I dropped by Jerry's Gun Shop here in Ardmore this week and visited with Steven Harris, the proprietor since his father, Jerry, passed away. The original store was kind of small and cramped for space so Steven recently added an addition to make way for a lot more inventory and Ardmore history. Did I say Ardmore history? Yes I did, that was my primary reason for stopping in this week besides looking at one of the largest collections of guns for sale in southern Oklahoma and north Texas. You see, Steven has been collecting Ardmore memorabilia for many years and has quite a collection of history from the bygone years of this city.
Steven has traveled far and wide through the years in his quest to collect and preserve Ardmore's history. Outside of the Greater Southwest Historical Museum here in town, Steven has done a fantastic job gathering the Ardmore memorabilia from individuals not only here, but all over the United States and bringing it back to Ardmore where it belongs.
This is a picture of the new addition from the outside.
http://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15b/JerrysGunShop101415a.jpg
An overall view from inside the store.
http://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15b/JerrysGunShop101415aa.jpg
There are quite a number of photos below I took, and worth the time to look at. So enjoy.
http://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15b/JerrysGunShop101415b.jpg
This is the Gunsmith section of the building.
http://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15b/JerrysGunShop101415c.jpg
This old gravity feed fuel pump caught my eye.
http://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15b/JerrysGunShop101415d.jpg
I love the bead board ceiling.
http://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15b/JerrysGunShop101415e.jpg
Steven has one of the original "Friend" Indian statues from the 20s and 30s that was seen in front of many gas stations around southern Oklahoma back in those days. There was even one at Turner Falls.
http://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15b/JerrysGunShop101415f.jpg
Here is a picture I took of the Ardmore pharmacy bottles.
http://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15b/JerrysGunShop101415g.jpg
http://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15b/JerrysGunShop101415j.jpg
This is a collection of bottles and other items from Colvert's Dairy.
http://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15b/JerrysGunShop101415h.jpg
Primrose Diary
http://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15b/JerrysGunShop101415i.jpg
Frank Berryhill Tin Shop
http://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15b/JerrysGunShop101415k.jpg
Sheriff Floyd Randolph pistol and other items.
http://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15b/JerrysGunShop101415l.jpg
A close-up of Sheriff Randolph's badge.
http://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15b/JerrysGunShop101415m.jpg
Sheriff Randolph's office desk.
http://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15b/JerrysGunShop101415n.jpg
Luke's Music store sign.
http://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15b/JerrysGunShop101415o.jpg
If you're in Ardmore, stop by and see Steven at his gun shop at 715 Grand Ave. He is a collector extraordinaire of Ardmore's past.
September 1931
All highways will lead to Lone Grove, Friday evening, as the Southern Oklahoma
Masons will be conferring Master's Degrees in the open air as was done by
ancient brethren in the time of King Solomon. Arrangements have been made to
close the highway south out of Lone Grove to all but Master Masons. Guards will
be stationed at each end of this section and will not allow entry to anyone who
is not a member. Four beeves are to be barbequed to serve the 1,000 or more
Masons expected to attend "at a beautiful spot" one mile south of Lone Grove.
September 1955
Robert Denney is about the busiest young man in Lone Grove. He's a driller for
Noble Oil and City Constable on the side.
September 1964
Oklahomans observe a legal anniversary on September 1. In 1959, on September 1,
retail liquor store owners legally opened their doors. With the event came
cheers from some, boos from others, and cries from bootleggers who had prospered
for years on the sale of illegal booze.
A Reader asked if I had the Priddy's Salad Dressing mentioned in last week's newsletter. Yes I do. It was sent to me over 10 years ago, so here it is again.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/textfiles/PriddySaladDressing.txt
A few pavers I sandblasted the past week.
http://oklahomahistory.net/UMCpavers/UMCMikeHowie.jpg
http://oklahomahistory.net/UMCpavers/JacobPaver.jpg
http://oklahomahistory.net/UMCpavers/JohnKennedyPaver.jpg
http://oklahomahistory.net/UMCpavers/JessieHoughlinPaver.jpg
By using the combination of TruVision and a probiotic I am really seeing some good results. The probiotic is building up the friendly flora in my stomach, and the gut fat is fading away. If you really want to get rid of that belly fat I truly believe the probiotics is the way to go. Just give me a holler if you want to lose weight the TruVision way. "I'll meet you at the Walmart mailbox!" Join us and check it all out at the link below.
http://oklahomahistory.net/probiotics.html
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/truvision.html
http://butch.truvisionhealth.com/
Someone mentioned to me their electric bill is larger in the winter than in the summer because they have an all-electric home. Electricity is their only way of heating the house in the dead of winter. That's all the more reason to own a Okie Power Saver. And OG&E continues to report each week I am in the "Efficient group". I have only been placed in this group since I installed my Okie Power Saver. My Okie Power Savers, are also a FULL house surge protector.
Q. What is Oklahoma's official
state poem?
A. Howdy Folks
by
Will Rogers Poem
Q. Where in Oklahoma was the
first permanent white settlement?
A. (answer in next week's T&T)
From This and That newsletter archives of October 13, 2001:
South of Lone Grove, Oklahoma is the community of Cheek. I talked to a friend this week who's kinfolk lived in that area around 1900. He told me some details of the area I thought I'd pass along to everyone. Just northwest of Cheek there was an Indian village where it is reported one of the last battles between the Indians and military Calvary troops took place. He told me there is natural flint just southeast of the Indian village where they used the flint to make arrowheads. Also just north of the this area is where a stage coach crossing was located. There is a story that a stash of gold was hidden in the area by bandits who held up the stage coach there. If you Copy and Paste the following GPS in Google maps or Bing Maps it will take you to the approximate location: 34.103566, -97.312622 It's is on the west side of Bull Creek.----------------------------------------------------
"Butch, I found this in my old pictures.
It was probably taken in the late 1920s. Long before it became Gene Autry. My
grandfather L. L Franklin was the "Station Agent" there for many years. He was
telegrapher, and ticket agent, whatever was needed for the old A T and Santa Fe.
Thought it might be interesting to someone."
http://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15b/BerwynDepotPre.jpg
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"Would anyone know the issue date of the
Life Magazine with the Ardmore High School picture? It was either 1949 or 1950
and have seen one but do not know the date it was issued. Information would be
appreciated."
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"Butch, I have just made my 2nd batch of
the Priddy's Salad Dressing and I encourage everyone to try it. Thanks again for
making it possible to get the recipe.
----------------------------------------------------
"Hi there, Butch!! I changed my e-mail
address last week and didn't get your newsletter today. I am cryin' the blues!!!
I look forward to your report every Saturday and enjoy it very much. I am an
Oklahoma native, born in Pauls Valley and still have lots of relatives who live
in and around that area. Please change my e-mail address in your book. Only when
I know you have done this will I stop "cryin' the blues", and feel whole
again!!!"
----------------------------------------------------
"Hi Butch, Wow, did I ever get a
big surprise in the mail on Saturday. I do not know how you knew that I had lost
all the stored files of your T&T that was in my computer in the past 4 years. I
had a complete file until Friday evening when I tried to load everything in my
new computer on Friday. I had lost every thing I had saved. I still do not know
what happened but it is gone. Then in the mail on Saturday came this disk from
you. Everything I had lost is now back in my computer. Many thanks for the disk.
I will cherish it. I will also let Jerry Lewis view it while in my presence. I
will not let him tough it though. Hahaha. You are a true friend. I just wish the
world was filled with "Butch Bridges" and we would not be having the problems we
have today. Again, Many Thanks from the bottom of my heart."
----------------------------------------------------
"My Great-grandfather was Robert
Lee Amonett. He is buried in the Linn Cemetery about 8 miles from Madill
Oklahoma. He was murdered in 1914. His daughter Minnie Amonett Stogsdill died in
an accidental kerosene fire in 1921. I have included newspaper clippings from
both tragedies. I was wondering if any of your readers know anything about
either or both of these? Also if any one knows anything about the Amonett's in
Marshall county?" - D. Miller
http://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15b/BobAmonettKilling.jpg
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Some mail from this week's MAILBAG.....
"It was great seeing my Ardmore History research mentioned again in your newsletter. The document you posted was not the final version, which has additional events, a bibliography and index. I have attached this final edition." -Mark Coe (note: the file below was saved in MS Wordpad)
http://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15b/ArdmoreHistoryMarkCoe2006.rtf
"You need to drive out that way west of Davis and see if any of the Grant family still lives on the property where Fort Arbuckle stood, if so, they can provide you with a little history. When we were kids (teens), the chimney was still there; worth the drive if you have the time." -Poss
"Butch, Just found your grocery store page - brings back lots of memories! The Sooner Food you listed at 12th & N. Washington was a Dicus in the late 70's - early '80's. It was in the same shopping center with Gibson's and Bill and Barb's. When Mountain View Mall was first built in the early 80's, it had a Winn-Dixie in the south end. I can also remember birthday cakes from Elles' Grocery and the deli in the back of Luke's IGA (and the mechanical horse ride out front which is now in the museum!) Glad to see you are keeping a record - keep up the good work." -Luciana
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/grocers.html
Last week I wrote about the 1966 song by Stuart Hamblen "What Can I Do For My Country". Stuart Hamblen's (1908 - 1989) most popular song was, "It Is No Secret What God Can Do". The original manuscript of which is buried in the cornerstone of one of the Copyright Buildings of the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., and which has been translated into over 50 languages around the world and was the first song to 'cross-over' becoming #1 in Gospel/Country/and Pop categories and starting the trend for ballad style gospel songs. Here is how the story goes: One night while at party, Stuart was cornered by John Wayne who found his new-found religious zeal hard to believe. But during a conversation with the actor, Stuart remarked off-handedly, "Well, it's no secret what God can do." As Stuart was leaving the actor's house that evening, John walked up to him and told him he should write a song about the comment he had made. That chance remark led to It Is No Secret (what God can do), a tune that provided a Top 10 country hit not only for Hamblen, but also proved successful for Red Foley with the Andrews Sisters, Jo Stafford, and Bill Kenny and the Song Spinners. Later, Elvis Presley, Jim Reeves, and the Jordanaires recorded it and it became one of their best known Gospel hits.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHIaEKYDxWQ
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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