W.T. (Billy) Shanoan and wife Nora Mayes, (National of Chickasaw-Choctaw Tribes) lived on her tribal allotment. The spring which took their family name was a part of an allotment which went from Fourth Street to just passed the springs. The Shanoans had three sons: Scott, Lee and Charlie. Scott was the eldest. He was a superior athlete and went to the Oklahoma State University. There were also two girls in this family. About 1914, the Shanoans sold this property to the W.A. (Will) Hopkins family. Their dwelling place was torn down to make room for the present Shanoan Nursing Homes. The Hopkins family, moved here from Minco, Oklahoma, where they operated a hotel. Later they operated a meat market on South second, 100 block, East side. The Hopkins later operated the Coca-Cola place, which later became Hopkins plumbing and heating, 228 Choctaw, and continued the sell of bottled water from the Springs. While the Hopkins had the spring, they added concrete and the housing was built over the spring as at present. Water was sold in jugs from the spring and from wagons. Ben Webb was one of those that sold the water. Fern Elliot who lived with the Shanoan family until they left in about 1914-15, stated that the Hopkins built a swimming pool east of the Shanoan home. She continued to live with the Hopkins. West of the Shanoan Springs was a baseball park which was served by the streetcars. There were places to eat at the springs, Bathing houses, a dance hall, (pavilion built in 1914) and other sources of entertainment. The Hopkins turned the property over to the city for a municipal park. In 1921, the City Council voted to spend $18,000 for improvements for the park. In 1923, the Western engineering of Oklahoma City and Lawton obtained a contract for the construction of a swimming pool at Shanoan Springs. In 1924 the Chickasha Rotary Club sponsored a movement to buy a lung motor for victims of drowning at Shanoan pool. During 1933, as an extension of the WPA aid, a native stone bridge was built to replace an old foot-bridge. An amphitheater on the south side of the park was built, along with a machinery shed. This was constructed of rock. During 1932 some 200 feet of rock wall was constructed. Also done at this time was paved guttering around the roads. A zoo had been established. Excess animals were swapped with the Lincoln Park Zoo in Oklahoma City.
Posted on: Tue, 05 Nov 2013 22:08:21 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015