St Philip’s Episcopal Church began in a small wooden structure. This rock building celebrated its first service on Christmas Eve 1927. The first congregation gathered in 1893 to establish the church. Also in 1893, the First Christian Church of Christ, the Christian Science, and the Carter Avenue Methodist Church were established. In 1898, Temple Emeth was established by the Jewish community. -Courtesy of Sally Gray
First Freewill Baptist Church in Healdton, Oklahoma
Davis, Oklahoma Roller Mills
Roller mills are mills that use cylindrical rollers, either in opposing pairs or against flat plates, to crush or grind various materials, such as grain, ore, gravel, plastic, and others. Roller grain mills are an alternative to traditional millstone arrangements in gristmills.
Ardmore’s Western Union office was located just a few doors north of West Main at #7 A Street Northwest, west side of A Street (originally located at the depot in 1912).
The aerial photo above is of the old Corral Motel on North Commerce. Nextdoor to the right is Jake Hollenbeck‘s old Skelly gas station. When I worked for the ambulance service we’d take our ambulances there for service, if we didn’t take them to Lang’s Conoco at 12th Street NW and K street. This area is where Walmart is located today.
HAM Radio Talk
255. 05/03/23 9:10am KC8HFO David in Hansford, WV
https://www.qrz.com/db/KC8HFO
256. 05/03/23 8:15pm KC3PTF Brad in Chambersburg, PA
https://www.qrz.com/db/KC3PTF
257. 05/07/23 8:35pm KB7MGC Gerald in Cuba
https://www.qrz.com/db/KB7MGC
258. 05/08/23 9:00pm KB3BQY Ira in Huntingdon, PA
https://www.qrz.com/db/KB3BQY
259. 05/10/23 7:30pm N2XTV Ed in Magnolia, DE
https://www.qrz.com/db/N2XTV
Some mail from this week’s MAILBAG….
Butch, This past weekend I got permission from Dolese Bros. Co. to organize a photo session on their private property in the Arbuckle Mountains. The purpose of the session is to photograph trains coming through the Arbuckle’s alongside the Washita River. Dolese has been letting my group of rail photographers have these sessions for over 20 years now. It’s a very scenic area and the only other way to see it is by Amtrak’s Heartland Flyer. The Flyer passes through the area two times a day on it’s way from OKC to Fort Worth, Tx in the morning and on it’s way back to OKC in the evening. Dolese has been very gracious to allow us access to their quarry located next to the river and BNSF’s Red Rock Subdivision main line that runs through that area. I can’t say enough good things about Dolese for their cooperation. I’ve attached some photos I shot while we were there. -C. Dwane Stevens
I can’t remember how I found this book; needless to say it’s very intriguing and has given me a lot more places to explore on my future random road trips. -Angie Ivey
Below is from my Vol 4, Issue 160 May 13, 2000 newsletter:
I talked to a lady here in Ardmore that worked for a private carnival in the summer of 1955. The carnival operated on the south side of the Hardy Murphy coliseum for 2 or 3 years when there was a city zoo located there. She was wondering if anyone had a photo of the carnival, especially the carosel that operated. If you have a pic, let me know. Or give her a call at 580-223-1529.
An ex-Ardmoreite sent me a photo for scanning of the old Von Keller Hospital here in Ardmore. It was located on the west side of the Adventist Hospital. I remember it being all boarded up when I went to work for the Ambulance Service full time in August1970. I’d walk over there sometimes in the late evening, its really a scary place.
In the 1950s the courthouse here in Ardmore employed a janitor by the name of James Harris “Harry” Gaines. A reader sent me his photo this week to share with everyone.
Harry Gaines is buried in the Lone Grove cemetery
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/90776610/harry-gaines
A friend from my past and the northeast part of Ardmore where I grew up, gave me a photo this week to scan. It was taken about 1960 I think. The people in the pic on the bottom row, left to right are: Charlie Milner, Irma Bailey, her son “Jug” Bailey, Tommy Lakey and Jimmy Brooks. On the back row from left to right are a Dishman, Marion Hansen Sadler, Erma Lee James, Marie Louise James (Susie), my mother Louise Carmon Bridges, and then little ole me on the very far end on the right.
Why I’m showing the above photo is I wanted to share something. Irma Bailey (first row 2nd from left) was a fullblood Native American Indian and lived at 1313 3rd NE here in Ardmore. She and my mother were the best of friends and we went to Irma and Charles Bailey’s house a lot. My mother had an alcohol problem back in the 50s and early 60s. Through the friendship and encouragement of Irma Bailey my mother was able to stop drinking, and Irma probably saved my mother’s life. I wish Irma was still alive, I’d thank her for what she did in my mother’s life. Friends are priceless. My mother died in 1990
“Dear Sir. How odd. Not too long ago I found a picture of my father in Homecoming at Vanoss High School. Teasing him about it, he replied he was king two years in a row “thank you very much”! I asked about the young lady and he said her name and that she died in a plane crash in 1966 near Gene Autry, and had been a stewardess. He said she was a really nice person. I called my mother and asked the woman’s name and she said “Wanda Stonecipher”. Then I found her name on your website.”
“The person who said the revolving door was at the Ardmore Hotel was definitely correct. I remember as a child going there just to go through those doors. It was hardly a trip to town if we didn’t walk up there and go through those doors, maybe several times. Weren’t there some at the office building that was next to the old Exchange National Bank too? Seems like I remember them there too. Boy you could get a good “Cherry Phosphate” at the fountain there. Those were the simple days when a kid could go to town and be safe.”
“Shall I ask the brave soldier who fights by my side in the course of mankind if our creeds agree?” –Thomas Moore (1779-1852)
See everyone next week!
Butch and Jill Bridges
Ardmore, OK
580-490-6823