PO Box 2, Ardmore, Oklahoma 73402
Email: [email protected], Phone: 580-490-6823
I have several friends in Australia including my long time friend Steve Moran and his family. They live about 100 miles north of Sidney where it seems the fires are so bad according to the newscasts. It does not look like Steve lives in a densely forested area where the fires are burning out of control, but the drought is taking a devastating toll in his area. Steve sent in some pictures he took this week.
This first two are his ponds. He has 11 ponds and all are bone dry except two. These two farm ponds are right out on the back boundary with a little bit of water, mainly green slime, not safe for cattle but kangaroos still drink there. This dam is spring fed and always full the water and normally back to where Steve is taking the photo. Steve has been coming out there for 20 years and never seen it this low.
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos20a/MoranPond010820.jpg
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos20a/MoranPond010820b.jpg
This next picture is one of the dry ponds he’s cleaned out so when the rains return it will fill up and hopefully be a good pond for the cattle. These two dams dried up three months ago, so Steve got excavator in and cleaned them out. This is a very deep dam a lot of black silt. Steve has had to rope kangaroos to drag them out as they sink into the silt and can’t get out, but he has had this one cleaned out as well.
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos20a/MoranDryPond010820.jpg
The next couple pictures are his cattle and horses. Since its so dry and everything dead, he is paying $200 a day just for hay to keep the animals alive.
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos20a/MoranCattle010820a.jpg
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos20a/MoranCattle010820b.jpg
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos20a/MoranHorses010820a.jpg
This is a couple pictures of Steve I took in March 2018 when he and his brother were visiting Oklahoma. I took them to Sulphur, Oklahoma to see the sights. I don’t think he nor his brother like drinking the “stinky water”. lol
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos20a/SteveMoranMarch2018.jpg
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos20a/SteveMoranMarch2018b.jpg
It’s a serious situation for my friend Steve Moran and everyone in Australia is just trying to make it through this 500 year drought. I know we are over 8,000 miles from Australia, but if anyone can help in Steve’s situation, I know it will be greatly appreciated. The struggle is real and prayers and help are needed. Steve’s email is [email protected] Steve is also on my Facebook if anyone wants to Friend him.
The old LeGrande Tourist cabins on South Commerce and Pettit street was built in the 1930s. I was made from unique rock with petrified rock scattered in the walls from Arizona. This week the buildings met the bulldozer. Its all history now.
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos20a/CampLeGrande010720.jpg
November 1994
Steve Sanders, Carter County’s outside auditor, told Commissioners they need to save $300,000 as a carryover to get by next year. Sanders said, “if the money is not raised, you will be back to paying interest on warrants like you did 10 years ago.” Sheriff Bill Nolan said the only part of the budget left to cut was personnel. Nolan said the County would have to cut 17 employees to save that much money.
November 2004
Lone Grove cemetery is rapidly running out of space for additional gravesites. City councilors were told of the problem when the wife of a former city councilor couldn’t buy two plots together in the local Cemetery. The Lone Grove cemetery is fronted by road to the south, a creek to the north, and private property to the south and east. The city has four acres inside the cemetery boundaries which is basically “rock” according to city manager Harrell Kennedy.
What’s left of the historic Perryman Ranch at Jenks, Oklahoma where Tulsa was started, has been sold. Despite the history, the land is being divided up for a new subdivision. CLICK HERE
On Jan 14th Microsoft will no longer update or support Windows 7 which my 10 year old PC has had on it since day one. Works perfectly. I finally decided to upgrade it to Windows 10 and at a cost of only $10 to get a Windows 10 upgrade from Microsoft. Everything works great and I’m ready for 2020 and beyond. In the link below I tell of my experience and how I did the changeover from Win 7 to Win 10. By the way, Win 7 will work fine after Jan 14th, just no updates will be available from Microsoft.
https://oklahomahistory.net/windows10upgrade.html
Q. Where on historic Route 66 is there a beautiful 1898 red round barn? It was restored in 1992.
A. The 19th century barn is located east of Edmond, Oklahoma on Route 66 at Arcadia, Oklahoma
http://www.arcadiaroundbarn.com/Round_Barn_Website/HOME.html
Q. Where is a hiking trail in western Oklahoma that’s not only surrounded by beautiful grasslands, but was once home to an 1800s battlefield?
A. Answer in next week’s newsletter
Below is from This and That newsletter archives of January 3, 2008
In the 1940 aerial of Ardmore (I can’t ever spell that word most of the time for some crazy reason) sent in last week by Garth Hoard, this area’s unofficial cartographer, a Reader noticed something in the lower right corner…. an oval circle where the Hardy Murphy coliseum is located. That is the dirt racetrack that was located there and talked about along with a pic in the 1987 Ardmoreite centennial edition. Maybe someone can shed more light on this?
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos8a/CFN-10-84c-sm.jpg
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If any of you have moved from one house to another, you will know what I’m about to say: Its crazy. Seems like a million things to do. But maybe soon, maybe a couple weeks, we will be living south of Lone Grove. Every time Jill and I go there to do some work, almost daily it seems, these two little dogs coming running through the trees in a dead run toward us. I think they belong to our neighbors to the west. They are the most lovable pooches. They jump around, run around, beg for attention and of course we stop whatever we’re doing and give them plenty. They won’t even stay still long enough for me to take a picture of them together. We don’t know their names yet but every time they come over Jill gives each one a milk bone, and then when they eat those, I give them a milk bone each. Jill and I talked about needing a dog on our 3 acres and when these two came along, I told Jill we could just adopt these. lol
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos8a/pooch1.jpghttps://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos8a/pooch2.jpg
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Speaking of our new place south of Lone Grove, Russell Martin came out the other day with his Kubota tractor and removed a huge brush and dirt pile behind our house. He completely leveled it down to a smooth surface in about 30 minutes, and now we can look out the kitchen window and see the deer feeder about 200 feet to the north. The feeder is the green spot in this photo.https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos8a/LookingNortheast010608.jpg
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I took some pics of the 1928 Seth Thomas tower clock in the dome of the Carter county courthouse this week. These are pics of some of the intricate working parts that makes the clock tick. But the clock is not ticking 100% par right now, but we are working to remedy it very soon.
https://oklahomahistory.net/seththomasclock.html
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THE DAILY ARDMOREITE, OCTOBER 29, 1913, titled, “REGULAR SERVICE ON RINGLING ROAD.”“BEGINNING TODAY THE RINGLING RAILROAD WILL CARRY FREIGHT AND PASSENGERS.”
“Beginning today the Ringling railroad will run trains on a regular schedule between here and Wilson.” President Jake Hamon stated this morning that there was a great demand for this service and that it would keep them busy handling the business.
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NEW BOOK ON AREA HISTORY- The Daily Ardmoreite, Oct 15, 1969
“Elmer Leroy Baker’s new book, “Gunman’s Territory,” the story of longtime lawman James Robert “Bob” Hutchins, is a must for every collector of Ardmore and Southern Oklahoma history and is good reading for everyone who is interested in our local history.” “In about 350 pages of text and pictures it tells of Hutchins’ more than 60 years as cowboy, deputy U.S. Marshal, Ardmore police chief, bodyguard for a famous Ardmore oilman and guard on the Mexican border. After serving as police chief, he took a job as bodyguard for Jake Hamon, Ardmore oil man and associate of John Ringling in the Ringling railroad west form Ardmore to the oil patch.” “Hutchins tells in detail of the shooting and death of Hamon in 1920 when Hamon was slated for appointment to the cabinet in Washington, and the subsequent trial and acquittal of his secretary, Clara Smith Hamon, on a charge of murder in the case.”
https://oklahomahistory.net/hamon.html
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“Hi, Butch, going through some of the photos that I took in Ardmore and surrounding area. This was at the Ardmore depot and I was just wondering if it might be the old elevator from the Ardmoreite building.”
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos8a/AntiqueElevator.jpg
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The Wilson News submitted by Mindy TaylorTrigged Out In White
In imitation of Purity of Law and of Law Enforcement, Officers Adopt Uniforms of Bride-Like Purity of Color
Realizing that a good “front” is as essential to law’s officers as to any other class or classes of humans, two of Wilson’s citizens who are interested in seeing the majesty of the law upheld, recently held themselves Ardmoreward, bent on getting that front, and they succeeded.Leaving Wilson while the day was yet in its earliest virginity, clad in true western style, arrangement of blue overalls and jumpers, they returned just as the sun blushingly unrobed for the night, arrayed, not like “Solomon in all his glory”, but in suits of purest white.
No timid bride crowned with orange blossoms ever met her future lord at the marriage altar clad in garments of more pristine and alabaster whiteness.
And now, with white uniforms, called by the young and giddy, “glad rags”, “Yellowstone Charley” and “Budweiser Jim”, so called on account of the relentless manner in which they go after, capture and destroy all conversation water and German disturbance, of whose unlawful introduction they hear, are more ready than ever to uphold the majesty of the law.Wilson Historical Museum Hours: Tues., Thurs., Fri., Sat., 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
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————————————————————————-Some mail from this week’s MAILBAG…..
Q. Dear Butch, I wonder if you have any history about Dr Hathaway. He delivered many babies in Carter County. I was one of them in 1927 in the Graham area. Was he originally from Oklahoma, married, children, etc. Before Mary Wilson passed away, she lived in his former home in Lone Grove. I would appreciate any information and believe many of your readers would too. -Elisabeth
Below is all I found in my Archives:
December 26, 1935 – Lone Grove, Oklahoma
The fire, discovered at 1:30am by E.A. Stringer, county commissioner who lives nearby, was well under way. Before he could reach the scene, Dr. G.W. Hathaway’s office next door was ablaze. The doctor’s office joined the Heflin & Doss drugstore and filling station, operated by Mr and Mrs O.K Darden. The Darden’s residence at the rear and a garage were destroyed. Darden also had a filling station in front of his drugstore.Mr. and Mrs. Darden escaped barely in time. A new automobile, driven less then 100 miles was burned. E.W. Coffey and Roy Richards operated a large general store and filling station. Stringer said the blaze apparently originated near the back of the store. Stringer’s store and filling station east of the Coffey & Richards’ business were saved. Ardmore sent its chemical truck to aid in saving other buildings.
In Dr. Hathaway’s office were several hundred dollars’ worth of instruments, it was said. Telephone and light service was interrupted for a time. Both telephone and light wires spanned the burning building.
January 1934
Doctor W. G. Hathaway of Lone Grove was elected vice president of the Carter County Medical Society at a meeting which was held to also discuss the presence of diphtheria in the county.June 1956
Dr. Walter Gray Hathaway was presented with a lifetime membership in the Carter, Love and Marshall County Medical Society in honor of 50 years of practice in the field of medicine in Lone Grove.Dr Hathaway’s office in Lone Grove
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos5a/HathawayOffice5a.jpg
Footnote: Before his death, I had the honor of taking Dr. Hathaway, M.D. (1874 – 1973) to the hospital several times in the ambulance. He was in a local nursing home, and remained very alert to the end. We talked about many things. He was a good man. He and Dr. Hobson Veazey would share experiences at the clinic where I took Dr Hathaway for his checkups. Dr. Hathaway always had a story to tell Dr. Veazey how things were done way back when. One time Dr. Hathaway was on our stretcher as Dr. Veazey walked by. Hathaway reached up and wanted to tell Dr. Veazey something. Dr. Veazey leaned over to listen. Dr. Hathaway told him, “I found out you catch it in bed.” We all had a little laugh. I will never forget that old man, he lived to be 99 years old. A remarkable man and a remarkable life. -Butch
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Perseverance is my friend:
It took me 10 years to see the fruition of this memorial.
One of my fave places on this globe is the Round Barn in Arcadia. I was there for my first time about a decade ago and noticed you could buy a brick and it would eventually be placed in the sidewalks that surround the barn.
It’s put on a shelf in the barn until the time the ones that have collected are added to the sidewalks. A couple of weeks ago I visited to see if I could find it and lo and behold there it was! Jerry Lathum, my Dad, was the first of the Lathum’s to be cremated, unlike the rest of my kinfolk who are in Davis, Springer and Gene Autry, and hence there is no place I can go “see” him like I can the other kin.
I knew I must correct this however that might be and this is the special place I have for the special person he was/is to me.
I will travel there on occasion to remember his uniqueness, the more age I experience the more of the humanity of his existence I understand.
It’s hard being a dad.
Life is good and I’m thankful to God for allowing things to cohere in due time. 🙏🏻
Jerry Harmon Lathum you are loved, remembered and cherished forever.-Rhett Lathum
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos20a/JerryLathumPaver1.jpg
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos20a/JerryLathumPaver2.jpg
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Butch, in the post from Steve Douglas. There was a Shackleford who was a pharmacist in Davis, (dad to a cousin of mine), never knew he had any trucks, but that would be Shack’s Drugs, as he went by “Shack” might see how this plays out, they may not have had any service in Davis at the time, maybe he bought the vehicles in Ardmore? the store is still there “City Drug” on main….. maybe Steve could do some research to see if this helps. -Bobby
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The Simpson/Durwood Files is a collection of well researched columns, articles, and stories written by Karen Crowson during her years as Columnist and Reporter with these stories pertaining to the small communities in Texoma. There are stories of cougars, alligators, POW’s, legends of the little people, the Tiny Chapel, Rollins Cemetery, and stories of the people who lived in Simpson and Durwood, Oklahoma including interviews with Towana Spivey and others.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07L56BLX1/ref=cm_sw_r_fa_awdb_t1_lJyPDbQ5RJ6T5
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The Madill Historical and Genealogical Museum sells a book “Lawmen & The Lawless 1875-1947 Indian Territory and Marshall County Oklahoma” for $20.00. Includes names of Marshall County Sheriffs from 1907 to 1947- pictures of most; and Murders of Marshall County from 1800 to 1947. Very interesting read.
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These are the seven daughters, that Seven Sisters Hills Road is named for in NE Carter County, where their father had a large ranch. This is where they are buried;Patsy Telford Young, Gene Autry Cemetery
Betty Massey, Midwest City
Carrie Setliff, Young Cemetery
Lucy Henderson, Gene Autry Cemetery
Lou Franklin (somewhere in OKC, married a prominent lawyer from OKC, who is in Oklahoma’s Hall of Fame)
Nancy Thomas Young, Young Cemetery
Belle Chigley, Davis Cemetery (her daughter, Garnet Chigley, is the one who married Fay H. Shackleford, who had the drug store in Davis, maybe Shack’s Drugs)
The map below shows the Seven Sisters Hills Road and the Young cemetery NE of the Ardmore Airpark.
https://oklahomahistory.net/maps/YoungCemeteryMap.jpg
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———————————————–The great pleasure of a dog is that you may make a fool of yourself with him and not only will he not scold you, but he will make a fool of himself too. -Samuel Butler, Notebooks, 1912
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