“Nine miles southwest of Anadarko (Caddo County, Oklahoma) near the intersection of U.S. Highway 62 and State Highway 9, one of Oklahoma’s largest and perhaps least known natural bridges spans a small gorge –” Oklahoma Publishing Company, 1946. Found at the Gateway to Oklahoma History
Mail from the Mailbag
Butch, here are the pictures of the grave stones you and I replaced at the Confederate section of Rosehill cemetery in Ardmore. Save the link and use any way you want. -Doug WIlliams
https://winterfamily.smugmug.com/Other/Veterans-Tombstones
I’m sending you this photo of cafe on Ardmore street taken in 1946. I’m LaVena McKay. I have some other photos you may like. -LaVena
The Dixie Bakery would later be located at 115 North Washington.
HAM Talk by Butch Bridges KC5JVT – Allstar node # 58735
To all Amateur Radio operators: The next 97 Net breakfast will be April 26th @ 9am at Swadey’s BBQ in Ardmore, Oklahoma. This not affiliated with any HAM club. Any licensed HAM is welcome to come and enjoy fellowship with other HAMs. Yes, Swadley’s does serve breakfast with 10 breakfast items on the menu!
The Arbuckle 97 Net conducts a check-in every Sunday night at 8:00pm. Any licensed HAM is welcome to check-in. Yes, Swadley’s does serve breakfast with 10 items on the menu!
To all Amateur Radio operators: The next 97 Net breakfast will be April 26th @ 9am at Swadey’s BBQ in Ardmore, Oklahoma. This not affiliated with any HAM club. Any licensed HAM is welcome to come and enjoy fellowship with other HAMs. Yes, Swadley’s does serve breakfast with 10 breakfast items on the menu!
https://swadleys.com/swadleys-bbq-menu/?rid=86
Below is from my newsletter archives dated
March 20, 2008 – Issue 582
I have some aerial shots to share with everyone this week. This is an aerial view of Tishomingo. You can easily spot the old captial for the Chickasaw Nation.
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos8a/TishAerialWideView.jpg
The next two aerials are of the Devils Den area north of Tishomingo. Shame its closed down and no longer accessible by the public. I enjoyed going there as a kid back in the 60s.
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos8a/DevilsDen08a.jpg
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos8a/DevilsDen08b.jpg
This next aerial is also on private property, a photo of Goddard Lake northeast of Gene Autry on Goddard Ranch. I believe that is Oil Springs Creek (Oil Springs Falls) feeding the lake.
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos8a/GoddardLake.jpg
A Reader ask for any info on a Carter county town of long ago called Umbria. I did several searches on the net and found nothing, so maybe this town (before statehood) has eluded the history researchers and archivers. I did find one mention, a map showing Umbria about 3 miles south of present day Gene Autry. If anyone knows more about Umbria, let us know.
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos8a/UmbriaMap.jpg
Last week we mentioned going to the new Whataburger in Ardmore (just south of the new Braum’s Ice Cream at I-35 and 12th Street NW). Like I said last week, we found a burger that does not need to take a backseat to any hamburger in this county. Really one of the best we’ve ate. Anyway, Jim Rozzell stopped in this week with a coffee cup in his hand. But not just any coffee cup, but one he found north of Ardmore in Caddo Creek while searching for Indian arrowheads. A coffee cup used for advertising purposes by Whataburger. Jim said he found this cup about 15 or 20 years ago, so its kinda old, and very unique. Under the name NICKEL is a picture of an Indian head as on the Indian Head nickel.
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos8a/WhataburgerCup.jpg
We received 3 and 9/10 inches of rain in 36 hours last Tuesday and early Wednesday morning. This was much needed rain too. I was talking to an old timer from Milo this week, and he said they planted 800 acres of winter wheat last Fall and lost every bit of it because drought, the worse Fall drought he had seen in his lifetime. Seems the most rain in this immediate area was up around Turner Falls Tuesday and Tuesday night at around 6 inches. Below is a pic of our rain gauge, its mounted on a 4 ft pipe in an pretty much open area behind our house, so it should be accurate.
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos8a/RainGauge.jpg
We are pleased to announce the arrival of our book “Bud Ballew: Legendary Oklahoma Lawman”. Many of you, to whom we are sending this e-mail or the offices in which you work, were instrumental in the compilation of this 250 page biography that chronicles the life of Carter County Deputy Sheriff Bud Ballew. We ask that you kindly circulate this e-mail to others whom you think may have an interest in this book. Signed copies are available for $22.00 (postage included) by contacting us at the included address. As well, many of you may also be interested in our 2007 publication “Gamblers and Gunmen Along the Northern Pacific”, a 180 page book that brings to life a host of colorful characters that lived dangerously and died violently. The cost is $24.00, (postage included).
Best Regards,
Lauretta and Elmer McInnes laurmer@sasktel.net
216 Roslyn Ave.
Yorkton, Saskatchewan Canada
S3N 1P4
“Dear Butch, I got such an overwhelming response to my last letter to your Readers pertaining to the World War 1 Cavalry Uniform, that I wanted to thank them, and also make another request. We at the Arbuckle Historical Society of Sulphur, OK are still looking for a campaign hat to go with the uniform. I believe the Boy Scouts used to use these hats, at least many of Norman Rockwell’s illustrations show them. Is there any one among your readers who might have one of these old hats that we could buy to help us complete this display? The wearer of this winter cavalry uniform was only 64 inches tall, so most any of the old winter issue scout hats would probably fit. Any suggestions may be sent to -C. Roland Earsom
In the latest edition of Butch Bridges’ This and That Newsletter he mentioned that you were working on a listing on Carter County deputies since statehood. My name is Steve Dillard and my great grandfather was Josiah Hamilton Dillard, for whom the town of Dillard, Oklahoma was named. Josiah Hamilton Dillard was the Constable of Hewitt Township, Carter County, from about 1907 to 1911. In the Spring of 1911 Josiah was named Deputy Sheriff of the western part of Carter County by the legendary US Marshall Buck Garrett. It was during this time that Josiah would become known mostly by the name by which Buck always like to call him, ?Foot Dillard?. Josiah would go on to hold this deputy sheriff position for three-and-a-half years. A photo of his badge, which is now in my possession, is attached.On December 8, 1914 Josiah resigned as Deputy Sheriff of Carter County in order to run for office in the town of New Wilson. By the start of 1915 Josiah was elected as Justice of the Peace for New Wilson, a position he would hold for the next two years. In this capacity he was referred to by the title Judge Dillard.Buck and Josiah remained close friends for all their remaining years. In 1927, Buck even served as a pall bearer at Josiah’s funeral.In my genealogy work I have written a chapter on the life of Josiah Hamilton Dillard which includes information about his time as a lawman and a judge in and around Carter County. Should you decide to include any such write-ups in your files on the life of these deputies please let me know. I will be proud to share something of Josiah’s life with you.Josiah’s daughter, Vella Emily Dillard, was married to another Carter County deputy, William Con Keirsey, who was killed in the line of duty in Wirt, Oklahoma on 11 December 1930. His partner, Vern Cason was wounded in this gun battle. I noticed you have these two officers already listed in your records.William Con Keirsey had a son, Dillard Con Keirsey, who went on to become a police officer. He joined the Austin, Texas police department, where he served for 23 years before retiring as a Captain. He wrote an article that appeared in the 1983 publication, Indian Territory and Carter County Pioneers, Volume 1, 1840-1982, where he talked about his family and the murder of his father, William Con Keirsey.I have also included a photo of Josiah Hamilton Dillard and his sons taken around 1920. My grandfather was Josiah’s son, Douglas High Dillard.
Best regards, Steve Dillard
“Butch, here is a picture for your this and that. It is the old tribal
courthouse from the air over Tishomingo.”
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos8a/TishAerial.jpg
“After I went up to our farm at Springer this morning to check out things from the rains I went on up to the Falls at Turner Falls and shot the attached picture. I slowed down the exposure to 1 second to give the water a smooth and flowing effect, touched up the sharpening and saturation a bit and mother nature did the rest. Taken at 9:30 this morning while still raining and very cloudy. The white and muddy water mixed together quite well. It looks like a fake photo but it really isn’t except for the small touch ups. The long exposure is what really made the picture different.” -Dwane Stevens
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos8a/TurnerFalls031808.jpg
Bill Melton of Davis, OK is the best shuffleboard player in the world.
https://www.halesfuneralhomes.com/obituaries/bill-don-melton
http://www.shuffleboardcorner.com/PlayerProfiles/February2005Issue_BillMeltonProfile.pdf
Alan Primrose of Davis, OK inducted into the Shuffleboard Hall of Fame
The Wilson News 1-20-1916 submitted by Mindy Taylor
Big Carnival Coming to Wilson
Shows will arrive in Wilson Thursday morning Jan. 20th from Ringling where they showed last week at an agricultural show given by the farmers of that place and are receiving a liberal patronage from Wilson people and the farmers of this community, who are well pleased with the exhibits. The management and concessionist appear to be a company of ordinary ladies and gentlemen, putting on a style of clean and orderly and up to date shows and amusements. Some of the features that are particularly good are the educated horse that does almost everything except talk -goes to bed like a human, rescues a baby from a burning building.
Introducing Col. West, the world’s premier horse educator and his equine wonders, featuring Sahara, the horse that goes to bed just like a human being, and Maxie the talking mule and her thrilling fire rescue and fighting the flames spectacle.
The Candle Family Musical show presents some musical novelties that are worth witnessing. The two junior members of the family pleasing their audience with their singing and dancing.
The Human Roulette Wheel is also an especial source of mirth, you can, you can’t, all fun.
Git with it. The Days of ’49 Show, early life in California. See Cowboys and cowgirls dance, one of the Big show features is the Wild West Show, good roping riding, bucking horses and everything to make it a good show.
Wilson Museum hours: Thurs. Fri. Sat. 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
“Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds you plant.”
–Robert Louis Stevenson
Butch and Jill Bridges
Ardmore Oklahoma
580-490-6823
https://oklahomahistory.net