Above is the worlds first spherical oil field storage tank. It was built of steel by the Magnolia Oil Company in 1925 in Davenport, Oklahoma, and located 1 mile north of town on S. 3503rd Road and Old Route 66 (GPS: 35.725199, -96.762395).
Built in 1925 by the Magnolia Oil Company during the Davenport oil boom, it is historically significant as the world’s first round steel tank built on an oil field (originally used to store natural gas).
Its round, metallic, globe-like shape often leads visitors to describe it as looking like an alien spaceship or a giant onion. A small historic oil well pump sits on the east side of the tank. The tank sits near the old Ozark Trail alignment that preceded Route 66, about 1 mile north of Davenport, Oklahoma toward Kendrick.
Freight trucks were not affordable or popular until the 1920s. In fact, most people moved goods over short distances by horse and wagon pre 1920. That is why freight truck drivers are still called “teamsters,” even though they no longer drive teams of horses.
The above was submitted by Sean Hudson
The Mercy Train is a historic locomotive in Ardmore, Oklahoma. It became famous after the devastating Ardmore explosion on September 27, 1915, when a gasoline tank car exploded near the Santa Fe Depot, killing about 50 people and destroying much of downtown. Emergency supplies, doctors, and nurses were rushed from Gainesville to Ardmore aboard Santa Fe Engine No. 1108, which became known as the “Mercy Train.” The locomotive was later preserved as a memorial and is now displayed at Depot Park near the historic depot, honoring the rescue efforts that helped the city recover. Note: I had AI clean up the photo and put it in a more beautiful setting at its original location at Hardy Murphy Coliseum in SE Ardmore.
From This Weeks Mailbag
“Butch, I’ll tell you the Meshtastic I got and it takes 5 minutes to set up, so easy.” -Shep Barrick
The Tech Corner
Since I don’t have anything to do and bored all the time, I decided to venture out into this new fangled thing called Meshtastic communication network. Its a decentralized mesh network built to run on affordable, low-power devices. No cell towers. No internet. Just pure peer-to-peer connectivity.
How It Works
Meshtastic utilizes RoLa, a long-range radio protocol, which is widely accessible in most regions without the need for additional licenses or certifications, unlike ham radio operations. These radios are designed to rebroadcast messages they receive, forming a mesh network. This setup ensures that every group member, including those at the furthest distance, can receive messages. Additionally, Meshtastic radios can be paired with a single phone, allowing friends and family to send messages directly to your specific radio. It’s important to note that each device is capable of supporting a connection from only one user at a time.
My primary reason to get on the Meshtastic network is it works even when the Grid is down (can run on battery or solar). I have a couple local friends who already have their Meshtastic network up and running, so I’ll rely on them for help, and see how it goes. There are about 100 nodes scattered around Oklahoma. The App is free and does not require any license of any kind.
Here’s the $23.53 XIAO nRF52840 & Wio-SX1262 Kit I bought on Amazon plus I ordered the antenna & cable ($18.50)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FJWRHG8K?ref_=ppx_hzod_title_dt_b_fed_asin_title_0_0
Link to the Meshtastic Website
https://meshtastic.org
Here is a link to the best tutorial I could find on Youtube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?is=PxEIrwjqgVBf1BkX&v=lOhg–tFEUg&feature=youtu.be
Retirement Savings Lost and Found Database
EBSA is helping America’s workers and beneficiaries search for retirement plans that may still owe them benefits by establishing a public Retirement Savings Lost and Found Database through the SECURE 2.0 Act of 2022.
This database serves as a centralized location to find lost or forgotten benefits and get information on how to obtain those funds. Learn about the tools and resources available for you to recover your hard-earned benefits.
https://lostandfound.dol.gov/
Ham Radio
Allstar Node # 58735 – Echolink Node # 101960 – HAMs Over IP (HOIP) number – 103010
Q. What is the date of the Hamfest in Ardmore and what is the entry fee?
A. Saturday Oct 24th. Admission fee $10
https://hamarama.org/
“I never dreamed about success. I worked for it.” -Esteé Lauder
See everyone next week!
Butch and Jill Bridges
Ardmore Oklahoma
580-490-6823
https://oklahomahistory.net
