PO Box 2, Ardmore, Oklahoma 73402
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 580-490-6823
Thought I’d post an email this week that I received from Mark Coe in 2004. Actually I turned Mark’s email into a webpage and uploaded it to my website for easy reading. This webpage is plumb full to the top with Ardmore history, starting way before 1900. I will be updating this webpage with links to photos as time permits.
https://oklahomahistory.net/ArdmoreHistory.html
A few pavers I sandblasted this week.
https://oklahomahistory.net/UMCpavers/UMCGrimmettsJackJerry.jpg
https://oklahomahistory.net/UMCpavers/UMCGrimmettsBrent.jpg
https://oklahomahistory.net/UMCpavers/UMCBillBettyGrimmetts.jpg
https://oklahomahistory.net/UMCpavers/UMCClaytonBettes.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. Where would you find the first two-story home built in Oklahoma?
A. Edmond, Oklahoma
http://newsok.com/edmond-building-is-oldest-in-oklahoma-county/article/3854324
Q. What year did the trolley cars start operation in Ardmore?
A. (answer in next week’s T&T)
From This and That newsletter archives of July 14, 2001:
Last week I mentioned about a bicycle repair shop located in the 400 block of 3rd NE when I was a kid in the late 50s. Since bicycles played a part of everyone’s early years of life, I thought it would be interesting to do some research on the subject. My mind flashes back to when I was about 6 years old, and my grandfather Stanley Carmon bought me a new bicycle. I was too short to reach the pedals, so he took a two by four and cut pieces to clamp on each side of the pedals. This gave the pedals several more inches of height, so I could reach them!
First, the Ardmore Cycle Shop is the oldest still operating bicycle repair shop in Ardmore. In 1938 Claude B. Williams started his Ardmore Cycle Shop at #25 “A” Street NW. Around 1945 Claude relocated his shop to 128 East Main. About 1949 Charles B. Williams became the proprietor and continued the bicycle repair business at the 128 E Main address.
About 1951 Charles relocated the business to 102 East Main. Then about ’51 or ’52, Joel C. Trammell became the Manager for the cycle shop at 102 E Main. But things have changed. Joe Trammell had a partner in the same building, Paul T. Phillips, the owner of Phillips Electric Repair service who also ran his shop at the same address.
About 1955 Ardmore Cycle Shop owner Charles Williams moved the cycle shop and Phillips Electric to 119 North Washington in Ardmore where Joe Trammell continued to manage the cycle shop and Paul Phillips continued to run his electric repair business.
But let’s back up a year to two. Before 1955 Bakos Television Repair Service was located at 119 North Washington. Louie Bakos was the owner and his wife, Joyce Bakos, was a nurse for Clifford Lorentzen, M.D. Bakos Television Repair closed down making way for Charles Williams to move his cycle shop to its new location at the 119 North Washington address.Two years later in 1957 Charles Rhyne and Loyd Smith purchased the Ardmore Cycle Shop and continued to operate the business. In 1958 Charles Rhyne bought out Loyd Smith making Charles the sole proprietor. In 1959 Charles Ryan added the Key and Locksmith business to his cycle shop. In 1970 Charles Rhyne moved his business from 119 North Washington just next door to 117 North Washington, where he continued repairing bicycles and making keys until his death in 1997. The Ardmore Cycle Shop continues to repair bicycles and and do locksmithing under the ownership of Charles’ wife, Nellie Rhyne.
Now for the bicycle repair shop I remember as a wee lad at 409 3rd Northeast (just on the east side of the railroad tracks). It was Ritter Bicycle Repair shop and S. Wade Ritter was the proprietor. Mr. Ritter actually started his cycle repair business about 1932 at #15 “A” NW. But before that, it was Ritter and Son Sporting Goods located at #21 North Washington. Mr Ritter operated his cycle repair at #15 “A” NW until about 1955 when he moved it to where I remember it, 409 3rd NE. Mr. Ritter only operated the shop on 3rd NE until 1957, the same year Charles Rhyne purchased the Ardmore Cycle Shop from Mrs. Charles Williams.
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A few more items of interest I ran across researching the bicycle shops:
1928 J.C. Penney Store was located at #26 and #28 North Washington
1928 the Ritz Theater, 117 West Main, Harry M. Lowenstein, Manager
1937 the Recreation Bowling Alleys, #22 “A” NW, Bruce Harris, confectioner
1937 121 “A” NW, the Jewish Temple Emeth
1937 #10 “A” SW, Carter County Title Company
1937 #13 “A” SW, Ardmore Abstract Company
1937 #15 “A” SW, Ray’s Office Supply
1937 #11 “B” SW, the Courthouse Garage, Cleo E. Williams
1937 #17 “B” SW, Courthouse Cafe, Charles M. Grant
1941 #22 “A” NW, the K&L Bowling Alleys
1955 Ruel B. and Kathleen Gilbert were the proprietors of the Gilbert Building. The Gilberts resided at the Hotel Ardmore that same year
1955 Waco Turner was President of the Ardmore Baseball Association. His office was in room 501 of the Gilbert Building (now called the Ardmoreite Building)
1957 the Ardmore Business College was in Room 3 at 301 North Washington and Robert C. Cavins, City Manager, was the proprietor
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A couple months ago I told about Buck Hale’s saw mill NW of the Airpark at Gene Autry and how he wanted to sell it when I was up there talking to him. This week when I drove by, the saw mill is gone, its truly history now. He sold it.
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15b/BuckHale3.jpg
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15b/BuckHale4.jpg
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15b/BuckHale5.jpg
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15b/BuckHale6.jpg
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Speaking of saw mills, my ancestors on my mother’s side, Carmon/Carman, had a saw mill on New York Island back around 1790. The Carman Saw Mill was located in Hempstead, Long Island, New York. Each year after a harsh winter, the saw mill had to be rebuilt. This picture is a copy of a painting by a Carman descendant in Davis, California, Mrs. Virginia Barrett. She saw the picture in a history book, and being an artist, went home and made a painting of it.
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15b/CarmonSawMill1790.jpg
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The Colston Building was built in 1917 at “A” and Main street. I’ve talked about this piece of history before, but never told about the unique service elevator on the west side of the building that is powered only by water. It has a large water piston and the pressure from the city water pushes the elevator up to the sidewalk level. When not in use, it sits in the basement under two metal covers which are over the sidewalk above.
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/watrlift.jpg
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/waterval
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“You mentioned you were placing photos of churches on webshots, and I ran across the picture, sent by another email, of the old Nazarene Church in Tishomingo. The church was torn down in/or after 1983.”
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15b/TishomingoNazarene.jpg
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“Information from the Tishomingo, Oklahoma Capital-Democrat, dated Thursday, Sept. 3, 1961. The Walker Hotel on North Neshoba street, which was built in 1914 by W. J. Keith and his wife, S. A. Keith in Tishomingo, Oklahoma.” “The WALKER HOTEL AS IT APPEARS IN 1981. THE BUILDING IS OWNED BY CARL LANDRUM AND IS SCHEDULED TO BE TORN DOWN WITHIN THE NEXT YEAR.”
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15b/WalkerHotelTishomingo.jpg
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Some mail from this week’s MAILBAG…..I read an article in the Daily Ardmoreite where the city is going to put in a park near the Santa Fe Train depot and it will be called Depot Park. I think it would be a great idea if the city moved the old Mercy Engine and coal tender from the Hardy Murphy coliseum grounds to the new park and have it facing to the north on the east side of the new park so that its the first thing seen from when either driving on main to the west or what the Amtrak passengers will see from the train. The train where it is at now is starting to look poorly, needing a new paint job and whatever else to bring it back into good condition. The last time I noticed it being cared for was back in the early 70’s. If its moved to the new park I am sure it will be cared for and it will be home as it will be back near where it came to Ardmore bringing the doctors, nurses to help those wounded in the 1915 explosion.
My neighbor has taken me to Kendall’s Restaurant in Noble several times in the past few years. Sometimes it was for something special, sometimes “just because it’s Thursday”. They have very good food, if you like “Southern-style fare” (their words). They serve chicken-fried steaks and chicken, fried catfish, and of course, burgers. We really liked going to their place and talking to the deer on the wall.
Then last December, you re-posted a short paragraph from 14 years prior, describing Libby’s Cafe in Goldsby. We tried it the next week. My neighbor went back the next night with friends. And the day after that with her father. We haven’t been back to Kendall’s again. I don’t want to say anything bad about Kendall’s, they have good food. Libby’s has everything Kendall’s has, and more.
They have grown considerably since your photo of them in 2000:
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos14b/LibbysGoldsby.jpg
“Butch I remember well the times of sliding down the grass slopes near that trestle on cardboard boxes (waxed ones worked best). Later after grass was gone riding bicycles off the slopes. There was a series of shallow ponds on the western end that when dry you could dig up those aluminum and brass tokens. We used them in our slingshots they flew wildly and made a funny noise . Thanks for reminding me of a memory I had almost forgotten.” -steve maxwell
“Butch,
Congratulations on your retirement. Now that you are beginning to settle in to it, here are a couple of tips. Folks will have opportunities for ways that you can spend your time. Be careful. Allow time for yourself and those things that Jill and you want to do.
It won’t be long before you will begin forgetting not only what day of the week it is but the date also.
My grandmother gave me a watch for my birthday when I was five years old. I wore a watch until the first week of college and then I took it off and put it in it’s case and never wore another watch. I never missed getting up at the right time to go hunting and made all my meeting appointments on time.
Now, I take extra time with my coffee in the morning and watch the deer wander by the house and go out and feed the fox before I have another cup of coffee. And, oh yes, I try to get to that project I didn’t quite get to yesterday, but then I know it will be there waiting for me when I can get to it.
Just remember to not take any wooden nickels.”-Monroe Cameron
“Hey Butch, I retired about two years ago. My advice get in the frame of mind that everyday is Saturday and I never schedule an appointment until at least 1:00 PM. Love just reading all day and sometimes till 3:00 am. Take care.” -Mark Lauderdale
Butch, When my husband retired, a friend told him how to keep track of the days. He said the day the fat paper comes is Sunday. All the other days are Saturdays. Maybe that will help.
Oklahoma! is a 1955 musical film about a couple of young cowboys who win the hearts of their sweethearts in the Oklahoma territory at the turn of the century.
Oklahoma, where the wind comes sweepin’ down the plain
And the wavin’ wheat can sure smell sweet
When the wind comes right behind the rain.
Oklahoma, Ev’ry night my honey lamb and I
Sit alone and talk and watch a hawk
Makin’ lazy circles in the sky.
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
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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/
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