This and That Newsletter
A Weekly Publication

 www.OklahomaHistory.net

Vol 20  Issue 990      Circulation 5,000       January 14, 2016

PO Box 2

Ardmore, Oklahoma 73402

email address:  [email protected]

580-490-6823


Well, I just knew last week's newsletter would be my last because I was sure I'd win that Gazillion dollars with the one powerball ticket I bought. But I guess someone wanted me to continue publishing my weekly ezine. That's right, I didn't win. Anyway, buying those 3 acres amongst those beautiful pine trees in eastern Oklahoma is on hold again. lol

1. The cemetery is a burial place for the dead that is usually located far from the church.
2. The graveyard is a burial place located near or beside the church (churchyard).
3. There?s better maintenance and upkeep at the cemetery compared to the graveyard.
4. In most cases, the cemetery is the more spacious, tranquil, organized, and beautiful place for eternal rest compared to the graveyard.
5. More people prefer to be buried in the cemetery rather than in the graveyard.

In 1925 Carter County resident Fred Beavers says he's made more money from his chicken flock than cows and sheep. Mr. Beavers, a Creek Indian, would go on to be one of Oklahoma's most renown Indian artists.

http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos16a/FredBeaversChickens1925.jpg

J.B. White was an early day Architect in Ardmore, Oklahoma around statehood in 1907. By 1923 he had completed the following schools: Ardmore High School, Ardmore Junior High, the 4 ward schools in the City of Ardmore, Ardmore Separate Schools, all school buildings in the City of Wilson, Zaneis school, Fox school, Dundee High School, Mt Washington School, Springer School, and Pleasant Hill School.

http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos16a/JBWhiteSchools.jpg

In March 2009 I built a storage shed from recycled wood pallets. It turned out to be one of my best "home grown" projects. What I didn't expect was when I made a webpage on my website about my pallet shed experience, it would get more Hits from around the world than nearly any other webpage. A few weeks ago I received an email from England asking about my pallet shed and how I built it. This week I received the following email from England along with a picture of Keith's pallet shed.

"Hi Butch, We've had a heap of rainy weather over the festive season, over here, so I only just got working on my allotment these last couple of days, and taking pictures of the shed. Nice of you to maybe put a picture up on your website, so I'm attaching a selection of photos showing different sides of the shed, just pick the one you figure that will fit best. That shot showing it part-built is when I built it first time, in the yard. When it was done we de-assembled it and took over to our allotment plot, and rebuilt it there. It's only a pretty small shed, but it's a whole lot bigger than the one the last guy left on our plot - that one was not tall enough to stand up in, and if it rained you had to hunker down inside on a seat with your knees touching the door! It was just really a tool store, I guess, so we needed something a bit bigger. This one I built is good and dry - so far! - and just before Christmas we got caught there in a bad rainstorm, but it was real dry and snug inside that shed. Again many thanks for your website and the help it gave in getting me putting that shed together. All the Best for the year ahead." -Keith in the UK

http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos16a/PallettShedUK1.jpg

http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos16a/PallettShedUK2.jpg

My pallet shed webpage is the most viewed with 5,265 views last month from 11,022 unique visitors that hit my website over 273,000 times in December. Things sure have changed since 1996 when I started my oklahomahistory.net website.

Next time I'm over at Durant I want to turn south on Cemetery Road and go down to Alabama Street and see the old 1907 railroad overpass. Here are two recent photos of the overpass in Durant, Oklahoma.

http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos16a/DurantOverpass2015a.jpg

http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos16a/DurantOverpass2015b.jpg

The overpass's GPS reading is 33.985057, -96.377943 in Google Maps.

Click Here:  Durant Railroad Overpass

November 1931
The offer of Governor William H. Murray of Oklahoma to ask his state's legislature to vote $5,000 each to the families of the two Mexican students killed at Ardmore by deputy sheriffs brought a warm response in Mexico City. Governor Murray's offer was telephoned to the newspaper Excelsior and it included the assurance that Oklahoma people feel kindly toward Mexico and that the Ardmore jury which acquitted the deputies show no prejudice, but sincerely believed the evidence showed they were innocent of deliberate killing. An editorial in the Excelsior said the Mexican people did not hold the government or its people of Oklahoma responsible. On the other hand, there was an announcement by the Mexican government that it intends to file claims for damages against the United States. That announcement came two days after the matter was disposed of in court.

November 1955
Lake Murray Lodge and Lake Texoma lodge, southern Oklahoma prime tourist attractions, are undergoing development. Lake Murray Lodge has a new hotel wing and new auditorium extending toward the lakefront, and a new swimming pool, currently under construction. Lake Texoma Lodge is to be ready for tourists next spring. Texoma Lodge is a multiple story type.

November 1964
Anita Bryant, nationally known TV and recording star, returned to her childhood home at Tishomingo to sing at a special Thanksgiving Eve service. The former Miss Oklahoma spent the holiday at the home of her grandparents, Mr. And Mrs. John Berry of Tishomingo. Her mother, Mrs. George Cate, lives in Bartlesville, and her father, Warren D. Bryant, is from Ardmore. Miss Bryant has spent the past five Christmases entertaining servicemen on the Bob Hope OSU tours. This year the cast will head to Vietnam.

Paper Roses by Anita Bryant 1960

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0phY9iHTrg

Oklahoma's Stars and Stripes hunting and fishing licenses for any Veterans.

http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/starsandstripes/

Ardmore's Sonic on Grand Avenue is now history. The Sonic and Flash Electronics (old Radio Shack) buildings have been bulldozed and a new and bigger Sonic is planned at the location.

http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos16a/SonicArdmore011116.jpg

You can find current gas prices for a particular Oklahoma town by entering the name or zip code in the GasBuddy search box.

http://www.oklahomagasprices.com/

Still loving my Perfect Probiotic by Probiotic America I have been taking everyday. My stomach fat has been greatly reduced and I feel better than I have in years. If you really want to get rid of that gas and better digestion plus lose weight, I truly believe probiotics is a "must have".

http://oklahomahistory.net/probiotics.html

If you are like many and have an all electric home, you're electric bill may be higher in the winter than in the summer. Several friends are finding out my Okie Power Saver is a great way to reduce that electric bill and save money year round.

http://www.OKiePowerSaver.com

Q.  The tallest structure in the world was once located in Oklahoma. What was it?
A.   "The world's tallest structure, was the OKC Channel 9 broadcast tower. KWTV, the station's call sign stands for (or more correctly *stood for*) World's Tallest Video; when it was activated in 1954, the 1,577 feet (481 m) structure became the tallest free-standing broadcast tower in the world at the time." -Dan Major

Q.  Located in the scenic, hilly woodlands of the Sans Bois Mountains of Oklahoma what state park and adjoining wildlife management area covers more than 8,000 acres and includes three lakes. The park resembles a magical forest.
A.  (answer in next week's T&T)

From This and That newsletter archives of January 5, 2002:

A couple of weeks ago a Reader requested any info on a soda bottle with the word Salute on it. I had never heard of it, but they did find a website that shed some light on Salute and other old beverage bottles.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos16a/SaluteBeverageBottle.jpg

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A few of weeks ago I talked about the story of how our local sheriffs office came about those three submachine guns they had in their vault. Bud Hunt was able to provide us with the story, how undersheriff Pat Battles went to an armory in Texarkana, Texas and brought the guns back in 1960 for use in riot control.
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"The fatal 1972 shooting case Deputy Hunt and Sheriff Denney were involved in near the old Mulkey Hotel on North Washington Street in  Ardmore was mentioned in your article, and Butch Bridges, a young  ambulance driver at the time, was the apparent source of the story.  Since I was District Attorney when this happened and participated to  some degree in the investigation of that tragic event throughout the  evening and into the early morning, I recall quite a bit about what  occurred. Hopefully your readers will enjoy hearing about it." -James Clark
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos16a/BudHuntStory.rtf
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"Still enjoying the T&T Newsletter. I appreciate Bill Landrum introducing me to it and for all of your hard work. I have been reminded of a lot of things by reading it. I have seen a few names I recognize as well, like Dr. Hathaway, the old VonKeller Hospital, Dr. Boyd, even a girl I used to work with at the Telephone Company. One thing-my older sister once told me that there was a room, now under water below the Tucker Tower that at one time was known as the Devil's Kitchen. My older brother worked on that lake with the CCC's. I wonder if any of your other readers know of the Devil's Kitchen? Thanks." -Nellie Fox Loughridge Combe
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Some mail from this week's MAILBAG.....

"Butch, one of your readers commented about Skinny Stewart. Skinny is no longer living, he passed away several years ago. He coached football from his wheelchair in Wilson (His hometown) He also was the Carter County Under Sheriff for many years. Skinny played all sports in Wilson, attended College at Southeastern, Joined the Army and played football in the Service, also played in Canada and for the Washington Redskins. He was a unique, gifted person whom anyone who knew him, loved him. He was a very good roll model for young and old."  -Ken (Whitesboro, Tex)
"Butch, My wife and I have been only buying Nature Nate's 100% pure unfiltered raw honey for some time. Most honey at Walmart and other places is actually from China or some other country. Almost all honey is pasteurized and filtered to take out all pollen. Except for a sweet taste and some calories it really has no other value. Most of the local producers also filter and pasteurize their honey. The raw unfiltered is just what it says. The honey is just as it is removed from the hive. The flavor is great and it tastes like honey I remember from the past. This is what we have been buying. I don't know if there are any Reasor's grocery stores in your area, but they are all over the Tulsa area. We buy this at Reasor's but I am sure other grocery stores carry it too. I am pretty sure that Walmart does not carry this type of honey. If not you can probably Google Nature Nate's and order some online. There may be other folks bottling unfiltered raw honey too, but this one is the one that I have tried and buy regularly. A pan of hot biscuits, some butter and some Vietnamese Cinnamon and we are happy at my house." -Gerald
http://naturenates.com/
Anyone know any background for a "Dr." Hulen who practiced in the Woodford-Milo-Lone Grove Area during the thirties, forties, fifties era? -Carolyn
Butch, that picture of the high school was from the 1960 Criterion, just inside the front cover.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos16a/ArdmoreHighSchool1960s.jpg
A small correction: yams are not sweet potatos (and even though they are sometimes call it, sweet potatoes are not yams). We don't get yams here in the U.S. A good explanation of the difference can be found at
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yam_%28vegetable%29

 "Hello Butch, My Great Grandfather, Dr. William Selfridge was a practicing herbalist doctor in Lebanon, I.T. in the late 1800's and early 1900's. He did attend medical school and his office was above the Lebanon Drug Store. I have his herbalist guide as well as a ledger where he took payment in pigs and chickens as well as cash and produce. Money was scarce then. Like Jules Verne he wrote of men flying through the air in ships and hinted at space travel. His family thought him insane and in later years tried to have him committed and burned all his books and writings. He was an educated man and wrote in a perfect Spencerian hand of which I am fortunate to have small samples. I also have his Bible where he offered his opinions in the margins." -Charlie
"Hi Butch: We saw you talking about "Shiny Brite" decorations a couple of weeks ago. We are still using them and attached are a couple of pictures we took as we were putting them away for another year. Best wishes." -Vada Briscoe Aitken
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos16a/ShinyBriteOrnaments1.jpg
Pictures of our recent trip to Louisiana. -Doug Williams
http://dougwilliamsphotography.smugmug.com/Swamps-of-southern-Louisiana/
"Saw these elk near Gene Autry, Oklahoma. Love seeing them wild and established in Oklahoma." -Doug Williams
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos16a/ElkGeneAutryOK2016.jpg

If you really want something in this life, you have to work for it. Now, quiet, they're about to announce the Powerball numbers!

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
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/

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