Thanks to 11 friends who donated to increase the storage space on my oklahomahistory.net website, I’m now back to normal and uploading photos, newsletters, etc. No matter what happens to me, the 29 years of photos, newsletters, etc., will be online and and searchable until Feb 8, 2032. I want to keep it online as long as possible. Thank you to those who made it happen over the years. Below is the stats for the website as of this morning. That’s a lot of visitors. Without you, my Readers, the website would not be what it is today.
I’m learning to use AI more and more. I’ve been uploading old photos for enhancing from old, damaged, blurry, photos to a photo almost in perfect condition. Below is one of Army Airforce Military police officer Thomas McNulty who died from an accident at the airfield at Frederick, Oklahoma in 1943. (I didn’t know there was a Army airfield at Frederick back in the day.) On the left was the best photo of 18 year old Thomas Blair McNulty. On the right is the same photo after I ran it through AI.
Cotton Gin (powered by steam) at Mannsville, Oklahoma ran by Alec Sims
Buffalo Springs at Sulphur, Oklahoma
Orpheum theater at Okmulgee, Oklahoma
Here is something unusual that took place this week in Ardmore. Someone drove a car on the railroad tracks above the Lake Murray Drive underpass. Dumb.
Some mail from this week’s MAILBAG….
Q. “Where is Concrete school?” -George Pierson
A. “It’s about 5 miles south of Millcreek, our cousin says it’s still standing, was renovated into a private residence, hoping to meet cousin soon and get pics. My cousin says his dad played with a band in the school after it was abandoned, him and his sister would sneak out and go watch them through a window.” -George Pearson, Lone Grove, Oklahoma
“Yes, we own the old Concrete School. My mom went to school there. All the ones that went there have passed and I’m having a hard time finding much information about the school. I will get a picture of it for you. -Sharon Berrato, Millcreek Oklahoma
ADDITIONAL NOTE: I conferred with my colleague, Dr. Google, PhD, and he said: “If you are referring to a historical or abandoned school specifically nicknamed “Concrete School,” there was a Concrete School (also known as District 64) in Pawnee County, Oklahoma (northeast of Stillwater), which was an early 20th-century rural schoolhouse.”
HAM Radio Talk By Butch Bridges KC5JVT
Allstar node # 58735 – Echolink # 101960 – HamsOverIP # 103010
I guess I am now an “Elmer”. I was contacted by a man in Healdton needing help/info on how to study to take the HAM license test. I took my test online with a HAM club at Richardson, Texas ($14). It was easy to do and I did better than I thought I would, making a score of 92%. https://www.k5rwk.org/ham-testing/
One can train for the HAM test free at HamStudy. https://hamstudy.org/
Below is from my newsletter archives
April 2000
I was digging around in a chest-of-drawers the other day and found a ring I handmade when I was a teenager. I would take a fifty cent piece (they were all silver in those days) and a tablespoon, to create a ring. It would take me about a month of beating on that ring, round and round and round, before I had it down to the size to fit my finger. I then took a drill bit and carefully drill it out. You could see the date and some of the wording on the inside. A person could use a present day fifty cent piece, but remember it has copper in the middle. I used a tablespoon and by the time I had the ring made, the bottom of that spoon looked like it had been through a war.
About 50 miles east of Ardmore is Coalgate, Oklahoma. For many years there was one thing that Coalgate was noted for.. the home of Hudson’s Big Country Store. When I was a teen I drove all the way over there to buy some cowboy boots. But one thing I didn’t have with me was one of these Hudson’s tokens.
“I notice that your courthouse photo collection doesn’t have one from Bryan County, so I’m in low-speed pursuit. Ours is a little bit unique – out in front there’s a statue of a Confederate solder (see photo below), with his musket, at parade rest. It was a contribution many years ago of the DAR. When I ask people if they have one I get an almost universal “No I don’t–but I wish I had one.” We got side tracked a little the other day when someone came up with an old color photo of Durant’s now-gone Tom Tom Tavern. Don’t suppose you’d be interested in starting a page of famous Oklahoma beer joints.”
“Hi Butch. There used to be an old feller that rode a mule, and behind him trailed a train of horses. This feller also had a white beard, and was seen riding the roads of carter, love, Jefferson, and countless other counties. If I remember correctly he was called whiskers, and was a horse trader. Not many people knew anything about whiskers.
This week I had an unusual visit with a man who may have stumbled across some more Brown Springs mystery. We have had lots of comments and eye brow raising on the photo from Brown Springs and its “image’ of a child’s face. He printed out the photo this week using a black and white printer and found something astonishing. When I held this picture he printed, one could easily see a large dark, sinister looking face on the right hand side of the stone. On the left hand side was the face of a lamb. He said his belief is the sinister face was that of the killer of the child. And the face of the lamb was the a message from the child telling us he or she was okay and in a better place. I found it all interesting so I took the color photo and save it as a B&W pic. Here, you be the judge, see if you see anything. I will tell you I can see the sinister image much better printed out.
This week I had a special visitor to my office. Mr. Alfred Miller came by, he is the driving force behind keeping the tower clock in the dome of the Washita county Courthouse at Cordell, Oklahoma working everyday. Alfred is a retired county commissioner from Washita county after serving the people there over 30 years. All three courthouses in Oklahoma that have tower clocks in them are now working. Ours here in Ardmore, the one at Cordell and the one in the dome of the Marietta, Oklahoma courthouse in Love county.
Q. Where is Augusta, Oklahoma?
A. Augusta would be found somewhere in Alfalfa County, Oklahoma
https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc1623418/
About 20 miles north of here is Dougherty, Oklahoma located in the Arbuckle Mts. It’s a small town….. but at one time long ago, they did have a jail. Here is a pic sent to me by a reader of that little jail.
This week I received a call from the sister, Ms. Margie Edwards, of one of the victims in the April 22, 1966 plane crash north of Ardmore. Her brother lived in Pencil Bluff, Arkansas. She said she was very close to him. She broke down crying twice during our conversation. She said they have waited all these years for a memorial near the crash site at Gene Autry.
A few days passed, and a letter arrived postmarked Hot Springs, Arkansas. It was from Ms. Margie Edwards. She and her sister had sent $80 to go on the memorial. Also in that letter was a photo of her brother, and a copy of a letter written one year after that 1966 crash. The letter was written by Peter Scaramuzzo, a survivor of the crash. I want to share that letter from Peter to Ms. Edwards with everyone. Keep in mind this letter was written 33 years ago.
________________________________________________________________________________
April 20, 1967
( 1 year after the plane crash)
Dear Mrs and Mrs H. W. Edwards, Pencil Bluff, Arkansas,
I would like to say thank you very much for your very thoughtful
card. I’m practically out of the hospital now. I should be going
home next month for sure. Its a welcome relief to be getting out
of here for good.
I’m sorry to say I didn’t know your son. I knew a Teddy Edwards
from Wyoming only. I’m very sorry to hear about your son. I
consider myself one of the luckiest people in the world.
My physical status isn’t what it used to be. I still have some
grafted skin that hasn’t cleared up, but it will be in a matter
of time. I also have lost part of my leg which I don’t think
hinders me as much as I thought it would. Other than this I
feel great. I hope you don’t get the impression I’m feeling
sorry for myself. This is the last thing I want.
Well, I guess that’s about all I can say now. I’d like to say
again thank you for your thoughtfulness.
Sincerely,
Peter Scaramuzzo
(1 of 15 survivors)
Long Island, NY
__________________________________________________________________________________
This is a photo of Ms Edwards brother, Pvt James D. Edwards of Pencil Bluff, Arkansas.
“Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it” – David Henry Thoreau (1817-1862)
See everyone next week!
Butch and Jill Bridges
Ardmore Oklahoma
580-490-6823
https://oklahomahistory.net