Ardmore’s wooden viaduct fire started on July 4, 1964. The black smoke from the burning creosote could be seen for many miles. I have made a webpage on this spectacular fire.
After tapping on the link below be sure and scroll down to get to the story
“Moose’s Snack Shack,” for lunch; just across the street from Healdton High School. I see a swamp cooler on the right. Great air conditioning.
The Daily Ardmoreite – June 8, 1942
‘To Be Taken To Mayes County’
Families Removed From Ardmore Army Air Field To Get New Location
Twenty-eight farm buildings on the site of the air field near Ardmore will be removed to government owned land in Mayes county said Clarence England eastern Oklahoma FSA project Manager. England said the houses, barns and other buildings constructed by the federal Farm Security Administration in 1941 but now unoccupied will be shifted to an unsettled Mayes county tract of 1500 acres near Pensacola, Oklahoma. The land on which the structures now stand about 900 acres has been taken over by the army air force. England said more rural housing had been needed in the Pensacola vicinity but building restrictions had prevented construction.
The Ardmore Ball Park (Cardinal Park) around 1950. The ballpark was located in the northwest corner of North Washington and Monroe Street. Back when this aerial photos was taken, Monroe Street was called Boundary Road. You can see the teams out on the field playing, cars parked everywhere, Leverette West’s cows and dairy barn in the pasture to the south. I can also see his 2-story house that was at 1305 North Washington in the photo. It was torn down not too many years ago. I can also see in the far upper right hand corner the present day Memorial Christian Church at 12th and “A Street NW. The church was moved from the Airpark to its presents location at 1119 “A” Street around 1952. Andy Marr lived next door at 1117 “A” Street NW when the church was relocated to “A” Street. I hope some of you can look at the photo below and tell some more insight to the surroundings. I’m sure many of you played ball here!
https://secureservercdn.net/198.71.190.156/knn.c7e.myftpupload.com/ttphotos/cardpark300.jpg
Q. Who was the young lady with 3 children who disappeared in May 2012 in Oklahoma and has never been found?
A. Shannon Baldwin Hokanson of Enid, Oklahoma
https://osbi.ok.gov/cold-case/shannon-hokanson
Q. What is the most venomous snake in Oklahoma?
A. Answer in next week’s newsletter
Some mail from this week’s MAILBAG….
Butch, I am going to say you mentioned the book about 4 years ago. I’ve forgotten where the individual grew up but his parents allowed him, at a very young age, to move somewhere in Texas on a ranch where he grew up.
I think he moved to Oklahoma and became a law officer. He may have operated out of Fort Smith. I don’t remember anything about Love County but it seems like he operated north and east of Ardmore. He kept a diary over his life and planned to write his autobiography but died before he did. Someone else took his diary and wrote the story of his life. Maybe you or some of your Readers remembers the title of the book?
Below is from my Vol 3, Issue 128 Octobor 2, 1999 newsletter:
I’ve lived all my life here. I’ve been through Dickson, Oklahoma (9 miles east of Ardmore) a million times. A couple weeks ago I first noticed two things in the center of Dickson along highway 199. First, there is one of those green historical markers on the south side of the highway, across from the Dickson High School. That marker tells about a Durwood, Oklahoma (located just south of Dickson) resident by the name of Rosella Hightower. Ms. Rosella Hightower was born in 1920 and later became a renown prima ballerina. The U.S. produced five world leading prima ballerinas at the same time, and they all were from the eastern half of Oklahoma, all of Indian heritage. No other nation ever produced five prima ballerinas at the same time. The five prima ballerinas were: Yvonne Chouteau (Cherokee Indian) from Vinita, Oklahoma; Moscelyne Larkin (Peoria Indian) of Miami, Oklahoma; Maria and sister Majorie Tallchief (Osage Indian) of Fairfax, Oklahoma; and Rosella Hightower (Chickasaw Indian) of Durwood, Oklahoma. Here is a photo of the historical marker in Dickson, Oklahoma dedicated to Ms. Hightower.
Secondly, in Dickson, Oklahoma right beside the above historical marker is a sign denoting a park. I have never heard of this park nor do I know anything about it. The sign reads Lazy Creek Park. You travel south a few hundred feet down the road and come to what I guess is the park. But when I was there, the gate was closed and locked. Maybe someone knows more about this park?
I mentioned last week Charlie who lives near that phone booth in the Mojave desert. I’ve tried everyday to call Charlie, but the line is aways busy, he must be long winded. 760-733-9969
Last week I was visiting the Chickasaw Regional Library and across the street in an open field sit a helicopter. I was told the pilot had landed/parked there while staying at the Hampton Inn next door. I happen to noticed on the helicopter tail the words “boatpix.com” Come to find out the helicopter is from Florida and used by a company to take photos of boats. He/she sure flew a long way to take photos of boats at Lake Murray, if that is the case. Anyway it sure was a beautiful helicopter…. and I wanted to take a ride.
Better three hours too soon than a minute too late.
-William Shakespeare (1564 – 1616)
See everyone next Thursday!
Butch and Jill Bridges
Ardmore, OK
580-490-6823