PO Box 2, Ardmore, Oklahoma 73402
Email: butchbridges@oklahomahistory.net, Phone: 580-490-6823
Whitchurch Garage and Supply House, Ardmore, Oklahoma
In 1912 Clifton Whitchurch drove his family to Ardmore and rented a large building at 128-130 South Washington. He then established the Whitchurch Garage and Supply House, and selling new White and Republic trucks. He serviced the trucks as well, and also repaired early ones (one of the first in Ardmore).
After the explosion in Ardmore in 1915, it was later discovered that many of the largest buildings, which withstood the blast, had develop serious leaks in the roof. Naturally, this didn’t become evident until the next hard rain. The Whitchurch Garage was one of the few businesses that didn’t leak; consequently, Rawlings Furniture and other stores approached the owner about storing furniture there temporarily, which he graciously did. In 1931 Clifton devoted his time to new oil vestments, and the garage soon closed.
-Indian Territory and Carter County Pioneers book 1982
Here’s a few of Ardmore’s eateries in 1967
Anastasio’s Pizza, #60 Broadlawn Center
Barrett’s Cafeteria, Little Building
Beau’s Steak House, 32 M Street SW
Bill and Barb’s, 1225 N Washington
Black Saddle Restaurant, 2625 N Commerce
Bob Restaurant, Highway 77 South
Brewster’s Drive In, 708 Lake Murray Drive
Chuck Wagon BBQ, 1420 Highway 199 East
Corral Restaurant, 1611 N Commerce
Dairy Freeze, 425 W Broadway
Doc’s Pig Stand, 100 14th NE
Dug’s Grill, 227 W Main
Edens Fine Foods, 205 W Main
El Palacio Restaurant, 914 S Commerce
Firemen’s Lunch, 14 South Washington
Jay’s Drive In, 1111 W Main
Ken’s Dairy Queen, 311 N Washington
Ken’s Drive In, Highway 199
Kirby’s Cafe, 1002 S Commerce
Latza Inn 1400 White Street SE
Patton’s Cafe, 314 E Main
Pick’s Hot Tamales, 513 South Washington
Ponder’s Drive In, N Commerce
Priddy’s Cafe, 321 W Main
Rio Rancho Restaurant, 1212 S Commerce
Smokehouse, 22 South Commerce
Sonic Drive In, 1101 Grand
Tastee Freeze, 1004 Grand
Tower Restaurant, 209 N Commerce
Uncle Beau’s Steakhouse, 32 M SW
Williams Arcade Cafe, 309 E Main
Q. Where in Oklahoma can a person do indoor skydiving?
A. iFLY in Oklahoma City
https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/oklahoma/wind-tunnel-sky-ok/
Q. What Oklahoma courthouse was caught on camera during the filming of the 1940 movie Grapes of Wrath?
A. Answer in next week’s newsletterA couple pavers I sandblasted this week.
https://oklahomahistory.net/bricks/CookieMemorialUMCPV.jpg
https://oklahomahistory.net/bricks/BSAJohnnyWelchPaver.jpg
Below is from This and That newsletter archives of August 16, 2007
“Hi Butch: Sure enjoying T&T I’m trying to find any info on some post cards I have acquired from my grand mother who use to work in the court house in Taloga, Oklahoma, they had her cleaning out the basement one time throwing stuff away, and she kept these post cards, all dated from 1907 to 1910, Some might have been 1901 I think it is a 1907 though, they where sent to a store named Briggs & Son in Taloga back then, some are made of leather. I have around 127 I think. 25 are of Leather and the rest are paper. They are from varies venders on when they will be calling on them or be in there area, from shoe co., hat co., coffee co. and a post card co., some I think from a family member who seam to have moved off to Washington on congratulations on a new baby, another in Kansas on just getting back home been up there getting some one out of quarantine in a hospital there, some samples from the post card sales man with the Masonic Temple in Guthrie OK, pictures of the Indian Beef Issue, and some of varies Indians from a Photographer there in Taloga the studio name is Dedreck, one has an Indian girl name written on it is Minnie Chips, Cheyenne, to many here to type them all down. Thought you might be interested to come by and take a look being the historian you are? and any one else that might be interested. They have many names and companies listed, and I been looking around the net hopping to come across some of them still in existent today, but with no avail. Here is one picture of the leather post cards, front and back. all the stamps af fell off the leather, but the paper ones still have there stamps on them, 1 and 2 centers, boy thats been a while back. This is all I got scanned for now, my scanner started acting up some. have to get it going again and maybe get them all uploaded to webshots for every one to come and see. Black and White just so it will send faster for now. Better go for now, “KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK”
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August 12, 1923: Runyon Swindell has been arrested in connection with the murder last April of John Wall, Negro city marshal for Tatums, Oklahoma.
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I have pictures of me and my Mom (attached) at a visit to Devils Den when I was about 12. I am 67 now. We lived in Tishomingo in the 50’s before we moved to Ardmore in 1955. I got married when I was 16 to my husband (He was stationed at the Gene Autry air base then) and we got married at the Ardmore courthouse. Your weekly news really brings back lots of memories.” -Bobbie (Barb) Wilson Diiorio in Houston Texas
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos7a/DevilsDen1954.jpg
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The Wilson News 10-21-1915More Houses Wanted
“Say where can I get a house?” That is what is heard every few minutes on the streets of Wilson. There is a large bunch of tank men here now wanting houses. One man said that he would like to get houses for five or six families. Why let your vacant lots grow up in weeds when a small amount invested would build a house that would bring in a nice return each month. In other words, we need about 50 more good residences to take care of the people that are moving in here continually.75 Steel Tank Men Here
Every train has been bringing in more steel tank builders, about 75 are here now ready to go to work on the ten big steel tanks that are going to be built 4 miles west of here. The contract has been let for ten 55,000 barrel tanks and there will probably be contracts let for several more before these are finished. -submitted by Mindy Taylor
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————————————————————————-Some mail from this week’s MAILBAG…..
The following were submitted this week by Robert Hensley:
Marietta Cookie Shop receipt, Little Brownie Bakers, Inc. 1966 1967
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos19b/LittleBrownieReceiptsMariettaCookieShop.jpgA. B. Rawlins House Furnishers, Ardmore, Ok. 1914 receipt
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos19b/ABRawlingsHouseFurnishersArdmore.jpgTackett & Pate Architects & Contractors Ardmore, I T.
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos19b/TackettAndPateArchitectsAndContractors.jpgArdmore City Schools Promotion Blank March 8, 1912
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos19b/ArdmoreCitySchoolsPromotionBlank1912.jpgCommunity of Cliff, Indian Territory. Located 3 miles east of Kingston, Oklahoma. A Post Office was established March 2, 1891 to July 31, 1916. No longer in existence. Named after a large cliff along Little Glasses Creek, a tributary of the Washita River. Photo taken in 1896, post office at right in the picture.
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos19b/CliffIndianTerritory.jpgCooper Farms Receipt 1967
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos19b/CooperFarmsReceipt967.jpgRare receipt from Oakland, IT 1898. Oakland is in Marshall County near Madill, Ok.
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos19b/OaklandIT1898VandervortBrosReceipt.jpgWebb Studio 1903 Ardmore, IT photo. Maxine & Gordon McGoodwin.
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos19b/Maxine&GordonMcGoodwinArdmoreIT04101903.jpgSnapshot of 700 Ranch House in 1959
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos19b/700RanchHouse1959.jpg
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Q. Where was “old” Wilson, Oklahoma located?A. 11 miles southeast of Ardmore, east side of what would become Lake Murray. By 1918 old Wilson was history. And New Wilson in western Carter county would become just plain Wilson.
https://oklahomahistory.net/maps/OldWilsonMap.jpghttp://www.wilsonhistoricalmuseum.org/about/history_of_wilson.html
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———————————————–“Buy land, they’re not making it anymore.” -Mark Twain
See everyone next week!
Butch and Jill Bridges
“Friends Make Life Worth Living”PO Box 2
Lone Grove, Oklahoma 73443
Vicious Dog Attacks in Oklahoma
https://oklahomahistory.net/viciousdogs.html
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