PO Box 2, Ardmore, Oklahoma 73402
Email: [email protected], Phone: 580-490-6823
Last Saturday morning, April 28th, Jill and I attended the 32nd annual GermanFest in Muenster, Texas. What a celebration, we had a wonderful time seeing all the booths and German foods and crafts. Also there were the German musicans, singers and dancers! They really put on a show under the big tents. The big food tent with all the various kinds of German foods available was a sight to see too. My lunch plate cost $6.50 and there was plenty to eat, delicious. If you’ve never been, I would recommend it, there’s lots to see and do! Below are some pics I snapped as we walked around the GermanFest.
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos7a/MuensterTX7a.jpg
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https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos7a/MuensterTX7f.jpg
One of the best tasting delights we found as we walked around was in a big copper kettle…. kettle corn. A vendor was making Kettle Corn so Jill and I had to try some. Boy, you talk about some good eating, it was delicious!
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos7a/KettleCornTX7a.jpg
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos7a/KettleCornTX7b.jpg
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos7a/KettleCornTX7c.jpg
The only disappointment to Jill and I was the fact we could not find any imported German beer on location. I asked several vendors and they all replied no, or they didn’t know of any. One of the ladies at the Budweiser wagon just looked at me, grinned real big and said, “no German beer, so this is the best its gonna get”, referring to the American and Texas beers they sold. Needless to say, I didn’t buy any beer while there. After all, we didn’t drive 55 miles to buy a Bud Light. lol
But hey, all was not hopeless at the Muenster GermanFest, because just a 1/4 mile west of there on Highway 82 we found a convenience store by the name of Kountry Korner and he had several different brands of real imported German beers! lol
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos7a/KountryKornerTX.jpg
John Wall was the town Marshal for Tatums, Oklahoma back in 1923 when he was shot and killed when he responded to a knock at his door. In checking with the Oklahoma Law Enforcement Memorial Website I do not find John Wall’s name listed. Maybe we have ran across another officer slain in the line of duty years ago, who has been overlooked. The link below is the 1928 Daily Ardmoreite‘s article on the death of Tatums law enforcement officer John Wall.
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos7a/JohnWall1923.jpg
Reck, Oklahoma was located 5 miles south of Highway 70 and Highway 76. The only thing left of the town now is the Reck Cemetery. Yes, that’s a bell mounted on a “derrick” in front.
But, about a month ago a T&T Reader from that area told me about an old water well that had been hidden for years by weeds and brush, but now visible after the land owner brush hogged in that location. The water well is just east across the road from the Reck Cemetery and a couple hundred feet to the south. I would almost bet a hamburger this is the same well used by the Reck school, since it too was located just across from the cemetery on the east side of the road.
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos7a/ReckWell7a.jpg
Duane Goggans sent in a great photo taken in 1940 of his uncle, Roy Turner’s, filling station at Tishomingo, Oklahoma.
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos7a/RoyTurnerFillingStation.jpg
Also Duane took a couple of pictures of old service stations in McAlester, Oklahoma. One is a Phillips 66, the other a Conoco station.
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos7a/McAlesterOKgasStation7a.jpg
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos7a/McAlesterOKgasStation7b.jpg
About a month ago there was mention in a T&T about a S.N. Earp, physician, being buried in Gene Autry, Oklahoma. Scott Bumgarner sent in a link he found with info on Shedrick Newton Earp buried in Gene Autry, Oklahoma. He was an M.D. back in 1880s in Carter county.
http://www.ancientfaces.com:80/research/photo/373476
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos7a/SNEarpMarker.jpg
Dwane Stevens has finished restoring that old pump jack we talked about a couple weeks ago. Here the story in his own words:
“Butch, I finally finished restoring the 2nd old Rod Line type Pump Jack for my Museum. Here are some links to the photos and there are some brief descriptions under each photo. Be sure and click on the “full size” icon to get a larger view. These pump jacks came from the oil patch right here in Carter County and are an interesting part of the oilfield history of Southern Oklahoma. They are sitting in front of my “Stevens Family Museum” at 4393 Kings Rd., Ardmore. If any of your Readers are interested in coming out to see the museum, they can give me a call at 580-223-4303 or email me. This is strictly a non-profit museum and there’s no charge to see it. Thanks.” -C. Dwane Stevens [email protected]
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2985131630048365975XgcYSt
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2248472210048365975AItewp
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2395086460048365975nFFtQY
Ardmore’s Dee Ann Burris sent in a great photo this week. Its a 1939 group pic of the Salvation Army. Thanks Dee Ann.
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos7a/SalvationArmy1939Ardmore.jpg
A 1946 electric chicken plucker, rubber fingers and all. lol
http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2006/07/25/electric-chicken-plucker/
I tried several backup programs over the years, and some did better than others. But when it comes to my thousands of pictures from over the past 12 years, and the T&Ts and all, I can hardly risk loosing them for lack of a GOOD backup. 2 months ago I bought a program called Acronis. Its the best one I used to date, so easy to setup and use, and the backup are perfect. Thanks to John up in Illinois who gave me a 80 gig hard drive a while back, I made it my primary Drive C and the old 40 gig hard drive, I made it Drive D. I set Acronis to back up everything, I mean everything, to the Drive D. Acronis does it in 20 minutes, creating a 12 gig file for emerency use, if I need it someday to restore. I can restore the entire Drive C or only certain files and folders I tell it too. I feel better with GOOD backups each week.
http://www.acronis.com/homecomputing/
Jill says I need a new pickup. If anyone has a good deal on one, send me an email. I’ll consider all offers.
MAILBAG
“Here is a beaver (2 MOV movie files for download) we saw swimming to its nest in Caddo Creek with a willow branch.” -Doug Williamshttp://www.sharebig.com/share.php?id=s14dnsekigh1ntuvX
“Hi Butch, I can shed a little light on the grave coverings at Vamoosa, Oklahoma via my Mother in law, Delma Harris. She grew up in that area and graduated from Vamoosa High School in 194??. Seems an Indian family by the name of Wise were pretty well to do in that area and had a private or family cemetery on their land. When the Government elected to build Lake Konawa, their cemetery had to be moved along with the Wise’s homes. They elected to have their ancestors buried in the Vamoosa cemetery. They had covers over them when they were buried on their own land and when moved they moved the covers as well. She thinks another Indian family by the name of Burgess also have some covered just as the Wise family does. She still has a Brother who lives just north of the cemetery and we will try to get you a little more info from him.” -Ken Updike, Wilson, Oklahoma
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos7a/VamoosaCemetery7a.jpg
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“The markers in the Vamoosa Cemetery are called “grave houses”. They were used over much of the South, especially in the hills of Tennessee. Of course, many of the early Oklahoma settlers were from Tennessee and Arkansas. I would suspect that there are more in the eastern part of Oklahoma. There may have been other purposes and items placed in them, but certain herbs and plants were placed there to ward off varmints.”
“The little houses on the grave are called grave houses or grave huts.
They can also be seen in Tennessee on Melungeon graves. Whether they originated through Indian customs or customs brought over by the Europeans is still up in the air, Melungeons being a mixture of both.” -mindy
“I once found a web site that allowed me to create a simple computer jigsaw puzzle. It was just an online puzzle, not a wood or paper puzzle. It was like playing a computer game, just moved the cursor to move pieces into place. Know where to find such a web site? Thanks so much.” [email protected]
Rural Enterprise located in Durant sponsors Biz Connection workshops around the region and I am passing on information about the May session which will be held in Ardmore. This will be on Tuesday, May 22 at SOTC Industry Training Center Room 11. The topic is “Safety Overview for Small Businesses and Live Fire Extinguisher Training”. Ron Cockran, SOTC Safety Director will conduct the training. Participants can learn OSHA and Hazmat and all the other buzz words in the safety world as well as how to use the fire extinguisher. All small businesses can learn more about their safety needs and issues.
Sandy Lackey
Family & Consumer Science
OSU Cooperative Extension
Ardmore OK 73401
[email protected]
“Herbert Linder is exactly right about Sam P. Hale’s Ford Motor Co. The red brick house across the street north was turned into a doctor’s office and Mother worked there for quite awhile but I forget if the doctor’s name. My favorite picture of her was taken at the front desk in that building. I’m also glad to hear him say something about the Safeway store. I thought I had dreamed it! That store burned one night and I guess it burned to the ground. I was just a little kid but everyone in town went to watch the fire! Thanks for T&T.” -danna
Note: Before Hale’s Ford Motor Company, at that SW corner of West Broadway and C NW, stood the Central Baptist Church.
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/bapt30a.jpg
Also Ken Milburn Ford was in the same building and later the Health Department.
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/300wbdwy.jpg
“I don’t know the history of this old photo, but I believe it to be of the Miller family who bought this implement (maybe a thrasher of some sort). The Miller family lived SE of Davis, OK. I see Sam P Hale’s name on the implement.” -Michael D. Carr
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos7a/SamHaleMachine.jpg
“Hello, Does anyone have information about the tornado of March 1916 in Davis? I had many family members killed by the storm and am wanting some history about it.”
“Butch, wife and I got out and about for a motorcycle ride on Sunday afternoon. Stopped in at the store at Dougherty and saw this little guy guarding his ride to town. I talked to the owner of the bike inside the store. He told me that anytime he starts that bike, the dog goes along with him.” -David Cathey [email protected]
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos7a/DoughertyDog7a.jpg
“Butch, I am still doing my research on the Slow poke car club here in Ardmore. Maybe someone can help me on who the Police Chief and Mayor of Ardmore was in 1955. Thanks.” [email protected]
The Wilson News submitted by Mindy Taylor
June 16, 1915 – Wirt, the oil town in the Healdton field, was nearly half destroyed by fire Sunday night. Thirteen business places were burned on the north side of Main Street. Only two were insured.
ARRESTS FOLLOW “RAGTOWN” FIRE
Two Men Apprehended Following Blaze in Oil Field.
Mr. Chas. Hammonds, state fire marshal, came the first of the week to investigate the origin of the fire at Wirt.
A man by the name of Scrivner and another, nicknamed “Curley”, have been arrested on a charge of having caused the fire at Wirt. Their preliminary trial will be held here next Tuesday before Judge Dillard. County Attorney Hardy will be present. Judge J. B. Champion of Ardmore, and Att’y S. J. Castleman will represent the defense. In justice to Will C. Scrivner, one of Ardmore’s leading grocers, we wish to state that the man arrested is in no way connected with him.
Active work is already started in the way of rebuilding at Wirt. Several buildings are already under cover and all carpenters in the community are busy. Dr. Smith already has his drug stock in a new building and is doing business.
June 23, 1915 – The case against the men under suspicion of starting the fire at Wirt was dismissed for lack of evidence to convict.
Supporters and Friends of Rosehill Confederate Cemetery – Ardmore Oklahoma
It is approaching time for our annual Memorial Day Service at Rosehill, this year we will have a nearly totally restored site, with most of the damaged and deteriorated headstones having been replaced by Butch Bridges and Doug Williams. Work on the grounds by the city of Ardmore, as well as several of the drives having been resurfaced, contribute to the appearance of the area. Our service will begin at 2:00 PM and last proximately 1 ? hours. Please plan to attend if possible, further details will be sent when plans are finalized.
Terry Pierce, Commander
Clem Vann Rogers Camp 481
Sons of Confederate Veterans
[email protected]
“Roll Out The Barrel” (Beer Polka)
Original Czechoslovakian lyrics by Wladimir A. Timm and Vasek Zeman in 1927
There’s a garden, what a garden,
Only happy faces bloom there,
And there’s never any room there,
For a worry or a gloom there
Oh there’s music and there’s dancing,
And a lot of sweet romancing
When they play the polka
They all get in the swing
Every time they hear that oom-pa-pa,
Everybody feels so tra-la-la
They want to throw their cares away,
They all go lah-de-ah-de-ay
Then they hear a rumble on the floor, the floor,
It’s the big surprise they’re waiting for
And all the couples form a ring,
For miles around you’ll hear them sing…
Chorus:
Roll out the barrel, we’ll have a barrel of fun
Roll out the barrel, we’ve got the blues on the run
Zing boom tararrel, ring out a song of good cheer
Now’s the time to roll the barrel, for the gang’s all here
See everyone next week!
Butch and Jill Bridges
Ardmore Oklahoma
PO Box 2
Lone Grove, Oklahoma 73443https://oklahomahistory.net
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Oklahoma Bells: https://oklahomahistory.net/bellpage.html
American Flyers Memorial Fund – Administration Webpage
https://oklahomahistory.net/crash66.html
Official American Flyers Memorial Website
http://www.brightok.net/~wwwafm
Ardmore Army Air Field/Ardmore Air Force Base Website
http://www.brightok.net/~gsimmons
Mirror Site of the Ardmore Army Air Field/Ardmore Air Force Website
https://oklahomahistory.net/airbase/
Carter county schools, past and present
http://community.webshots.com/user/oklahomahistory
Carter County Government Website
http://www.brightok.net/cartercounty/
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