in Carter County and love windmills and we had one on the farm with my grandparents, Charley and Mary Rudd near Prairie Valley. I have a friend who wants a real windmill for his front yard. If anyone knows about one for sale, please send me a note and I will forward it to my friend. He will come and dismantle it and haul it back to California." -Marie Wren [email protected]
"Loved last week's newsletter... Priddy's Caf? picture made me wish for a Pimento Cheese Sandwich, or any of the others they made... mmmmm. good!" -Jo
"Just curious, I don't recall Priddy's Restaurant on S. Commerce. By the looks of the auto, it may have been before my time, however, that does resemble the old Carlton's Drive in restaurant on S Commerce. Actually before it was Commerce, it was highway 77. I have an old menu from Carlton's dating about 1952." -Dale Young
http://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos14a/CarltonDriveIn.jpg
The Bank That Was Sent Through the Post Office.
http://www.stampsofdistinction.com/2008/07/bank-that-was-sent-through-post-office.html
"A fiery horse with the speed of light, a cloud of dust and a hearty "Hi Yo Silver!" The Lone Ranger. "Hi Yo Silver, away!" With his faithful Indian companion Tonto, the daring and resourceful masked rider of the plains, led the fight for law and order in the early west. Return with us now to those thrilling days of yesteryear. The Lone Ranger rides again!" -September 15, 1949
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxIuIxqo2So
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
Government Website
http://cartercountyOK.us/
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