PO Box 2, Ardmore, Oklahoma 73402
Email: butchbridges@oklahomahistory.net, Phone: 580-490-6823
I am in downtown Ardmore several times a week, if not daily. I never noticed this beautiful piece of art work on a building I drive by frequently. Last week I was driving by the Ardmoreite Building in downtown Ardmore and notice a mural that had been painted on the east side of the building.
This picture is a wide angle view of the entire mural.
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos16b/ArdmoreiteMural093016.jpg
The next 3 are close-ups of the east wall.
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos16b/ArdmoreiteGilbertBuildingB.jpg
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos16b/ArdmoreiteGilbertBuildingC.jpg
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos16b/ArdmoreiteGilbertBuildingD.jpg
I snapped this front view of the Ardmoreite Building (old Gilbert Building 1930).
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos16b/ArdmoreiteGilbertBuildingA.jpg
September 1932
Because they heard he had asserted he would never be taken alive, and anticipating gunplay, three officers fired upon and mortally wounded Finis beard, 20, an escaped convict of Granite Reformatory, as he fled from his sister’s home here. A companion Albert Snyder, 20, was captured at his sister’s home shortly before the search for Beard began. Beard, Snyder, and 22 others participated in a prison break Sunday night. There are still 11 fugitives at sarge.
The municipal swimming poll at Purcell, Oklahoma.
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos16b/PurcellSwimmingPool.jpg
Platt Motor Courts at Sulphur, Oklahoma.
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos16b/PlattMotorCourtsSulphurOK.jpg
Rustic Bridge near Sulphur Springs at Sulphur, Oklahoma.
Monument dedicated to first Boy Scout troop in the U.S. in 1909 at Pawhuska, Kolahoma.
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos16b/FirstBoyScoutTroop1909.jpg
Picture of Lake Texoma Lodge right after its completion. The lodge was built in 1951, and officially closed its doors on December 1, 2006.
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos16b/LakeTexomaLodgeNew.jpg
Dougherty, Oklahoma jail from the bygone years.
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos16b/DoughertyOKjail.jpg
One of several bricks I sandblasted this week.
https://oklahomahistory.net/bricks/BlackburnBabyPaver.jpg
You can find current gas prices for a particular Oklahoma town by entering the name or zip code in the GasBuddy search box.
http://www.oklahomagasprices.com/
Q. Where is the #1 rated most beautiful river in Oklahoma located?
A. The Little River is in Southeastern Oklahoma and travels through the Little River National Wildlife Refuge and a portion of the Ouachita National Forest and on into Arkansas. It’s said to be one of the most beautiful rivers in Oklahoma.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE PICS
Q. How many species of poisonous snakes in Oklahoma?
A. (answer in next week’s T&T)
From This and That newsletter archives of October 12, 2002
This bell is at the First Baptist Church in Butler, Oklahoma (Custer County).
https://oklahomahistory.net/bellphotos/custbap2.jpg
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Electrical contractors from Oklahoma City have been busy the past few weeks retrofitting our courthouse. Many areas of the court house has very old electrical wiring and Osborne Electric out of OKC will be replacing most of it over the next 8 or 9 months. George Soter, an Electrical Engineer from Oklahoma City, started the initial work on the courthouse’s electrical needs, and Osborne Electric will be doing the work. Here is a photo I took of Mr. Soter back in July 2001 when he was looking at some of the old panel boxes in the basement that will be replaced.
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/soter2.jpg
Lonnie Davis (front) and Rick Scammahorn (rear) boring a 4 inch hole through the first floor to the basement area underneath the courthouse for electrical conduit.
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/osborne2.jpg
Electrical box that has just been installed on the first floor.
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/osborne4.jpg
Much of the conduit that will bring the electricity into the court house, must first come in through the dirt floor basement. This is the basement area under the first floor of the courthouse where new conduit is being run.
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/osborne3.jpg
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/osborne5.jpg
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“Butch, I can not ever tire of hearing information regarding Washington School. Those were the happiest years of my carefree life. I do remember clearly Miss Ringer and her pictures placed around the room at the blackboards. On Fridays, if it was our day to have art instead of music, Miss Ringer would spend the entire class period telling us the history of the artist and the circumstances of why the particular painting was made. I was literally terrified of Miss Ringer, and only had her for art during the upper elementary school years. I was very poor in art, but out of those years I was able to do two things which she praised to high heaven. One was I was called on to go up the blackboard and take the pointer and name each one of the paintings as well as its painter. I did every painting correctly without even pausing to think. Miss Ringer was so proud of me. Another time, she let us to finger painting with different color paste or some kind of potion she mixed up (remember the sink in the back of her room). My color was green, and near the end of the class she told us to paint a picture for her that would good enough to be posted in her classroom. Well, I couldn’t draw worth a flip, so I quickly thought up the idea to draw a musical staff with a treble cleft, and a couple of sharps or flats as well as a time signature. Miss Ringer was so proud of me, and I actually did a good job that my painting made the group to be hung with the selected ones. She said it was so original as no one else had that idea. I always did better in music with Mrs. Wilna Lasiter, and she was also my 5th grade homeroom teacher. She was a great teacher, and she was not as rough as I feared Miss Ringer might be, and literally could be. Many people have inquired about Mrs. Lasiter and they would say Wilma Lasiter, but her first name was Wilna. At one time she directed the choir at The Calvary Presbyterian Church, and I think she played the piano for a local church. She was a very talented lady and was a very sweet woman. At the end of the school year, she put on the play about the great American composer, George M. Cohen. We practiced all semester on those wonderful patriotic songs. I will never forget that program that the fifth and sixth grade did in May of 1956. I am sure that many of Washington School former students will also remember those extremely nice Christmas treats that the PTA gave each student. I remember Mrs. Gentry very well. Also, Mrs. Smithers who made such lovely chocolate cake on soup day each Wednesday. I would give ten dollars for a piece of cake that taste just exactly like that did. I have never had any just like it flavor wise, and I have even tried to make it myself. I have often wondered if Mrs. Smithers would give us the recipe for this cake. I know the school received commodities in those days, therefore real butter was used in our food, and we always had that delicious cheese. In those days, there was no such items as pizza, pigs in a blanket, or chili con carne on our menus at school.”
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I called London, England again this week and talked to the people at Ginness World Records. They are the most wonderful people, I loved talking to them. I guess if there was any place in the world I’d like to visit, it would be England. Anyway, I talked to Kate White and she said there was several people from Oklahoma who have set world records and so recorded in the Ginness World Records book. Here is her reply to my inquiry:
“Many thanks for your message. Please find below some details on records which are held by people in Oklahoma. I have put the couple which are in this year’s book at the top of the email. I hope this is of help, Kind regards, Kate.
In the 2003 edition
Largest stitched teddy bear- The largest stitched teddy bear measured 11.79 m (38 ft 8.5 in) in length on 21 January 2001 and was constructed by Dana Warren (USA) of Edmond, Oklahoma, USA.
Tallest dinosaur- Dinosaur remains found in 1994 in Oklahoma, USA, belong to what is believed to be the largest creature ever to have walked the Earth. Sauroposeidon (‘lizard earthquake god’), was giraffe-like in shape though it was 30 times larger than the largest giraffe. It stood a staggering 18 m (60 ft) tall (the size of a six-storey building) and weighed 60 tonnes (132,300 lb). This lofty dinosaur lived about 110 million years ago, in the Mid-Cretaceous period.
Not in the 2003 edition
Longest straw chain- Crossings Community Church, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA pieced together 24,387 regular-sized drinking straws to form one continuous chain measuring 14,825 ft (2.8078 miles) on 29 April 2001.
Most Golden wedding anniversaries in one family- The greatest number of golden weddings in a family is 11, the three sons and eight daughters of John Lester and Evaline Bradley of Hollis, Oklahoma, USA, all celebrating their golden wedding anniversaries between 1963 and 1997, and the seven sons and four daughters of Clifton E Rutledge and Mary Luella (Moore) Rutledge of Mooreland, Oklahoma, USA, celebrated golden wedding anniversaries between 1972 and 1991.Thomas and Molly Frey of Nebraska, USA had 17 children; 11 of these children celebrated golden anniversaries between the years of 1968 and 1991.
Tallest water tower- The Waterspheroid at Edmond, Oklahoma, USA, built in 1986, rises to a height of 66.5 m. (218 ft.) and has a capacity of 1,893,000 litres (416,000 gal.). The tower was manufactured by Chicago Bridge and Iron Na-Con, Inc.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_Watersphere
Youngest published author- At the age of 6, Dennis Vollmer of Grove, Oklahoma, USA, wrote and illustrated Joshua Disobeys and had it published by a commercial publisher, Landmark Editions, Inc. of Kansas City, MO, after his story won a national student writing contest in 1987.”
Kate White, GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS
338 Euston Road
London NW1 3BD
(011) 44 207 891 4516
(011) 44 207 891 4536
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“In your column, you mentioned a girl that won a part in the Little Rascals Movie. I believe that is Jerry Almon from here in Ardmore. I have seen a newspaper clipping she has about the movie and how she was picked. You might contact her. Also, thought I would tell you that one resident out at the Magnetic Hill said that when it rains the water runs backwards UP the hill. Enjoy your column very much. Save every one.”
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“The local former child actor of Little Rascals fame to whom you referred in your Oct. 5 edition is a woman named June Thompson. She should be in her mid-ups about now. Her phone number seems to be unlisted. I couldn’t find the number for her daughter and son-in-law, Bob and Elizabeth Lucas, either, though they are probably still here, too. Her son’s name is Joe Lacy; he tried to resurrect the old Haney Grocery Store in Gene Autry a few years ago. Before retiring from show business June was quite the jazz singer for many big bands.”
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“I have a request for my 96 year old Great-Aunt. She says that three doctors left Equity, then Kincaid, KANSAS about the time of the land rush into the CHEROKEE STRIP. One wrote back to Kincaid that they had named the city of Enid after her sister, Enid ROUTZONG. Does anyone have information on the naming of Enid, OK? My G-Aunt is a collector of trivia (lists and lists) and has been wondering about this for years. She is very lonely and would just be thrilled by this information. Also a list of early doctors into Enid would be great. Many thanks.” -Rita Wood, Kansas rwood@lvnworth.com
Enid, County seat of Garfield, County. Post Office established August 25, 1893. Although there are a number of versions of the origin of the name, it undoubtedly was taken from Idylls of the King by Tennyson.
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Some mail from this week’s MAILBAG…..“Butch, I really enjoy your This and That. I might have a picture of Walker Stadium as my Mom kept all of AHS football information from 1959-1962. I played on Tip Jacobson’s teams. My fondest memory was my senior year and we were coming off a horrible 1-9 season.
Putnam City was our first game. They were prancing around in their Halloween colors warming up trash talking. They were ranked #1 in the state and we were picked last in the old Boomer Conference. Guess what the final score was 16-14 AHS. Kenny Stockdale threw a touchdown pass to me and Jeff Villines got the two pointer to seal the deal. We held them to under 200 yards offense. The next week we were ranked #2 in the state.
Jimmy Jack Forbes went on to play at Southeastern, Will Johnson played at Vanderbilt , and I was fortunate to receive a football scholarship to TCU. Kenny was a year behind us prior to playing at Baylor.
BTW you might remember my Father, Maurice Altom who taught Vocational Ed for years. He was also principal at Franklin Elementary and Vice Principle at AHS.
Ardmore brings back a lot of memories and was just a wonderful place to grow up in.” -Charlie
I just read a great tip for people caught in a hurricane and have to evacuate. It’s called the one cup tip. You put a cup of water in your freezer. Freeze it solid and then put a quarter on top of it and leave it in your freezer. That way when you come back after you’ve been evacuated you can tell if your food went completely bad and just refroze or if it stayed Frozen while you were gone. If the quarter has fallen to the bottom of the cup that means all the food defrosted and you should throw it out. But if the quarter is either on the top or in the middle of the cup then your food may still be ok. It would also be a great idea to leave this in your freezer all the time and if you lose power for any reason you will have this tip to fall back on. If you don?t feel good about your food, just throw it out. The main thing is for all to be safe.
At the link below are 10 more scans of old photographs this week. -Robert Hensley
https://oklahomahistory.net/postcards
One is a photograph of Judge S. B. Bradford and his family. I did a Google search and found a S.B (former Attorney General of Kansas). Bradford in the July 22, 1901 issue of The Daily Ardmoreite. And also in Vinita, Oklahoma’s The Daily Chieftain (July 24, 1902 issue) I found an article on Judge Bradford. In the newspaper clipping Judge Bradford draws a graphic picture of the 75,000 Oklahoma school children living in distress.
https://oklahomahistory.net/postcards/JudgeSBBradfordfamily07041898.jpg
Below is the 1902 newspaper clipping from the Vinita, Oklahoma Chieftain newspaper in which Judge Bradford talks about the plight of school children in Indian Territory before statehood. He was addressing his fellow Oklahoma congressmen about the situation.
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos16b/JudgeBradfordClipping1902.jpg
Photograph of Judge Simeon Briggs Bradford
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos16b/SBBradfordAttorneyKansas.jpg
Judge Bradford is buried just west of the east gate (now the front entrance) at Rosehill Cemetery in Ardmore
Find-A-Grave
Our new publication A Tribute to Wilson’s Korea-Vietnam Era Veterans is in the final stages of publication, with a target date of our first books being shipped by January 2017. This publication is a hard cover book with over 600 pages and includes biographies and pictures of the veterans along with newspaper articles from the Wilson Post during the years 1950 – 1975 that pertain to the soldiers. If anyone would like to preorder this book please go to the Wilson Historical Museum website and print the order form, fill it out and mail your check to:
Wilson Museum. 1270 8th St. Wilson.
$50.00 cost of book
$4.25 8 1/2% tax
$7.00 shipping or you can pick it up at the Wilson Historical Museum.
For more info contact Mindy Taylor at mindyltaylor@att.net
http://www.wilsonhistoricalmuseum.org/
“History is a relentless master. It has no present, only the past rushing into the future. To try to hold fast is to be swept aside.” -John Fitzgerald Kennedy
See everyone next week!
Butch and Jill Bridges
Ardmore Oklahoma
PO Box 2
Lone Grove, Oklahoma 73443
Vicious Dog Attacks in Oklahoma
https://oklahomahistory.net/viciousdogs.html
Bells of Oklahoma
https://oklahomahistory.net/bellpage.html
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 Government Website
http://cartercountyOK.us/
All previous issues of This & That can be found on my Website.
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