Weston Wednesday: Nola Jane Gray memories, Part 2
Editor's Note: In collaboration with the Bartlesville Area History Museum, the Examiner-Enterprise has revived the late Edgar Weston's 'Revisiting the Past' columns that ran in the newspaper from 1997-99. Weston's columns recount the history of Bartlesville as well as Washington, Nowata and Osage counties.
(Continued from last week}
When I came in 1898, there were about 300 people and the business district ran from where the hospital (Memorial) now stands to the river on Delaware Avenue. There were two general stores, William Johnstone and George B. Keeler owned one, and Frank Overlees owned the other one.
There was a post office and Dr. Stewart was the first post master south of Caney River. He also owned a drug store. A fellow by the name of Bisel and his wife ran a restaurant. Mr. Bisel also had a small meat market. A fellow named Goolsbury ran a small rooming house and Henry Clay, Mrs. Hattie Hill's father, ran a blacksmith shop. These businesses, with the Dollar Store, was Bartlesville, I.T. on the southside of the river in 1898. Bartles' holdings were on the northside of the Caney River. When they moved the southside from Delaware Avenue in 1902 and 1903 to where the business district is now, Second Street was the main street and ran from Dewey Avenue to the Depot. There was no paving, just a few board walks and plenty of mud.
William Johnstone owned the land from downtown to the river and gave lots to anyone if they would build on it. He offered 25 acres to Jake Bartles if he would relocate on it and they could build together, Bartles wanted the Depot on the north side so, in his frustration, he moved his store to Dewey.
Bartles began moving his store, but the building was so big and heavy to move over the dirt road so they were a long time in moving it. They finally got it up to Dewey and put it on the corner across the street from where the bank was later built. The store faced the east and across the street on the north from the store the Dewey Hotel was built, the hotel still stands there. There were varied businesses in the store before the store building burned down December 6, 1950. It was a great loss because it was built of solid walnut lumber.
Parks: One of the few beauty spots of Bartlesville was a big park just west of Bartles Store. It ran to where the first road runs west as you go up the Dewey road, then west to the railroad, and along the railroad back to the river. All of that ground was a beautiful park and that is where they held the 4th of July picnics.
The Bartles had three-day picnics and people would come and camp for the three days. Bartles had a big band stand, a huge dance platform and all kinds of refreshments and eating stands. There were seats built around big trees, and it was all lighted, not like it would be now, but lights were hung all over the park. The summer of 1902, the summer our oldest child was born. John and Jim Gray rented the park and put on the picnic. The big park area on the south side of the river was just a jungle of undergrowth, grass, bushes, briars, and grape vines. You could hardly get through it. I sometimes go over in the park, stop and look into what used to be that beautiful Bartles Park.
Churches: There were three churches here when I came in 1898. They were the Christian, Baptist and Methodist. The Christian Church first held their band hall on the southside. The band hall was a long frame building down in the little park east of where the Cherokee Bridge crosses the river. It was used also as a kind of community hall. They then built on the corner of Third Street and Johnstone Avenue, where Martin's store was later (currently the I.T.I.O. building). The church then moved their building to the corner of Third Street and Osage Avenue. Then they built a new building at Sixth Street and Osage Avenue, where it is now.
The Baptist Church in 1898 was a little frame building on the corner of Fourth Street and Cherokee Avenue. Reverend Carl B. Gray, father of the Gray brothers, was one of the first missionary preachers of the church.
The Methodist Church organized in 1895, was located on the corner of Fourth Street and Delaware Avenue, diagonally across from the Easter home. Mrs. George B. Keeler was the first Sunday School Superintendent and President of the Ladies Aid. I was the second Sunday School Superintendent and continued in that office until the two Methodist Churches united in 1901 and 1902. They later moved the church from Fourth Street and Delaware Avenue to Fifth Street and Johnstone Avenue. My husband was one of a committee of three who helped to get the location and move the church. It sat on the corner until we were ready to build the brick building, then was moved back on the alley and used as a parsonage. Then, when we were ready to build the Sunday school unit, it was moved to 708 Johnstone Avenue and used as a parsonage until we were ready to buy a new parsonage. It was then sold to Arnold Moore and is now their person residence.
The Presbyterian Church did not come until 1905 and located on the corner of Fifth Street and Dewey Avenue, where it now stands. They built the manse and held services in it until they were ready to build the church. Reverend Ralph Lamb, the father of Mrs. E.G. McKinney, organized and started the church and was the first pastor and served from 1905 until 1910. Reverend C.E. Alexander was the second pastor and served from 1910 to 1920. He was the brother of Francis Alexander who was the husband of our daughter Cloe.
Next week I will tell you more…..
This article originally appeared on Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise: Weston Wednesday: Nola Jane Gray memories, Part 2
