As I sat down to try and put into words what took place in Sulphur over the weekend, I simply couldn’t.
Sulphur will always feel like home to me. Even those of us that moved away or don’t live here anymore still all feel that way.
And for me, I have so many memories on the east side of town and in the downtown area.
I spent most of my childhood in this downtown area. From running around at my mom’s store, going across the street to the hardware store to get a can of pop, running up and down the sidewalks and going into all of the cool stores that we had.
I remember Sulphur Days vividly, as it was one of the times I look forward to the most each year. I remember walking down the street to get my haircut at the barbershop with my dad.
My family lived on east 2nd street for the first nine years of my life, so I rode bikes, played baseball at friend’s houses, and ran around town up and down the hills in the place I called home.
I still struggle to categorize what I am feeling about the place I grew up, about what happened to the people I know, about the loss people suffered.
One thing I do feel and can label is being inadequate. I’m probably not the one that should be sharing perspective on this situation, because far more of you are more appropriate to do so than someone who lives on the other side of the state.
So maybe one day, I’ll share again, but for now, I’ll let the real Sulphur community members share and help such a great community move forward.
This will be an ongoing series with more perspective to come each week.
JEFF FLOWERS, longtime community member, former business owner, downtown organizer: I moved here in 1981 and shortly after being laid off at Halliburton, I began what would be an adult lifetime on Muskogee Street and downtown. I worked at Hill Heating & AC for eight years, Cooper’s Auto for three years and up until two years ago, at my previous office all on Muskogee street.
My entire adult life was downtown every day of the work week. I served on the historic district board, the city council, the Christmas committee and many civic groups that promoted downtown. I have chaired the Rotary Clubs City of Springs Car Show, as well as the Christmas light experience — all held on Muskogee street. I was involved in the “movies on the plaza” we did as a chamber event after Main Street dissolved. Most of my great experiences in Sulphur have been associated with our downtown district. So, this part of our city means a great deal to me in many ways.
We were in Mexico and were watching the storm unfold on radar and Facebook posts. Brandy and I felt helpless, sad and numb all at the same time. We tried to get an early flight back without success. Wednesday morning, I went to work the same direction I always do and braced myself for the sight. Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, it was pouring down rain and I couldn’t see anything. I got to work and told Brandon I wanted to go downtown after the rain stopped.
Nothing could have prepared me for what I saw. It was devastating. Every building I have worked on, every business I worked in, every store I had shopped in was gone. The plaza meant so much to me — the car show, Christmas, wiener dog races, Sulphur Days. Everything started there. It was all gone. I saw a strange sight when I noticed our stage frame still stood, albeit not straight but standing, the speakers from the sound system still intact, but all landmark buildings around that I knew so well were gone. I honestly didn’t know if I was going to be able to handle it.
Just as I thought I was too much to handle, I noticed the Rotary clock we installed in 2006. On the clock base the plaque read, “service above self,” which is the Rotary motto. Terry Dobson was standing with me and I believe we both realized as a community — WE GOT THIS.
Later in the afternoon, I watched our entire community working cleaning, hauling, delivering food and water and just being good neighbors. Folks have lost their homes, businesses, jobs and even loved ones. One thing that is clear after the storm is that Sulphur may be down but we are certainly not out. Sulphur Strong.
HALI GILBERT, Sulphur graduate and downtown business owner: Let me start out by saying we are so grateful for everyone who has come and loved us, offered their help, brought us meals, kept us hydrated, and donated items. We truthfully wouldn’t make it without that.
It’s so hard to see our community hurting so much but I know with time we will only grow back bigger and better and show everyone what little old Sulphur, Oklahoma is made of.
When I look around to see everyone coming together it doesn’t even surprise me one bit because this is just what we do. Although it’s very hard to be on this side of things. We are usually the ones to lend a hand, collect donations, organize help. We aren’t used to needing all of it.
I look back at what the history of Sulphur has held and I know there are so many people that have memories dating back to statehood of hosting all sorts of events down here. We are kind of just having to roll with the punches here and figure it out! I know in a few years we will be rebuilt and throw some of the best events this county has ever seen.
KEMPER HOWE, Sulphur graduate, business owner: My first memories of downtown Sulphur were shared with me by my grandparents, James and Opal Howe, who ran Howe’s Grocery and Market where Barbara’s Flowers was located. It’s what led to the beginning of Sooner Foods. My dad, as a teenager, lost his finger grinding hamburger meat after a late night hanging out downtown. I was told it was some of the best hamburger meat.
Some of my favorite places to go were Ben Franklin variety store, Otasco, Sears catalogue store, and H. R. Cross variety store. Back in the 70s there were two auto dealers — Braden Ford and Wayne Eidson Chevrolet. You pretty much bought all of your cars from one of those dealers. And if your car had to be worked on you took it to Richard Billings’ Texaco. We were kept entertained by John Anderson, owner of State Farm Insurance. John was the Bulldogs’ number one fan. He wore leisure coveralls and shared information on everyone in the county. The Clagg Funeral Home played a large role in the community. They allowed us to have FCA meetings, and would take us to the basement and scare us all to death.
We bought our clothes at Greens Department Store and Jack Nowlin. And if you ever needed something super unique, you went to Hicks Service. The best donuts you’ve ever eaten were at Schwake’s Bakery, next to the downtown theatre, and if you wanted to buy your sweetie a piece of jewelry, you went to Holcomb’s.
My more recent memories are of going to the Mix Mercantile, M-W Outdoor Power & Engine Works, Bromide Mountain, 3rd and Broadway, and Delizi’s Pizza. Christmas in the square was something we always looked forward to.
CINDY BATES, Sulphur graduate, business owner, community member: When someone says what does Sulphur mean to you, I say it’s my everything, my hometown, my life. When I look around at the devastation, it’s tough. I try to keep my mind focused and not let it go there because if I do I will just lose it. My heart breaks for those who lost their homes and everything they have worked so hard for. To be honest, I haven’t even had time to go and help anyone. That is just killing me inside because I’ve been tied up trying to deal with losing both of my businesses. Hopefully down the road, I’ll be able to do or help the others that have lost things, as well.
I was born at the local hospital 62 years ago. I’ve been here my whole life. There is a family joke my mom tells that says “you can’t dynamite her (Cindy) out of Sulphur” and now I guess they’re gonna have to change it to “not even a tornado can’t make her leave Sulphur.” I grew up on Muskogee St. at a hardware store called Cooper’s Auto. My dad worked there for over 20 years. I kept the trail hot between Cooper’s, McClellan’s (also known as Wacker’s), and Seeton’s Drug. Every now and then, one of the ladies from Cooper’s would walk me across the street and I would take off around the corner to a place called Ben Franklin’s on 2nd St. It’s actually next door to where my current office is today. My mom also shopped at a place for me called The Carousel. Nextdoor to that was a Green’s Department Store, where we mostly got my brother’s stuff.Across the street, when I got older, we bought stuff at a lady store called Faye’s.
One of my favorite things to do growing up in Sulphur was to walk to Bromide mountain on Saturdays. There, we would have a picnic lunch or I would ride my bike with my neighbors and friends to Travertine to watch a wildlife movie. After that, we would all meet up back in town at Seeton’s for a fountain drink.
After receiving my bachelor degree in accounting, I came back home in 1984 to work at my family business SulphurAbstract & Title Co. I have been the owner since 1987 and this year is my 40th year. I also have another business called Bates Tag Office, in which I just received my 33 years of service. I love serving my customers and giving back to my community. Sulphur will build back bigger and better. I’m so proud to be just a small town girl.
BILL LEVERIDGE, Sulphur graduate, Crossway Church pastor: I started visiting the Platt National Park at about age six. We stayed in the old cabins down on south 12th street for the first couple of years and then promoted to a tent trailer. Sulphur had a snow cone stand a few blocks north of the cabins. They had abundant springs, the old Vendome well and you could rent bicycles where the donut shop is. I mean this was paradise for a kid from a town with no park, no swimming hole, and no snow cone stand.
Then I moved here. Downtown Sulphur was the coolest place. They had tires and anything automotive at Cooper Auto, a suit at Jack Nowlin’s, boots at Green’s, pants at Anthony’s, jewelry at Holcomb’s, Otasco was a neat place, and everything under the sun at Hick’s. Bill and Lloyd’s could fix anything and had everything for old equipment (which is what we had).
Over the years the names changed on the front of the buildings but they stayed the same. Those old buildings absorbed new businesses and new customers. My children do not remember Jack Nowlin’s place, but they remember downtown Sulphur and they cherish it as I do. There was a warmth in those old buildings that was a part of us. I hope that we can come together and rebuild in a way that depicts our history well.
Today we mourn and that is good, there is great healing in mourning, but we cannot live there. We must get up, clean up, and get back in the game. In this life, there will be trouble, but the hope that I have in my soul is an eternal hope. Yes, that means that as ugly as this has been, God has a plan to bring beauty from these ashes.
We learn from the Scriptures that the character Job lost everything. As soon as he discovered that he had lost everything he said this, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.”
Sometime later when his health failed he said this, “Though He slay me yet will I trust in Him.” Lord, give us the faith and the determination of Job as we pull together in Your strength, to rebuild.
AMY LANNOM KAISER, Sulphur graduate, daughter of De and Ruth Lannom: I have nothing but fond memories growing up in Sulphur. I grew up running around town with my dad and his cronies — breakfast at the Arbuckle Cafe when I was still young enough to be in footed pajamas, “helping” the other Kiwanians at the pancake suppers. My mom, older sister and I all worked at Seeton Drug Store. I learned from the best, my dad, that to have a strong community, you have to pitch in, volunteer, lead the charge to make things better.
Growing up, the downtown was the heart of everything. It’s where we worked, shopped, ate, congregated and lined the streets for parades marking every possible holiday and homecoming.
Knowing that so much history, so many businesses and homes have been lost is heartbreaking. Knowing how close the tornado was to mom and dad’s house is terrifying, and I think they are still trying to wrap their heads around all that was lost — we all are. But seeing the community come together, and the number of volunteers pouring in, giving their time, money, resources and literal sweat into Sulphur makes me certain that Sulphur will dig out and bounce back. It won’t happen quickly, but it will happen. Businesses like The Mix Mercantile, where my cousin had a thriving restaurant, The Rusty Nail, where you could hear some amazing Bluegrass music from time to time, and so many more will find a way to rebuild — I just know it.
I am who I am today because of the lessons I learned, the people who influenced and supported me and the parents who raised me, in Sulphur, Oklahoma.
ROBERTTHOMAS, Sulphur graduate, former teacher and coach, community organizer: It’s still so jarring. To see the devastation downtown is unfathomable until you actually get in the heart of it. So much history from our community was wiped away within seconds. It’s one of those things that you can’t truly comprehend.
More importantly you see all of your friends and family within the community who lost everything they had overnight. Seeing it on television or social media is one thing but to see it happen in the community you love and care about is completely different.
There is no telling how long it will truly take us to recover but one thing you can bet, and we have already seen it since that night, is that we will come together as one and recover. Oklahomans are incredible and our community has some of the toughest people in the country.
Not only that but we are not alone. There has been an overwhelming amount of support pour in from everywhere. There are truly great people left in this world. I am so grateful to be a part of this town and these people.
