PO Box 2, Ardmore, Oklahoma 73402
Email: [email protected]
If you missed last Sunday’s Daily Ardmoreite, there was a great write-up by Steve Biehn on the Tivoli Theater. The article included a lot of history on the Tivoli’s past and present, plus a request for input on what it’s future may be. Steve is a staff writer at The Ardmoreite, and his article in Sunday’s paper really jogs the memory. It brings back times years ago, and all the movies we saw inside the landmark building as a teen.
One thing I remember (I’ve been told you don’t see today) is where an employee of the theater came walking by with a flashlight every few minutes, checking to make sure everything was ok, and us kids weren’t getting into trouble. But then back in the 60s, the theaters were much darker when the lights were out. I remember in the late 50s during the summer months we could get in on a Saturday mornings with only a carton (6 bottles) of empty coke bottles.
In Steve’s article is also a request from the Ardmore Main Street Authority asking people to share any memories that come to mind from those years when the Tivoli was a movie show place. You will find a mailing address and email address for the Ardmore Main Street Authority at the end of the article. I hope some of you will write and share your Tivoli experiences. The link below will take you to The Daily Ardmoreite story on the Tivoli Theater.
Recommendations, as well as personal remembrances, may be mailed to the Ardmore Main Street Authority, 251 E. Main St., Ardmore, OK 73401 or e-mailed to [email protected] .
After what seems like a month or two of working off and on, I finally got the well house finished for the new water well. The concrete slab is 4 ft X 4 ft. The well house is 36 inches high, just big enough to cover the 28 gal pressure tank and well casing. The exterior walls are Smartboard (about $22 for a 4×8 sheet at McCoys) screwed to a 2×4 frame.
Smartboard™ is a light weight cementitious backer board designed for use in the construction of exterior and interior wall systems, as an underlayment for ceramic tile in wet or dry areas and for a wide variety of construction applications involving floors, walls, hearth protectors, countertops and any areas where extra protection or reinforcement is needed.
Made of 50% light weight expanded aggregate, alkali-resistant woven fiberglass mesh and other additives, Smartboard results in superior installed performance on wall systems. Our product is the best substrate for ceramic tile in wet areas – wood, plywood, particle board and drywall underlayments deteriorate when exposed to water.
I lined the interior walls using 4×8 sheets of polyfoam for insulation. It is pretty much air tight, so the tank and switch inside should stay warm, especially if I use some kind of heat source inside (I have a 110v plug inside) for the coldest winter days.
For the removable roof, I used a 2×4 frame covered with TufTex panels at $15 (at Lowes) for 28″ X 10′ sections. TufTex is the strongest building panel you can buy. Virtually Unbreakable Polycarbonate. 20 times stronger than 5 oz fiberglass panels. Perfect for extreme temperatures (270°F -40°F). 100% UV Protection and hail resistant. Best snow load capacity. Super strong yet flexible and easy to work with. Lifetime limited warranty. I came close to choosing the old standby, corrugated sheet iron, like has been used on barns for many years, but at the last minute went with TufTex. http://www.tuftexpanel.com/
Here are two photos of my finished well house:
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos8a/WellHouse101308a.jpg
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos8a/WellHouse101308b.jpg
The water from the well has been completely clear of sand and sediment since the end of September, so our next step is to get the water tested to see if its drinkable. Since the water comes from 185 ft down, and is crystal clear, I can hardly believe anything is wrong with it. I will report here the test results when they are finished. We have just been using it for outside watering. Some days I’ve let the water sprinkler run for 16 hours and it didn’t pump dry, so we have a good underground source. But then I witched it (as did Harold Newman) before drilling, so what can I say. lol
Ten cheapest places to buy gas in the Ardmore area.
https://oklahomahistory.net/gasprices.html
Visit the Oklahoma History Boards, start a topic if you want too!
http://oklahomaroots.proboards83.com/
Q. Who was Bryan county named after?
A. William Jennings Bryan
Q. Where in Oklahoma can you dig for selenite crystals?
A. (answer in next weeks T&T)
Some mail from this week’s MAILBAG…..“My favorite Gun Store in Carrollton, Texas was in a very old residence near I-35. The floor consisted of approximately six inch square blocks of Bois D’Arc wood driven tightly together. I have no idea how thick the floor was. The house was very old and the floors were not extremely level but they were very sound and strong. The owner told me the age of the building once 15 or twenty years ago, but I’m 75 years old myself and don’t remember what he told me. I’m sure it was probably older than me, though.” -Harold Burton, Ardmore, OK
“Years ago there was a plant north east of Broken Bow at Hochetown [may not be spelled right] that processed horse apples for the seed. The seed were shipped to England where they were used as fence. That is what all the hedgerows in England are. I have the Bois d’arc all over My place. Squirrels eat the seed and they are also eaten by deer –horses and cattle. There are still Bois d’arc piers standing that were under homes at Old Powell that was moved when Lake Texoma was built. The homes that used oak– the piers are all gone. I have 2 bows that I built out of the wood.” -DeWayne
“Butch this horse apple tree is behind my house.” -Doug Williams https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos8a/HorseApplesDougWilliams.jpg
“Mr. Bridges: I think this should be known as Folk Lore. Ha ha. I now have delved into and have read more on Osage Oranges than one would ever need to know. Having looked at bunches of the sites on Horse Apples and it is not clear to me what constitutes a Horse Apple, but there is a place of abundance in Va. These are not Hedge Apples, but eatable Apples. Now for the photos I am sending. This is a young Osage Orange tree that I have dug up and moved to this spot. I believe it has the appearance of a Hedge Apple. I gave a neighbor a hand full of oranges and she planted them, but they never come up. [she said yesterday] Now I planted the entire orange and it came up and was very thick. I left it so the strongest would develop. Well there was no strong one in the bunch so they all died. I suggest you try various ways with the seed. I never knew of the fence post or hardness of the wood. I’ll never live to saw a log out of it. I hope to drive some posts for my grand kids and I intend to plant some more. If my memory lets me I will dig a sprout this winter and mail it to you. Surely some will live.” -Taylor Crowe in Alabama
“Hi Bitch & Jill, the pics of the Alabama Horse Apples are like none I have seen. They look more like Black Walnuts with the husk still on. Our Oklahoma Horse apples are much larger. About the size of a softball . They are bumpy and have a milky sap. The seed are in the very center of the fruit. Each little bump on the surface is a flake which ends in the center. The inside tip of this flake has a small brown spot. I have watched squirrels peel the flakes off one by one and eat the brown tip of each flake. The squirrel would hold the fruit with his paws and use his teeth to peel the flake from the fruit. Then it would use his paw to hold the flake and eat only the brown tip. The rest of the flake he dropped. The “Apple” was not fresh but had dried out and shrunk some. Each flake is a seed and the brown spot is the part which germinates.” -Bill Uhles, Sulphur
“Hi, I enjoyed the comments on the Bois d’Arc trees and I have a few more comments. My Dad bought a farm in Murray County in 1933 and the fences had Bois d/ Arc post in it. There is a corner post still in the ground there and is as solid as ever. The largest Bois d’Arc tree I ever saw was in Murray Co. and it was 3 ft. diameter at the trunk where it was cut.” -R. Stephens
“I just today stumbled into your 1996 posting of the old Southern Pacific playing cards. On the back of the cards is a Southern Pacific Northern GS-2 4-8-4 streamlined locomotive, pulling the distinctive red, orange, and black of the Daylight that went between San Francisco and Los Angeles. It might be a GS-3, which would be a little faster, but I suspect an advertising poster would use the earlier GS-2. The GS-2 series were all built in 1937, and they inaugurated that Daylight color-scheme. The GS-3 series were built in late 1937, although according to some sources the last wasn’t completed until early 1938. They were all built by Lima Locomotive Works. The actual image is from an advertising poster entitled “Southern Pacific Streamlined Daylight.” An original is in the California State Library. Here’s a link:
http://helios.library.ca.gov/cahistory/2004/2003-0314.jpg
The GS-2 series was replaced by the more famous GS-4 class beginning in 1941, so the cards would have to date from 1937-1941. I can’t imagine Southern Pacific issuing cards with a passe’ locomotive on them. The most famous of the GS-4 class is SP 4999, restored to pull the Freedom Train for the 1976 Bicentennial celebrations. This locomotive also has its own website:
Hope this is interesting!” -John Sellen, Minnesota
https://oklahomahistory.net/playcard.html
“I truly enjoyed the history of the Hedges family. I was privileged to know Fanny Hedges and have a story that reveals her character. In the 60s I was employed by the First Presbyterian Church and one day heard a scratching noise in our sanctuary that I had to investigate. I finally found the source under a church pew. Fannie was on her hands and knees sanding the pew and when I asked her what in the world she was doing, she replied, “Well, I snagged my hose on this rough place Sunday, and I came to fix it”. Nuff said. Don and Becky Bostwick live on their farm nearby and I am told that their daughter lives on the Hedges place. When learning to paint with oils, one of my first efforts was the Hedges barn and a granddaughter has it in her home. Such precious memories you brought forth of a special pioneer member of our church. Thanks.” -Evelyn Gant
Corrected Email: “I am trying to locate the daughters of my aunt Lillian Strebeck Elliott. Bernice Alvarez of Arlington, Texas, Ruby Riner of Ardmore, and Margaret Lowrey. Here is the obit for Lillian: Lillian Bernice Elliott Funeral services for Lillian Bernice Elliott, 72, will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at CrystalRock Cathedral with Dr. Walt Spradling officiating. Interment will be at McAlister Cemetery. Born on May 21, 1925, to Ben and Grace Redd Clay, she passed away on Sept. 1, 1997, in the local hospital. Mrs. Elliott had lived in the Ardmore area all her life. She attended CrystalRock Cathedral and was a homemaker. Her greatest joy was her children. She had one son, Charles Ray Strebeck of Ardmore; one brother, Charles Clay of Ardmore; three nieces she reared as her own children, Bernice Alvarez of Arlington, Texas, Ruby Riner of Ardmore, and Margaret Lowrey; five grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; 12 great-nieces and nephews; and 19 great-great-nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by a brother, Delbert Clay; and a sister, Irene Clay Gentry. Pallbearers will be Wilson Riner, Ray Riner, Jack Ramsey, David Leibrock, Robert Leibrock and Michael D’Ante. Services will be directed by Harvey-Douglas Funeral Home. Published in the Daily Ardmoreite [Ardmore, Okla.], September 02, 1997. Please contact me if you can.” -Edna Montgomery
“Butch, According to Cloyd Smith’s Master’s Thesis, written around 1931, his map of Murray County shows NO QUIGLEY DISTRICT. The CHIGLEY District is east of the Joy community and southwest of the Iona community. Is it possible that the name has been misspelled? Maybe someone else will have more information.” I’ve found another source for the CHIGLEY community. If the person who was interested in the QUIGLEY community, post office and school, will look at the map you printed a few years ago in “T&T”, he can find the Chigley location in Murray County.
Keep up the good work. Far too much history is being lost today because there are not enough Butches to record items. This is one of the challenges we have at the Arbuckle Historical Society Museum in Sulphur. We want as many photos and historic artifacts of this area as possible, i.e., school photos, old church reunions and histories, buildings, old homes, etc. Our MISSION is: “Yesterday’s Necessities are Tomorrow’s Treasures ONLY IF COLLECTED TODAY.!” [email protected]
“Photo’s (taken last Saturday) of the crescent moon in the old Bailey Building at Sulphur, Oklahoma. The building is on what used to be the main intersection in Sulphur’s East side downtown. Seeton’s was on one corner, Allen Drug was on the corner north, Farmers National Bank was on the other North corner and Chaney Grocery later to become Howe’s Grocery and Market on the SE corner. It was the place to be on Sat. night. Both movie theatres, The Ritz and The Platt could both be seen from that corner.”
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos8a/BaileyBuilding08a.jpg
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos8a/BaileyBldgCrescentInside.jpg
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos8a/BaileyBldgCrescent08a.jpghttps://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos8a/BaileyBldgCrescent08b.jpg
“Dear Butch, Stumbled across your nice site. Looking for the town of Egypt, Oklahoma. Have two relatives that were born there:
George Wilson Allen – Born March 16, 1914
Sterling Scott Allen – Born January 14, 1917
Both boys were the sons of Harvey Harrison Allen and his wife (my relative) Maude Mae Casey.
Would like to know where Egypt, Oklahoma was and what county that is.” -Cheryl (Smith) Owens, email: [email protected]
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos8a/Egypt_OK_1900.jpgEgypt, Oklahoma: In Johnston county, 6 miles south of Milburn. A post office from September 17, 1904 to to July 31, 1916. Named for the country in northern Africa. –Oklahoma Place Names
“I have been told there is a great hamburger to be had on the corner of Highway 89 and 53 north of Ringling at a store called PJ’s Corner.”
“Red Everett’s Grocery Store it was located on Hoxbar Route, which is now Sandy Creek Rd south of Ardmore. Still in Carter county of course..Sandy creek does continue east to the Marshall County line…my parents acreage was just west of the grocery store. The store had everything you could imagine…a gas pump, kerosene pump (inside the store) groceries of course, ice cream and candy, a feed room was on the east side of the store and where a few of us would wait out of the cold weather for the Dickson school bus . On the west side of the store was another connecting building that held all the extra bottles of soda pop…Mr Everett had a big old white dog named Shep that slept on the front porch and had an egg for breakfast every morning with Mr Everett.” -Sharon Jones
‘Life’s Railway To Heaven’
As recorded by Patsy Cline July 3 1959
Life is like a mountain railroad
With an engineer that’s brave
We must make the run successful
From the cradle to the grave
Watch the curves, the hills, and tunnels
Never falter, never fail
Keep your hand upon the throttle
And your eyes upon the rail
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Ud_HChmleo
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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