1957 Bel Air Convertible
Bf109 G-2 Trop..American fighter pilots in the Mediterranean had a fantastic form of recreation very seldom matched in other theaters of war - flying captured enemy aircraft. Occupying one enemy airfield after another, units would find numerous enemy aircraft left behind. This Bf 109G-2 was reworked by 31st Fighter Group mechanics in their spare time, put back in airworthy shape and flown by the pilots to compare performance. The 109 was painted overall sand yellow in order to make it conspicuous when in the air.
Photo: Edmond, Oklahoma Territory c.1890
Establishing a water and coaling station for steam engines in the Oklahoma Territory by the Santa Fe rail line marked a pivotal development. In 1887, the Santa Fe Railroad extended its tracks into Indian Territory, strategically placing the station at the highest point in Oklahoma County. This location facilitated the acceleration of trains departing in either direction, benefitting from the downhill gradient. Named after Edmond Burdick, Santa Fe's traveling freight agent, the station became integral to the region. Even though most remnants of the original railroad infrastructure have vanished, the Santa Fe, now under the banner of BNSF, continues to traverse the same course.
The genesis of the town of Edmond can be traced back to the remarkable events of the Oklahoma Land Run on April 22, 1889. Rapidly emerging around the Santa Fe station, Edmond's original plat was devised by the Seminole Town and Development Company—a recently established syndicate with affiliations to the railroad. Streets in the town bore names associated with figures linked to either the Santa Fe Railroad or the town syndicate. The inaugural mayoral and city officer elections transpired in May 1889, with Edmond's population recorded at 294 in the 1890 census.
A noteworthy landmark in Edmond's early history is the first public schoolhouse in Oklahoma Territory. Completed in August 1889, this historic structure on 2nd Street between Boulevard and Broadway remains accessible to the public on the first two Saturdays of each month or by appointment.
St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, the initial church to open its doors after the land run, found its place on the southwest corner of East First and South Boulevard. While the original building and location have changed, the congregation still endures.
In December 1890, the territorial legislature took a significant step by establishing three universities: the state university in Norman, the agricultural and mechanical college in Stillwater, and a "normal" or teaching school in Edmond. The Territorial Normal School (University of Central Oklahoma), inaugurated on November 9, 1891, held its first classes in the Methodist Church on the southwest corner of North Broadway and West Hurd. The iconic Old North, the Territorial Normal School's initial building, commenced classes on January 2, 1893, preceding the openings of Central Hall and Science Hall at Oklahoma State University.
Milton W. "Kicking Bird" Reynolds founded The Edmond Sun on July 18, 1889, making it the state's oldest continuous newspaper with roots dating back to Oklahoma Territorial days.
