Ardmore, Oklahoma 73402 Email: butchbridges@oklahomahistory.net Phone: 580-490-6823
My distant cousin Sue Roberts Daugherty of Lone Grove brought by an interesting piece of Love county history last week. It’s a hand drawn map of Love’s Valley showing where everyone lived during the 1930s. Bill Roberts, who is nearing 80, wrote the names down, then placed them on a map he drew from memory, a memory that is still sharp as a tack too. Each family is designated by a number with a circle around it, then on page 2 is the listing. I even recognized several names! Thanks Sue for sharing this piece of Loves Valley history. I know it’s going to bring a lot of memories to Love county people who remembers Love,s Valley back in the 30s.
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos13a/LovesValleyMap1930s.jpg
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos13a/LovesValleyMapInfo1930s.jpg
I placed a red circle around the area SE of Marietta, Oklahoma as shown in the above hand drawn map.
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos13a/LovesValleyMap2012.jpg
I learned this week about a sandstone quarry SE of Ardmore dating back to around 1910. It was called the Confederate Formation – Hoxbar Group. The sandstone quarried from the mine was used in the building of the veterans home on South Commerce. I have been told the quarry is now covered by the waters of Lake Murray. I didn’t know Carter county ever had a sandstone quarry. There is so much history to learn.
The Daily Ardmoreite – Feb 22, 1929 – Ol’ Rip Is Dead. The old boy, world famed horned toad taken from the Eastland Texas county courthouse cornerstone months ago amid allegations that he had lived therein 31 years without food or water and mayhap without air. He left his cynosure gracefully and with dignified ostentation.
There are 4 American traditions that have endured for generations, Baseball, Hotdogs, Apple Pie and Chevrolet. Did you notice which one was listed first? Baseball. In Oklahoma the number one authority on baseball history is probably Peter Pierce in Norman. He has written several publications on Oklahoma’s baseball history. Pete just came out with his new book Red Dirt Baseball. This new book covers Oklahoma’s baseball history from 1904 to 1919. If you have the least bit of interest in baseball history, or if you’re a baseball aficionado, you will want to get a copy of this brand new book!
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos13a/RedDirtBaseball_1.jpg
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos13a/RedDirtBaseball_2.jpg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OawE-ufXioM
If you live in the Ardmore area mark your calendars for Thursday March 28th. There will be a retirement reception for Phyllis Russell at the Carter County Commissioners conference room (Annex 1 Bldg) from 2pm to 4pm. After 30 years at the county Phyllis will be joining the ranks of the retired folks. Hope to see some of you there!
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos13a/PhyllisRetirement032813.jpg
Doug Williams snapped a pic this week of about 12 deer playing near Dickson, Oklahoma. What a beautiful sight.
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos13a/DicksonDeer030613.jpg
Doug was also over near Millcreek, Oklahoma and snapped this picture of a flock of turkeys. A couple years ago we’d see about this many strolling through our yard, but haven’t seen that many at once in several years.
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos13a/MillcreekTurkeys030613.jpg
Last week a couple kids were selling chocolate bars from the Chickasaw Nation Bedre Fine Chocolates (Pauls Valley and Ada). I paid a dollar for the Classic bar with almonds, and let me tell you, it is to die for!
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos13a/BedreChocolateBar.jpg
Last Monday 03/03/13 about 4:30am there was a 3.5 earthquake at Tishomingo, Oklahoma. People in the Milburn, Ravia, and Tish area felt it. Way too close to home.
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos13a/Earthquake030413.jpg
Herman Kirkwood in Oklahoma City called this week to tell about an event that takes place in Perry, Oklahoma every year. The 101 Ranch Show will be held at the Noble County fairgrounds on Saturday March 30th from 9am to 4pm.
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos13a/101RanchShow2013.jpg
Q. Where would you find the first two-story home built in Oklahoma?
A. Harn Homestead & 1889ers Museum, 1721 N. Lincoln Blvd. Oklahoma City.
Q. Who was the first Oklahoma Governor to serve two consecutive terms?
A. (answer in next week’s T&T)
From This and That newsletter archives of March 11, 2000:We been moving right along on the memorial marker for those 83 who died in that 1966 airplane crash northwest of Ardmore. John Kastner, ranch foreman for Goddard’s Ranch where the plane crashed, was kind enough to show me the crash site this week. As I walked around on that mountain side, I felt as if I were walking on sacred ground. I could almost feel all those souls right there with me, and the tragedy that took place that rainy Friday night. I took some pics of the crash area. Just go to the link below and you will find them.
https://oklahomahistory.net/crash66.html
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Last week I had a typo on the link to the emails I’ve received concerning the 1966 air crash. This is the correct link:
https://oklahomahistory.net/stories.txt
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Every now and then I get an email with a photo attached that almost knocks my socks off. This week that happened. I received a photo of the old, no longer here, Hargrove College. The college was built in 1909 and burned in 1957. It was located at the Carter Seminary in Ardmore. This is truly a glimpse into the past!
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos4a/hargrove1909.jpg
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Thanks to Bruce Hoagland at OU, I now have a lot more photos of Oklahoma courthouses. Almost 50 courthouses!
https://oklahomahistory.net/Hoagland/
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In the southwest corner of East Main and Caddo here in Ardmore used to be the old Whittington Hotel. Here’s a 1907 pic of it.
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/whitthotel.jpg
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Gas prices today in the Ardmore area……
http://www.oklahomagasprices.com/index.aspx?mss=152754
Check gas prices by town or zip code anywhere in U.S.
http://www.kmov.com/traffic/gas-buddy
Some mail from this week’s MAILBAG…..Lake Murray Lodge
The Nature Center of Lake Murray and Tuckers Tower museum will open March 1st, 9am to 5pm from Wednesday through Sunday.
1. The Greater Southwest Historical Museum is looking for volunteers for the “Speakeasy: A Prohibition Soiree” opening reception for our exhibit based on the Prohibition and Roaring Twenties in Southern Oklahoma on Friday, April 26th. We need musicians, dancers, servers and general help with the party. Anyone interested and with stories of bootlegging, stills, flappers or history during this time can write to me at gshmcurator@cableone.net
2. Also Murray State College’s history professor, Kirk Rodden, will speak on the Prohibition in Oklahoma on Thursday, April 11th at 6:30 PM. It is a free and entertaining night of stories.
“Butch, The photo that you listed this week of Mr. Ulis Barnett brought back many memories. My dad was the Photostat operator (precursor to Xerox) for Carter County. His office and equipment was located just outside the door and to the left of where this photo was made. There was a small room in this area, and another gentleman by the name of A. B. Seay worked there at an old roll top desk. He was a clerk possibly working for Mr. Barnett.
Mr. Barnett was a very brilliant man but had no use of his legs. He had a unique method of transportation for winter and summer. As best that I recall, he lived near the intersection of West Main and K Street. In warm weather he had a 3 wheeled bicycle type device that was chain driven to the two rear wheels. He propelled the machine using a bicycle sprocket device with his right hand, and had a tiller that he operated with his left hand to steer the front wheel. I cold weather, he had a car that was outfitted to be operated only with his hands.
I was in the first grade at Lincoln school when this photo was made, but visited my dads office and Mr. Barnett on many occasions. I can recall walking in that hallway under the dome, and in my mind at that time knew that this was the biggest building in the world. I think that the gentleman standing was Mr. Joe Holder, a constable. I don’t recognize the man seated.
Mr. Barnett was a very kind man, especially to the kids that came in his office, but as I recall hearing, the bad guys that appeared before him didn’t fare so well. I really enjoyed seeing that picture, and thanks.” -Virgil Harris
https://oklahomahistory.net/photos/barnett.jpg
Arbuckle Historical Society Museum in Sulphur, Oklahoma will now be open on Saturdays from 1:00 to 4:00. After being closed much of December and all of January and February, we have a wonderful volunteer. Later in the spring, we hope to be open on more days. Come visit us at the old City Hall at 402 W. Muskogee, across the street north from the First Christian Church. 580-622-5593
Smokin’ Joe’s Rib Ranch- Davis, Oklahoma
Just a friendly reminder to everyone, we are closed this week: Monday (March 4th) thru Wednesday (March 6th). We will re-open our doors for business at our NEW LOCATION – South of Davis at the old Jollyville restaurant (Exit 51) Thursday March 7th with our regular business hours of 11-7. We are so excited and can’t wait to show you our new “dive”
“Hey Butch, Don’t forget this little ole gal. (Kay Starr born in Dougherty, Oklahoma).”
http://members.tripod.com/~Kay_Starr/biography.html
“BUTCH, MY NAME IS BUCK BAILEY. WAS RAISED IN BROKEN BOW, & AM A RETIRED DEPUTY SHERIFF FROM ARKANSAS. I WAS READING YOUR ARTICLE ON KILLER MILLER & THE HANGING IN ADA OKLA. I AM RESEARCHING SOME OF THIS BECAUSE MY GRANDFATHER WAS TANGLED UP IN THE MILLER END OF THIS DEAL. BOTH MILLER & MY GRANDFATHER MIGRATED TO THIS AREA AT THE SAME TIME IN 1908 FROM NEW MEXICO. I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM ANYONE WHO CAN SHED MORE LIGHT ON THE MILLERS AND THE ADA HANGING.” baileybootcamp@windstream.net
“If I were to try to read, much less answer, all the attacks made on me, this shop might as well be closed for any other business. I do the very best I know how – the very best I can; and I mean to keep doing so until the end. If the end brings me out all right, what’s said against me won’t amount to anything. If the end brings me out wrong, ten angels swearing I was right would make no difference.” -Abraham Lincoln
See everyone next week!
Butch and Jill Bridges