September 25, 1949
The Daily Ardmoreite
$270,000 proposal
Voters will decide Tuesday if they want to issue bonds amounting to $270,000 to finance the construction of this new building which will house the now widely scattered offices of the health department, the department of public welfare, the child welfare offices for the district director, case supervisors and among other things, a centrally located sheriff’s office and jail.
The new building is proposed to replace the old and dilapidated county jail that was constructed in 1904 as a federal prison in territorial days.
The old building, of which only about 3/8 of its facilities are usable, will be torn down if the bonds are voted. And a new completely fireproof building will be constructed at 106 Hinkle Street.
The new building will be a two-story affair with the jail on the top floor. It will be reinforced concrete with a white brick and concrete facing.
On the first floor will be the county and city health department. There will be a Veneral disease and tuberculosis department, and office for the child welfare and dependent children division, a dental office, offices for the sanitary engineer, and an office for the county health director.
The photo above is the old 1904 Carter county Jail. Entrance faced 1st Street SW.
New windows for the Carter County courthouse is coming right along. The windows in the dome have now breen replaced.
Houston Cox for Sheriff – 1954
Newell Craighead for Sheriff – 1954
Ardmore City Hall 1904
Vince Freeman of Healdton sent in a photo this week of Harold Potts, owner of Potts Red River Chili that operated in Healdton years ago.
What is Hugo Oklahoma known for?
Hugo, Oklahoma
The city was founded in 1901 and named for the French novelist Victor Hugo. The city serves as winter quarters for some circus performers. It is adjacent to one of the oldest schools west of the Mississippi: Goodland Academy, begun in 1848.
Goodland Academy website
“will take months to repair I-95”. Right, if you use the good old boys system that’s been used for decades. Call in the Seabees and the job would be finished in less than 30 days. 90% of Americans don’t even know what the Seabees are, or did and still doing. If Enoch Watterson was still alive he could tell us. He worked with the Seabees at Iwo Jima. He was a Marine during World War II (battle of Iwa Jima) and the Pacific campaign.
BUTCH, OL BUDDY > you might want to do a follow-up herein for the
newsletter. Have you got any photos of the old Stanley Street
underpass ? The ”never do” items are always good for a
chuckle……… -Steve Miller
A. Sorry Steve, I don’t find any photos of the underground tunnel that started at Lincoln School and went south under Stanley to the other south side of Stanley Street. I thought I had a photo I took on the inside of the old Lincoln school, front entrance, showing the outline on the wall where the tunnel started, but I can’t find it right now. -Butch
I did find the email below from Tom Meason (now deceased) of Tulsa from my March 11, 2010 newsletter:
“You recently made mention of a tunnel under Stanley at the entrance of the school. Yes there was one which was constructed in 1937. After a very short time no one would use it because drainage had not been engineered into the design and the thing deteriorated into a murky swamp, used only by hobos as an out-house. I don’t think the thing lasted much more than 18 months. it was filled in, much to everyone’s relief, in 1939 or 1940. I hope somebody comes up with where the old football stadium was.” –Tom Meason in Tulsa
Some mail from this week’s MAILBAG….
The old school (grades 1-8) at Overbook, Oklahoma is falling in and just about gone. -Cleta Hipley
I was at Walmart using the restroom and just as I closed my stall door, a voice from the next stall said, “Hi! How are you?” I said, “I’m good!!” The voice said, “So what are you up to?” I said, “Ummm… Just trying to handle a little business here!” Then I hear, “Can I come over?” 
I said “Excuse me?!?!.” Then the voice said, “Listen, I will have to call you back, there’s an idiot in the next stall answering all my questions!!!!
Butch, Today’s Fox News had a nice article on Sylvan Goldman, inventor of the grocery shopping cart who was born in Ardmore I.T. and grew up in Ardmore. He owned the Humpty Dumpty store chain (amongst other business interests) and a picture of the Humpty Dumpty grand opening in Ardmore is included in the article. A link to article is below.
As a transplanted Ardmoreite I enjoy reading your newsletter each week bringing back growing up memories of the 50’s & 60’s. I still have a number of friends in Ardmore and last visited the city in 2018. -Charles Fitch, Houston, TX
Below is from my Vol 4, Issue 165 June 17, 2000 newsletter:
“This virus works on the honor system. (do-it-yourself service) Please delete all the files on your hard disk, then forward this message to everyone you know. Thank you for your cooperation”
Now is that original or is that original?
This week I learned about a neat place in Gainesville, Texas that I know I’m going to have to visit soon. Its called Big Bear’s. If its Native American, then you will find it at Big Bear’s. I may just have to go down there and buy me one of those new Sacagawea Gold Dollars. Big Bear’s is located in the Prime Outlet Mall on Interstate 35. (note: no longer open)
Doug Gray, son of Flight Engineer Charles Gray, let me scan an actual photo of that illfated American Airlines plane in 1966.. Doug said he only knows of two of these photos in existence.
Pictured above is Charles Gray
“In three words I can sum up everything I’ve learn about life. It goes on.” – Robert Frost
See everyone next week!
Butch and Jill Bridges
Ardmore, OK
580-490-6823