The Daily Ardmoreite May 25, 1915
Frisco will use new Ringling Depot in Ardmore
Will discontinue use of Rock Island, Santa Fe, and move over as soon as it is completed.
It became known for a certainty that the Frisco railroad company would use the new Ringling Depot in Ardmore for their local business as soon as it is completed. For some time it has been rumored that the Rock Island and Frisco would use the depot for traffic but this was denied this morning by those in positions to know, they stating that the Rock Island was already interested in the present Union Depot and had their own freight offices and house. The Frisco has already made surveys for necessary tracking to the new Ringling depot, and by the time the building is completed the tracks will be laid ready for business. The plans for the new Depot call for freight house the size of the present Rock Island house, and the general offices of the Ringling railroad, as well as the necessary Frisco offices, will be located in the new building.
It is reported that the Ringling will expand $100,000 in improvements in this city this summer. besides the erection of the new depot, shops and the necessary buildings for housing engines and rolling stock will be built. The plans for the new Depot call for a structure to cause not less than $35,000 which will make a very attractive building.
Property owners on North Washington Street are well pleased as a rule, with the plans of the road in erecting a Depot on that site. As they believe that it will enhance property values. The foundation of the new
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos20a/RinglingDepotArdmore1941.jpg
The old Ringling Road Depot at North Washington and 3rd Street NW today. I left the picture at over 6 megs in size so people can see the details of the structure.
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos22a/RinglingRoadDepot033122.jpg
March 19, 1917 – Two gangs of mobs at McMillan, Oklahoma east of Ardmore just over into Marshall County killed 2 and wound 5 including a woman shot in the back. Only a few families live in McMillan today, but it must have been a rough place to live back in 1917.
https://oklahomahistory.net/maps/McMillanMap.jpg
Q. Dianna Parsons:
My Mother and Daddy spoke about a place people from all around Sulphur area went to dance “The Slab” where was it? Are there any remnants still there? Does anyone know?
A. Charlene Howe Gilliam:
When you go to Cedarvale (south of Davis on Highway 77 at Turner Falls) there is a big building that was used for a restaurant at one time, it is on the East side of the road, just below it, down by the creek is a slab of cement, That is it. We would park on the side of the Hill and there was a little shed at one end with the juke box and the other end was a snack bar and there were lights strung in the trees between the 2 buildings a couple from Davis ran the snack bar and they had a cute son who was there all the time. Part of the restaurant wasn’t there then and the south end of it was where there was a skating rink . Good memories. If I went back I would see lots of happy ghosts,
Time is flying by. I ran across this phone interview in my archives with Charlene Gilliam where she shares a lot of history of Sulphur’s bygone days. Before covid we went to Sulphur at least once a month, love the area. Keep in mind this interview was conducted in 2004, yes, 18 years ago. If you had asked me about it, I’d probably said the interview took place about 5 years ago. Time flies when you’re having fun. Just click on the link below to listen
https://oklahomahistory.net/interviews/CharleneGilliam122204.mp3
“On my honor I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law; to help other people at all times; to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.”
That was a long, long time ago for me. I sure enjoy sandblasting these pavers for these Scouts. They earn every honor they receive.
https://oklahomahistory.net/bricks/BoyScoutPavers032522.jpg
The link below will give an up-to-date accounting of the donations received and spent so far. Just scroll to the bottom of the webpage.
https://oklahomahistory.net/gofundme
Still finding people in Oklahoma with unclaimed money. We’re now over $1,963,200 dollars that’s been connected to people in this area. Sometimes progress is slow locating people or their kin with unclaimed insurance money at the State Treasurers office in OKC but we keep trying.
How long has it been since you checked your name or a family member’s name? Its easy to do a search at the Oklahoma State Treasurer link below. I think every state in the union has a unclaimed property website through the respective state treasures website.
https://apps.ok.gov/unclaimed/
If you have Facebook, I created a new Page called Southern Oklahoma Unclaimed Insurance Money. The only Post that will go on that page are names and towns of people we are looking for with unclaimed money;
https://www.facebook.com/South-Central-Oklahoma-Unclaimed-Insurance-Money-114246471027358
Q. What was the name of Oklahoma’s only all female town?
A. The town of Bethsheba was established in 1893 by women and declared a “women-only” town. Nobody is able to pinpoint exactly where the town of Bethsheba was located but they do know it was somewhere in Garfield County between Perry and Enid. CLICK HERE
Q. The cleanest and clearest water in Oklahoma can be found at Blue Hole. Where is Blue Hole?
A. Answer in next week’s newsletter
Some mail from this week’s MAILBAG…..
Enjoyed the article on Dr Anthis. My grandad on my mother’s side, Dr Limmie Woods, practiced in Wilson back in the day. My mother, Ruth Helen Woods Sparks, told my brother, John and me stories about how her dad was paid with eggs and maybe a chicken or two. He and Grandmother Ann moved to Ardmore and raised 5 kids. I believe all attended high school in Ardmore He and my grandmother later moved to Lubbock, TX where he opened an office. That’s when John and I knew him. As I remember Granddad, he was always at his office and always had on a goodlooking black suite. He was tall and always looked very dashing! To this day I can remember the scent of his medical office! Just so you know, I thoroughly enjoy all of your stories!!! -Devry Sparks Jenkins
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“Just something I learned today… if you hit the “enter” button first at the gas pump, it will let you enter the dollar amount you want to put in, before you insert your card. Keeps you from going over what you wanted to, stops them from holding $75 on you’re account, and lets you prepay without going in. Just tried it at Snak Shak in Sulphur Central and it works. Pump shut off when it hit $40”
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I hate it when someone sends me a message and a few days later I can’t find the message. I may have deleted it by accident. Anyway, they asked if I was kin to any Bridges in the Thackerville area. After some research I found in 1920 that my dad and his parents, Esco and Clara Bridges, lived in Washington Township, Love county, I never knew there was a Washington Township until this week. Washington township is just north of Thackerville. So if the person who messaged me, maybe you can contact me again. -Butch
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Below is from This and That newsletter archives of April 1, 2010
Albert “Al” Cullum was in Ardmore this week from his stomping grounds at Overbrook south of Ardmore. He brought by a book titled “Creek Seminole Spirit Tales”. The 44 page book was published in 1971 and Al’s book was signed by the authors, Jack Gregory and Rennard Strickland. All the illustrations in the book were by local Artist Fred Beavers (a world-famous Creek artist), who had also autographed Al’s book making the book even more interesting. The book is number 716 of the 1,000 printed that year. The book tells Creek and Seminole stories giving a history of these tribes scattered between Oklahoma and Florida. I did a search at www.abebooks.com and found about 6 for sale in the $60 to $80 range, so Al has a valuable book.
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos10a/CreekSeminoleSpiritTales.jpg
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1974 aerial of downtown Ardmore from the Ardmore Shrine Club Rodeo Program Book of that year.
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos10a/ArdmoreAerial1974.jpg
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Q. Please tell me again the name of the Fire Ant Killer and where to get it in Ardmore?
A. Bengal Fire Ant Killer at Ardmore Lumber Company on South Washington
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos8a/BengalFireAntKiller8a.jpg
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“Butch, my mother had poison ivy bad, I’ve had it, too, and Dr. Boyd cured it with those little ‘sugar pills’ in glass bottles with a cork (as I remember). He’d pour something that smelled like alcohol into it. He didn’t leave the ‘formula,’ that I know of, with anyone. I’ve found that as soon after you come in contact with poison ivy or oak, you wash that area with soap and water. Pat with soda/water salve and that takes a lot of the itching away. It won’t spread even if you scratch it, if you’ve washed the oil off. Don’t scratch till it gets infected, though. I’ve found that Calamine lotion is useless, but doctors prescribe it, tho’. The soap and water and soda works for me, anyhow.” -Bob T.
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Rexroat school –
9/10 of a mile E of Dillard Road on Crest Rd.
The school sat about 50 yards from the road on the south side of the road.
There is a house located there now with the address: 2115 Crest Rd.
Lone Oak school –
5/10 of a mile N of the intersection of Crest and Dillard roads on Dillard Road.
The school sat about 100 yards W of the Road, west, across from the new Rexroat Baptist Church.
Ambrose Ward school –
6/10 of a mile W of Dillard road on Memorial Rd.
The school sat about 100 yards off Memorial Rd on the S side of the road.
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos10a/AmbroseRexroatLoneOakSchools.jpg
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“Does anyone know of the train wreck that happened on May 20, 1902 about 12 miles east of Ardmore on the Oklahoma Choctaw and Gulf railroad that killed at least 11 people and injured many more? I was raised 5 miles east of Ardmore and about 7 more miles would be around Mannsville-Simpson area, I think. The article said that the train plunged through the trestle. Common sense tells you that there are at least 3 things trestles are used for. 1. go over rivers. 2. go over creeks. 3 go over roads/deep ravins. When I was a boy there was such a trestle over the road that went southeast of Dickson to Durwood to Simpson. I think this was even before the “Tiny Chapel”. Near the home of Jud/Judge Hoffman, I can remember a rather high trestle/bridge over the road. It woud be interesting to determine exactly where the wreck happened. I don’t know if you know that the railroad formed a “Y” near Simpson with the northeast line going to Mannsville, Russett, Ravia, Tish, and on to McAlester. The east line went on to Madill, Durant and points east.”
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“In the summer of 1969 I had my left leg in a cast from the first week school was out until the week before school started back up. My grandparents live in Ada, out in the country, and on a visit to their house, I got into some poison ivy. My mom took me to Dr. Boyd?s to get “the pills” but we were told Dr. Boyd wouldn’t see you if you were wearing shorts or cut-offs. Because I had the cast on my leg I couldn’t get my regular pants on over the cast but my mom took me anyway. They had to go in and explain to Dr. Boyd why I was wearing shorts and not long pants. He never said a word to us but just got a bottle, poured the liquid over the pills, shook it up and handed it to my mom. We paid as we were leaving and the lady told us I was the only person he had ever seen wearing cut-offs. I was probably the last too.” -Greg DeBerry
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“Butch: We were on a septic tank for nearly 40 years before regular sewers were put in. I dropped a packet of yeast in each toilet about every three months & our tank was only cleaned out one time in all those years.” -Theresa Brawley, Austin, Texas
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“This is response to the comment about pumping septic tanks. I’m sure everyone has an opinion but this is what I suggest to my customers. You really do not need to pump your tank on a regular schedule if you have a good bacteria growth. A septic tank holds the solid waste while the lateral system allows the excess water to leave the tank and be absorbed into the ground. A good bacteria growth will eat the solid waste and paper in the tank allowing the water to leave. Commercial bacteria like rid-x and so forth are not necessary, we just use a few packets of yeast and flush them down the toilet. If you really like using bleach or excessive amounts of antibacterial soaps you will need to reapply the yeast. If you do not use excessive amounts of those products, you have nothing to worry about, one application should be fine. Something to remember, only flush paper and waste in a septic system, they are the only things that can be broken down by the bacteria. I have seen customers that have had septic systems not pumped in over 70 years! This was only because they had a good bacteria growth! Not everyone will be this lucky usually its about 10-20 years or so with a good bacteria growth and a properly installed system.”
Jack Jones II
Service Plumbing Co., INC
Ardmore, Ok
NOTE: June 2021 – We have lived here at Lone Grove for 24 years and never had our septic tank pumped out. There has never been a problem with it, and I have no idea when or if it was pumped before we moved here in 2008. I did go ahead and have it pumped out in June of 2021. So maybe its good for a long time to come. -Butch
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“I find that the harder I work, the more luck I seem to have.”
-Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826)
See everyone next week!
Butch and Jill Bridges“Friends Make Life Worth Living”Ardmore, Oklahoma
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
Ardmore Army Air Field/Ardmore Air Force Website
https://oklahomahistory.net/airbase/
Carter County Government Website
http://cartercountyok.us
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