A Glimpse Into The Past
The Daily Ardmoreite
November 3, 1942
John E. McCain, county judge, made county Air Raid Warden
Appointed to replace Leo Atkins, who is to enter war activity
Resignation of Leo Atkins as county Air Raid Warden was announced Tuesday by Wilson Wallace, county defense council chief, and the appointment of John E. McCain, county judge, to the vacancy was made public.
McCain, as a precinct captain, has been an aggressive and active member of the defense organization since its creation.
He has completed all required training and is well qualified, Wallace said, to fill the post of County Air Warden
1893: This photograph is a coal mine located southwest of Ardmore. The Ardmore Coal Company was formed by Samuel Zuckerman, Max Munzheimer, and B.C. Burney with Sam Daube and Max Westheimer becoming partners. With high sulfur content and vertical veins, the cost of mining outstripped the profit. A fire broke out at the entrance of the mine and burned for 2 years. -Photo courtesy of Ardmore Main Street Authority
Work to be resumed
1893: J. A. Brandon and John Ledger, arrived from Pennsylvania yesterday, to superintend the resumption of work on the Ardmore coal mines. The gentleman are scientific mining experts and will proceed at once to start the large diamond drill, which is now on the ground. This preliminary work is for the purpose of locating the veins and determining their thickness and the quality of the coal. Mr Brandon was seen by the reporter of this paper. He expresses the greatest confidence in the richness of the properties of the Ardmore Coal Company, and says they will be worked on an extensive scale as soon as the prospecting work is completed, and that Ardmore Coal will warm Ardmore houses before the present winter is over. That this resumption of work will bring about a degree of prosperity much desired and heretofore unknown in our midst is beyond question. The Ardmoreite welcomes Brandon and Ledger to our midst, and bid them Godspeed in the good work which they have undertaken.
The Choctaw Restaurant in Ardmore, Oklahoma
Well, Linda Lathum here in Lone Grove has made another big connection of unclaimed property to a man in Muldrow, Oklahoma. $75,000 from Shelter Insurance. Looks like I may never catch up with Linda no matter how fast I work. But all that matters is she made someone in Muldrow Oklahoma a very happy person!. Keep up the good work Linda!
https://apps.ok.gov/unclaimed/
Q. What is the Oklahoma State amphibian?
A. The bullfrog was declared as the state amphibian in 1997. The resolution proclaimed the bullfrog “an integral part of the ecology of Oklahoma and generally represents the importance of all species of amphibians to the environment and our state” (HCR1026, 1997).
Q. Where in Oklahoma is the largest selection of exotic and domestic animals open to the public and it’s interactive so you can get up close and personal with many of the animals. But that’s not all they have at this park.
A. Answer in next week’s newsletter
Ernie’s Meat Market on South Washington is closed deer season and only processing deer meat right now from hunters. The deli is still open to the public.
Some mail from this week’s MAILBAG….
Ardmore’s Skyview Drive In and Tivoli theatre coming attraction cards 1968 – 1969. -Robert Hensley
We have had almost a foot as of Monday morning. The temperature is 17 right now. -Monroe Cameron, Big Sky, Montana
Butch, your answer as to how many bison in Oklahoma might be a little deceiving. There a lot more bison than on the preserve. The Wichita Wildlife preserve at Lawton has many. At one time maybe a couple hundred head. The Choctaw Nation has bison at Clayton. And don’t forget the Bison at the park in Sulphur. And there are quite a few owned by private citizens. Dr. Parsons at Stratford used to have quite a few and was on the board of the North American Bison Association. I don’t know if he is still on but imagine he still is. So your question, How many Bison in Oklahoma should have a lot more numbers. The Oklahoma Department of Agriculture keeps statistics on all of the food animal numbers, cattle, hogs and sheep but I am not sure if they keep numbers on Bison. -Rick
Q. Is there still a Bogus Check division of the DAs office in Ardmore?
A. Yes. They are in with the main DA Office in the Annex #1 building next to the courthouse (east side). I think the entrance for them is on the south end (old OSU Extension office) of the annex building. Cheryl Jackson is the supervisor. -Rhonda
Museum Memories
Compiled by Melinda Taylor
The Wilson News
January 8, 1917
“Patriotic Parade Staged Tuesday, Ardmore Chamber of Commerce Band and Prominent Citizens in Line”
Gotten up in one day, the patriotic parade held here Tuesday, was an agreeable surprise to all those who witnessed it. Mayor J. S. Lively had only a couple of days before conceived the idea, and Monday set about to arrange for the parade. He secured the Ardmore Chamber of Commerce Band and speakers for the day.
The parade was well led by Constable Charles P. Jones and City Marshal T. A. Griffin on horseback. They carried flags and other decoration then followed others on horseback.
Next to the horseback riders came the Ardmore Chamber of Commerce and they discoursed patriotic airs as they marched through the streets. The line of march covered the entire city, both business and residence sections.
The business streets were lined with people at 2 o’clock, which was the hour set for the parade to begin. It formed south of the railroad in the vicinity of the lumber yards and proceeded west, circling around and coming through the business district, then into the residence section east, and so on until the city was covered.
Business houses were decorated with flags and bunting and the whole city had on holiday dress, and everyone is delighted with the success of the event.
The Wilson Historical Museum is now open Saturdays 10-4. We can also be visited online at http://www.wilsonhistoricalmuseum.org
The Daily Ardmoreite
Dece,ber 25, 1944
Rambling Reporter:
The people of the Oil City community wish to send through your paper Christmas greetings to their friends and to thank the businessmen of Healdton, Wilson and Ardmore who so kindly helped us to buy our church building. May the peace Christ brought us at Christmas time be in your hearts and may God’s richest blessings be yours throughout the coming year.
Sincerely,
Bertie M. Rowe, Sec.
Rt. 2, Wilson, OK
Christmas 1944
The Passing of the Oklahoma Outlaws – 1915
There is no volume for the first 2 or 3 minutes, so just skip over it or start at 2 minutes and/or fast-forward.
If you just want to cut right to the shorter version on YouTube then go to the this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRisUUAwI8Y
I have the longer complete version as a PDF file if anyone wants it.
-Mickey Shackelford mcshack@gmail.com
Below is from my Vol 3, Issue 132 Octobor 30, 1999 newsletter:
Several months ago my 88 year old aunt and uncle, Gary and Marie Carmon Pruitt, here in Ardmore had gotten so homebound because of their deteriorating bodies, neither were able to go buy groceries anymore. They were literally running out of food in the cabinets and too proud to ask for help. Nor would they take any help if someone offered.
Over several weeks I had nearly worried myself sick wondering what to do. I called the director of the Southern Oklahoma Nutrition Center here in Ardmore, Stella Newsom. They have a Meals On Wheels Program. After several attempts, because my aunt would not accept help, Ms. Newsom had to give up trying to put them in the Meals On Wheels Program. So, we had to fall back and regroup.
I called Ms. Newsom again in a few weeks but she said there was a waiting list for the Wheels On Meals Program but would put them on the list. A month later just like she promised, Stella visited my aunt and uncle, got them enrolled in the program, and now they both were getting a nutritious meal every day delivered to their door.
There are so many government waste programs out there, but I believe the Meals On Wheels for the elderly and shut-ins is a Godsend. Meals on Wheels just may be angels.
Note: after weeks of trying to get my aunt Marie (over 90 years old) to accept the Meals On Wheels program I had to use some reverse psychology on her. I told her she had been paying in taxes her whole life, and this is not a handout. She is just getting back some of the tax money she had paid in during her lifetime. It worked. lol
Below is a photograph of my mother’s sister, Marie Carmon Pruitt and her husband Gary Pruitt taken at the front gate of the Carmon Lumber Company at 805 3rd Northeast in Ardmore.
About 12 miles north of Lawton, Oklahoma is the wee town of Meers. Meers has been the location of a seismograph center since before statehood (1907). But what many do not know, is tucked away in the side of that mountain is one of the best hamburger places in Oklahoma. The 7″ burger is made from family raised Texas Longhorn cattle that are free of chemicals, hormones, etc. So step back in time to the Meers Family Restaurant in Meers, Oklahoma.
https://www.travelok.com/listings/view.profile/id.5010
The Bogus Check division of the DAs Office here in Ardmore has moved from the courthouse to the 2nd floor of the Colston Building at #10 West Main. Sharon, Beth and Vicki moved yesterday and are trying to get everything setup again. They are suppose to have Open House soon, I’ll let everyone know and maybe some of you who live nearby can stop by. They are some great ladies.
“The Pharmacy in the Simpson Building was not the Reavis Pharmacy – take my word for it. it was the “Ardmore Pharmacy” and was owned by Mr. T .A. Gravitt – not Reavis”
“My dad James (Jim) was a plumber at Lake Murray. We first lived between the lodge turnoff and the boatdock turnoff next to the original Horse stable, west side of the road. Scenic 77 was dirt then. we next lived north of the lodge turnoff at what was called sp-11. east side of the road close to what later become Tipps Point. Then we lived at Buzzards Roost in the first rock house on the right. What beautiful memories. I’ve traveled all over and that’s still the most beautiful place to me. Of course it was my home. I washed dishes and drove a garbage truck at the lodge for 50 cents per hr. My 1st job was at the Tee Pee house cafe in 1957. I was 11 then. When I graduated from the 8th grade at Overbrook, we were down to one room.”
According to folklore, if you split open a locally-grown persimmon seed and the shape inside (called a cotyledon) looks like one of the shapes below, it can forecast the winter ahead:
fork = winter will be mild
spoon = there will be a lot of snow
knife = winter will be bitingly cold and “cut like a knife.”
I’ve saw where several of my friends have opened up their persimmon seed and there was a spoon. 🙁
“A lot of people like snow. I find it to be an unnecessary freezing of water.” -Carl Reiner
See everyone next Thursday!
Butch and Jill Bridges
Ardmore, OK
580-490-6823