Ardmore, Oklahoma 73402
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 580-490-6823
It’s always nice when I get a surprise letter delivered by the U.S. Postal Service. Nearly all my communications the past years has been via the computer. And when I received an old fashion letter from long time Carter County resident Mary Wilson of Lone Grove this week, it put a smile on my face. Mary is a historian extraordinaire in her own right. She mailed me a 1971 clipping from the Healdton Herald newspaper.
Woman Remembers Loam Post Office – Healdton Herald Newspaper, March 15, 1971
Mrs. Mildred (James L.) Steel (1911-1980), the former Mildred Monson south of Wilson is telling about a long vanished post office in that area that most people have never heard about. Mrs. Steel says, in 1911 the Department of Interior sold at auction a large section of southern Carter and northern Love County.
This was the surplus land left from the Indian allotments of the Chickasaw Nation. A.F. Monson of Walters bought a half-section of land five miles south and three miles east of the present town of Wilson. Here he built a general store and applied for a post office since the nearest mail service was at Lone Grove and Cheek several miles away. On May 14, 1913 he got approval for the Loam post office.
The name suggested by Mrs. Monson because of the deep sandy loam soil in the area. Soon after the post office was established, a small building was built for it and Mrs. Bessie Garvin became the first Postmistress. She was Mrs. Monson’s sister, and in 1914 she married M.M. Clark and Mrs. Monson became the postmistress.
The mail was carried from Cheek to Loam by horse and buggy. At times the Bayou had to be forded. One of the first carriers was Knox Garvin who later became a well-known Oklahoma oil man and state senator. He was the father of Harold Garvin who was a state senator. On January 1914 the post office was established at New Wilson, and on Jan 20, 1920 the name town was changed to the present name of Wilson. A.F. Monson sold his store in 1917 and as Wilson grew and rural mail routes were established, he asked that the Loam area be served by a route out of Wilson.
Rural Route 3 was formed later to be added to Route 1 and the Loam post office was closed March 15, 1918. Monson was the first mail carrier on Route 3. The present home of Neil Monson, Mildred’s brother, is located on the site of the Loam post office.
Thanks Mary Wilson for sharing the above piece of Carter County history.
A few pavers I sandblasted this week.
https://oklahomahistory.net/bricks/TexBrowningPaver.jpg
https://oklahomahistory.net/bricks/WayneFitePaver.jpg
https://oklahomahistory.net/bricks/ParnellPaver.jpg
https://oklahomahistory.net/UMCpavers/UMCJamesCochran.jpg
https://oklahomahistory.net/UMCpavers/UMCDocRuster.jpg
https://oklahomahistory.net/UMCpavers/UMCSueCrooke.jpg
https://oklahomahistory.net/UMCpavers/UMCMaryLucas.jpg
I mentioned 2 weeks ago that Windows 10 is free and ready to download from Microsoft. I did install Windows 10 on my laptop with no problems. But I’m still hearing about bugs and such on the new version, so I may wait a few weeks before installing it on my PC here at home with Windows 7. But if you’re itching to try 10, here is a good tutorial to make the job easier.
http://www.howtogeek.com/225048/how-to-upgrade-from-windows-7-or-8-to-windows-10-right-now/
Q. Dinosaur fossils are found in two places in Oklahoma. Where?
A. Near Atoka and in the Panhandle.
Q. What Oklahoma county was named for a Civil War general?
A. (answer in next week’s T&T)
From This and That newsletter archives of August 11, 2001:
Don’t you just love a mystery? This week I walked into my office, and there was a hotel key laying in the seat of my chair. Now this is no ordinary key, one like Tom Bodet might have in his pocket. This key is from a 4 star hotel in Paris, France. So how did this key end up in Ardmore, Oklahoma? That is the mystery. Boy, I have no idea who left it in my office or who’s in room 34 for that matter. But I will bet you one night’s lodging the key is stolen.
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15b/ParisHotelKey.jpg
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I traveled to Woodford in far northern Carter County last Saturday. A few years ago I told about the wishing well that is 1/2 mile north of Woodford, on the road to Mountain Lake and have some photos of it on my website. This trip up there I noticed the wishing well has been “remodeled”. Its been cleaned up, the wood housing painted and a historical marker placed next to the sulphur springs. While I was looking down at the springs I noticed someone had dropped a couple of pennies along the ring of the well. So I followed suit and drop one too. I wished the water was drinkable, but I wouldn’t advise it. On July 16, 1997 I had the water tested by the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality and it tested positive for one or more coliform bacteria. Below is a picture I took of the Woodford wishing well in June 1996.
And here are several photos I took of this artesian well just last weekend.
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15b/WoodfordWellA.jpg
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15b/WoodfordWellB.jpg
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15b/WoodfordWellC.jpg
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“Butch, In answer to question about Overbrook school, I have several pictures. I too graduated from Overbrook in 1952 and still live in Overbrook. I was one that wrote last week my father taught school here in early l930’s,and other Love county schools.” They can e-mail me at [email protected]
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“Butch. In issue 224, someone asked if anyone remembers Rex Imitation Jelly. I do. My mom was a country girl raised with everything homemade – including jelly. She still will not buy jelly. Makes her own at 87 years of age. Anyhow, in the early 40’s when she didn’t have enough money to use her sugar ration stamps, someone gave her some Rex jelly. In fact, we had it several times until her sister finally actually gave her some sugar to make her own. Even today, Mom gags when Rex Jelly is mentioned.”
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“Rex Jelly was indeed a product of the worst kind of imitation. The stuff was available in the late 30’s I remember, and must have been made mostly from gelatin with a flavor added. Not much flavor at that.”
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“Hi Butch, Just finishing today’s edition of T&T. Great as usual. Since you are interested in old lumber yards, my late husband, Hurmon Anthony, made miniature buildings. One of his first was a reproduction of the old Chickasaw Lumber Co. After his death I donated it to the Greater Southwest Museum. You may see it there. I still have the picture he used for details. I wonder if the Lake Southeast of Ardmore that you referred to is Kincaid Lake? A lot of people used to go there. Hurmon played there as a child and it was one of his favorite places.”
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“Butch, just read your Aug 4 T&T and someone wrote in about the Engine 1108 which was moved out besides the H. Murphy Col. My dad, Clarence Patrick, was working for the Santa Fe Railroad at that time (retired from there in 1973) and he helped lay the rails down the middle of the street so the engine could be driven to its destination. I can remember him coming home and telling us about laying the track, right up to where the engine was finally placed. Good memories.”
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“We live at 705 C St. N.W. Ardmore. This house was the old Westheimer home built around the turn of the century and was turned into apartments in about 1940. I would like any pictures or information about anyone ever living here. I know Judge J H Dillard owned it in 1920. Zona Wilcoxon, Leatha Allen, Patricia Thomason Ruggs, McClure Apartments, Charles and Kathleen McClure, Stanley and Wendy Armstrong are some of the names listed on the abstract. I was told it was once a dance studio and also that soldiers stayed here from the air base with the wives before shipping out. I would like to complete a history of the people and activities in this home. It seems as if hundreds of people lived in the apartments. Any help would be appreciated.” -Steve and Sharon Messenger
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“Hi Butch Really enjoyed your T&T this morning, one of the letters you received mentioned London bridge, reminded me of my childhood, when I was in Infant school, we would sing and play a game to the tune of London bridge is falling down. The game was played by a group of children, two of which would outstretch their arms and form a bridge while the rest of the children walked in turn underneath the bridge, singing the nursery rhyme, as the rhyme came to an end the bridge came down on whichever child was underneath, then it was their turn to be the bridge, oh to be so innocent…… Do you know the words or tune ?”
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“Hey Butch, I remember the spraying for mosquitoes too. I also remember about that same time- I think the summers we had drought and extreme heat were 55-56, or 56-57- big tanker trucks filled with water from Lake Murray would drive down the streets late at night, and spray some water on the lawns to keep them from completely dying. I was just a little kid and we lived on Davis Street, and I can remember lying in bed and listening to the deep rumbling pulsating sound those tankers would make as they parked outside and pumped water to the yards. It’s one of those warm, fuzzy memories.”
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“In going through an old trunk of my great grandmother’s I found several l927 feed bills and a flyer with the picture of Rube Chambers presenting the Famous Temperance Lecture John Barleycorn. There is no date and a blank line that was to be filled in with where it was to be held. It says, “A man who knows the Liquor Question. He’s been there. He’s funny. He will tell you a joke or two. But he is going to tell you some facts about this liquor business that you don’t want to miss. Hear Him. Meet Him. You Will Like Him. There was an admission charge.” I wondered if any of your readers remembers anything about this or when it was.”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Barleycorn
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“My Father Ray Perkins build this house in 1958. A log cabin use to set on this property. We lived in the log cabin until dad got two rooms of this house built than we moved in and the log cabin was torn down. 2nd house This house is by the Black cemetery . I do not remember what street it is on. It is out by the old 70 Highway and about 3 or four blocks from P ST NE going out toward Dickson. I remember my Dad worked for the City of Ardmore and would come home after he had worked all day then work most of the night on this house. This house is a short distance from the Boys Food store. There was a small store across the Highway called Mary and Albert’s, where I could get a soda for six cents. If you know the address of this house. Please contact Peggy Perkins “
“I am sending you two pictures, one is of my Grandmother Sarah Watkins and the log cabin that was across the street from ours. Sarah, sister Dellar and her husband Ben Jackson lived in the house beside Sarah.
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15b/WatkinsHome1.jpg
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15b/WatkinsHome2.jpg
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Butch, here is a pic I took of some mill in Durant. I wonder if they still use it and what they made there.
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15b/DurantMill.jpg
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“What a great group of readers you have- they are great and so helpful! We mentioned one word- “grapette” and got all kinds of “leads” and then even saw an e-mail to you from the company itself!! We had so many suggestions- hard to know where to start but made just one stop, and they had just gotten a case of 24 20 oz bottles in- so we took it! And then they were out of stock again! But we got some and “smuggled ” it back to Ohio and while we will share a few with relatives, we are being very “conservative” -got to make it last you know! Thanks again for such great response.”
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Well, pretty soon I’ll be on easy street. I received a letter this week from a lady psychic named Mary Galante of New York City. She predicted a huge sum of money from a lottery is in my immediate future. Boy, that sounds good to me. But she told me more: said in 1998 or 1999 I faced a challenge in my life, and from 1997 to 1999 someone close to me was ill, and between 1974 and 1976 there was a major change in my life, and between 1988 and 1994 something important happened in my life. Yes! It’s all true!! And that’s not all…. in 8 weeks I’ll receive an important phone call, in five months I’ll meet a mysterious person, and a long standing wish becomes a reality in the next 10 weeks! Oh boy! I can hardly wait! She asked me to send her $20. But I’m going wait until her prophecies come true, I’ll give her half, and we’ll both be happy. lol
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Some mail from this week’s MAILBAG…..
This weekend will be the first annual Literacy Day at Central Park hosted by Ardmore Literacy Leadership. This event will have dental goodies, hearing checks, haircuts, immunization reviews, free books, free school supplies, and free food kits. See attached pictures of the flyer for more information. We look forward to seeing you there!
Elizabeth Negrete Gaylor
Vice President
Ardmore Literacy Leadership
Literacy Coordinator
Ardmore Public Library
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15b/LiteracyDay2015FrontFlyer.jpg
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15b/LiteracyDay2015BackFlyer.jpg
Trestles in Ardmore, Oklahoma
“I’ve been working on this project for a long time and finally completed it. I’m no expert on this subject (or any subject for that matter) so if you see any errors or revisions that are needed let me know and I’ll correct them. This is meant only as a brief documentary and is certainly not all inclusive.” -C. Dwane Stevens
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oq5yRnvcfIk
“Butch, I saw on your history site someone was interested in the old Rex Jelly that we use to buy in those buckets. Some would use those buckets for a lunch pail. I remember when I went to Overbrook School in the early 50″s some would carry a lunch in the bucket. Good old days. I found on the internet the recipe to make that jelly out of Kool Aid. I’m going to make some.” -Pat
Know what you mean about retirement, much busier than I ever dreamed of being. In the last T&T someone mentioned Rex Jelly, I remember it well and loved the stuff, artificial fruit flavor, probably mostly sugar. I have also wondered about whatever happened to the company that made it.
Wayne Mitchell
Georgetown, TX
“I saw this photo for sale on eBay. Puny Sparger’s Pullman Cafe at 123 East Main in 1940, Ardmore, Oklahoma.” -Mark Coe
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15b/PullmanCafePunySparger1940a.jpg
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15b/PullmanCafePunySparger1940b.jpg
Dear Friends,
Here are some dates for you to consider. Hope you can attend some or all of them.
August
14 – Arvest Bank, Bartlesville, 10am, free show, Call 918-914-3742 for more
information.
15 – Wyldewood Cellars, Mulvane, Kansas: 7pm, 316- 554-9463: $20 with
dessert served;
Kansas Turnpike Exit 33, a few miles south of Wichita; 951 E. 119th St,
Mulvane, KS
September
10-12 Miles of Memories Music Festival, Hastings, NE call 903-467-9545 for
more information (www.texandmary.com)
19 – Country Music Festival, Jewel, KS – cancelled by organizers due to
conflict.
October
5 – Doc & Jan Jam, Kimberling City, MO – 10am to 4pm – Bowling Alley –
Reservations required – cost of admission is one side dish – Collection
taken for meat – 785-843-3898 or 785-550-1040
17 – Gospel Jubilee, Ponca City, OK 7pm Call 580-765-4730 for more
informationDecember
31 – New Year’s Eve Supper / Show/Dance – Prairie Rose Ranch – Benton, KS
Farewell Appearance – After this night, Les is retiring his Silver Lake
Band.
(Les will continue to do solo shows) Gates open at 5pm, Supper at 6:30
Reservations required – Call 316-778-2121 for reservations, directions and
information
Latest Schedule – www.lesgilliam.comThanks
Les Gilliam
“The Oklahoma Balladeer”
“Butch, I recently came across a report (see below) of those who would be on the ballot for several “positions” in the first election after statehood, 1907. It’s very difficult to read but I do see where my grandfather, N W Grisham, was running as a Republican for Justice of the Peace in Graham, Carter County. I doubt he won due to being a Republican in a heavily Democratic part of the country. You seem to be able to find answers for just about everything that has to do with Carter County, so I was wondering if you might be able to find the results of this election?” -Marjorie
Click Here for article
In your August 6th letter you have a picture of the Round Barn at Pond Creek. That is what it is called although it is not a barn, it is known throughout north central Oklahoma as the best place to have weddings, reunions, meetings, parties of any type or meetings. etc. The ramp in the picture is to move equipment up to the 2nd floor which is where everything takes place. To get to the 2nd floor, a spiral staircase is in the middle of the 1st floor. It is a nice place and used a lot.
More info: The owner, Marvin Bules, actually designed and built this round barn himself, with the help of his plumbing crew. The first floor houses the restrooms and part of his antique machinery collection with only a spiral staircase to access the second floor. The ramp allows vehicle to drive up to the main (2nd) floor for events, caterers, musicians with equipment, etc.
http://www.enidnews.com/archives/bules-barn-only-one-round-here/article_5c01e6d1-89ef-599c-a4f7-fd2c93fc943b.html
Capt. Levine, I just saw your note today on “This and That Newsletter” and wanted to remind you who had the most merit badges…
G♥
www.gheart.net
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15b/EagleScoutLevineAndHartsell.jpg
“A fool and his money are soon parted.” –Thomas Tusser 1524-1580
See everyone next week!
Butch and Jill Bridges
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.
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