If you’re looking for a certain article I wrote in a past issue of “This & That” you might find it faster by doing a “search” with your browser. With Netscape just click your mouse at the top at EDIT and then FIND and type in the word or words you’re looking for. If you use Internet Explorer, just click on EDIT and then FIND ON THIS PAGE to do a search.

Below is April 6, 2002 to May 25, 2002.

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Saturday May 25, 2002 T&T Weekly Vol 6 Issue 266

A few weeks ago I received an email from a Reader inquiring about how some certain streets in the north part of town got their name. They were Cason, Turner, and Freeman streets. These streets are just off North Washington to the east in the Hillcrest Addition. This week when I was at the Military Museum inside the Greater Southwest Historical Museum, I found the answer to the question. The streets were named after Ardmoreites who served in WWII.

Speaking of the Military Museum, last November most of you will remember the current Carter county Sheriff, Harvey Burkhart, put on loan to the Military Museum a Thompson machinegun for display. The machinegun was purchased by the department in 1960 and had been in their vault for years. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/thomp01.jpg

One little unknown fact about the machinegun, is that on the side of the machinegun, next to the serial number, is some small dimples or dings. These dings represent the number of times the machinegun has been to the factory/armory for reconditioning, modification or whatever. The machinegun on display at the Military Museum here in Ardmore has 7 dings in its side. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/mgdings.jpg

Recently the machinegun on display at the museum was placed in a glass case built by Museum volunteer Maurice D. Miller. Maurice has done an great woodworking job, building a case that will display the machinegun for future generations to view this piece of Ardmore’s past. Maurice is one of many volunteers who work at the museum, greeting visitors, telling about items on display, and a lot of other helpful things that makes the museum a great place to visit. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/mdmiller.jpg

If you have not been to the Military Museum lately, I assure you, you are in for a surprise. They have so much history there, and I mean more then just the everyday military items. For instance, on display is the Thunderbirds uniform of 1939. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/tbirds39.jpg

Another special display at the museum is the uniform and Army issued items of Ardmoreite “Bub” Harvey. Each year for Memorial Day Bub checks his WWII uniform out of the museum and wears it to the ceremonies. The uniform still fits him!

So, if you get a chance drop by the Greater Southwest Historical Museum and the Military Museum, and take a look around, you won’t be disappointed!

Sometimes when I have a letter to mail, instead of walking across the street to the post office from work, I walk north a block to the Simpson Building (1917) later the Little Building, and now the Colston Building, at Main and “A” street SW. The Simpson building was a project of Ardmore oil man Roy M. Johnson. Roy Johnson was the only Republican to serve as Carter County Commissioner back in 1920. If you look closely at this recent photo, you will see something missing, something that has been a part of the building since the 50s. Its the 110 air conditioning units that used to stick out of the windows. A couple of months ago the Colston Building was outfitted with brand new central airconditioning and heating units on all floors. Oh yes, you will see one window a/c unit sticking out of the window on the back side (south side) of the building. But maintenance says that last a/c unit will come out soon. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/colston5.jpg

Also several history buffs have been trying to figure out of there really is the initials or name of B.A Simpson somewhere on the outside brick walls, as local folklore has it. I took photos of each side in hopes maybe someone can see the letters in the wall. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/colston6.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/colston7.jpg

There is an old mailbox in the Colston building’s lobby by the elevators. I would assume the mailbox is as old as the building itself, 1917. And this mailbox is a collector box for mail dropped through a chute from the upper floors of the building. The chute runs all the way down to the first floor mailbox. So tenents on the upper floors of the building, just walk over to the south wall by the elevator, place their letters in the maildrop, and the letters drop all the way down a chute to the first floor mailbox. Each day the downtown letter carrier picks up mail from the first floor box. Anyway, yes, sometimes I walk over to the Colston Building to mail a letter, there is just something about dropping that letter in this old mailbox this is almost as old as Ardmore. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/mailcol.jpg

I’ve spoke about the Colston Building several times the past few years. They have the old electric generators in the basement, and the still working water pressure driven service elevator in the basement too. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/colstone.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/watrlift.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/waterval.jpg

And they still have a couple of old safes in the basement. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/colsafe.jpg

Speaking of old buildings, nearly everyone knows the old post office is located at North Washington and West Broadway. But not as well known is that the very first U.S. Court House in Ardmore was next door to the south where the present day Hamburger Inn is located. This photo shows the old U.S. Court House on the left (Wisnor Hotel is on the right). I left this photo pretty large in size so you can see the details. So give it time to download. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/uscourt1.jpg

I have the map of Carter county roads back online after months of being unavailable. I divided the county into four sections for easier loading and viewing. But each of these files are still large, so give them time to load. https://oklahomahistory.net/cartercounty/cmapcent.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/cartercounty/cmapeast.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/cartercounty/cmapnw.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/cartercounty/cmapsw.jpg

A friend sent me a memento from Ardmore’s past this week. It’s a cardboard cap that went inside the milk bottles of Hughes Diary. Hughes Dairy was somewhere out 3rd NE years ago. It says on the cardboard cap “raw” milk. Boy, do I remember the raw milk I bought for 95 cents a gallon at McKown’s Dairy (Ray McKown) on Springdale Road when I was 14 years old (early 60s). I’d ride my Sears Moped out there with that empty gallon jug strapped on the back, and exchange it for the most delicious milk I ever drink. In the mornings when I got up, I’d go to the fridge, get out that gallon of milk and pour some of that rich cream, sometimes 3 inches worth, that was on top! Boy, you can’t get anything that tastes like that today. In fact, the milk today is so watered down, super heated, and every enzyme that nature put in it killed, today’s milk is almost what dairymen of those days called “bluejohn milk”. “Bluejohn milk was a poor quality milk, most of the time was pour out or fed to animals. But today it’s called Skim Milk. There is more about Hughes Diary in the Mailbag below, along with a pic of that cardboard cap!

In the Mailbag below someone talks about the famous hanging that took place in Ada, Oklahoma in 1915, in which four men where hanged at once.

Another Reader sent me a photo of a hanging that took place here in Ardmore around 1905. The gallows was located behind 200 West Main (the old Federal Courthouse and jail. It was in the alley across the street NW from the courthouse on what some people might call Hinkle Street. The actual gallows would stand about where Taylor’s Auto Body Shop is located now. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/hang05.jpg

And for a long time I’ve been going to snap a pic of the boxes sometimes left on top of the “B” Street mail drop box on the east side of the downtown post office. I am always amazed how people will just leave a package on top of the drop box for later pickup and mailing by the postal employees inside the downtown post office. Dozens of vehicles will stop by the drop box, deposit their mail, and drive off, never bothering the packages laying on top. Many times there are several packages on top, especially around 5pm. This is an excellent example of the great townspeople Ardmore has, and this photo proves it. Try this in the big city with your package. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/po052402.jpg

Slideshow presentations available on CD for $3 each (includes postage)
Brown Springs, OK (15 photos)
Mannsville, OK (19 photos)
Bells of Oklahoma (over 150 photos of bells)
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/ttphotos/manncd.jpg

T&T Photo Albums:
http://community.webshots.com/user/MokaXprs
http://community.webshots.com/user/OklahomaHistory

If you want to save on long distance calls, check this out! One plan is 2 cents a minute! http://www.worldxchange.com/agent/228072

SOME LETTERS FROM THIS WEEK’S MAILBAG

“Dear Butch: I own a few of Mr. Beaver’s paintings and am very proud of them. Actually, I am wild about them. He was a great Indian artist from Ardmore. He and my father (Don Rickets) were friends and I met him a few times when I was a young girl growing up in Ardmore. My father worked for OG&E and Mr. Beaver would come by their operating office from time to time. His works can be found in important art museums in Oklahoma and in many other states. It is hard to place a value on your friends paintings without seeing them and knowing their sizes. They look quite small and that, of course, would affect their value as his larger works are what collectors want. Unfortunately, Mr. Beaver did not use acid free paper (he generally used something like poster board) so many of his works need restoration, but it looks as if these are in good shape. If your friend would be interested in selling them, I could arrange my schedule to take a look at them and try to get expert help in valuing them. By the way, his name was Fred Beaver (not Beavers). I think he may be found in reference works on Indian artists. The Goddard Center used to have some of his work in their permanent collection. I haven’t been there in a few years so I can’t say if they are still on display.”
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“I saw the piece about Fred Beaver and it made me think back about 28 years. In 1974, my senior year in high school, my Latin teacher led a tour group of twelve of us on a trip to Italy and France for spring break. We spent the last three days in Paris before coming home. One night, several of us went to a restaurant called The O.K. Corral, which was fairly close to our hotel. The place had a wild west decor, as the name implied. We were sitting in a booth and I looked up at the picture that was hanging on the wall and was stunned to see what appeared to be an original Fred Beaver painting. If it wasn’t original, it was a pretty darned good print, at any rate! It seems that good art (and Fred Beaver’s stuff is GREAT art) has a way of getting spread around.”
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“Hi Butch, Just wanted to ‘thank you’ for the nice CD you sent and I am enjoying. I owe you. So, you can expect a little gift from me in the mail soon. I have been reading your T&T of the 17th. and it always brings back so many memories of growing up in Ardmore. One chuckle I had while reading about the movie houses they had then. I use to go to the Ritz when I was a kid and watch the Saturday afternoon serials until my poor Grandmother would have to come in and get me to make me go home! But, the real chuckle was remembering our minister who use to stand just outside the theater where the nice air conditioning would drift out and cool the air while he talked to all the people! He would watch and see who was coming in and out of the movie, and if it would happen to be any of his flock we knew we were going to be ‘preached at’ on Sunday morning. He was one of many in those days who tried to tell us we were all going straight to Hell if we went in and watched those old sinful movies! However, the same people who preached that were some of the first to rush down and purchase that new TV set, so they could watch all those old sinful movies they warned us about! Life if strange! One man’s sin is another ones happy memories. Go figure! Thanks for making our Saturday mornings out here in Nevada so pleasant with your T&T Newsletter. Keep them coming.”
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“Butch, I am so thrilled to hear this. My family has been in Carter County since the 1890’s, so I frequently send my parents (they live in Healdton; I live in Colorado) to the courthouse to look up information, only to find the records are lost! An example is my grandmother’s marriage license. It existed at one time – my cousin has a copy of it. However, the original is missing. More than once I’ve sent my parents to look up information on court cases involving ancestors (one ancestor was murdered), only to find empty files. I hope with the records on microfilm, there will be a way for some supervision of the records. I believe people should have access to the records, but not to the point where they can walk away with documents. So, HURRAY!”
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“Hi! Butch. Are you sure that is a picture of the Mary Niblack School? It did not look like that in1938 when I first started to school there. It was similar but different front entrance and different stair well and balcony. It was a two room school with the 1st through 6th in the North room and the 7th through the 12th in the South room. Church and school programs were held in the top room.”
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“Hi Butch, I snapped a picture of a bell for you today. It is located at Cushman Corner 8 miles north of Stratford. Now if I just don’t ruin the film like I did before. I had stopped to look at a 1928 Ford Model A pickup that was sitting in front of a country store. They have a few antiques, honey, gifts, etc. They always have a large garden and will soon be selling fresh produce. The owner told me that she is already selling green tomatoes for those who like them fried. The pickup came out the same year that I did. It is probably in better running condition than I am. The last two days were beautiful. Hope you were out gathering some interesting stories for next week’s edition.”
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“There has been quite a bit of interest in Coopers and Colverts. In years past there were a lot of small dairy farmers in the county who supplied a lot milk for processing. One of those dairy farmers was Henry Hughes who lived on 3rd Ave east of Ardmore. He milked Guernsey cows. There were a lot of changes over the years on how the milk was sold and delivered. In the early years cows were milked by hand. They were milked twice a day seven days a week regardless of what the weather was for that day. There are probably readers out there that can give some pretty good details about dairy farmers and how they sold milk. Anita Rutledge can probably give information on the Hughes, her father. By snail mail, I am sending you an unused cardboard milk bottle cap from the Hughes dairy, probably from the 40s or so.” https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/hughesm.jpg
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“Butch I sent you a message about the spelling of bodark trees. I wish to make a correction, the correct spelling is this way, Bois de Arc, three words instead of two.” [email protected]
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“Butch, Anyone looking for their Indian Heritage can go to http://www.RootsWeb.com click on Native American Data and put in a surname and use any tribe and they will get the Dawes commission rolls from National Archives Fort Worth TX. I did this and found my Father Grandfather and great Grandfather all listed as Choctaw Indians.”
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“This is a picture of the bell from the USS Nevada that was removed before the battleship was sunk. The bell is housed in the Nevada State Museum. For reference, the bell is about the size of the Liberty Bell.” https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/navbell2.jpg
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“This is a pic of the bell over the Volunteer Fire Department in Virginia City, NV– one of the richest mining towns ever. I wanted to enlarge just the bell, but had so much trouble, I gave up. Look closely at the ringer (is it called a clapper?). It is obvious I do not know too much about bells, but is this double sided ringer unusual? I have not seen another like it in the few bells I have paid attention to.” https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/navbell3.jpg
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“Reproduction of the Liberty Bell outside the Nevada State Museum in the capital, Carson City, Nevada.” https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/navbell4.jpg
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“Dear Butch — I fell behind on the newsletters recently, but just discovered your artical on the Randol Hotel with pictures of the memorial. I find this very interesting, but you might want to include my late husband, Charles R. Milner (Bob) in the list of family members. Bob was the grandson of R. L. Randol and the son of Charles A. Milner. He was a lifelong citizen of Ardmore and Senior Trust Officer at First National Bank before his retirement in 1992. He remembered his grandfather Randol well, and we heard many stories of the hotel days (I still have a copy of one of the menus from the dining room) Just thought you might be interested.” -Sue Milner
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“daddy’s cousin was one of the infamous four men hanging at Ada. His mother is one of the ladies peeking thru the barn in the picture.” https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/adahang.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/adalynch.html
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“Not sure who you are, Butch, but a lot has been written about my family in your newsletter and notes. A lovely tribute from Robin Craft Grattet about my parents and their cafe in Healdton, Joy’s Grill. About cousin Eddi-Rue: Yes she was born in Healdton. The house where she was born is still occupied in Healdton or was as recently as 2000. Known as Rue today, she was friends with Emma Jane Ervin and Earla Sue Pollard when she lived in Healdton. Occasionally those three little girls would take me with them on their adventures…especially to Mr. Tribbey’s soda fountain at the corner of Fifth and Main in Healdton, where we would drink cherry cokes and charge them to Earla Sue’s daddy! What a surprise when he was presented with a bill that had built up over several months… a total of $7…. that was a lot of cherry cokes back in the late 1930’s!! Eddi-Rue moved to Durant where she started school in 1941, later moved to Ardmore to graduate from high school. Earla Sue Pollard moved to Ohio and graduated from high school, Emma Jane Ervin and I graduated from Healdton High School… she in 1950 and I in 1955. Rue and I talk on the telephone often, Emma Jane and I see each other at school reunions every five years; Earla Sue passed away in 1973. I believe that I am the link between Rue and Emma Jane….but I do think it would be fun to get the two of them together sometime! As I said at the start of this e-mail, not sure who you are….but enjoy reading the online “this n that”…..thank you for some happy memories. Best Wishes.” -Sonny McClanahan
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The creator of the Ardmore Airbase Website, Gary Simmons, came through his bypass surgery fine, left the Oklahoma City hospital on Friday May 24th, and is recooperating now. If it wasn’t for the hard work of Ardmoreite Gary Simmons, there would not be such a wealth of historical information on the Ardmore Airbase from the 1940s and 50s available on the Web. Thanks for your dedication Gary to building the website, the long hours of research, and contacting people across the country. It is appreciated by many. And welcome back home! You do serve a wonderful God! http://www.brightok.net/~gsimmons

Here are two more winners for my free “History CD” this week! Over 3,770 files and 375mgs! [email protected]
[email protected]

I almost had a piece of the puzzle this week of the birth mother being sought by the 37 year old ex-Ardmoreite. A Reader told me about about a lady who might have been kin, but because of a divorce 35 years ago, then a death, the contact I made could not shed any light on the birth mother or her relatives. But I have another lead now…. in Dallas. I’ll check it out in a day or two. So the search continues. If you know any little piece of this puzzle, send me some email or call me. I still believe we can find this man’s birth mother. http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/childs.htm

Many of you know one of my favorite singers is Celine Dion. I think I have most of her CDs. I was listening to Radio Carousel in England the other evening and they played, what I thought at first to be Celine’s song, “The Power of Love”. But as I listened, I thought, that is not Celine Dion’s voice. After the song finished playing, I found out, Celine was not the author of the “The Power of Love” at all like I thought. The song belongs to New York City born singing artist Jennifer Rush. When she recorded that song in 1984 for the first time, it went to #1 on all the charts throughout the world, especially overseas. You know, that Jennifer Rush might sing the song even better than Celine and for me to say that, takes a lot. She has one beautiful voice! And by looking at her Bio on her website, she has personal info that makes her unique. Her father was an opera singer and her mother a pianist. She lived 3 years in Germany as a child with her parents and speaks German fluently. http://www.jennifer-rush.com/

I’m still listening to the Oldies Rock and Roll songs at Radio Carousel in England. I”m going to miss that station when they go off the air in about three weeks. http://www.radiocarousel.co.uk/

A Reader sent me the following email this week:
“I ran across a poem in the Smithsonian that reminded me of your love of bells! Actually the article is called”Hells Bells” and was quite neat.It was about factory bells. You might be able to read it on their site. http://www.smithsonianmag.com Anyway here it is:

“Loud the morning bell is ringing,
Up, up sleepers, haste away;
Yonder sits the redbreast singing,
But to list we must not stay.

Now we give a welcome greeting
To these viands cooked so well;
Horror! oh! not half done eating—
Rattle, rattle goes the bell!”

-From an anonymous poem, printed in “Factory Girl’s Garland”, a literary magazine from Lowell, Massachusetts, in 1844

See you all next Saturday!

Butch Bridges
Lone Grove, Oklahoma 73443

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Saturday May 18, 2002 T&T Weekly Vol 6 Issue 265

On the north side of the Carter County Courthouse is Hinkle Street. I guess in recent times the name Hinkle Street was made a household name because the Sheriffs Office was located at 106 Hinkle in the north end of the Annex Building. Sheriff offices where downstairs and the county jail was upstairs on the second floor until 1990 when the jail was moved to the new present day facility one block to the east at 100 South Washington.

Hinkle Street was named after Ardmoreite John Homer Hinkle, a prominent businessman during the very beginnings of Ardmore. John Homer was born December 26, 1877 in Morrillton, Arkansas. His parents were Federal Judge John Homer and Mary (Morgan) Hinkle of Ardmore, and his sister was Hattye Hinkle Chandler. J. Homer attended Cole Military School in Dallas. He helped build cotton compresses in Oklahoma City, Ardmore, and Pauls Valley. For a time, he was in the land business in Ardmore, then later establishing a fire insurance business. He was one of the organizers of the Coline Oil Company and was associated with other oil companies. He was vice President of the Chickasaw Lumber Company and owned much property on Main Street in Ardmore. In 1911 he married Agness Segar, and they had two children, Homer and Beth. The Hinkles lived many years in Ardmore, died here, and are buried in Rose Hill Cemetery. -From the publication Indian Territory and Carter County Pioneers

Family photo of Judge Hinkle, his wife, and two children, J. Homer and Hattye https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/hinkle3.jpg

Photo of Ardmore businessman J. Homer Hinkle https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/hinkle4.jpg

Hinkle Street in Ardmore is probably thought by many people to be only an alley. But it is an actual street and runs about 4 blocks from “A” Street SE to “B” Street SW parrelling Main Street on the south. Here are two pics I took, one looking west on Hinkle, the other looking east. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/hinkle6.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/hinkle7.jpg

For several weeks now, and continuing for many weeks to come, an archivist is at the Carter County Courthouse archiving records to microfilm. She is Debbie Griffith with the Genealogical Society of Utah. She has been working in this capacity for ten years all across Oklahoma, placing Marriage, Divorce, Probate, Soldiers, Deeds, land, Widows, Pensioners and school records on microfilm. Before working for the Genealogical Society of Utah, Debbie was a Records Acquisitions Specialist for three years. Debbie also microfilms birth and death records, funeral homes and museums records where permitted. Her microfilm machine is almost a historical record in itself…. made in the 1940s. This is a pic I took of Debbie using her almost antique microfilmer. An old machine but works perfectly performing a much needed work for generations to come! https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/archiv2.jpg

On April 20, 2002 Ardmoreite George Baumann passed away. I only met George Baumann once at couple of years ago at the Ardmore Airpark at the American Flyers Memorial. But he was a man you’d never forget. A personality and charisma I can not put into words here. Among the many achievements during his life, George Baumann was a pilot for American Flyers Airlines. I think his daughter, Cindy Seward, best describes her father so I have but that story in text form and available online for reading. https://oklahomahistory.net/textfiles/baumann.txt

1966 photo of George Baumann getting ready for work as a pilot. His son Teddy is beside him. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/baumann4.jpg

1968 photo standing beside an American Flyers Boeing 727 jet with his daughter Cindy https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/baumann3.jpg

2001 photo of George Baumann and his wife Peggy https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/baumann2.jpg

Photo of American Flyers Super Constellation flown by George Baumann https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/baumann5.jpg

Over a year ago I told everyone about a rarity in Oklahoma that can be found in the southeast part of Oklahoma in Pushmataha county. That county has only one red light (traffic light) and it’s in Antlers, Oklahoma! There was rumor that Clayton, Oklahoma in northern Pushmataha county was going to put in a red light, but they never did. I check this week and Antlers still holds the title of have the only red light in the county! https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/antlight.jpg

Healdton, Oklahoma recently set a monument in memory of Healdton’s war veterans. This is a pic I took of the granite monument when it was laying on the ground at Wilson Monuments in Lone Grove. The monument was made possible by Buck Cantwell and Elaine Scott. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/healdww.jpg

A friend of mine ran across four Fred Beavers paintings at an auction in Altus, Oklahoma and was wondering if anyone knew how much the paintings might be worth. These are probably great collectibles, tempera water colors, absolutely beautiful. Fred Beavers, if my memory serves my correctly, was an Oklahoma Indian artist. Maybe someone can shed more light on these paintings.
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/fbeav2.jpg
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/fbeav3.jpg
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/fbeav4.jpg
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/fbeav5.jpg

February 17, 1946 – Ardmore to install parking meters

Want a wordprocessor like Microsoft Office but can’t afford the high price? Then OpenOffice may just fit the bill. It’s got all the bells and whistles like MS Office, but it’s free! http://www.openoffice.org/

Slideshow presentations available on CD for $3 each (includes postage)
Brown Springs, OK (15 photos)
Mannsville, OK (19 photos)
Bells of Oklahoma (over 150 photos of bells)
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/ttphotos/manncd.jpg

T&T Photo Albums: http://community.webshots.com/user/MokaXprs http://community.webshots.com/user/OklahomaHistory

If you want to save on long distance calls, check this out! One plan is 2 cents a minute! http://www.worldxchange.com/agent/228072

SOME LETTERS FROM THIS WEEK’S MAILBAG

“Butch, I remember the Paramount, Ritz,(later the Park), Tivoli and of course the Globe theaters. Enjoyed many good movies in the last three, seems like the Paramount closed when I was still fairly young. I remember there was 2 or 3 drive in theaters, but remember the Skyview the best. I managed to spend quite a few very enjoyable evenings there. Lots of memories that we won’t go into here LOL. Awhile back there was some mention of the Sports Club pool hall, that is where I learned to shoot pool. My dad would have beat me to death I think, if he had ever caught me in there. Of course what he didn’t know didn’t hurt him. LOL. He seemed to be able to know a lot of what I did though. I always wondered how he managed that. I have some very fond memories of Ardmore.”
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“Several philatelic publications have noted that the post office at Hell, Norway, was closed recently (they close small rural post offices in Norway just like the USPS does here). That leaves Hell, Cayman Islands, as the only post office named Hell still open.”
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“Hi Butch, the old milk bottles with the cream on top were really good. In the morning you could pour without shaking it up and pour it over you Post Toasties. They didn’t get soggy before you could eat them. Now I very seldom eat cereals because the 2 or even 1% milk just doesn’t cut it. I understand Bob Taylor’s memories.”
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“I remember Dr. Johnson, he delivered my brother that is almost 5 years my elder. There was also a Dr. Gibson that delivered me. Back then you didn’t go to the hospital. I was 3 when I had my tonsils out and we went to Dr. Gibson’s office and I can remember coming down on the elevator wrapped in my favorite quilt and my daddy holding me. The office was in the old Exchange National Bank Blding. Don’t know what is there now but they had an old fashioned Soda Fountain there and when we went to town (my brother and I) we would go in and get a Cherry phosphate. That was so good after walking all the way to town. I feel sorry for people who don’t have those great memories of living in a small town growing up.”
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“Hey Butch..you were robbed on that apple Chick-a-pie! Almost half of it is missing! I wonder what happened to it? ? ? ? ? ? ? Surely, NO ONE could eat that much in one setting!” https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/chickpie.jpg
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Butch: re: the question about the birth certif of American Indians. I found mine at the Bureau of Indian Affairs in Washington, D.C. when I had to have one before working for Southwestern Bell.”
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“Here is a photo taken around 1915, this is my best guess, of the Mary Niblack School SE of Ardmore.” https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/mnsch15.jpg
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“Dear Friends- Just got a call from the hospital. They have rescheduled my surgery for 8AM, Saturday, May 18. They had some emergency cases that required dropping me back a day. Thanks for your prayers.” -Gary Simmons [email protected]
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Here are two more winners for my free “History CD” this week! Over 3,770 files and 375mgs!
[email protected]
[email protected]

We are still seeking any info on the birth mother of the 37 year old man and ex-Ardmoreite.
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/childs.htm

Over in our sister country of England, each year about this time a radio station returns to the air for 30 days. The station is Radio Carousel 106.6 FM in Rothwell Northamptonshire UK, a Rothwell based community radio station. The station returns to the airwaves on Sunday 12th May, 2002 for 28 days only. It is one of the best stations if you like the 1960s Oldies Rock and Roll music. I remember back in the 60s how our parents and grandparents and others thought that music was so terrible for us teens. Boy, if they could return from their graves today and listen to the music, hear the lyrics, and see the videos, they would be really shocked. Many of us listened to the Beatles, the Dave Clark Five, Herman’s Hermits, Manford Mann, The Animals, Petula Clark, and others. It all started in Liverpool, England. My aunt Pearl Vollborn Carmon would die a second time at what is being shown on TV today. I remember her coming to our house one Sunday night in the early 60s when I was watching Jerry Lee Lewis sing “Great Balls A Fire” on the Ed Sullivan Show, she just shook her head in disapproval. http://www.rocknrollvault.com/timeline/britishinvasion.htm

Anyway, back to this great little Rock and Roll radio station in England, if you want to listen to their Oldies music, they have it streaming over the internet. All you need is a music player to listen to it. I use Winamp, its free and works great. http://www.winamp.com/

Here is a link to Radio Carousel website. http://www.radiocarousel.co.uk/ Just click on the Box “Listen” near the bottom of the Page, it’s all live radio! Also they have some great old photographs from their past community fairs.

See you all next Saturday!

Butch Bridges
Lone Grove, Oklahoma 73443

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Saturday May 11, 2002 T&T Weekly Vol 6 Issue 264

I’ve received several new pics of bells the past couple of weeks and several more promised in a few days. My bell Page back up and running…. now with over 150 bells from all across Oklahoma. If you know of one in your area of the state that I don’t have a bell photo of, let me know! https://oklahomahistory.net/bellpage.html

Here is a map showing the counties in Oklahoma for which I do have at least one photo of a bell. We’ve still have 34 more counties to go… if you know of a bell in any county in white, send me some email about it! I know there has to be at least one bell in those counties! https://oklahomahistory.net/bellphotos/bellmap.jpg

Speaking of bells, a friend and his wife with on a cruise to the Cayman Islands a few weeks ago and brought a bell for me. It’s from the town of Hell in the Cayman Islands. I guess you could call it the bell from hell. It matches the post card from Hell I received from my Dad in 1991 when he made the same cruise. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/bellhell.jpg

I also have my Brown Springs Webpage back online. It has been the most visited webpage of all my pages, except my webshots.com Albums. Those albums are nearing 20,000 hits! https://oklahomahistory.net/brownspr.html

About 8:30am Thursday May 10th the workers with the Chickasaw Nation Senior Citizens program here in Ardmore made their monthly run on the courthouse. They brought their delicious sausage, biscuit, and gravy breakfasts to everyone who was hungry at the courthouse. And believe you me, after a long work week there were some hungry employees that were sure glad to see those two guys. And the price is right too, one buck for the breakfast. But there’s more! This is the monthly bake sale held by the Seniors at the Chickasaw Community Center at 949 Locust Street in Ardmore, and I had the guys bring me a apple pie for $5 dollars. As I ate the pie, my mind would flash back to the thin crust apple pies my great grandmother Ida Miller made on “H” Northeast here in Ardmore when I was a wee kid 10 years old. She was part Choctaw and could make the best apples pies. She made lots of mince meat pies, but I didn’t like those….. but I might try one now! I’d stand in the kitchen watching Granny Miller prepare the apples for the pies. She had that little wood handle paring knife, and could completely peal an apple and never break that long continuous apple peeling. I thought that was so amazing. I’d try it, and needless so say I couldn’t do it. Here’s a pic I snapped of the guys making their Friday run to the courthouse with those breakfasts. That’s Don Miller on the right and Carl Brown (center), selling Carter County Clerk Cynthia Anderson and her employees their breakfasts. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/chicbreak.jpg Here’s a pic of that absolutely delicious apple pic I bought from them! https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/chickpie.jpg

Speaking of the courthouse, if I tell you a secret you have to promise not to tell anyone. The reason is this little piece of amazement may go into the McGinnis Book of Records. Scattered around the courthouse grounds are several pecan trees. Right the middle of the first fork in one of those trees is an Elm tree growing! hahaha https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/elmpecan.jpg

Saturday May the 18th is pick up day for the Share Program participants in Ardmore area. Looks like some good foods on the menu…. contact Carole Ellis at 580-223-5287 for more details. Here the May Menu of all those delectables.

Deli Roast Beef – 1 LB. Chicken Breast Tenderloins – 14 OZ. Ham Steak – 12 OZ. Ground Beef Patties – 1 LB. All Meat Sports Dogs – 1 LB. Potatoes – 6 or 1 bag Cauliflower – 1 Head Lettuce – 1 Head Sweet Vidalia Onions – 4 Red Delicious Apples – 4 Valencia Oranges – 4 Kiwi – 5 Pasta Shells – 1 LB. Jell-O Chocolate Pudding – 22 OZ. Tub http://www.heartlandshare.com

I few months ago there was lots of interest and input from Readers about the local theaters. Some of you mentioned movie theaters I’d never heard of before. I found a website that lists all the theaters in the U.S. by state and town. Also lists cinemas throughout the world. http://www.cinematour.com/

Do you get tired of all those pop up banner ads when your surfing? Boy I sure do. I saw that one about the small photo cams for sale pop up so much, I feel like they have me under survelance. I found a program that really works great on stopping all those pop up banners. And it didn’t slow my computer down. And when it does “kill” one of the annoying pop up ads, it gives a little beep. I love it! And it’s a freeware! http://www.free.surfer.tc/mail

Want to get rid of all those < <<< you see in the Forwards you send out in mails? This little freebie will do it, sure clean those cluttered up emails! http://www.papercut.biz/emailStripper.htm

Slideshow presentations available on CD for $3 each (includes postage)
Brown Springs, OK (15 photos)
Mannsville, OK (19 photos)
Bells of Oklahoma (over 150 photos of bells)
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/ttphotos/manncd.jpg

T&T Photo Albums: http://community.webshots.com/user/MokaXprs
http://community.webshots.com/user/OklahomaHistory

Our little group has talked over 3,400 minutes since May 1st! And now there is a new program, only 1 cents a minute state to state including Alaska and Hawaii. And 1.9 cents per minute within state calling. There is a $14.95 monthly fee. So if you do a lot of state to state calling, this Plan could sure save you some bucks! Here are the steps….
Step 1. 101-6789 + 1 + area code + the number
Step 2. At the prompt, enter your Activation Code: 228072
http://www.worldxchange.com/agent/228072

SOME LETTERS FROM THIS WEEK’S MAILBAG

“Hi Butch, Enjoy your T&T letters! Hearing about Cooper and Colvert Dairies takes me back to when we were kids and rode our bikes to both places for free ice cream cones at the back doors. Think it was Colverts that delivered our milk by milk wagon, and I would enjoy watching that old horse that knew just when to stop as Clyde Green would step off to leave our milk in those old bottles with cardboard caps with small tabs on top, along with chocolate milk, butter, etc. The word homogonized had not yet been invented, so the top third of the milk bottle was cream that was good for coffee or we thought mixing and drinking and making the milk ‘richer.’ I think the day Clyde and family struck oil in East Texas was the day he stepped off of that milk wagon for the last time. His son, Don, lives in Tennessee now with his family. Dr. Johnson, I knew quite well when I was a boy and for a time we lived near Lake Murray and Dr. Johnson would take livestock for his fees as money was not as readily available those days, and once took several goats and brought them to us to keep for him. We kept those goats on our place, and my cousin, Benny Frank Oliphant, taught them to climb up ladders leaning against trees, but he didn’t teach them how to get down so many mornings we’d get up and see goats sitting stranded in the trees. Was rather amusing to me.” -Bob Taylor
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“Butch, For what it’s worth, I ran a couple of the photos in this T&T through Photoshop and did some restoration.” https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/coopcar.jpg
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“Butch: Tell Ed & Juanita Jezek, to try looking on the 1910 census for Love County ,if their family is listed the person they are looking for will be about 7 yrs old & in one of the columns by the name will be where the person was born also his parents place of birth will be listed. The correct spelling for Perkins/Love County, Oklahoma 1903 is ” Chickasaw Nation, Pickens County”, the present day counties in Pickens County,I.T. are Carter, Love, McClain, Stephens, Marshall, Garvin, Johnston, Jefferson, Grady,& Murray ,there were three more counties in the Chickasaw Nation.”
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“Tell Ben Cooper, that we acquired a leather key holder with “Tom Cooper Motors” inscribed on it, also I have a postcard like the ones your posted for “Tom Cooper Ice Cream Parlor” & “Fleet Cooper Car Dealership” in my private collection. I also have a postcard that’s looking west on Broadway about where they cross over all you see is a house about where EDX Computers is located (I think it may be the same building or the one just East of it) postmark is 1922.”
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“Butch, The pic of the Tom Cooper retail store on W Broadway says it was taken in 1952. Couldn’t be. The car in the middle of the photo, parked right in front is a 57 Chevy.” https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/cooper57.jpg
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“Butch- We have an old school bell mounted on a pole at our Cimarron County Heritage Museum here. The pole is short and kids are able to ring the bell with a rope. Also, the United Methodist Church has a bell.”
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Butch, for the person looking for the birth certt of a person born in Indian Territory. Tell him that he can use a death cert. instead. My grandfather was born Sept 3, 1876 in Mannsville, I.T. But I used her obit and the funeral home still had her in the old funeral home book, so got the numbers of it and took a a picture of her grave. I proved it.” -Minnie Lou Watson Whittington
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“Services for George Alfred Baumann age 73, was at First Baptist Church Ardmore, Oklahoma with Reverend Alton Fannin officiating. He passed away on Saturday, April 20th, 2002 in an Oklahoma City, Oklahoma nursing facility. He came into this world on August 2, 1928 in New York City, New York to parents George Bernard Baumann and Lillian Elizabeth Baumann. He was preceded in death by his father in 1964 and his mother in 1994 and a brother, Charles Francis in 1983. Survivors include: his wife, Peggy of the home in Ardmore; daughter Kimberly Iacavone and son-in-law Dominic Iacavone and grandchildren, David and Kelly of New Oxford, Pennsylvania; and son Dirk Deon Baumann of St. Louis, Missouri; daughter Cynthia Diane Seward and son-in-law Michael Arthur Seward and grandchildren, Rachelle, Andre, and Mariah of Wichita, Kansas; son Teddy Randolph Baumann and daughter-in-law Heide and grandchildren, Brianna and Brady of Park City, Utah; a sister, Lillian McGee from New York and a brother, Jerry Baumann from New York.

He lived in New York and finished his schooling and left New York to pursue his dreams of becoming a cowboy and a pilot. He worked on several ranches and taught horseback riding and then started performing at age 17 in rodeos all over the United States and South America. He was a member of the Rodeo Cowboys Association, now called the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. He was a regular contender at the World’s Championship Rodeo in Madison Square Gardens in New York, akin to the present day National Finals Rodeo. After several years of rodeoing and horse training, he decided to pursue his dream of flying. After he received all his ratings and pilot’s license, he flew for several companies and airlines including American Flyers Airlines, Universal Airlines, and Capital Airlines. He also flew scenic flights over the Grand Teton Mountains of Jackson Hole, Wyoming. He managed the Hershey Air Park of Hershey, Pennsylvania where he also gave airplane rides in an old WWII Stearman biplane and was a flight instructor of regular and acrobatic flying. He also flew for two major companies here in Ardmore, Oklahoma. He never really retired from flying and flew his last flight on October 23, 2001.

One dream that he pursued later in life was golfing. He wanted to be a great golfer. He would usually be the first man on the greens in the early morning. He practiced everyday. He golfed all over Ardmore with many celebrities and friends. Even entering local golf tournaments and winning a few. George Alfred Baumann lived what he believed; “You can do anything, if you are hungry enough.” Services under the directors of Harvey-Douglas Funeral Home and interment will be at Rose Hill Cemetery of Ardmore, Oklahoma.”

Mrs. Cynthia D. Seward (daugher)
435 N. Erie Street
Wichita, KS 67214-4732
Ph: (316) 651-0839
E-mail: [email protected]
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“Didn’t know if you ever made it to Waurika to get a picture of the bell at the Museum. As I was passing through, thought I would get a couple for you. To check them out, click on the link below:
http://cards.webshots.com/cp-24360711-dxqQ-album/37197602VtFqBV
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“I have just read the T&T. I did so, enjoy your article, about Tom Cooper Farms. It brought back a lot of memories. In the late forties and early fifties, I had two brothers who were milkers, at the farms. I also remember there being and elderly gentleman, that rode a horse to and from work there. I believe he tended the chickens. They also had the best ice cream. I have been gone from the country around there for fifty years. So I really enjoy your T&T. An avid reader.”
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“To the couple who came to Hot Springs, Little Rock and Arkadelphia, they really missed some beautiful dog wood trees on the way to my home (OLD 67 South). Thanks for all the good info I get from the T&T.”
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“Hi Butch: I have checked the available records and believe that I was the only glider pilot in WWII from Ardmore or Carter County. There were one or two glider pilots who were stationed at the air base there, married Ardmore girls and later lived there after the war. In fact, one of them, Earl Davis, still lives in Ardmore. My AHS Class of 1942 will be having our 60th year reunion on October 5th and early indications are that we will have a good turnout considering our ages and the way we have been scattered about the US since ’42. Thanks so much for your weekly letter, it really means a lot to those of us who grew up there and have so many happy memories that you sometimes recall.” -Sincerely, J.D. (Don) White [email protected]
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“Butch, I’ve been thinking about the note regarding the 37 year old man who wants to find his birth mother. I met my dad when I was in my late thirties. He and my mother divorced when I was only four years old. I want to give the seeker my story. I know his struggle and I understand the questions he has. I always wondered if I looked like my dad – where did these blue eyes come from? I wanted to know about his medical history – for the sake of my kids. I wondered why he left and never contacted me. I felt like I didn’t know who I was. One half of the family tree was invisible to me – I knew it was there, but I couldn’t see it. Well, I was inspired one day – and I felt strong enough and mature enough to deal with the facts…so I started looking for him. I remembered an aunt had told me that he was born in Roff, Oklahoma….so, I picked up the phone and called Roff information. When the operator asked me whose number I wanted, I just asked for “any Thompson” (my maiden name) in Roff. That wasn’t good enough for her so I said to look for a John Thompson (my dad’s name). Lo and behold, they had a John Thompson. Heart pounding, I called him – he wasn’t my dad, but he was a first cousin – and he had a phone number of a sister who had a phone number, etc.! Three phone calls later, I was talking to my dad on the phone. To make a long story short, I now have the answers to my questions. I was surprised to find out that he had been more devastated by the separation that I had. We have a nice relationship now, and I see him once a year – he lives in Phoenix. Last summer, I went to a family reunion and met cousins and uncles and aunts I had never imagined. I bought a copy of my family tree and discovered my fifth great grandad was a scientific scholar from Germany! His name was Ishmael Vineyard. That is so cool. Now my family tree is a big old honkin apple tree (full of fruits!). I love it. Good luck to the guy looking for his mother. I hope he is as fortunate as I was. My advice to him is “just take what you get and make the best of it”.
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“Question: Are you aware of a place noted as the Oklahoma Sanitarium? This shows up in the 1900 Oklahoma census for District 256. The sanitarium was run by a Dr. John Threadgill.”
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“I’m looking for someone who might have a picture of the “O’Savior School /Chapel “, it has been called both School and Chapel, it is located in Orr, OK (Love county). The dates on the sign were Orr School Independent School District #1, 1899 – 1967.”
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“Here are a couple of pictures of a bell. It is located in front of the Newkirk Community Historical Museum, Newkirk, OK. Newkirk is the county seat for Kay County. The bell is from the Oak Grove School which was a rural school in the area.”
https://oklahomahistory.net/bellphotos/newkbela.jpg
https://oklahomahistory.net/bellphotos/newkbelb.jpg
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“If you are a person who prays, remember me around 8AM, May 17 as I have open-heart surgery at Baptist Hospital, OKC. It will involve 5 by-passes. Found out last week that I had the problem.”>br> -Gary Simmons – [email protected] – http://www.brightok.net/~gsimmons/
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Both my parents were raised in Troy, OK, although my father was born in Lebanon, OK. They were born in 1915 & 1918 and both their families lived and still reside in Troy, Mill Creek, Ada, Madill, and Tishomingo. My grandfather (John Lowry) owned the gas station/store that is located in Troy on the highway. I made a trip to Troy last fall and sadly to say, the old station is barely standing. My father’s last name is Griffin and my mother’s maiden name is Lowry. I still have a cousin living in Troy. His father was the County Commissioner for years in Johnson County. My parents have enjoyed your newsletter and fondly remember some of the places you mentioned. I have attached a picture of my mother’s school class picture from Troy and one of the gas station (in better days) with my grandfather standing in front.”
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/troy25c.jpg
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/troygas2.jpg
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“Be advised that in addition to being the “spark” in getting the Remembrance Memorial Park (American Flyers Memorial) up and going, Butch Bridges has also been instrumental in promoting and receiving funds to establish a memorial honoring the men who died in multi-crashes during WWII and the Korean Conflict at the Ardmore Army Air Field and Ardmore Air Force Base. The second memorial will soon be in place, thanks to the generous contributions of many. But his dedication to the project doesn’t stop there. Someone has to see that the area is kept presentable. That includes keeping the grass mowed, shrubbery trimmed and alive, and trash monitored. Butch and Paul Mitchell put in several hours a month of their own time without compensation to see that the area is something that we can all be proud of. Others including Doug Williams and men of the Air Park Fire Department, have always been willing to lend a helping hand. Other Air Park tenants have supplied equipment when needed. Tuck Wilkinson has been gracious in supplying advice, labor and shrubbery for the project. As the word gets around, visitors from all over the United States, relatives of those who died, will at some time, visit the site. Hopefully, a garden club or various men’s organizations will help on a rotational basis in this long-term responsibility to keep it presentable. Mr. Bridges was at the memorial early Saturday morning to replace a dead shrub, plant a tree and add mulch to the flower beds. He not only has put lots of time in the project but has also earned “sweat” equity on his days off. I happened to have breakfast with Butch and some of our amateur radio friends last Saturday, and took this digital shot later in the morning.” -Gary D. Simmons
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/butchprk.jpg

More airpark photos:
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/aparkm2a.jpg
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/apark2b.jpg
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/graymem7.jpg
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/visitor02.jpg
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/weeptree.jpg
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“Hi, Butch, my brother is on your mailing list and sent Vol 6 Issue 261 to me, knowing I would be interested in the locomotive 1108 article. The third gentleman in the picture is MY DAD, Aaron Moore. I’m interested in who thought of this endeavor? Where did this loco come from? Who purchased it? What was the route taken to get the train to it current resting place? I believe I heard talk of moving it. Any info on that theory? Thanks for seeing the need to recognize these hard working men. It made me proud to see this picture again.” https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/loco1108.jpg
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“I recently checked out Juno’s free ISP service for a friend in Yukon and discovered that they have an Ardmore access number. I just thought your reader’s might be interested in knowing about it.” http://www.juno.com
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“Re: Tyler and Simpson. I believe Arlie’s last name is Blount. I think he had a son in the class of ’57. My dad went to work for Tyler and Simpson on Feb. 2, 1937. Easter Clifton had been there for almost 20 years by that time so I believe they were there during the days people came to town in wagons and buggies. Daddy worked with Bill Hays, Dale Trotter, Leland Jones, Guy Givens, Eddie Ellis and a lot of others. John Simpson ran the warehouse in Ardmore and Mr. Tyler was in charge in Gainesville, TX I think. At least that is my dad’s recollection.”
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“Butch, Thanks for keeping all of us in touch with T&T. Here’s a bit of important information for your readers and all Ardmore High School Graduates about an upcoming Ardmore High School Reunion: Class of 1967, 35 Year Reunion (We don’t’ really care when you graduated, come join us!) Scheduled for July 26th and 27th 2002. For full details browse to http://www.cyberflux.cc/AHSReunion and click on the “Reunions” menu item. This web site is for all AHS Graduates! Log on and Register! We have located about 179+ Class of ’67 Graduates and lots have already confirmed! This may be your best chance to see some of your old friends if you’re a grad from the ’60s. So drop by our AHS Reunion Web Site and Register so we can contact you!”

“We are trying to locate the following class members: Mary Alford, Mary Ann Bannister, Pat Barrett, Linda Belvin, Linda Black, Harry Bohannon, Vickie Boorman, Danny Brush, Mary Bryant, Jeaneal Buchanan, Dwight Butler, George Cassity, Cheryl Chappell, Janette Clift, Sam Cochran, Don Collins, Paula Digby, C. J. Dollar, Beverly Dunham, Rodney Eades, Jim Ellis, Barbara Chalea Finley, Velma Frazier, Vicki Freeman, Richard Lynn Garrison, Karen Graves, Sherron Hampton, Judy Hignight, Rose James, Cecille Johnson, Carol Joiner, Dale Kelly, Kate Kilpeck, Paul William King, Nancy Carol Lewis, Darrell Lorenzen, John Mannahan, Jim Marchesani, Wendy McMillian, Stephan Miller, Carol Moon, Kelsey Morton, James Naylor, Phillip Norcross, Tommie Palmer, Craig Pickens, Barbara Rice, Diane Ricketts, John Shorter, Cheryl Sikes, Cindy Smith, Judy Smith, Lanny Smith, Lindy Smith, Sharon Spain, Steve Stelding, Ricardo Stoughtenborough, Bill Swink, Carolyn Taylor, Judy Thomas, Linda Thomas, Carl Vaile, Cheryl Vandermark, Adele Weigl, Pat Wells, Teresa Willard, Kenneth Williams, David Willingham, Teresa Wofford. If you know the whereabouts of any of the above class members, please contact any committee member or go to our web site. We appreciate any assistance you can give so we will be able to include everyone.” Richard G. (Rick) Wise, AHS Class of ’67
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Here are two more winners for my free “History CD” this week! Over 3,770 files and 375mgs!
[email protected]
[email protected]

I’ve only received a couple of responses regarding the 37 year old man wanting help in finding is real birth mother. I know if we work together on this, just maybe we’ll find the birth mother for this young man. Piece by piece the mystery can be solved. I received the touching email below from a Reader concerning this tragedy that happened 37 years ago here in Ardmore.

“Butch I was manager of a store on main street in l965 and I remember a Mr. Seabourne bringing in a pretty young girl with him several times to pick up packages of parts, etc. He was her stepfather and we all noticed he kept his hands on her. He even asked about insurance for her, in case something happened, he said. It was obvious to several of us that she was pregnant at the time. We heard later that she talked to a teacher at school and discovered she was pregnant, not knowing what was wrong before. It was turned over to the authorities and he confessed to abusing her and making her pregnant. This may not be the same one, but I remembered it because it was so sad.”

A statement like that above makes the effort to find his birth mother worth it. We may be able to make a wrong that happened years ago, right somehow some way. I appreciate everyone’s comments, concerns and even reservations on this matter the past three weeks. If you have information that may help, call me or email me. Here is the informational webpage I’ve made concerning this.
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/childs.htm

The first Mother’s Day proclamation was issued by the governor of West Virginia in 1910. Oklahoma celebrated Mother’s Day that year as well. By 1911 every state had its own observances. By then other areas celebrating Mother’s Day included Mexico, Canada, China, Japan, South America and Africa. The Mother’s Day International Association was incorporated on December 12, 1912, with the purpose of furthering meaningful observations of Mother’s Day. My mother passed away in 1990. I would give anything to have her back, if only to just tell her I love her. If your mom is still living, be sure and go see her on Mother’s Day, or give her a call on the phone if distance is a problem. Tell her you love her. Give her a rose. Spend some time with her. Talk about the way things used to be. I promise you won’t regret doing all these things. You’ll put a smile on her face. Sunday afternoon I’ll go to the Carmon family plot at Rosehill, lay some flowers on my mother’s grave, tell her I love her, but it’s not the same after they are gone from our lives. Do it while your mother is still here. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/mymom.jpg

See you all next Saturday!

Butch Bridges
Lone Grove, Oklahoma 73443

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Saturday May 4, 2002 T&T Weekly Vol 6 Issue 263

Last week, the first time in a couple of years, I had a problem with my Mailer Program. I don’t know exactly what happened, but after mailing to 400 people, the program just stopped. So I had to start it running again, that’s why some of you received my T&T twice last saturday. As you know, the presses can’t be stopped, and when something like that happens, my heart stops. hahaha

Back in the 60s when I was a wee teen and worked at Hunts Grocery on 3rd NE after school and during the summer months, the Cooper Farms refrigerated truck would deliver milk and all their other products to the store. One of the drivers for Cooper’s was a man named Arlie. He was the nicest guy you’d ever want to meet. George Hunt, who worked for his dad at the store (Herman Hunt) told me that Arlie was Arlie “Cooper”. And I believed it for a long time. hahahaha. You know, I never did learn Arlie’s true last name.

Here is the info on Tom Cooper Farms from the Indian Territory and Carter County Pioneers Book:

“In the mid 1920s Tom Cooper (pioneer automobile dealer in Ardmore, and long time owner of the Oklahoma Transportation Company) was put on an ulcer diet of milk, but the milk he was drinking didn’t agree with him. Mort Woods, operator of the early day Primrose Guernsey diary farm at Dornick Hills, persuaded Cooper to try the Guernsey milk, and it filled the need. But the premium Guernsey milk cost 25 cents per quart in comparison to only 10 cents per quart for the ordinary milk, and Cooper persuaded Woods to sell him a registered Guernsey cow for $250. This was the start of the Cooper herd.

In the fall of 1927, Cooper bought a herd of Guernseys in Missouri, built the milk house on the farm, and began distributing milk in Ardmore. The Guernsey heard increased, and he bought more registered cows and bulls, and in 1931 he built a new and larger milk house and huge barn which was a landmark on the Cooper Road northwest until the barn burned a few years ago.

In 1932, Cooper hired a young graduate in agriculture from Wisconsin, Alvin R. “Al” Guerkink, as farm manager, and together over the next 24 years until Cooper’s death in 1956, they developed the herd into a nationally famous herd of Registered Guernsey and developed the 1,000 acre farm into a model of soil conservation and quality feed production.

The Cooper Guernseys won literally thousands of championships, trophies and ribbons at fairs and dairy shows in Oklahoma, Texas, Missouri, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, Kansas, Colorado, Arkansas, Louisiana and other states.

Most coveted award, won as many times by Cooper as any Guernsey breeder in the nation, was the Premier Breeder Banner for showing of cattle raised on the farm.

Along with development of the champion Guernsey herd and dairy farm, Cooper specialized in extra quality premium milk processed in their own diary plant. In 1941, Cooper purchased the old Ardmore Dairy Plant at 813 West Broadway and moved the milk processing and bottling into town from the farm, while the plant at the farm continued to be used to make butter and ice cream.

Then in 1948, Cooper attained a long time ambition to build an ultra modern dairy plant in Ardmore. He built the million dollar plant between West Main and West Broadway on K Street where the Cooper Farms headquarters, offices, plant and distribution were located.

A few years after Cooper’s death, his heirs sold the company, including the famous Guernsey herd and dairy plant, to the Southland Corporation, which has headquarters in Dallas. In 1982, the recent plant on West Broadway and Main was devastated by fire. This farm served an important function for Southern Oklahomans, and will be remembered for years to come.”

Milk caps that were crimped on Cooper milk bottle which a friend gave me! http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/ttphotos/milkcaps.jpg

Tom & Fleet Cooper’s Auto Garage, Ardmore, Oklahoma. Located at 401-403 West Main where the First National Bank is now. 4th from front is Hoot Halloway, 2nd in grey suit is Tom Cooper, (owner of Tom Cooper Dairy), first, in white shirt is Fleet Cooper. Circa 1925. http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/ttphotos/coopauto.jpg

This was the Cooper Farms on 12th NW by Uniroyal Tire Plant http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/ttphotos/cooperfm.jpg

This is a photo of Cooper Farms at K Street NW and West Broadway. http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/ttphotos/cooper52.jpg

1950s picture of Fleet Cooper Motor Company which was located at 712 West Broadway in Ardmore http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/ttphotos/fleetc.jpg

Ben Cooper sent me some photos of Tom Cooper taken around 1938, plus a couple of photos that Tom Cooper took in 1981. All the pics are in the Mailbag below.

I was over in my old stomping ground on 3rd NE, and just two blocks east of where I was raised up, I saw a surprise. At 1015 3rd NE they had a bell in their front yard! It’s not an old bell but one of recent manufacture. I friend of mine bought one just like it brand new over at Durant along the highway a couple of years ago for about $30. But just because it’s not an old bell, it’s still a great bell to own, with a nice ring for cast iron. http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/ttphotos/bella15.jpg

Speaking of bells, have you ever heard of the Liberty Bell of the West? http://www.randolphcountyillinois.net/sub35.htm

I had a request this week for the program TurboTax for last year. Most people have already thrown their’s away. If you have a copy of last years TurboTax, send me some email. Thanks.

Slideshow presentations available on CD for $3 each (includes postage)
Brown Springs, OK (15 photos)
Mannsville, OK (19 photos)
Bells of Oklahoma (over 110 photos of bells)
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/ttphotos/manncd.jpg

There are several good map websites out there now. I found one this week that’s sure quick and easy to use. Just enter a zipcode or town and in a few seconds the map is in front of you. Then you can zoom in or zoom out or pan left to right. Nice! http://www.earthamaps.com/

T&T Photo Albums:
http://community.webshots.com/user/MokaXprs http://community.webshots.com/user/OklahomaHistory

I saw on the news where long distance rates are going up. All the more reason to join our little group who are saving money on each and every call! 4 cents a minute, hard to beat! http://www.worldxchange.com/agent/228072

SOME LETTERS FROM THIS WEEK’S MAILBAG

“Dear Butch, I wonder if you know where I could look for some info. When I was on the net last night I found an article about a Whit Moss being murdered at the residence of H.H. McLain, someone had fired into his home, and Ross worked for him. I was interested in H.H., it said he was a National Permit Collector for the Chickasaw Nation, what is that? The date was Dec 1, 1894.” http://www.censusdiggins.com/texas_newspaper_1894pg1.html
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“Butch, you’ve had some messages about the movie “Dillinger” in your newsletter so I bought a DVD copy from “Movies Unlimited” via the Internet recently. Nice to see scenes of the Carter County Court House, main street Dougherty and many others from our area. The “shoot out” scene in Dougherty is my favorite and the DVD version is really great because with the digital zoom feature of a DVD player, it’s possible to zoom in on background features that you wouldn’t otherwise see. As in the Dougherty scene, while in still mode, you can zoom in on the railroad crossing way in the background and see the cross buck etc. Anyway, after viewing the movie I decided to drive to the Washita River bridge north of Mannsville that was also in the movie. It still looks about the same as in the movie. While in the area I shot some photos of the “Silo with the Tree” growing out the top. I know you have posted photos of it before but I shot two photos from the inside of the silo. One shows the base of the tree and the other shows the top and there’s one outside shot as well. Just thought your subscribers might enjoy an “inside” shot! Ha! As always, your newsletter is great and your hard work appreciated by all. Thanks.” -Dwane Stevens
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/ttphotos/silods2.jpg
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/ttphotos/silods3.jpg
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/ttphotos/silods4.jpg
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“Butch: Thanks for the nice comment on the Randol Hotel marker. It was purchased and set by the walking tour committee of the Ardmore Historic Preservation Board in anticipation of the Downtown Walking Tour which will begin a little later in the spring. This self-guided tour will include 32 historic sites beginning at the depot and going west to Central Park, then turning back east to end up at the depot again. Individual digital players will explain the points of interest and tour booklets with early day photographs will give additional explanation of the historic sites. There will be no charge for the tour.”
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“Butch, Regarding the wholesale grocer warehouse, it was called Tyler and Simpson Co. They had offices in Gainesville, TX and Norman, OK as well. I worked there for 7 years with some great people. The manager was Talmadge (Tal) Nutting, others were Billy T Hays, Marion (Tonto) King, Guy Givens, Dale Trotter, Ronnie Hunt, Calvin Blalock, Al Ringer, Willie Hunt, Alan Wood and many others. I worked there from 1961 to 1968.”
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“Butch, the name of the wholesale grocery business about a block south of the Ardmore train station was Tyler and Simpson. They left there about 1955 give or take a few years. I think they also had a warehouse in North Texas that lasted a few more years. There was another wholesale grocery business called Williams Eubanks (I am not sure about that name) on the east side of Caddo about a block north of main street that went out of business about 1950. These two business’ served the small Mom and Pop grocery stores locally and were forced out of business by the big chains as were many of the small grocery stores.”
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“The food warehouse south of train station was Tyler & Simpson Co. And before that it was Ozmond Wholesale. Ozmond Wholesale had a warehouse in Oklahoma City were Bricktown is now by the tracks. I worked with Mr. Ozmond for about five years.”
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Hi Butch, Here is information to prevent you from forwarding a virus via your address book. Open the address book and open a new contact for the first name type !000 Where you type the email address type WormAlert. As there is no such email address listed and with the !000 it will be first in the address book no emails will be sent by a virus. From “P C World” magazine”
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“Hi, I received two T & T’s this week? Hit the old button twice did you? That is OK it happens to the best of us sometimes. Boy do I ever agree with you on the virus. Several years ago I got one and it completely demolished my computer before I even knew what was going on.Not the computer itself, just all the programs and data I had on it. I learned a very thorough lesson and I am really paranoid about virus’. I scan and scan, even when I think I don’t need to. The AVG is about the best I have found, and it is free! And hey, if ever I send you a virus, just send it back, I know how to fix that… Thanks.”
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“So much talk about Eddi Rue McClanahan lately makes me want to ask a question. Seems her mother’s name was Rhue-Nell. I’m wondering if they were connected in some way to the Rue family who came into the Old Wilson area by at least 1905. There was an Ida Rue born 1888 in Missouri, who married Andrew Ivan Morris at Old Wilson October 17, 1905. She had a brother called Bud Rue, born 1885 in Missouri. Don’t know what ever happened to Bud. Would sure like to know more about this family. If anyone knows of them, please e-mail me at [email protected] Thanks for the newsletter. I sure do enjoy it. Bud Caudle in Guthrie.”
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“Butch, My wife, Jackie Rogers Uhles is descended from the Randol Family. Her Great grandfather, James Merritt Randol, was a brother of the Robert William Randol who owned and operated the Randol Hotel. Family lore is that Robert also owned a mercantile store (In the building with the Hotel?) and that Merritt worked in this store until he moved with his family to Mannsville in 1901. The Randol’s came to Indian Territory to the vicinity of the present town of Ardmore about 1890 from Dexter, Cook Co. Texas after their father, Maston Crawford Randol died. Maston owned land north of Dexter near the Red River. Jackie has a coupled of nice photo of Robert and his wife if you are interested. A grandson of Robert Randol, Charles Robert Milner, is still living in Ardmore. Charles Robert Milner is the son of Roberts Randol’s daughter, Ruth and her husband, Charles A. Milner Jr. Robert Milner has a Menu from the Randol Hotel. This menu lists the Bill of fare and the prices. (Very Interesting) Jackie has a coupled of nice photo of Robert and his wife if you are interested. Keep up the good work. I can always find something interesting in your T&T.”
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“Butch, To the person who wrote in about the Food warehouse in Ardmore. It was Tyler & Simpson. I do not have a picture. It was one of several locations they had. I believe there headquarters were in Gainesville, Texas. I am pretty sure they were in business in Ardmore from at least 1948 till they closed(?). I have a Want Book that my folks used to keep a list of things they would buy from the sales rep when he came around. They would deliver to all the small stores in the area and you could also pick up at there warehouse. Feel free to pass my e-mail address on, in case more info is required.” [email protected]
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“Hi Butch, I hope you are having a good week. Please mention the following in This and That. Also, the dogwoods are blooming in the Ouachita National Forest in southeastern Oklahoma. I was told that the dogwoods at Idabel have been blooming for over two weeks. I have uploaded newly edited photos to my web site of photos of Chickasaw National Recreation Area. These are the same images that were on the site previously. However, now they are larger, framed, and much nicer to see. The dark images are lighter. Please stop by for a visit to http://chickasaw.homestead.com Take a virtual tour of the park.”
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“Hello Butch, I just love reading your articles on “This and That”. I guess I am what you call a “die-heart” Okie! I was raised in Sayre, Ok..do you know or have any articles on people or history about Sayre. My Dad had the lumber yard there behind movie house, but we have all been gone so long don’t remember allot. Except what your mind has pictured growing up. All my family is deceased,except one uncle in Sayre.”
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“While in Ardmore, we ventured from antique shop to antique shop searching for relics from the Tom Cooper Farms, dairy and car dealership, and the car dealerships of Fleet Cooper, my uncles. We were fortunate enough to pick up a few historical objects; among them was a baby book. What was unique about the baby book was the baby was born on Tom Cooper’s Farm, Tuesday, October 29, 1935, at 12:40 o’clock. Even though the name of the baby was not mentioned in the book, the mother was noted as Alice and father was G.W. Buckholts. The nurses listed [as best I can decipher] were O’Dell, Davis and Mrs. Proux, and the doctor was G.E. Johnson. The baby weighed 6-pounds. Several names were listed on the Congratulations page, and those who had given gifts were listed on the inside of the back cover along with the present they had given. It would be interesting to know if any of the subscribers to your newsletter may know who this baby book refers to. We did not find any relics from the car dealerships owned by Uncle Fleet Cooper. In addition, I have attached a copy of another artifact from Tom Cooper Farms. It is the front page of a recipe book published by Tom Cooper Farms to help people make delicious dishes with a special section on instant gourmet go-togethers.” -Ben Cooper
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/ttphotos/cooprecp.jpg
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“Dave and I took a car-trip to Oklahoma in the summer of 1981, as I recollect. Dave was about 13-14 years old, we were traveling in my 1980 Volkswagen Dasher Diesel (> 50 MPG!). It took us quite a while to locate the Cooper Dairy farm since Interstate 35 had been built right through the middle of the farm acreage. Once we finally located the dairy, it was easily discernible from the Interstate (similar to photo #1), but difficult to drive up to. People kept telling us where to go, but we always ended up at dead end streets, probably because of the Interstate highway construction, and our ignorance of the area. There were some hippie-type persons working inside the main farmhouse, who told us they were renovating it.”
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/ttphotos/coop81a.jpg
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/ttphotos/coop81b.jpg
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“I have attached a photo of Fleet, Ben and Tom Cooper taken in the late 1930s at a family reunion on Tom Cooper Farms property. Uncle Tom sponsored family reunions frequently at the farm. I am not certain but I believe they were yearly events. From left to right. Fleet Cooper, Ben Cooper [my dad], Tom Cooper.” -Ben Cooper
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/ttphotos/coop38a.jpg
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“Howdy, I just got back from vacation. I visited relatives in Little Rock and in Arkadelphia. I drove the backroads home from Hot Springs and I want you to know that it was some of the prettiest scenery I’ve ever seen. And such a peaceful drive. I’d never seen that part of Arkansas before. And the mountains were just dotted with clumps of gorgeous white dogwood trees. They’re no Rocky mountains, but they’re taller than the Arbuckles—about 3,000 to over 4,000 feet high and covered with green trees. I am pretty sure that I will take a long weekend in late October and hit the same highway to take photos of the Fall Foliage.”
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“Butch, I tried to respond to the OU Grad Student who is studying the Oklahoma version of the “Wild, Wild, West” (smile). When I was growing up in Davis we used to drive down to Dougherty (our parents didn’t know) using the back roads so we could take a look at what was told to us was the remnants of a saloon that was built and ran by Belle Starr. I realize that the building is probably no longer there however some of the older folks who still live there might able to enlighten the Grad Student with some of the old stories about the saloon – hey, it is worth a shot as it is not to far from OU to Dougherty – besides, how better to get folks to visit our beautiful part of Oklahoma – remember, Dale and Roy got married at Lincoln’s Ranch (now Healy Brothers) – made a couple of movies in the area – so we do have a history.”
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“Hey butch, email me the big scans of the pictures of the Woodford dam. Howard Howell is my great grandfather and Floyd Young was a great uncle. Thanks.”
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/ttphotos/wooddam6.jpg
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/ttphotos/wooddam8.jpg
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“Hi Butch, I thought I would share this with you. I had a badly cracked bell that would not ring and John Allen (at Consolidated Castings Co in Florida) recast it for me. He used the old bell as a pattern and set up a mold and melted the cracked bell and repoured it. Its like the same bell but no crack. Hope you like the pics.”
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/ttphotos/newbellf.jpg
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/ttphotos/newbellg.jpg
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“We are especially interested in the Indian census and the possibility of tracing Juanita’s fathers’ birth certificate or record of his being born in Indian Territory. We would need that record in order for her to qualify for the “First Families of the Twin Territories” This is for descendants of the early settlers of Oklahoma. His name was John Dave Porter. He was born in Chickasaw Indian Territory, Perkins/Love County, Oklahoma on April 30, 1903. His parents name were Lyman Trumble and Lowellyn (Nichols) Porter. The lived in the Greenville, Orrine communities. If you know of a contact person that we might correspond with or if there is a e-mail address please let us know. Thanks for any assistance that you might render to our research efforts.” -Ed & Juanita Jezek
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“Just a couple of memories from recent items in T&T- Tommy Anastasio also worked for E-Z Way food stores for a time, and regarding Broadlawn, I formerly owned and operated a small store called “Church Music and Supply” at #30 address there, and did a radio program from KMAD in Madill, called “Music with a message” for a few months. Both ventures, the store and the radio, were exciting to me. I also did my own commercials for Hill Top Grocery in Ardmore for a time, coached by Bill Lauderdale, the announcer for KVSO at that time. What a bunch of varied memories!” -Bob Farrington
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“Butch: We really enjoy your T&T and all of the history you include. I remember so many of the names and incidents you mention. Your father, R.V. “Battleship” Bridges, and his brother, Paul Bridges, were aquaintances of my family. I was raised in SE Ardmore and moved back here after being gone for thirty years. I remember the Carmon Lumber Co at 3rd and “H” NE and other people and businesses you write about. One item, the Dubiel Gun factory, was originally Hoffman Arms. I believe some of the Dubiel decendants still live in Ardmore. The item that prompted this epistle was the note from the person who worked at the Tivoli theatre since I worked there at one time and would be interested in corresponding with that person. [email protected] ————————————————————————
“Thank you for the information on Bud Ballew and the picture. My dad has long told me that his father said that he was knew Bud Ballew and on occasion would share some stories. It was great that we could put a face with this name.”
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Here are two more winners for my free “History CD” this week! Over 3,770 files and 375mgs!
[email protected]
[email protected]

Three weeks ago I told about a 37 year old Ardmore born man looking for his birth mother. I have a Webpage to display the info and facts that were given to me by him and his family. I believe there is a lot of good information here, and surely someone out there will be able to help us find his birthmother. Our group has worked together on a number of projects, and I believe together we can find this man’s true birth mother. If you know anything, even a small piece of the puzzle, then let’s add it to the other info on the webpage. Just send me some email. Who knows, his mother may be living in the Ardmore area right now! Wouldn’t that be a nice mother’s day gift for him? http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/childs.htm

M-O-T-H-E-R
“M” is for the million things she gave me,
“O” means only that she’s growing old,
“T” is for the tears she shed to save me,
“H” is for her heart of purest gold;
“E” is for her eyes, with love-light shining,
“R” means right, and right she’ll always be,
Put them all together, they spell “MOTHER,”
A word that means the world to me.
-Howard Johnson

See you all next Saturday!

Butch Bridges
Lone Grove, Oklahoma 73443

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Saturday April 27, 2002 T&T Weekly Vol 6 Issue 262

I stopped by this week and visited with Mrs Wilson at Wilson Monuments at Lone Grove. She is an historian extraordinare and I always learn something from her. She had two 1923 photos of workers beginning work on the Woodford, Oklahoma dam in northern Carter county. One photo was taken before the land work started, the other is after the dam was completed with the workers standing in front of the dam. I’ve reduced the size of the photos on the links below, but I do have the photos much larger with greater detail of the workers faces and all. With out question a person could tell if they know or kin to any of the workmen in the photos. (223k) (243k)

The Ardmore Historic Preservation Board in Ardmore has set a beautiful marker on Main Street designating the location of the old Randol Hotel. The Randol Hotel is where Ardmore oil millionaire Jake Hamom was reportedly shot by his mistress, Clara Smith Hamon in 1921. Hamon died from his wound. The Randol Hotel was owned and operated by R. L. Randol (1854-1939). R.L. had a son named Robert Luther (Jul 24, 1891 to Dec 17, 1966) and the husband of my great aunt, Eva Carmon Randol. (Eva and my grandfather, Stanley Carmon were brothers and sisters.) I remember going to Robert Luther and Eva’s home in Ft Worth during the 1960s as a kid. Luther, we called him Luther, worked for the Star Telegram newspaper in Ft Worth for over 30 years. The Randols are buried in Rose Hill Cemetery at Ardmore. Here is a pic of the new Randol Hotel marker on Main Street next door to the west at the parking lot from the Tivoli theater.

This week I’ve addded another Slideshow! It’s of the bell pics!! Over 110 of them in a slideshow presentation. If you want one of the bell CDs, just send me $3 cash and I’ll see that you get one. I still have a slideshow of Brown Springs and Mannsville at $3 each. The slideshow on Mannsville, Oklahoma consists of about 19 photos and some other goodies burned to the CD. Either CD is $3 to cover expenses. Let me know if you want one! Here’s a pic of the Mannsville, Oklahoma Slideshow CD. The slideshow of Brown Springs consist of 15 photos.

A Reader in Oklahoma City mailed me a 1901 wedding photo of Deputy Sheriff Bud Ballew and his wife, Fannie Mariah (Harper) Ballew. The photo was provided to the National Association for Outlaw and Lawman History (NOLA), of Laramie, Wyoming by the great grand daughter of Bud Ballew, Ann Ballew Carlton. I had the pleasure to meet Ann Ballew Carlton a couple of years ago when she and her husband were in Ardmore. They live in Natchez, Mississippi. NOLA has an excellent eight page write-up on Bud Ballew in their January-March 2002 magazine.

I upgraded my service with webshots.com this week. Paid $29 for two years of unlimited photo storage. That will help with all the photos I’m uploading month after month. My webshots.com albums have been very popular with over 10,000 hits since I started using webshots. Over the next few weeks, I’ll move the photos from MokaXprs webshots to my OklahomaHistory webshots so all the pics will be on one site.

A Reader sent me a webpage that, among other events in history, is an extensive photo gallery of the Dust Bowl years of Oklahoma. One can spend hours here just looking at history!

This week I’ve received more emails with viruses attached than in any time since 1980 when I started using a computer. Everyday this week I get a dozen emails with the w32 klez worm virus attached. Most of them are caught by my Internet Provider (brightnet) with their software. Those that do get through are caught by my Antivirus Program. If you have not scanned your computer for a virus, using an up-to-date antivirus program in the past month or so, then I’ll bet you a hamburger from the Broadway Cafe YOU HAVE A VIRUS on your computer. I been using the free grisoft.com antivirus software for a long time with no problems. But there are a number of good antivirus programs available and some are Free. Which one you use is your choice, but for Pete’s sake, use one and use it regularly! Remember, if you get an email with the w32 klez virus attached, that email is not from the Sender shown in the FROM box. The virus gets that email address from the Address Book in the actual infected computer.

Last summer I told how we took a few tablespoons of Amdro Ant Killer and put on the several huge red ant mounds at the Airpark Memorial and in less then two weeks every ant was dead. Not one ant moving around on or near the ant beds. The other day I read that this same Andro pesticide (preferably gel form) will kill those big water roaches that plague some households. The report by a university said MaxForce will kill the roaches too, since both products contain hydramehylnon as the active ingrediant in a grandular type bait.

April is almost over but our little group has talked over 7,200 minutes! Join us and save on your long distance calls too! Several of you have taken advantage of their toll free number service and got your own! Four cents a minute is an excellent rate!

SOME LETTERS FROM THIS WEEK’S MAILBAG

“Mr. Bridges, I think that you may need to write an article about grandparents. I have three wonderful kids that are in need of grandparents. Yes they have some of their own but not like other grandparents. Atleast not like the grandparents of my friends. The kind of grandparents that call and say why dont you bring the kids over and let them play or spend the night. The type of grandparents that are thrilled about seeing. If this is something that you would like to post on your site let me know and I will give you the whole story.
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“Butch , I read your This and That program and notice that you have a give away of a cd rom disk. What are the rules on getting to win one of those. And what do you have to do to win one of those. Seems like it would be very interesting to a history buff like myself.”

Note: If your new and want in the drawing for a CD, just send me an email!
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“Does anyone know of someone in Ardmore who can help me find a grandfather clock repairman? We have one that worked great and sounded beautiful until I went shopping for a day and lo it has never chimed again. Seems someone I love decided to speed it up a little. We need someone who can make a “house call” Thanks.”
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“Butch on the person sending the information about bodark trees and horse apples that brought back memories. That is how we pronounced it but the spelling was bois darc. It was a French name for the tree. The tree had a red center and wad used to make bows with as it was very strong.”
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“I have a step daughter (I married her mother after she was born we had a son). Her mom was raped at 13 and had a daughter put her up for adoption and spent the rest of her life regretting it. She die a few years back. Two years ago her daughter found me and found out her mom was dead but she found a brother and grandmother. She could help the guy that’s what she does now as she has 25 years experience in searching out the truth.”
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“Dear Butch, I held back from giving my opinion on the 13 year old girl as at the time the girl being 6 years old did not make sense. I think it would be fine to help him find the information as long as he is aware of the circumstances of his birth and the fact she may or may not chose to meet with him. My parents separated and my father chose not to have contact with me and it left a great gaping whole in my life. Yet while he turned down my overtures to talk with him and meet with him when I was twelve, twenty years and two heart attacks later he was ready for some closure and to meet with me. It was neither joyous or a wonderful reunion. I found out I didn’t much care for him, I also met some siblings who I didn’t care much for either. Still I learned allot of family medical history and eventually a more full genealogical history which has helped me to at least understand my family better. So a magic wand wasn’t waved and I didn’t end up having wonderful new family. What I do have is a gapping hole that has been filled and a better understanding of who I am and where my family came from and what medical issues I need to attend to. Now as a counselor I would suggest he be prepared for some very strong feelings to occur and to have a strong family network and or resources where he can safely discuss the issues and feelings he has if and when he does find her mother. The need to fill up the void often reaches a point where people can’t move forward until this particular sandbar is crossed. In truth he has already made the decision to search and unless as an adult she has specifically expressed a request she not be contacted then there is no reason for you not to. How she may have felt at thirteen may be very different now and she herself may have a void to fill and wonder how he turned out and is her child ok. Still you have to chose what you feel comfortable with. You wont stop the son only slow down his journey if he is really determined if you chose not to participate. Good luck in what ever choice you make.”
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“The closest I can come is it is like looking down expecting to see a hand and find it missing and just feeling shocked and stunned and you are driven to find your missing hand. Even if you can’t reattach it, you want to at least know where it is.”
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“Dear Butch, Thanks so much for This and That. It just gets better and better. Through it you helped me find a cousin I never knew I had. Getting to know each other has been a joyous experience…thanks to you!!! My newly found cousin and I have a favor to ask of you and your readers. Can anyone tell us the address of the home of Dr. von Keller; who built the hospital which bore his name? My cousin; Gretchen von Keller Sullivan, is the grand-daughter of Dr. and Mrs. von Keller’s daughter, Helen von Keller Sullivan. Her mother was Frederika Rose Sullivan, aka Fritzi; who was born and raised in Ardmore. Fritzi was the daughter of Helen von Keller and Arden Sullivan, my great uncle. Gretchen and I will cherish any information about Helen, Frederika, and Arden…..and their families. Thanks, Butch, for your great help!”
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“My great uncle, Russell Bard Brown (1889-1970) grew up in Ardmore and practiced law there until about 1930. In an article about Russell’s life in the Tulsa World at the time of his death, it had the following to say: “It was while he was a lawyer in Ardmore that Brown came into conflict with Buck Garrett, one of the last of the colorful, two-gun “peacemakers” in Oklahoma. Garrett and his cohort, Bud Ballew, had established a nearly indomitable political machine in Carter County, allowing lawlessness to run rampant in the surrounding oil towns while they fortified their own strongholds in the county seat. Public sentiment turned against Garrett, a Tulsa newspaper reported, when a woman visitor from Duncan was “mistreated” on an Ardmore street. Brown reportedly initiated ouster proceedings against the lawmaker with a speech to an audience that included Garrett in which he attributed Carter County’s troubles to its own law enforcement office. Brown was appointed by the Governor to conduct the proceedings, and despite numerous threats against his life, he succeeded in deposing the sheriff in one of the last of the two-gun towns in the southwest.” When Russell Brown left Ardmore he moved to Washington D. C. and served for 30 years as the general counsel of the Independent Petroleum Association of America (IPAA). Upon his retirement in 1960 Gordon Simpson of Dallas who was then president of the IPAA, commended Brown’s service to the oil industry by saying: “For almost a third of a century, Russell Brown has demonstrated a gifted perception of the problems of the industry to which he has dedicated his life. He has fought it battles. He has been its spokesman. He has been a companion to hundreds of its leaders. He has become known as ‘Mr. IPAA’.” -Dick Lindsly – Frisco, Texas
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“Dear Mr. Bridges, I love reading your newletter although I have never lived in the area. My ancestors on many side came from Oklahoma so I read it hoping for clues to my family. I wrote you once before concerning my grandfather, James Alexander “Coot” Byrd, who was a Marshall for Kingston, OK in 1927. He was killed while serving. Mr. Dennis Lippe, of the Oklahomas Law Enforcement Officers saw the article and wrote for more information. As a result, my grandfather is going to be honored at the 34th Annual Memorial Service. According to Kingston newpaper articles, Mr. Byrd had lived in the area for about 20 years. His father-in-law from his first marriage was also in some kind of law enforcement, as well as various other relatives. Sure would like to know more about the family. He was married to a Rena Hoggard and they had a son Pete. She died after about 5-6 years I think and he married Grace Greer. They two son, John and Ray. Mr. Byrd was killed in the line of duty when the youngest son, Ray, was 4 years old. His widow, Grace, never spoke about him and the young boys grew up knowing nothing about their father. If anyone out there knows anything about these families I sure would love to hear from them. James A. Byrd was killed in 1927. Attached is a copy of the invitation for your information and interest. Mr. Byrd had two brothers, Gus, and Earl, “Bud” and a sister, Ethel. All lived the areas around Sherman, Denison, Kingston, etc. I know I have rambled, but I keep hoping to mention something that will strike a nerve in someone memory. Other names related to this family are Laister, Greer, Sisk.” -Anne [email protected]
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“Butch–just finished reading the T and T for this week—it is really interesting to this transplanted Oklahoman! Often you have stories about food –they make me hungry–things just tasted better at l6 than they do at 70. Anyway, about five years ago I was in Okmulgee and had some fried zuchini at a cafe called The Silver Dollar,they served it with a little cup of what tasted like Ranch Dressing to dip the zuchini in. It was delicious and I later wrote my brother and asked him to go by and beg for the recipe—he wrote back and said they were out of business.I know Okmulgee isnt near Ardmore but I think The Silver Dollar may be a franchise and they could be in Southern Oklahoma or one of your readers might happen on one while traveling—if so, I would so appreciate getting the recipe for the fried zuchini.I would appreciate it if you could ask your wonderful readers to be on the lookout for that recipe.” -sammie binkley
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From left to right the players were 1) an unknown gentlemen who just happen to be in the store that day. He was not a local resident. 2) Herman Jackson 3) Clyde Haney my father and the owner on the store. 4) a local rancher, who’s name unfortunately I can not remember.

“(Butch, the local rancher was my brother, O. D. Williams.) I still have my Dad’s set of dominos.”
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“Butch- Regarding the National Geographic picture of Mr. Haney and the domino players in Gene Autry, the man in the hat on the right is Authur E. Baldwin, a chemical salesman and rancher from Wilburton, OK. He made regular visits to the area to supply chemicals to farmer’s and ranchers. He always stopped at the Noble Foundation on his trips to this area. I believe he is now deceased. His wife was an instructor at the college in Wilburton.”
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“Was disappointed to see the misspelling of Segler in the article regarding the Chief Of Police Les Segler. It was spelled everytime with an i instead of an e. I am sure that was the error of the article and not from you. This has always been a big error, since there were Sigler’s in the area that were no connection to the Segler family. Infact when I tell someone my maiden name was Segler, since I have lived in Healdton for the past 35 years, everyone wants to know if I was related to the Jim Sigler family in Healdton. No I was not. They were lovely people, well respected by all. I knew of them, had in fact met them several times. But my name was Segler not Sigler. The same is true of Ardmores past Police Chief Leslie L. Segler. His name did not have an i in the Segler name. He is buried in the Cole Cemetery, formerly Yates Cemetery. Along side of his wife Beulah (Hutchins) Segler. The ashes of John Seaborn Segler, son, is buried between their markers. They have large markers. Infact I noticed in the Daily Ardmoreite on Wednesday April 10, 2002, there was a picture on the front page showing the restoration of the marker of Beulah M Segler Wife of Leslie L Segler. Pictured by the marker are Charlsie Allen and Marvin Palmer. There by Mr. Marvin Palmer’s feet is the marker of John Seaborn Segler. To the right and not shown is a matching marker for Leslie L Segler. Matching his wifes of couse. I have about 22 photos in an album on webshots of the Cole Cemetery. You can find it by user name. Just go there and click on find by user name type in segseven. This will bring up the albums I have on there. Then click on Cole Cemetery, Ardmore. I have enjoyed all articals and pictures in your This And That. Look forward to reading it everyweek. Unlike a lot of people who read it on Saturday morning, I can’t wait and usually enjoy it on Friday night. Keep up the good work. It is getting better all the time. Regards to you, A Fan in Healdton, OK.”
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“Butch, thanks for the 1947 photo of the original Hamburger Inn, where six burgers for a quarter and a double feature movie with another episode of The Lone Ranger, etc, all for for ten cents occupied much of many Saturdays!”
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“Hello Butch, I just wanted to praise the fine writing and stories in your This n’ That column. You mentioned Anastasio’s Pizza Parlor That used to be in Broadlawn Village. I have lived in Brantley addition for 29 years now, and I well remember Ansastasio’s Pizza, which was excellent. It reminded me of the pizza, that I got while stationed in Germany during the 60’s. it had the same great quality and taste, of courses those pizza parlors in Germany were operated by Italian families. I also would like to comment on Broadlawn Village, I delivered mail at Broadlawn Village for over 12 years, and have seen quite a few changes in the little shopping mall. After Anastasio’s closed, due to health reasons of the owner, several other people have tried putting in an eatery of some kind in the same location. Sadly none of these businesses survived for more than a few weeks. Broadlawn Village is still a great location to put in a business, but over and over I have seen people come and be gone with in a few weeks of trying to start a new business. Most of these people simply are not prepared to make the emotional or financial commitment to keep a business going. My wife Connie, and I opened a business in Broadlawn Village in 1995, “Yellow Rose Floral.” We love our location and being at Broadlawn Village. Most of the business that went out at Broadlawn were because the owners retired and there was simply no one to come in and take their place. I would love to see this great little shopping mall enjoy the same vitality it had when I moved to Ardmore in 1971, to go to work for the U.S. Postal Service. I would also like to take the opportunity to comment about Rue McClannahan. My first year with the Postal Service in 71, one of my many jobs as a new sub was to deliver Special Deliveries, We did this twice a day, early in the morning and late in the evenings when the mail trucks would arrive. One early morning I was sent out to Hurst Road, with a Special Delivery for Rue McClannahan. It was from Hollywood California. Rue McClannahan was waiting near the rural curbside mail box at her parents home there on Hurst Road. I had no idea who Rue McClannahan was at that time, and didn’t think anything about the Special Delivery being from Hollywood, Ca. She signed for the Special Delivery and I returned to my daily routine. I also delivered mail to her Mothers beauty Shop “Rue Nells.” on Grand Avenue. Of course with in a year or two after I had this un eventful encounter with Rue McClannahan, she was rapidly achieving celebrity status, not just in Ardmore, but on a National level as well. Thanks so much for clearing up that issue about the young girl who was 13 years old instead of 6 years old, that gave birth to a baby boy. I was beginning to think you were entertaining a career with National Inquirer. (Only Kidding Butch !) I enjoy your Weekly email very much and hope you keep it going for many years to come.” -Mike Jones [email protected]
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“Hi Butch, I am a graduate student at OU and I am working on my thesis. I am studying the connection that personal religious faith had in the western outlaw here in the midwest. The group of outlaws I am studying are those that arose from Quantrill in Kansas and ended with Pretty Boy Floyd here in Oklahoma. I have studied these men (and woman) and many of them were active in their churches and had deep religious beliefs but little has been written about it. But there has been so much that has been written that is based on one or two sources and few things that are new that I am now looking for NEW sources of material. I was hoping that maybe some of your readers might have some newspaper clippings or journals or any information on any of these men that might give me information. I am looking for baptismal, Bibles, Journals, records, burial records, sunday school records, any evidence of a religious nature of any of the people on my list. I know that many librarians have things tucked away that no one cares about and I am hoping to find something of that nature. I will give full credit for any information found. I can be reached at Pat Spelling [email protected] OR 1-877-424-3221 or local tulsa area 241-1748 I am studying the following people: James Family– Jesse, Frank Younger – Jim, Bob, Cole Dalton – Grat, Bob, Emmett Doolin – Bill Belle Starr (Shirley) Bud Shirley Preston Shirley Jim Reed Sam Starr, Hopp Starr, Blue Duck, Jim French, Henry Starr, Al Spencer, Frank Nash, John Callahan, Eddie Adams, Pretty Boy Floyd, Verne Miller, Adam Richetti, Ben Howell, Bill Cook, Cherokee Bill, Pat O’ Malley.”
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Boy, did seeing these pics bring back memories. I’d forgotten all about getting those old movie bills from the Tivoli. You could pick them up everytime you went to a movie, or you could just go by the Tivoli when they were opened and get one so you’d know what movies were on that month. I worked at the Tivoli as a cashier when I was in High School. Wow!!! A flood of memories just came back. Thanks, Butch. You made my day!!
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“The population of the county is listed as 45000. what was the population in 1941 or 1942? i counted 131 kia from carter county including 2 of my AHS classmates from class of 1943, namely carl barnett and forest kerr. this seems like a very high number from a small place especially if my hunch is correct the population was about half of the present. thanks.”
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“I enjoyed your first T&T article today about Louise Riotte’s book, but cannot find it. I found 16 book titles by her on Chickasaw Library’s website and seven on Ardmore Public Library’s site but they were all about her gardening. Is the title “Frontier Times” and where can I get a copy to read?”
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“Butch, somehow the information I requested became confused. Could you correct it for me. Thanks. South of the ARDMORE (not Gene Autry) train station, about a block, is now a feed store. I believe it was a food distribution warehouse in the 60’s. Does anyone know the name and perhaps a picture.”
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“You spell ALL…….. a l l Ha Ha. Just kidding.”
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“All this writing about Eddie Rue sent me back a few years I would have to dig out my pictures to tell exactly what year, but she came back here and married her High School Sweetheart (one of her many marriages). I was doing wedding cakes at the time and her mother called and asked me to do a small cake for her. I did and I have a picture of Eddie Rue and my daughter that was taken when we went to her mother’s house to set up the reception. I did hundreds of cakes in my baking career but I guess that was the closest to “Royalty” I came, Ha! Ha! I didn’t think it was a pretty cake as her Mom wanted it to have lots of Bright Pink Roses on it, said “Rue” loved lots of color! Eddie Rue said it was beautiful and just like she liked them. Guess that was what mattered. That marriage didn’t last very long either.”
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We have 2 Pizza Huts and a Dominos here in NY, but there are also many small family owned places, Pudgie’s, Rico’s, Aniello’s, Pizza Factory, Gino’s, Picnic Pizza, Fox’s, and Brownie’s. We eat pizza fairly often, and I occasionally will buy from Pizza Hut or Domino’s, but my favorite is Aniello’s. The small, family owned places make much better pizza and they do lots of business. There is a large Italian presence in this town and the people who own the small pizza businesses are true Italians.”
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“The Dallas Morning News obituary section on April l9th, 2002 lists WWII vet, Wilbur Butcher “Spider” Webb who born and graduated from Ardmore High School. He joined the Navy in l938 and was on the USS Oklahoma when it was attacked in Pearl Harbor. He dived out of a porthole and started rescuing others. He later became a fighter pilot assigned to the USS Hornet. While circling a downed pilot near Guam he spotted 40 Japanese fighters in formation, radioed for help, and shot down five enemy aircraft before help arrived. Another time he swam a channel at Mountain Creek Lake in Dallas to rescue a Corsair pilot whose plane had flipped after sliding off a runway. He is survived by wife, Clio Pace Webb of North Richland Hills, Texas. Also a daughter and three grandchildren.”
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I was born in Shawnee and raised in Tahlequah, OK, quite a ways from the Carter County area. I used to visit with Uncle Fleet Cooper 2-weeks every summer until about 1952 and remember him being an avid baseball fan. He took me to several local baseball games in Ardmore we enjoyed them together. I remember he enjoyed them immensely. He supported the local Ardmore team and every time a home run was hit by a team player, attention was drawn to Uncle Fleet because he paid $1 [if memory serves me right] to every team player that hit a homerun. I doubt that he missed very many of the games. I was told he hadn’t missed a World Series in years. I laughingly remember how he taught me to swat flies (the winged type) that seem to be in abundance on spectators at the ball games. He was very good at it and could kill several at one swat. It seemed like, Uncle Tom Cooper was always in Oklahoma City when I was in Ardmore visiting with Uncle Fleet.”
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“I wonder who that person is that wrote about the Castle Club? I used to go there also, about the same time. And I remember Guy T. and Cox playing in the band. I used to date Jackie Lee Davenport, and he, his brother Don and sister-in-law Evylene and I used to go there all the time. I also remember poker games went on and Jimbo Yell was amongst the players. Sure brings back some good ole memories. Thanks Butch for making all this possible.” -Saundra Brooks Hickey Herriott [email protected]
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“Here are a couple of pictures of a bell. It is located in front of the Newkirk Community Historical Museum, Newkirk, OK. Newkirk is the county seat for Kay County. The bell is from the Oak Grove School which was a rural school in the area.”
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“I scanned up all my pictures of Gene Autry and posted them on the internet for you. Go to this address: In time, I want to put all the other Okie photos I’ve gathered here as well.”
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“An AT&SF timetable that I have refers to a couple of places that I’ve not seen mentioned in Butch’s notes. I don’t suppose you’ve heard of them at all? I will write to Butch as well. The locations are: Maurice – half way between Ardmore and Gene Autry, at MP 455.6 Mons – half way between Davis and Wynnewood, at MP 482.3 Rayford (Storage Siding?) – between Dougherty and Davis, at MP 473.1
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“Butch, It was fun seeing the menu from Anatstacio’s Pizza. Since we lived about 2 blocks away, we went there real often, as I remember the pizza as being the best I’ve ever eaten. Man, do I remember when I was about 12, going there with a bunch of my friends for an eat all you can party. I can still feel the intense sensation when we left of being sure my body might explode any second. Tommy Anastasio was a real nice person. An interesting side story about Tommy. My dad (Dr. Lawrence Joers) and I were swimming down at pool at the old air force base, which was still used then. Tommy and his son happened to also be there. My dad and I were resting sitting on the edge of the pool, watching Tommy carry his son on his shoulders in the shallow end. Tommy started bouncing up and down in the water and accidentally ventured too close to the slope into the deep end. As he came down his feet hit the slope, and he started sliding right down to the bottom with his son on his shoulders, wrapping his arms frantically around his head and neck. Tommy pushed off the bottom and popped up and hollered, “help,” and down they went again. The first couple of times everyone thought they were playing and Tommy had it in control, bouncing up and down from the bottom, but on the third surfacing we knew he was gasping wildly for air and in trouble. My dad and I turned and looked at the young guy who was suppose to be the lifeguard, sitting there watching with his mouth open. My dad, in his early 60s wasted no time and dove in and pulled the boy from Tommy’s neck and brought him over to me, then quickly went back and helped Tommy to the edge. My dad was a small (but big in my eyes!) man and Tommy had to be twice his size. From then on, I knew my dad was a real hero, not just from all his medals and what I’d heard about him in WW2, but in my life. That lifeguard, he never moved from his spot, frozen with a dumb-dog look on his face. He may have still been there when they took out the pool years later. Butch, this newsletter is the most fun. I’m really glad I discovered it. Everyone has such great stories to tell, and you are a veritable fountain of information.” -Skip Joers
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“My heartfelt sympathy to Bill O’Heran in the loss of his beloved and beautiful wife, Jean. Bill was a frequent writer to T & T. I had missed seeing letters from him for several weeks then I learned why. Jean was a lovely lady and I know that she leaves a great void in the lives of many. Bill, if you are reading T & T my son lives in Canmore and works in Calgary. He said that he was going to give you a call soon. He doesn’t know you but I am sure that he would love to see or talk to someone from “home.” -Francis Dunlap [email protected]
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Here are two more winners for my free “History CD” this week! Over 3,770 files and 375mgs!
[email protected]
[email protected]

“A true Southerner knows that “fixin’” can be used as a noun, a verb, or an adverb.”

See you all next Saturday!

Butch Bridges
Lone Grove, Oklahoma 73443

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Saturday April 20, 2002 T&T Weekly Vol 6 Issue 261

Louise Riotte (1909 – 1998) was an Ardmoreite and wrote many column for The Daily Ardmoreite as well as her on books and short stories. Many of us will remember her for her promoting of organic gardening. I would stop by her house on 11th and K Street NW and in her back yard she had all kinds of neat projects growing. But what a lot of people either dodn’t know or forgot about, is Louise Riotte wrote a story in the Frontier Times back in November 1980. It was published by Western Publications of Iola, Wisconsin, and was an article about Marshal Dow Brazil and Deputy Bud Ballew. There was bad blood between these to guys back in 1919 when Dow Brazil was gun down at the California Cafe on East Main and Mill Street (Stolfa Hardware now). Early that morning on January 19, 1919 the shoot-out between these two lawmen and Ardmore Chief of Police, Les Sigler, left Dow Brazil dead on the floor. Ballew and Sigler were arrested and Ballew brought to trial, but Ballew beat the case. But that is not the end of the story. In events that some say made a connection back to January 19, 1919…. Les Sigler lost his life in a gun battle with the brother of Dow Brazil, Bob Brazil, in Ft Worth, Texas in 1920. Bud Ballew was a short stocky man with firey red hair. Dow Brazil the 13th man to die from a bullet from Ballew’s gun, but Brazil would be the last person killed by Ballew. Ex Deputy Sheriff Bud Ballew would lose his life in a shootout in Wichita Falls, Texas in 1922 with law officers in that city. There are many strange occurences and connections in the stories back around 1920, and Louise Riotte brought many of them to print in her story in 1980. Here is a photo of Dow Braziel. http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/ttphotos/braziel.jpg Here is a photo of Bud Ballew (standing on right) and Sheriff Buck Garrett (sitting on left) which hangs in Ponders Restaurant here in Ardmore. http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/ttphotos/buck&bud.jpg

A Reader in Stigler, Oklahoma and x-Ardmoreite sent me some pics this week. Two of pics are posters he owns from the old Tivoli theater on Main Street. http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/ttphotos/tivolit.jpg
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/ttphotos/tivolita.jpg

And this Stigler, Oklahoma resident has a pic that to me is really magnificent! It’s the workers standing in front of the old 1188 Locomotive when it was moved to its resting place beside the Hardy Murphy Coliseum. His dad was one of the workers in the photo. http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/ttphotos/loco1108.jpg

Here is the ID on those standing in front of the engine as the Reader knows it:

“Identification of individuals in the picture are: l – r: Ed Cole, Everett Purcell, Aaron Moore, Bob Smith, J.W. Shortes, Waco Turner, John Crowder, Kennith Ray Gibbs, W. Wilson, A. Sanders, P.L. Crowder, Hubert A. Wilson (my father), P. Landeros, L. Hughes and P. DeHaven. The listing up thru Waco Turner appears to be correct, however the persons identified to the right of Turner (his left) appears to be wrong. My father is the fourth person to the left of Turner and Kennith Gibbs is sixth person, so the identification of these individuals is incorrect. This picture appeared on the front page of the Ardmoreite on August 30, 1954. Others articles about the movement of the engine appeared on Aug 8, Aug 15, and one other date which I don’t have, but must have been between the 15 and 30th, as the 30th is the last article that I have. All appear to have been published on the front page.”

Another photo he sent was the menu from Anastasio’s Pizzeria here in Ardmore. It was located in the Broadlawn Mall at Maxwell and Harris NW. I remember going there and eating great pizza. Now we are not talking about some of those chain outfit pizzas places we have in Ardmore today. We are taking about real New York style, made from scratch pizza, like back East. Tommy Anastasio (1922-1981) was from New York and he brought with him to Ardmore the old style pizza making that abounds back in the NY and NJ area. I sure liked Tommy Anastasio. I gave him his last ride on this earth, I’ll never forget him. http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/ttphotos/pizzeria.jpg

I told last week I put together on CD a slideshow of Brown Springs and Mannsville. The slideshow on Mannsville, Oklahoma consists of about 19 photos and some other goodies burned to the CD. Either CD is $3 to cover expenses. Let me know if you want one! Here’s a pic of the Mannsville, Oklahoma Slideshow CD. http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/ttphotos/manncd.jpg

I upgraded my service with webshots.com this week. Paid $29 for two years of unlimited photo storage. That will help with all the photos I’m uploading month after month. My webshots.com albums have been very popular with over 10,000 hits since I started using webshots. Over the next few weeks, I’ll move the photos from MokaXprs webshots to my OklahomaHistory webshots so all the pics will be on one site. http://community.webshots.com/user/MokaXprs
http://community.webshots.com/user/OklahomaHistory

Thursday we had a early morning Birthday Breakfast for County Commissioner Dale Ott. Office Personnel Michelle and Phyllis put together quite a surprise for him, black balloons, a wreath, and even photos placed on the wall from starting with Dale’s childhood years. We had Blue and Gold sausage, homemade biscuits, cherry turnovers, blueberry muffins, and orange juice. Everyone had a great time. The theme of Dale being 60 years old, which he is not, was fun and we all had fun teasing him about it. There were lots of laughs and some good fellowship after a long work week! http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/ttphotos/dalebday.jpg

April is coming close to an end and our little group has talked over 5,300 minutes! Join us and save on your long distance calls too! Four cents a minute is nothing to sneeze at! http://www.worldxchange.com/agent/228072

SOME LETTERS FROM THIS WEEK’S MAILBAG

“I have to ask the question on your last story about the girl who was raped… was she really only 6 years old or is that a typo? Just curious… Love to read your T&T, have been for years. Thanks and keep up the good work.”
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“Butch, To answer the question below that you ask. Do what ever you can to help this young man as he has to know where he started from to get to where he wants to be. One of the worse things for an adopted child is not knowing, it is something that stays with them the rest of their life and as you know I believe every person has a right to know where they came from. Enjoyed This and That this week as usual it was very interesting.”
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“Wow Butch! That is a tough one! My question would be is this for real? I don’t see how a 6 yr old girl could get PG. Much less give birth… ??????? And would she remember at such an early age? Follow your heart…it will guide you.”
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“Hi butch, I do know things get started early in Oklahoma but I do not think a 6 year old can have a baby. (Quote Thirty-seven years ago a 6 year old girl was raped here in town. She gave birth 6 months later to a boy.)”
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“Butch, I enjoyed this weeks TnT very much.. Maybe I am getting HOME sick. The pictures of Gene Autry was great… and the talking about Caddo Street.. I remember as a kid (3 &4) as being Main Street of town. the store (i think was Krates or something like that)… the feed store (think it is still there). My uncle worked for Colverts Dairy until he retired. As a teenager, my cousin and I would go to town (can’t remember how we got there, he would have to be at work at4am) but we would meet him at lunch time (that is when he got off work) and he would take us home. We did not walk because they lived out at Dripping Springs. oh well… good memories.. ok… about the last part of your TnT.. about the 37 yr old man … I am having a hard time believing it… I do not think a 6 yr old could have a baby… and 37 yrs ago… a baby being born at 6mos most likely would not have made it.. if it is so… good luck to him.. I read that part to my husband and he thinks that the guy is suspicious… could he be the rapist? trying to find the girl?? just getting out of jail?? or maybe he wants to tell her he is sorry?? I do have to wonder… can you check into but not tell him?? I know that would have made news… maybe the Ardmoreite??? Keep me informed… I will be wondering about it… because it does not sound right.”
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“Butch, u said a girl of 6 years was raped and 6 months later gave birth?? Thats really kind of hard to believe, since most girls dont start puberty until around 9 or 10 years of age. However stranger things than that has happened-referring to the puberty not the rape. I think if I were you, I’d contact the birth mother, if I knew who she was to see if she wants him in her life, she might not want to face that part of her life, if she even remembers it. That sort of thing is traumatic. Find out from her what she wants,then make your decision to help him or not. That would be my advice, hey one more question? If the girl was raped and then delivered 6 months later, isn’t there a chance the baby belonged to someone other than the rapist?? Just pondering down here!”
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“I well remember watching Ringling Brother, Barnum-Bailey passing my grandparents house on B St. NW. We watched as it went by. I think it must have been in the late 1930s. Also, to add to the discussion of Rue McClanahan. Her mother also worked in Durant and she attended some grade school there. She attended one of the class reunions several years ago. I was not there but her picture was in the paper. Also, in all of the discussions of hamburgers haven’t seen anyone mention the Hamburger Inn.” http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/ttphotos/hambur47.jpg
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/ttphotos/hambur56.jpg
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“Dear Butch, I see that you have a CD on Brown Springs. Do any of your readers of T&T have any idea where Brown Springs got its name?”
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“If you love paying bills on line, how about putting some of that joy over here on some of my bills. I have more than enough to go around.”
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“I was a childhood playmate of Rue McClanahan’s son, Mark Bish in the first grade at Franklin Elementary. I met Mark really through his grandmother, Rue Nell McClanahan, who had a beauty shop on Grand Avenue. Rue Nell was the kindest lady. She would always offer me a soda pop when I would walk home from school as her beauty shop was on the way. One time she took Mark and me to see Hatari at the Drive Inn theatre that was on the highway. I met Rue, her daughter, once when she was a young woman. She and her current beau took Mark and me swimming at a motel, the name of which I do not recall, but it was on Highway 77 North. Rue wore a leopard bikini.”
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“Butch love to get T&T. Thought I’d pass this along you and to the other readers. I met Otto Powell when I worked at Randall’s Drug Store in Wilson back in 1975. He had come into the drug store for a fountain coke. He sat in one of the booths and I could hear someone singing so I went back there to talk to him. He really had a wonderful voice and I told him how nice it was. He told me he had built himself a brick home from singing his songs at different places. He said he would start singing and someone would throw a brick at him to get him to stop singing others would start throwing bricks at him too so he just gathered up those bricks and took them back to his place and built him a brick home. We both had a good laugh at that story. He was quite a character and a really nice man. Thanks for letting me share that memory.” Connie Forsythe Bray [email protected]
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“Well I read farther into the letter and found something else. Dutch Prather and the baseball team. When they built the baseball field it was pretty soon after WW2 and parts were hard to come by and the lights around the field had to be turned on by climbing a couple of the poles until the main switch came in. My Dad Elmer Franklin was the electrician so it came to him to turn the lights on every night and off after the game. I can remember going with him and I always got to watch the game. I remember Dutch getting so angry with the refs and kicking dirt on them. I really enjoyed going with my dad to those games.” [email protected]
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“I remember Colverts horse drawn milk wagons. They had them at least till 46 or 47. I still think about them clonking down the street on D st. N.W. I remember the “bodark” trees with the apples and we called them horse apples. I don’t know that the horses ate them but we called them horse apples. I also remember Tom Coopers when he built the new store out on W. Main. My dad was the electrician for that one. I remember going up and getting the “fresh peach” ice cream in the quarts, hand packed. I still love peach ice cream but even Blue Bell doesn’t taste the same as that did on a hot summer evening.” [email protected]
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“I enjoyed the “inflation” website that Marlene Bebo sent to you. I can remember spending $12.00 a week for groceries in 1962 – now, for those same groceries it would cost $68.33. My husband was earning less than that in 1962!” http://www.westegg.com/inflation
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“Butch, I can’t seem to get on your bell site, so bear with me asking about what is probably an obvious question, do you know about the bell at The Chisholm Trail Museum in Waurika? My family refers to it as the museum that is never open. We have tried countless times to go there but it is always closed. They are really helpful if you write and ask for information though!”
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“On the transplant list now. Hopefully soon I’ll regain my sight and can read better. However, I won’t be trying to do OG&E bills. LOL! That is really horrible. Get ’em.”
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“Butch, I read with interest your problem with OG&E. I received some info with a bill about online billing about a month or so ago. It sounded pretty good until I noticed there was a $5 fee charged by the company doing the billing for them. I trashed it. OG&E on the website very nicely adds that OG&E does not charge a fee for this service. Of course they don’t, the billing company does. I don’t think I dreamed all of this, but in my old age, who knows? Since they charged you $15 service charge—– something to check into. Thanks for your T&T, it is an inspiration to us.”
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“Hi Butch: Someone one time asked about the history of this area written by Sidney Gilstrap. I had his daughter, Linda Mary Kerr, a dear friend of mine, over for tea this afternoon. She will sell the book for $8.00 which includes mailing. If whomever in interested would write to her at 421 A NW, Ardmore, OK 73401 she would be most happy and delighted to send a book. There is also a book at the Ardmore Public Library on E and Grand. Keep up the interesting work.”
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“Butch, The fellow has a collector’s item in the 1971 National Geographic. The article on page 188 with the four guys playing dominos was made in my folks store. Haney’s Grocery & Station – Gene Aurty, Oklahoma. From left to right the players were 1) an unknown gentlemen who just happen to be in the store that day. He was not a local resident. 2) Herman Jackson 3) Clyde Haney my father and the owner on the store. 4) a local rancher, who’s name unfortunately I can not remember. I still have my Dad’s set of dominos.” http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/ttphotos/gene1971.jpg
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Hi Butch, I was doing some surfing on the web yesterday looking for info on two brothers from Pottawatomie County who played for Bob Wills (Lewis and Mancel Tierney) for a book I’m writing about his band The Texas Playboys. I decided to do a Carter County search while I was at it, as my mother was born there. I just typed in ‘Round Up School’ and lo and behold this entry came up! It’s the ONLY reference on the web (that I could find!) to this settlement that has been long gone since the 40’s. I saw it listed once in an old Rand-McNally hard back atlas, dated 1940 which I have lost. It listed EVERY town and settlement in the United States, many of which are no longer in existence, including Round Up. My mother was born in Round Up, OK and she went to that school. She would have been about 8 yrs old when the photo was taken in 1923 that’s mentioned in the entry. I have seen the remnants of that schoolhouse which in the 80’s was little more than a base foundation and a lot of red bricks. I wish now I had swiped one of those bricks. The old folks back home around Milo and Pooleville are all gone now but they showed me where Round Up was; Smack dab in the middle half way between those two towns. Mom used to tell me of her days as a kid there. She said that all that was there in the settlement of Round Up was a Post Office and a little store (ran by one of her family) which was all in one building and that schoolhouse down the road. There was a church where her family attended but it was down the road about 2 miles, located in nearby Milo, where her family later moved. The rest of what made up the settlement was the scattered folks who lived nearby. Legend has it that the settlement of Round Up was on the Chisholm Trail and got it’s name from cattle drovers who stopped there because of the area’s flat, wooded tree area for them to rest up under and close available water in a small river of stream nearby. It was like a ‘rest stop’ coming out of San Antonio, Texas en route to Abilene, Kansas. I saw the area where the cattle and the cowboys rested up when I was there. Big tall oak trees with a big wide open space in the middle, all green and lush from years of Bully-Boy droppings. Indeed there were still piles of it and it seemed to be almost petrified! My mother’s family name was Goodwin and there were a lot of them in the area for many years. They were also related by marriage (3 times I am told) to another big family in the area whose name was Goodman.” [email protected] http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/ttphotos/roundsch.jpg
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“Hi Butch, This past weekend I visited my Grandmother who lives in Gainesville, TX. While in Gainesville I always like to check out the Antique Stores. I had heard the Antique store next to the railroad tracks had a new owner and so I decided to go check the place out. I had also heard that a man had died in the building in the late 1800 s and that his ghost still remains there to this day. While chatting with three of the ladies who work there I asked if any of them had experienced anything ghostly. They all said they had. I found it so interesting and so I thought I might send you a little note so that if any of your readers like a good ghost tale they might want to go visit the store and I am sure these ladies would tell you all of there experiences too. I might add, they have some neat stuff in there too.”
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“By the way, one block South of the Gene Autry railroad station there is a feed store. As I have heard back in the 60’s it was a food warehouse? Is anyone aware of the name and even better a picture.”
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“Good lord you find some fun stuff. Hope all is well. We have Clocks in auctions – you might enjoy looking at the site, we have a neat auction going.” http://www.snclocks.com
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Thought I would show you my style of painting Ceramics. Would you like to see more? I got a scanner today and I’m just learning to use it. I am not sure what resolutions to set my scanned photo in. Not sure if the 300 makes it tough for you to download it or if the 300 will show the pic clearly. What do you think? Enjoyed your T&T this weekend. http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/ttphotos/indianr2.jpg
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“Do you know anything about a lawman, possibly a sheriff in the Springer area, named Findley? His first name might have been John or Frank. His wife’s name was Betty. They came to OK from TX via covered wagon. Prior to 1924, Findley was shot in the back and killed, possibly over a money dispute?”
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“Butch, How about this shot of us taking off in the hot air balloon from Queenstown, New Zealand last week. What a beautiful place to hot air balloon with the Southern Alps behind you. Will be in to see you the first of June.” -Jerry Lewis http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/ttphotos/lewisnz2.jpg
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/ttphotos/lewisnz3.jpg
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“Someone mentioned Colvert’s dairy. I once worked in the ice-cream bar section. They told me I could have all the ice cream I wanted. The only trouble was, in working with it, I really didn’t want much. (I would like to have some right now! ) They also mentioned the horse drawn delivery wagons. I’ve thought of those many times over the past years. We would see them coming several blocks away, run down and ride the route. It was quite an experience for young boys. I think the horses knew the route as well as the delivery man. It was rare to see the delivery man touch the reins. He would take his milk to the house, and the horse usually went on to the next place of delivery,then stop and wait. Speaking of ice cream, when the Miller’s put in Ardmore’s first Dairy Queen on the corner of E and Broadway, they had a booming business.”
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Do you know of a JOE EVERETT that was a sheriff in Ardmore back about 1930’s or 40″s? My uncle says his grandmother CANSADA JANE EVERETT WATSON had a brother by that name that was a sheriff in Ardmore,Ok.”
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“Rue McClanahan is whom we knew as Eddie Rue McClanahan. She had a son whom I met. Her father, Bill, was a carpenter, and built our sunporch. She had a sister who taught at a University, I think in Alabama, and raised four children. Eddie Rue and her sister graduated from Ardmore High School. Al and I knew them in school, and Al, being an electrical contractor, worked along side of Bill for years and years.” -Marion
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“Since you mention books, my poetry book came out a week ago Thursday. It sells for $7.50…8.00 if I need to mail it. It may help someone who lost a loved one recently, because the title is, “Death and Dying”, but not all of them are depressing. Harvey Stanbrough, a Pulitzer Nominee, was my editor and publisher. I am really, truly honored!!” -Marion [email protected]
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“Butch-This old bell is located on the NE corner of the main barracks area of Fort Reno, OK. The bell has Alarm Bell & Co.” cast inside the bell, plus “C. S. Bell Co., Hillsboro, O” which I assume is Ohio. The number inside the cracked bell is 6608M. The building in the background is one of several officer’s barracks used in 1891. An artist rendition of Fort Reno in late 1800 is the other attachment. Fort Reno is presently a USDA Experiment Station. Unless something is done soon, Fort Reno’s historic buildings will be gone as they are in a bad state of non-repair. As this happens, the United States and Oklahoma lose an important part of both’s history as the buildings are removed. A restoration project to restore the remaining buildings would be a very costly project but could be a valuable tourist draw since it is close to OKC and Highway 66.” -Gary D. Simmons [email protected] http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/ttphotos/elrenob.jpg
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/ttphotos/elrenop.jpg
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“Hi Butch. I was surfing in Okla. Cemeteries and ran across this article. It mentions a bell at the grave of Belle Star. That might be interesting. Let me know if you are able to pull up this web sight. If not I will print it and leave a copy at the Broadway Cafe for you. I stopped in there yesterday evening and tried one of the baked potatos They served up a great chilli, cheese,and frito baked potato.” ftp://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/ok/law/newspapers/bstarr.txt
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Last week I had a typo when I mentioned the girl was 6 years old when she was raped by her step-father. She was 13 years old and the baby boy was delivered during her 6th month of pregnancy. I have not entirely decided to help search for his birth mother. I am checking now with some national organization who help in matters like these. I have been given a lot more details then I imagined was available to work with, so soon I’ll make a decision.

Here are two more winners for my “History CD” this week! Over 3,770 files and 375mgs! [email protected]
[email protected]

“Only true Southerners grow up knowing the difference between “right near” and “a right far piece.” They also know that “just down the road” can be 1 mile or 20.”

See you all next Saturday!

Butch Bridges
Lone Grove, Oklahoma 73443

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Saturday April 13, 2002 T&T Weekly Vol 6 Issue 260

I received a surprise in mail this week! It was a book filled with some really great poems written by Bud Roller. Bud was raised on the bank of Hickory Creek and Highway 70 West. He went to Plainview schools. Bud calls his 36 page book of poems “Straight From The Mule’s Mouth”. I guess the funniest one to me was “Turner Falls”. It seem Bud and a group of friend went to Turner Falls in the winter time back in the 1945 and they didn’t see any one around. So they just decided then and now to go skinny dipping. They had some fun and laughs, but not nearly as much fun and laughs as the people lined up to view the falls from atop the mountain at the public telescopes while they were skinny dipping! hahaha. But there a lot more great poems, 27 to be exact….. “Ole Kate”, “Our Government Outhouse”, “The Nanny Goat”, “Swimming Hole”, “Red Wasp Nest”, “The Gypsy Woman”, “Harvest of ’43”, “Hickory Creek”, to name a few! If you’re interested in obtaining a copy of his book of poems, you can email Bud at [email protected] Here’s a pic I scanned of the cover of his book with a taste of local history. http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/ttphotos/rollerb.jpg

A Reader sent me a map of Oklahoma, no ordinary map, but one depicting the state as it was in 1895. The map is too big to put in my T&T links, but I did crop it down to a smaller size, only showing the Carter county area. One place I noticed right off is Wilson, Oklahoma. We have talked about the location of Wilson, Oklahoma before it was in western Carter county. Before statehood it was SE of Ardmore. When that Wilson existed, the one in western Carter county was called “New Wilson”. Later it just became Wilson. Here is the map I cropped down. http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/ttphotos/1895mapb.jpg

To see the full size 1895 Oklahoma map (it’s 1.6 megs), you’ll need to go to this website and download it. Just click on “clearinghouse” and you’ll find the map plus a wealth of other digitized geographical maps and the like for downloading. http://www.seic.okstate.edu

I told last week I put together on CD a slideshow of Brown Springs. Now I have a slideshow on Mannsville, Oklahoma. It consists of about 15 photos and some other goodies burned to the CD. Either CD is $3 to cover expenses. Let me know if you want one!

You know the country is in a sad state of affairs when a company you’ve been doing business with since February 1973, gives you the shaft. Yep, that’s 30 years. I been paying my bill and keeping my account paid up, and then I make one typo on the screen and they stick me for $15. I feel sorry for any elderly people, or people with vision impairment (I have several Readers who’ve told me they can hardly see their screen) or a two finger typist, or even someone going through a divorce (they don’t know their name, might as well their account number), and try to make a monthly payment on OG&E’s website, and make a typo in their account number. Give $15 to OG&E.

I love using the computer for making payments online. I have accounts set up at several places where I can do just that! So, I decided last month to pay my electric bill online. I went through all the questions and answers, providing all the info they needed to let me pay online. After I was set up, I found out you have to pay each account individually. (I have 3 accounts with OG&E.) I paid 2 of them with no problem, but on the 3rd account I guess I made a typo on my account number and their computer didn’t accept that $24 dollar payment. I found out days later they charged me a $15 dollar service charge. I talked to one OG&E representative here in Ardmore and two in Oklahoma City. I guess what really ruffled my feathers was when that first lady said the $15 charge was for my bounced check. I’ve never wrote a hot check in my life. And if I did, my grandfather Carmon would come back from the grave and give me a whooping like I haven’t had since I got an elm tree switching from my mother (it was legal in those days). Anyway, I said, “lady I didn’t write a check, I paid it online”. She said well, its the same thing, you didn’t have money in your account to cover the $24. Now she’s really got my attention, but good.

So, I go down to my bank, and the Teller who waited on me has waited on me a thousand times, and even lived next door to me when I was 20 years old next door to the lumber yard back in the 60s. When I told her that OG&E said I didn’t have enough money in my bank account on March 21st to cover $24 she just grinned and laughed. She pulled up my account, looked at me with a grin, and said on that particular day, yes, I had more then enough to cover any $24 check, and grinned all that much bigger. She said OG&E had not deducted the $24 from my bank account, nor had any $15 been assessed my bank account.

I went back to the OG&E office here in Ardmore and she couldn’t even pull up all the needed info on her computer to verify anything, so she told me to go over to a booth, pick up a direct line phone, and someone in Oklahoma City will help. I was told basically what I already knew. Since I had made a typo entering my account number online, they charged me $15.

Boy what a mess. Well, I’ve paid the entire amount due on that 3rd account, including the extra $15. But you know, it just kinda leaves a bad taste in your mouth. And you know what the slap in the face is? I’m a stockholder in OG&E. Where’s that Chairman of the Board when you need him! hahahaha. But, and there’s always that but, in behalf of everyone who makes typos, I have filed a complaint with the Oklahoma Corporation Commission about that $15 service charge. I’ll let everyone know what happens.

Oh life was much simpler back in the days before computers, and our checks was “counter checks”, didn’t even have our name or account number or nuttin written on them. Those days are gone.

Here is the Menu for April for the Share Program:

Turkey Deli Meat – 1 LB. Chicken Pot Pie – 26 OZ. Chicken Breast Fajita Meat – 15 OZ. Johnsonville Bratwurst – 1 LB. Sausage Patties – 14 OZ. Potatoes – 6 or 1 bag Broccoli Cucumbers – 2 Lettuce Baby Carrots – 1 LB. Red Delicious Apples – 4 California Naval Oranges – 5 Grapefruit – 2 Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Boy, I could have put that $15 on my share package! http://www.heartlandshare.com

All T&T Photo Albums since February 2, 2002 including this issue can be found at…. http://community.webshots.com/user/MokaXprs
And photos before February 2002 can be found at this link…. http://community.webshots.com/user/oklahomahistory

April is not even half gone and our little group has talked over 3,370 minutes! Join us and save on your long distance calls too! http://www.worldxchange.com/agent/228072

SOME LETTERS FROM THIS WEEK’S MAILBAG

“This was another good one. The one who mentioned the “Red Top Stew” and the cafe on N. Washington especially. My dad and brother would go in for lunch and get the red top stew always. Dad would stop there on Fridays before coming home and get a couple of quart fruit jars of that chili. I often put the chili on top of stew for my husband and I and he really likes it. My brother and I used to go to the Ritz on Saturday afternoon. They ran the “serials” and we had to get that weeks story of “Flash Gordon” or whatever was running then and of course the western.Hopalong Cassidy, Red Rider, Gene Autry or Roy and Dale. The admission was $.10. Daddy gave us a quarter each and we had !5 left so we could get a RC, Milky way and Charcoal gum. Those were fun times.” Jo Evelyn Franklin Barton [email protected]
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“Today I learned that a friend of mine is also a bell collector. I think she said she has about 200 of them. Someone asked about when Commerce Street was opened. I don’t remember the date it opened but they were working on it when I was married on July 31, 1947. I don’t think any of it was paved at that time. I don’t know why anyone would want a Krispy Kreme donut if they could have a Schwake donut. We used to drive up to Sulphur a lot after church on Sunday. Schwake’s was not open for business but they would be baking for the next day. They would let my husband in to buy donuts. They would melt in your mouth. Former Ardmoreite Hal Smith owns several Krispy Kreme Shops and the donuts are good but nothing like Schwake’s. They still have the bakery there but I think they just deliver, they don’t have a retail store. I was down there today but didn’t think to check. Will check next week. I am sure that you have a picture of the bell in front of the library at Sulphur, or is it in front of the fire station? The film on which I took pictures of the outhouse in Union Valley is being processed. Will bring you the pics next time I am in Ardmore or will mail them to you. Someone mentioned the theatres at Sulphur. I remember when I was 17 and the Outlaw was showing in Sulphur at the theatre on the South side of the street. I was going with my future husband at the time and my cousin was going with his best friend. We went to Sulphur one night to see The Outlaw with Jane Russell that was supposed to be so bad. I never did tell my Mother that I went. Now it would be rated PG compared to what they show at the movies and on TV. You were supposed to be 18 to get in but I always did look older than my age so had no problem getting a ticket. If anyone living in Southeast Ok sees Dogwoods blooming, please get the information in T & T. We missed them last year. Got there too late. Does anyone know about the Dogwoods in Idabel? They planted 1,000 trees one year and I wonder if they are blooming yet. The Azalea Festival starts April 6, in Muskogee. Will call Mon for the best time to go. That is all I know for this time. Take out any of the personal stuff. I envy your going all these interesting places and learning all that information. Since I can’t do that, you keep it up and relay the info. I have not been well for over a month. For a month I had vertigo. Unrelated to the next thing. Spent two days in the hospital last week. Had Pancreasitis. The doctor said that two things cause it. Your gall bladder and drinking alcohol. I don’t have a gall bladder. I had a marguerita about two years ago and have had a few half glasses of wine since. See what that hard drinking will do to you!! I am going to mail you $3 for the Brown Springs slide show disc.” -Frances Dunlap
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“Butch, I don’t think Rue did go to school in Healdton. However, the McClanahan that Healdton is really famous for is Rue’s uncle, Joy McClanahan and his wife, Wanda. They had a little dining establishment on Main Street called, appropriately enough, Joy’s Grill. It was a long, narrow cafe with just enough room for a booth on each wall and a pathway up the middle. The grill was located up front, with stools where you could sit at the counter and eat your lunch while watching Joy and Wanda at work. There was also a separate “kitchen” area in the back, where some food was prepared as well. They served breakfast and lunch, and their facility often hosted the Lion’s Club pancake breakfasts and bean suppers. My grandmother lived around the corner from Joy’s and I used to be allowed to walk there alone starting when I was just over two years old – a different world we lived in then! I used to eat breakfast at Joy’s regularly; I’d have a honey bun. Wanda would warm it on the grill for me and serve it to me with a glass of milk over ice, just the way I liked it. For lunch, people would often be lined up double file against the wall in the small space opposite the grill, and even out the door. They served a lunch special which was usually something different each day; a vegetable plate which usually came with mashed potatoes and gravy, greens (mustard or turnip, most often), and navy beans. I grew up on the vegetable plates! However, their burgers were unbeatable. It was great to sit at the counter. Wanda would come with her pad to take your order. When you ordered a hamburger or cheeseburger, she would call over her shoulder to Joy, “Mash one!” and he would – he’d take a ball of ground beef out of the tray with his spatula, flip it onto the grill, and mash it flat with that same spatula – a thin, flexible metal tool that I would give cash money to own today! Then Wanda would ask what you wanted on the burger and she used those great diner terms “deluxe” (everything with mustard) and “educated” (everything with mayonnaise”. The buns were lightly toasted on the grill. If you had ordered a cheeseburger, Joy put a slice of cheese on the patty to melt just before he scooped it onto the bun. Unbelievable! Wanda’s egg custard pie was also a wonder. It was my chief craving during each of my pregnancies. As a matter of fact, I knew I was pregnant for the third time at about only one week – I suddenly was overwhelmed with the desire for one of Joy’s hamburgers and a slice of egg custard. I wrote Wanda to tell her – she was thrilled to be one of my “pregnancy indicators.” Many folks in town had charge accounts at Joy’s, so to pay out all you had to do was “sign the ticket” at the register. I signed my first one there, in big block letters, when I was about three years old. Joy wouldn’t let my daddy pay it, but told him he was going to keep that ticket forever. Joy’s Grill was popular among the oil men, the bosses, the high school kids… everyone in town. It did have stiff competition from Opal’s. Owned by Opal and Howard Engle, it was also a wonderful place to eat, but famous for different things, like Opal’s Thursday lunch: chicken and dumplings, and home made peach cobbler with scoops of vanilla ice cream melting on top. Or, Opal’s home made French dressing on a “salad burger.” Joy’s and Opal’s are both gone now (Opal’s has been replaced by Rose Wilson’s Grasshopper), as are Joy and Wanda, Opal and Howard. The richness they added to life in Healdton during my growing-up years (late 60’s, 70’s and early 80’s) is irreplaceable. Joy and Wanda’s daughter JR lives in Ardmore now, I believe, and at least one son, Robert, still lives in Healdton. Opal & Howard’s son Lavelle still lives in Healdton also. If I sound like I am making too much out of a couple of burger joints, well, it’s because I remember with such happiness the many meals my family – my parents, grandparents, and sister – enjoyed in them. In high school, I used to have lunch at Opal’s each Thursday with my daddy – we both ordered the chicken and dumplings topped off with the peach cobbler – and it helped keep us connected during those teen years. The cafes were gathering places for my friends, too. And even if my folks weren’t having a meal with us, it was like being with family when Joy and Wanda and the Engles took such good care of us. I have friends from high school (we have been out 20 years this spring) who still get nostalgic at the mention of a hamburger from Joy’s – we have yet to find Joy’s rival. So, there you have the story of the REAL famous McClanahans of Healdton – they were treasures, and treasured, indeed.” -Robin Craft Grattet, Colorado
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“Dear Mr Bridges, a funny thing happened to my family in the way of new. We moved to New Mexico in 1924 from Dill City, Ok. My sister has told me over and over that she remembers that when we left, my grandfather Isaac Harmon Arthurholt, put his civil war sword up in the attic in his home there. Well….not long ago on Antique Roadshow (I think) she heard about a man showing a civil war sword, and he mentioned that he had found it in a house in Oklahoma in the attic. I Think it was in the rafters??? Coincidence? If anyone reads this and knows about the sword, we would like to hear about it. Maybe my sister could fill the owner in on some of the history..She will be 90 in June so time is getting shorter. I thought it was an interesting tidbit. My daughter,(Anne Legg) and I (Ruth Armstrong Byrd) enjoy readying your news letter very much.” [email protected]
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“Hi Butch. I have recently shipped a very badly cracked bell to Florida at the Consolidated Casting Co. Its a man by the name of John Allen who of one a few that will take on recasting a broken bell. Most large foundries will not give individuals the time of day but he will help and was reasonable. If you know anyone who has an injured bell under 400lbs weight of iron Get in touch with me and we can direct them to him.”
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“There has been much reminiscing about Tom Cooper Dairy but does anyone remember Colvert’s Dairy. They, too, had a horse drawn delivery wagon. In the entry way to the office was a case of custom molds for ice cream you could choose for special orders.”
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“We think we have found a bell for you. It is in front of the police department in Blackwell, OK. Their address is 224 West Blackwell. They can be reached at 363-5490. Hope this is what you were wanting.”
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“Yeah, my mom and her older sister knew Eddie Rue and her mom. Her mom had a beauty shop in Ardmore. My mom was a sophomore the year that Rue was a senior and mom still has their Ardmore High School yearbook from that year that has gobs of photos of Rue McClanahan in the Senior Plays that year. It was the 1953 AHS yearbook, as my mom was a sophomore and she graduated in ’56. It’s fun to look at them now and then. Rue was (and is) still a beautiful lady and I am a huge fan of The Golden Girls.”
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“G’day mate. I never thought I’d be able to offer you anything in exchange for the information and enjoyment I have received from your column, and its wonderfully helpful readers. However, I just might have something to interest you. I was sorting through some old magazines I’ve collected over the years, looking for information that might help me with my model railroad, when I stumbled across the accompanying photo. It is from the August 1971 issue of National Geographic (Vol. 140, No. 2). According to the caption, it is a group of Sooners enjoying a game of dominos at the General Store in Gene Autry, Oklahoma. Perhaps some of your readers will recognise the players.” Best regards, Ron McFarlane, Australia http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/ttphotos/gene1971.jpg
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“Butch, I have a friend that forwards me your column which I look forward to receiving. I have noticed from time to time that early day prices are quoted and wonder what that would cost today. Well, I have just learned of a website that will convert U.S. dollars from any date to the equivalent in actual spending power for any other date. For those who have not discovered it log on to: www.westegg.com/inflation Also, you and your readers may be interested to know of our Marshall Co website in Madill http://www.rootsweb.com/~okmarsha/index.html Marlene Bebo [email protected]
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“Herman wanted me to ask you, if their was any information on the Graveyard at Pooleville, especially the marker dated 1812, any help you could give, would be appreciated.”
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“I found the lyrics for “Red River Valley” at www.lonehand.com That’s a great site for old cowboy and Civil war songs.Plus alot more. Seems “Red River Valley” is an old Cowboy song. I haven’t found any history on it to know if it is about the Red River Valley on the OK side. Another great place to find song lyrics is at www.letssingit.com
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“I checked with our Public Information Officer and he advised there is an Old Central Bell in the tower of the oldest building on OSU campus. All I have is a phone number that you can call to get more information (405) 744-2828. I hope this helps!”
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“Butch, here is the Gene Autry, Oklahoma photo I have been trying to get open. There is Pee Wee King, Minnie Pearl, Doug Autry, and Don Davis. I remember the log cabin in town and was there the night it burned.” http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/ttphotos/gatrade.jpg
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“Butch, we enjoy all of he t&ts. I especially enjoyed your description and history of old Boundary (now Monroe) street in Ardmore. It brought back a lot of happy memories. I think most of us living in the Ardmore area in the ’30s and 40’s well remember the circus grounds located at the intersection of Washington and Boundary. We can remember getting up real early going down to the rail road station and watching the Ringling Brothers circus unload and then proceeding north along Caddo Street thence over to North Washington and finally north to the grounds. If we lived close by, when we woke up in the morning, looked out the window, it looked like a scene from the Arabian Nights with all of the tents and exotic animals. i also remember the Clyde Beatty and Cole Brothers circuses and how we could get in free by watering the elephants. We also remember the many carnivals and especially Friday afternoon…kids day…all rides were a nickel. It was then converted into a Class D Base Ball Park, the home of the famous Ardmore Cardinals, managed by Dutch Prather and the announcer was Puny Sparger who always ended by saying “You can’t beat Ardmore.” I believe tickets cost .50 cents. It was an inexpensive way of staying cool in the ’50s. Probably the demise of baseball was caused by the invention of air conditioning and television. Now its a school and those happy days are gone forever. Finally I would agree that the town leaders should think seriously before they change the name of a street. A lot of history was lost when Boundary was changed to Monroe and more especially when Caddo street, the most colorful historical street in Ardmore, was changed to….I believe….A street. I can remember some of my cousins living in the country coming to Ardmore on Saturday in a Wagon,. parking in the Wagon Yard off Caddo,our parents spending most of the day shopping, buying groceries and feed while we wert to the Ritz and saw a western “shoot em up” for ten cents. We still call it Caddo. Have a good week.”
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“Something that might interest you about Oklahoma is the Runestone in Heavner, OK. Don Coldsmith also wrote a book about that. The Runestone is a stone that Vikings carved on. Most Runestones are not real but this one in Heavner, OK is. If you are interested I will tell you more about it. Don Coldsmith notes all his research about the Runestone in the back of his book.” http://www.doncoldsmith.com/biography.html
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As some of you imagine, I get emails I don’t put in my Mailbag for various reasons. One simple reason is they ask me not to. Others are just not intended to be shared, others do not fit into the theme of my writings, and some are best kept private for everyone concerned. Like the call I received a few months ago from a nationally known TV anchorman. He had searched the internet trying to find info on the Beatles and something that was told him back in 1964. He was the only American news reporter allowed onboard the plane when the Beatles made their first U.S. tour in 1964. The information he seeked, I did not know. But I had a Reader in Texas who if anyone had the answer, he would know. I put the two together. The news anchorman called and emailed me several times to thank me. It brought closure to something that troubled him all those years. And then a couple of weeks later, the postman delivered a package to me and inside was a special gift from this news anchorman. A personal gift from him I’ll cherish the rest of my life. http://www.jackiedeshannon.com/beatles/beatlesamericantours.htm

All week I have had something troubling me. At 8am last Sunday morning I received a phone call to help a young man find some closure in his life from an incident that happened 37 years ago here in Ardmore. The story I was told almost left me speechless. In fact, I told them I would need to think about it a week or so (they do not have a computer or email). There is just so much involved here, so many lives, so much pain from 37 years ago, I need time to think about it, and get some advice too. Any of you who wish to send me your comment, please do.

Thirty-seven years ago a 12 year old girl was raped here in town. She gave birth 6 months later to a boy. Of course the baby was placed in foster care, and a few months later into a new home. That boy has turned into a wonderful 37 year old man. He lives in elsewhere in Oklahoma now, but returned to Ardmore a while back in search of his birth mother. Of course he understandably ran into one dead end after another, and left town without finding her.

Now what to do, that is the soul-searching situation I face. Maybe I will do nothing. Or maybe I will pull out all the stops. I know about three years ago I was approached with a similar situation. Through some help from my Readers that young lady finally ended up hopping a plane and was united for that first time with her birth mother a few months later in another state, what a joyous reunion.

Here are two more winners for my “History CD” this week! Over 3,770 files and 375mgs!
[email protected]
[email protected]

See you all next Saturday!

Butch Bridges
Lone Grove, Oklahoma 73443

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Saturday April 6, 2002 T&T Weekly Vol 6 Issue 259

All my life I’ve wonder where Alpers, Oklahoma was located. Its on all the maps, even the big Rand-McNally map book. On all the maps it shows an Alpers, Oklahoma in northern Carter county, just three miles east of Tatums, Oklahoma (13 miles west of Davis, Oklahoma). I’ve been down that stretch of Highway 7 a thousand times and never have a saw a sign that read Alpers or anything to indicate that a town was in that area. So, this week I decided to investigate. I found the most information in the Indian Territory and Carter County Pioneers Book. Before statehood Alpers was known as Homer, Oklahoma. In September 1902 it was surveyed and platted by U.S. Surveyor Frank Ryan. The town of Alpers was official on November 5, 1902 when the Department of the Interior in Washington DC approved it.

This is from the present day Official Oklahoma State map showing Alpers (see blue line). http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/ttphotos/alpersnow.jpg

Alpers was named after Dr. Henry William Alpers. Henry Alpers was born October 8, 1866 in Hamburg, Germany. Henry and his uncle came to Ardmore when Henry was 12 years old. Henry’s parents were to come to Ardmore but for some reason that never happened. After completing medical school in Joplin, Missouri Henry travelled with another Ardmore doctor in the 1880s and 1890s. Some time later he settled in Davis, Indian Territory and practiced medicine in Davis and also in Hennepin. He owned a drug store in Homer (later named Alpers) and a grocery store at Gooseneck, Indian Territory.

On July 31, 1905 Dr Henry Alpers married a Waco, Texas lady named Stella May Davis. They raised three children, Thelma Maye Alpers Halcomb, Curtis Lee Alpers, and Eva Lou Alpers Lawrence. Dr. Alpers died November 13, 1935 and Stella died in 1973. They are both buried in Davis, Oklahoma.

Here a photo of Dr. Henry William Alpers http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/ttphotos/alpershw.jpg

Here is the plat of Alpers has filed with the Department of Interior in 1902 http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/ttphotos/alpersmap.jpg

Alpers was located in the southeast corner of Highway 7 and Wingo Road. There are only a couple of houses now at that location. Alpers….. now only a memory of the past. I do hope someone out there remembers Alpers and can shed more light on that town of bygone years.

Bill Hamm is still needing to find someone in Ardmore who subscribes to the Waurika newspaper. He needs it to obtain the orbits to go in the Jefferson county deaths database and website. If anyone can help, send Bill some email at…… [email protected]

A Reader was telling me about a couple of hand dug water wells in Healdton, Oklahoma this week. The second well was recently discovered when workers were building the Nature Trail that’s being prepared on the north side of town. It was right in the middle of trail, so its going to be preserved for walkers to see. I bet it turns into a wishing well! The other well is located in front of a house on the south side of Main street just west of the nursing home in Healdton. Maybe Mr Eck will tell us all more about these wells.

I’m starting to make some of my photos available on CD as a slideshow. I have already created a slideshow on CD using only photos from Brown Springs. My Brown Springs photo album has been the most visited album of all the webshot.com albums. The Brown Springs CD works automatically as a slideshow of about 15 photos. Just insert the CD in the CDROM and the slideshow program should start automatically. Pretty neat! I think 3 bucks for each Slideshow CD will cover expenses.

I’d like some suggestions from some of you on what CD slideshow presentations you’d like for me to produce i.e Lake Murray? Turner Falls area? Healdton, Oklahoma? and so forth. If anyone wants the Brown Springs slideshow, just mail me $3 cash or email me $3 using PayPal, and I’ll mail one right out to you!

A Reader told me this week about a big bell located at the dead end of a street just north of the Fox School. It’s in front of a church. The next time I’m up in that neck of the woods, I’ll get a pic of it.

If your like me and want to keep up with the new utilities and new products coming out, then I highly recommend lockergnome’s newsletter. I’s a daily newsletter, or you can opt for the once a week summary newsletter. I learn a lot about new programs, especially the freeware and shareware programs that are coming out by reading my Lockergnome newsletter! http://www.lockergnome.com

I’m still working on an alternate site to store all the pics so everyone can view them. I guess that oklahomahistory.net has gone south. I have heard a word in over 3 weeks.

Remember all T&T Photo Albums since February 2, 2002 including this issue can be found at…. http://community.webshots.com/user/MokaXprs

And photos before February 2002 can be found at this link…. http://community.webshots.com/user/oklahomahistory

In the last five day our little group has talked over 1,100 minutes. Join us and save on your long distance calls too! http://www.worldxchange.com/agent/228072

SOME LETTERS FROM THIS WEEK’S MAILBAG

“Answering the one that wrote about Basil Ford. Yes he is the same one that was found under a tree, and had left a note to play Ghost Riders In the Sky at his funeral.”
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“Butch, the Otto Powell legend lives on. In the late 60s when Kay was working at the Ardmoreite it was getting close to the filing period. She received a phone call from Otto. He explained he was in New York but he wanted everyone to know that he would be back in time to file. He made it. The last speech I heard Otto make was at the old Springdale School in the late 60s. I do not recall him mentioning the incumbents name, he referred to him as the Chevrolet Corporation. He talked fast and he could really get that Chevrolet Corporation out. The incumbent (Harold Rudd) and most, if not all, his deputies drove Chevrolets. He was a very interesting person. I am sure there are many other facts about Otto out there somewhere. Butch, we enjoy the T & T each week and we thank you for it.”
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“Hey, Butch. in yesterday’s TnT somebody said that Healdton is famous for Eddie Rue McClanahan. She was born there but she went to school (high school anyway) in Ardmore. She graduated in about 1952…Just thought I’d throw that in.”
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“Butch, In one of the letters, someone had mentioned how hwy. 77 followed K st. to 12th. A couple blocks west the highway made a sharp turn north. There were many accidents on that curve. A big drainage ditch was on the west side of the curve, and I’ve seen many cars in it. An interesting accident (probably in mid 40’s) was when a circus convoy was coming through. I think they were coming to Ardmore. One of the trucks took the curve too fast and overturned. It was exciting to watch as the circus personnel unloaded an elephant, hooked it to the truck, and put it back on it’s wheels. (Some things we are priveledged to see in real life, most people only see in movies.) I can’t say for certain, but I think there might have been a picture of that incident in the Ardmore paper. Do you know the exact date the 4-lane highway was put in from 12th st. south? I’m trying to think it was in the late 40’s. Thanks, I really enjoy the T&T.” -Dean Atkinson
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Hi Butch, T&T just keeps getting more interesting each week. Mrs. Aleda Hale’s remarks about Schwaki’s bakery, and how huge a man he was, and about Saturdays movies at the Platte & Ritz? theaters are exactly as I remember. I’ll bet if her husband Leroy still has his fourth grade school photograph, if he looks at the kid on the end of the left center row——thats ME !!! But what is really amazing is that where they live in Linden Ca. is, as the crow flys, about 25 miles from where I live in Galt,Ca. What a small world! They shouldn’t be surprised if some morning I show up at their place looking for coffee and donuts. Also there has been quite a bit written about the big catfish in the Washita and Boggy Rivers, and I know there are some big ones still there, but just thought your fishing buddies would be interested in a little fellow that was caught near here , on the Calif. Delta, a few years go. The picture is attached. It’s somewhat larger than the perch I used to catch down on Rock Creek. http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/ttphotos/calfish.jpg
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“Butch, Thought that you would enjoy the this article and video in today’s Houston Chronicle. SEE IT NOW Video Easter bells: St. Paul’s United Methodist Church has brand new bells in its bell tower and will ring them for services for the first time today, Easter Sunday.” http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/story.hts/metropolitan/1325281
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“Did you ever find the location of the old Willow Club. I visited there many times in my wild younger days. It was a good place to get lumps on your head or your teeth knocked in. I also partied at the Avalon. It was south of Vets Hosp a few blocks. The Avalon was a lot more classy place than the Willow Club. They even had table cloths on the tables and a nice dance floor. The wildest Joint in Carter Co. was Obies 29 Club. It was a real Blind Tiger located several miles south of Ardmore on old 77. It was just an old farmhouse turned into a gin mill. All of this was when the state was supposedly Dry. Several of us good little citizens from Sulphur were there one night when it was raided by the ATF ( Men In Black with big flashy badges) they took my un-opened fifth of whiskey and told us to get out before we were arrested. I walked down the path to the Outhouse and watched until one of them came out with their evidence. (my whiskey) I watched him put it in the front seat of their car and go back in the house. So I just walked by their car, reached in, picked up my bottle, got in the car with my friends and then drove back to Turner falls and partied at the Lodge there. I was a resourceful little devil then.”
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“Hi Butch, Thanks for sending T&T each week…I enjoy it very much..I would like to hear more from your readers about Sulphur. I noticed reference to Schwake’s bakery for the last couple of weeks..By the way, I have corrected the spelling of the name. It is my understanding that the bakery is still alive and well and is being operated by a son of Mr Schwake..Alleda Hale mentioned that Mr Schwake was a very large man and he had the bottom half of his steering wheel cut out..I remember driving that car as it was being serviced at Syl Peak’s service station where I worked while in high school in the middle 40’s…The Ritz theater make him a special seat by removing the arm rest between two seats..He was a really nice man and his donuts were wonderful.. More memories in future letters…I would like to hear from anyone who lived in Sulphur back in the dark ages when I was growing up.” Roy Miller, Oklahoma City….. Email [email protected]
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Hi Butch, Are you registered at classmates.com? How about getting all on This & That to sign in? http://www.classmates.com
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“Rue McClanahan was from Ardmore because I went to school with her at Ardmore High School. Did she come from Healdton to Ardmore? She graduated the year before me. How can I get your T&T. My brother sent you an article on our dad E.H. (Jelley) Lightsey. Everyone who is an old citizen of Ardmore will remember Jelley’s red top stew at the Fireman’s Lunch Cafe across from the Fire Station on Washington Street (old bus station).”
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“Hello Butch, Just to let you know I enjoy your weekly T&T’s so very much. Some of the things you talk about sure bring back a lot of pictorial memories. Since you told me where the Tyler School Bell is located, I tried to get by to see it, but they were working on the road that day & they had it pretty well torn up, so rather than tear up my car, I turned around and didn’t make it up to where I thought it might be. I do plan to try again tho’. Sometime the latter part of Dec. I saw on the Web a list of the Children who lived at the Burney Orphan Home at Lebanon of which my Great Grandmother, Annie McGee & her Brother Alex McGee lived but were not listed. I printed off that page, but the website is no longer available. I thought perhaps some of your readers may have seen the same. I have tried the OkGenWeb & several Genealogist, & they have tried desperately to help me, but to no avail. Thought perhaps some of your readers may have seen it. Just a thought! Any help would be greatly appreciated. I look forward to your weekly T&T’s. Thanks so much.” Tawana(Gardner)Fleming [email protected]
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“Butch, I remember a theatre being built in Ardmore and there was a contest to name it. The name that was chosen was The Ritz. First prize was a number of free admissions and admission was a dime. That was a lot of money then. I remember seeing my first talking movie there and I think it was “Shuffle Off to Buffalo” with Ruby Keeler and Al Jolson. I also remember a theatre on the opposite side of Main street. On display out in front of the theatre was an old electric chair. I think the movie showing was a prison picture. Lots of people were curious as to what an electric chair looked like because a lot of people went to see it.This also reminds me of a time when some fugitive was caught going through Ardmore. A bunch of us went to the jail house and the Coca Cola plant was caddy -corner to the jail. And there were men manning machine guns on the roof of the Coco Cola plant and surrounding buildings guarding the jail. They took the prisoner to OKC escorted by police cars and a lot of Ardmore residence followed in their own cars, including me, several miles out of town.” -Tweed Stonum Machock
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“Ed Newton – was our neighbor when I was a teenager. He lived on the corner of Harris and 11th N.W. He was an Ardmore Jailer and one night some of the inmates tried to break out and knocked him out. He wore a white cowboy hat and boots and when he laughed he could be heard all over Main Street. He was offered a million dollars for that laugh but wouldn’t sell it. He had a beautiful wife Sadie and one son Bill and a Grandson Bobby. They were nice neighbors. He was a real cowboy. and had worked on a ranch before he retired.”
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“hi butch, I took pictures of the rock creek bridge the other day in sapulpa okla. all the way across. It was raining that day, can be found up on my http://www.worldisround.com/articles/9676
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Here are two more winners for my “History CD” this week! Over 3,770 files and 375mgs!
[email protected]
[email protected]

Raccoon Alma Mater

“To the shores of Sheepshead Bay,
From the Verrazano Narrows,
To Canarsie across the way,
We have come together, one and all,
In fellowship to commune,
And to glorify the Grand Exalted
Brotherhood of Raccoons.”

-Ralph Kramden, The Honeymooners, 1955
http://www.fiftiesweb.com/honeymnr.htm

See you all next Saturday!

Butch Bridges
Lone Grove, Oklahoma 73443

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