Lasley’s Grocery East Main and E Street NE
Behind Lasley’s grocery store was Fraser’s slaughter house (Mac Fraser).
I stopped by this week at the Seaman First Class Billy Turner State Veterans Cemetery (1555 Myall Street SW, Ardmore). I was told the National Gravesite Locator should go live in the vestibule in front of their office entrance any day. The new cemetery opened in 2022.
Below is a link to a 3 minute video of the new cemetery in Ardmore.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_StbkCiOig
I tried out the new Google Gemini AI Assistant for the first time this week. I asked it the two following questions as a test:
Where was the Roxy theater in Ardmore, Oklahoma?
Based on the search results, here’s what I found regarding the Roxy Theater in Ardmore, Oklahoma:
- Location:
- The Roxy Theater was located at 13 East Main, Ardmore, Oklahoma.
- History:
- It was one of several theaters in Ardmore during the 1940s.
- In 1943, the Roxy Theater suffered fire damage and was subsequently renamed the Globe Theater.
Therefore, the Roxy theater no longer exists under that name, it was changed to the Globe Theater.
Check completed
Did the Tivoli theater in Ardmore Oklahoma have a fire at one time?
Yes, the Tivoli Theater in Ardmore, Oklahoma, did experience fire damage. Here’s what I found:
1958 Fire:
According to information available, specifically from sources like the “Territory Town, The Ardmore Story” book, the Tivoli Theater suffered extensive fire damage on April 26, 1958.
The fire also spread to adjacent businesses, including Eden’s Cafe, the Tivoli Barbershop, and Campbell’s Clothiers.
This fire resulted in the theater being rebuilt, though the new building lacked the ornate features of the original.
Also from other information I found, that the building has had other fires through its long history.
Therefore, it is confirmed that the Tivoli theater has had fire damage.
Mail from the Mailbag
Butch. The Globe theatre (7 East Main) in Ardmore had a drop down window from a small diner next door that opened into the lobby. I think the diner was operated by a man named Slick Hickman. You could go to the the window and buy a chili bun, or two, and return to the movie to dine while watching it. It was special. -Keith Read
The Grok AI search engine is so much better! Try it out. Be sure and push “deep search” before entering the question. -Anna
https://grok.com/
HAM Talk by Butch Bridges KC5JVT – Allstar node # 58735
My Allstar node has been working great. There are 10,407 nodes all over the world. I can connect to any of those node from my laptop using the App iaxRpt through my Raspberry Pi 3. https://stats.allstarlink.org
Any licensed HAM is welcome to check in! The Ardmore Net is every Sunday at 8:00pm Oklahoma time.
Below is from my newsletter archives dated
March 6, 2008 – Issue 580
Doug and Sheryl Williams’ son Devin has been youtubing lately. He has produced two youtube.com presentations that I know of, doing movie reviews. Devin’s latest is a review on the movie, There Will Be Blood starring Daniel Day-Lewis.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=E5eq3vdeGq4
“Butch, I along with my older Brother went from ADA to Lindsey and spent a week there in 1946 Working the broomcorn harvest I went so I could earn money to buy school clothes for myself 1946/1947 school year. One thing I remember was my brother telling me not to put my hand into the pile of seeds as it got so hot as to cook an egg hard I did not want to go back next year. I also remember a story my father told about him taking a crew out there in 1930 to get work. The farmer where they found work told the crew not to use the well in the yard that there was a cistern down by the field where they could get water. When the crew got water that evening for their cooking they found that the supposed water was really peach brandy seems that the farmer had took a load of peaches to market and when he did not like the price he brought them home and dumped them into the cistern and forgot about them. Needless to say when he found out about what had happened he told the crew to use the well water and leave the cistern alone.” -Paskell J Poindexter in California
“Hello Butch, In response to the inquiry from Bobbi Van about Oil Springs cemetery. If I am not mistaken Oil Springs located on Oil Creek north of Baum (Nickel Hill) and east of highway 177 was a gathering place for the locals in years “way” past where they would picnic, swim etc. There is (was) a cemetery there as well. The cemetery is located on the Goddard Ranch and I have no idea if a person could get access to it or not. It would be interesting to see if there are any legible head stones there. Maybe cousin Doug Williams will make that one of his “quests”.” -Roy Barnes, Purcell Oklahoma
“Butch you really got my attention in a hurry this week. I was working at Ardmore Tire when Freeman’s Restaurant blew up. Not real sure about the year but 1980 would be real close. The explosion almost sucked the North wall out of the tire store and even took out some windows across the street at KFC Restaurant. The second picture is me standing in front of the store wondering who in the heck was gonna clean that mess up. The pic of the square dancers in the Civic Auditorium also brought back some good memories. Carolyn and I were there that night dancing with our many friends from all over the state. The building had a wood floor at that time which made it one of the better places for a square dance. Keep up the good work with T & T , we love it. I know You, Jill, and the rooster are enjoying your new home.” -Don Lewis
“Butch there was a hotel at Oil springs. It was on the land that is now Hickory Creek wildlife refuge. If my memory is right it was owned by some of the Love family.” -DeWayne
“Butch thanks for all your hard and hungry work, If you are ever up El Reno way try the Three Onion Burger joints, just a block from each other and all do a good business. Also thanks for making me burger hungry at 1 in the morning.” -Truman Lewis in OKC
Butch- Many friends and veterans attended the military funeral rites, March 4th, for Michael “Pokey” Phillips, 19, a 2006 graduate of Ardmore High School. He was serving with the 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) in Baghdad, Iraq. He was killed February 24 by a Muslim-built roadside bomb. Major General Sholar and a military team conducted the Army’s good-by to the young soldier. He was awarded a Bronze Star and the Purple Heart posthumously. The Patriot Guard Riders with their American flags and motorcycles gave patriotic support and made sure the KFKs (Kooks from Kansas) did not disrupt the service. -Gary Simmons
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos8a/PhillipsPatriotRiders030408a.jpg
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos8a/PhillipsPatriotRiders030408b.jpg
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos8a/PhillipsPatriotRiders030408c.jpg
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos8a/PhillipsPatriotRiders030408d.jpg
The old clock on main street in Marlow, Oklahoma was similar to an old town square. A place that everyone in town knew and could locate. The clock was sitting on the street corner in front of one of the banks in town. It extended about 10 plus feet high. It may have looked taller to a 14 year old kid. “Meet me down at the clock” did not need directions to anyone who lived in Marlow. If memory serves, it was the property of the State National Bank. It was a fixture for many years and when they built a new bank they moved it to the new location across the street. There were two banks in town in those days and I banked there from age 14 (borrowed money to buy two sheep for Future Farmers of America) to 40 something although I lived in four different states during that time. Good credit and a forgiving banker.
That banker, one of the officers, Mr. Ira Green, to the best of my knowledge, worked there most of his life His forgiving nature finally got me through college at the age of 30. His son’s name shows up occasionally in the Duncan News even today. Memories that are good and somehow become better with age. -wally
W. E. (Wally) Glasscock
Richmond, VA.
“Dear Butch, I have enjoyed your T&T for several years, especially the pictures of places I remember when I lived in Carter County many years ago. Now that I have published my fourth novel, Legacy of Deception, I’d like to offer your readers a special on my books. They can find this special on my web site.” -Voncille Shipley
“For the barrel racers – Robin Hoffman’s Silver Cup Futurity is going on at Hardy Murphy Coliseum this weekend. The place is packed!! Tim Lynch has done a fabulous job in building and promoting HMC. They have added a new 200 stall barn and will be adding a 300’x150′ covered warm-up pen. That will bring the total of covered arenas to three and barns to 9. You can visit the HMC website for a list of their events. The Jud Little Barrel Bash will be held in September if you want to come visit us and do a little competing – you are always welcome!”
The Wilson News
1-6-1916
Organized a Brass Band
“There will be music in the air”
Last Tuesday night a crowd of the young men of our city gathered at the Christian barber shop to organize a city band. There were 17 enrolled at once, and several more are anxious to take part.
A petition was got up and taken around to every business man in town or, if it has missed some, don’t worry, the boys will call in due time.
A liberal amount is expected from every business man in town, for a band cannot be started on an “open air” boost. It must have money to go with the boost.
Every business man or local residence in our city will agree that it is one of the best moves that can be made to build the reputation of our town, and have a town a stranger is always glad to have the opportunity to call in.
Quite a few have contributed already to this organization and several are waiting and ready. Three men contributed $30.00 in 5 minutes after the petition was drawn up.
This is one part a town cannot do without, if the interested ones ever expect to have a live town, which no doubt everyone does, a good band will pull more than any other organization a town can have.
1-6-1916
String Band Serenades
A string band surprised Earnest Horton who was accidentally shot in the foot Christmas, with a “Serenade” Tuesday night, which seemed to be appreciated very much by Earnest and others who were present at his home. The band played several pieces at the window near his bed. The one he seemed to enjoy most was entitled “Sympathy”. The band consisted of a violin, mandolin and guitar.
Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment. -Will Rogers 1879-1935
A 5 minute history video of Will Rogers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ml89Av5Bcp8
Butch and Jill Bridges
Ardmore Oklahoma
580-490-6823
https://oklahomahistory.net