PO Box 2, Ardmore, Oklahoma 73402
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 580-490-6823
Now that July 4th festivities are over I thought I’d share a webpage I created that tells about a young Ardmore boy who did not celebrate Independence Day like everyone else in Ardmore back in 1949. But instead the day turned out for him to be one of sadness with a terrible ending.
The rodeo had come to town for Independence Day,
He rode in from Lake Murray which was not far away,
The cowboy was in love with the Ardmore Roundup Queen,
But she’d found another sweetheart and would not acknowledge him.
https://oklahomahistory.net/thenote.html
It’s been over a week now since I joined the ranks of the retired people. I guess the biggest problem, and I hate to call it a problem, is knowing what day of the week it is. But I think I can learn to live with it. lol But I will say this, since retiring, I have worked harder and sweated more than I can remember. There is something wrong with this picture. lol
After some relentless rains off and on the past month, the rain is now behind us in this area, at least for a week so the weather predictors are saying. I know so many friends of mine and people all over this area have suffered terrible flooding, some losing everything they owned. I am thankful the rains have stopped.
Below is a photo taken at Anadarko, Oklahoma in 1951 of the first all-woman jury in in this state.
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15b/OKFirstWomanJuryAnadarko1951.jpg
My PC is 3.5 years old and seems to run out of memory several times a day. About the only thing I could do is re-start the computer and it would be fine for a few hours. Also when I first turn my computer on, it takes 2 or 3 minutes to completely load everything and ready to go. So I download a free utility called CleanMem about a month ago and I’ve been happy with the results. CleanMem itself is totally free. When you install CleanMem it will auto run every 15 min by the Windows Task Scheduler. Once installed it is set it and forget it. Just as it always has been. You can configure CleanMem to do more advanced things such as ignore lists, only lists, and log files. These can be set by the CleanMem Settings program in the start menu. My computer seems to run a lot fast, and load faster. Now it’s wait and see over the next few weeks how well my PC behaves.
http://www.pcwintech.com/cleanmem
Below is a link to a photo Dwane Stevens took in 2003 of Heartland Flyer coming through Ardmore. The photo show the train going through northeast Ardmore near 9th and G NE where there used to be a railroad trestle. What makes the photo special is the snow on the ground at the time. When a wee teen I used to take a big piece of cardboard to that trestle and slide down the side of the dirt embankment and hope I didn’t fall off and tumble to the bottom.
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15b/HeartlandFlyerSnow2003.jpg
A couple of pavers I sandblasted this week.
https://oklahomahistory.net/UMCpavers/UMCEugeneBlalock.jpg
https://oklahomahistory.net/UMCpavers/UMCSavannahJohnson.jpg
I’m still happy with the overall effects of TruVision. Knocked those pounds off, more energy, lower BP, and feeling great. If anyone wants to try it, give me a holler. “I’ll meet you at the Walmart mailbox!” Join us and check it all out at the link below.
https://oklahomahistory.net/truvision.html
http://butch.truvisionhealth.com/
Do you have a Smart Meter on the side of your house? So do I. Here is the Smart Meter at my house. CLICK HERE Smart meters are built out of plastic that can melt and catch fire. We are talking about Smart Meters that read ELECTRICITY right? Even a third grader knows that plastic burns and melts while glass resists flame. Below are photos of Smart Meters utility companies are using and what can happen. Are you next on the hit list?
http://www.okiepowersaver/smartmeters.htm
Q. What did the Oklahoma Enabling Act allow for?
A. The Enabling Act of 1906, in its first part, empowered the people residing in Indian Territory and Oklahoma Territory to elect delegates to a state constitutional convention and subsequently to be admitted to the union as a single state.
Q. Where would you find the first two-story home built in Oklahoma?
A. (answer in next week’s T&T)
From This and That newsletter archives of July 7, 2001:
Since last Wednesday was the Fourth of July and Independence Day, I have to tell you about a Zippy Pickles (Safeway Stores) jar I’ve had since the 70s. The jar contains some Black Cat firecrackers, one Red Rat firecracker, three green cherry bombs, two Auto Foolers, a box of Burglar Alarms, and some lady Fingers. My mother took them away from me when I was about 14 years old. I found them in a chest of drawers about 15 years later (in the 70s) and I’ve kept them ever since. Now why would my mother take firecrackers away from me?
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15b/Fireworks1960s.jpg
—————————————————-
The Carter County Assessor as added a new feature to his website. Its maps! Its not 100% up and running, but you can get a good idea what the maps module is right now. Just go to Assessor Sam West’s website and click on MAPPING at the bottom of the Page. If you don’t see the word MAPPING, you may need to hit REFRESH. Now let’s say you want to see a certain house at 218 SW B in Ardmore. Type that address in the box and click GO. The next screen will show you the Address and Map Number. Now click on the little WORLD GLOBE at the right. In a minute a box will pop up showing a map of that area, and the 218 SW B address will be highlighted in green along with a Thumbnail of the house. If you click on IDENTIFY on the right hand side, and then click on that address or any adjoining property, the program will give you the owner’s name. Pretty neat! The Carter County Assessor’s Office is the first county in the state to make this kind of map information available on the Internet! http://www.cartercountyassessor.org/
—————————————————-
“The mills were originally of metal, but later were switched to some kind of pressed paper or plastic.”
—————————————————-
“The article on Freckles Brown in last week’s newsletter was great. He and Jim Shoulders used to come down to Ratchford Brother’s south of Davis and watch the cowboys buck out on week-ends. Ratchford Brothers had one bull named “Little Jim” that was a joy to watch and attempt to ride at the same time. I believe he was name after Jim Shoulders based on his rodeo abilities.”
—————————————————-
“Just reading about Freckles Brown, I am glad I found out the answer he gave to people, as to where his freckles went, interesting stuff, it really is.” http://www.lanefrost.com/frecklesbrown.htm—————————————————-
[Year 1923] “Cannon School: The first school of District 51 was known as the Russell School House, which was located about a quarter of a mile from the present building and was a tuition school. The property on which it was located was owned by M. T. Pierce. The present location is on land donated by M. T. Pierce in 1914 and a new addition was added in 1921. The school was named for Mr. I. B. Cannon who was one of the districts first school board members and directors until his death in 1922. The school offers eight grades of school and is taught by two teachers -Mrs. Harry Howe is Principal.”
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15b/CannonSchoool1923.jpg
—————————————————-
“Butch, Hope all is well with you. I was looking through some old issues of the Oklahoma state FOP Journal the other evening and came across a story about a “Police Bell” that was dedicated on the grounds of the Lawton Police Department. This bell was used in the early 1900’s to notify the officers that headquarters had a call for them. I do not know if it is still on the grounds of the PD where it was dedicated in the 60’s, it seems like.”
—————————————————-
The other day I gave some wood business card holders away around the courthouse. They have the words “Carter County Court House, Ardmore, Oklahoma, Independence Day 2001” imprinted on them along with a picture of the courthouse. -Butch
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15b/CardHolder2001.jpg
—————————————————-
—————————————————–
Some mail from this week’s MAILBAG…..
“Butch since I retired, I do Nothing, and I don’t start that till about noon.” -Don G
How to send text messages from your computer, sync’d with your Android phone & number. http://www.mightytext.net
Seeing the photos of the Ringling Brothers train reminded me of the time the circus performed in Ardmore at the coliseum. I think the year was 1964 and the story in the ARDMOREITE said that Ardmore and Tulsa had the only arenas that could accommodate the Ringling Brothers circus in Oklahoma.
I got to work for them at all their Ardmore performances operating one of the Super Trooper carbon arc spotlights. I had never worked with one of those lights before and I learned when I went out to introduce myself that you had to wear leather work gloves because the lights were so hot. After each performance my clothes were soaked through because it was so hot working around that light.
After the last performance I helped them load out the equipment on the trucks and followed them through town until we turned left off of Washington onto Main heading west. I immediately got pulled over by a cruiser and the cop wanted to know why I made an illegal turn. I explained I was following the truck and headed for home (a lie), He let me go and I stopped at a friend’s house to unwind before driving home. I earned $10 a performance for my effort (good money in 1964).” -Monroe Cameron
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15b/CircusTrain1.jpg
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15b/CircusTrain2.jpg
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15b/CircusTrain3.jpg
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15b/CircusTrain4.jpg
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15b/CircusTrain5.jpg
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15b/CircusTrain6.jpg
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15b/CircusTrain7.jpg
“I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free.” –Michelangelo
See everyone next week!
Butch and Jill Bridges
Ardmore Oklahoma
PO Box 2
Lone Grove, Oklahoma 73443
Follow me on the TruVision lose weight program
https://oklahomahistory.net/truvision.html
Vicious Dog Attacks in Oklahoma
https://oklahomahistory.net/viciousdogs.html
Bells of Oklahoma
https://oklahomahistory.net/bellpage.html
Carter County Courthouse Paver Project
http://www.brightok.net/cartercounty/pavers
Ardmore High School Criterions Online
http://www.ArdmoreCriterion.com/
Oklahoma Bells: https://oklahomahistory.net/bellpage.html
Bill Hamm’s Cemetery Database
http://www.usgwarchives.net/ok/carter/cartercm.htm
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://cartercountyOK.us/
All previous issues of This & That can be found on my Website.
Feel free to forward this free newsletter. Mailouts: over 1,600.