The success of the Daily Oklahoman and Oklahoma Times, along with OPUBCO's agricultural monthly magazine, the Oklahoma Farmer-Stockman, established in 1911, soon enabled the company to invest in real estate, oil and gas, and other ventures. When the Great Depression of the 1930s occurred, many passenger trains ceased to run in Oklahoma. Consequently, OPUBCO started Mistletoe Express, a truck line, to deliver the newspaper statewide. The firm soon grew into a major service for other Oklahoma businesses. By 1971 Mistletoe Express had terminals in more than fifty Oklahoma cities as well as in cities in four neighboring states.

I am looking for any old pictures of the building with the old sign hanging out front and also pictures of there old delivery trucks.
Any help would be appreciated.

Here's a cool old picture... Look at Lincoln and all the oil derricks!

http://images.wisconsinhistory.org/700003050968/0305010508-l.jpg

Awesome pic thanks Pete for posting this one for me. That is a ton of oil rigs!

Now if I can find one of the front of the building with the old neon sign hanging out front.



Here's a cool old picture... Look at Lincoln and all the oil derricks!

http://images.wisconsinhistory.org/700003050968/0305010508-l.jpg

Which building do you mean?

I know they were at 111 N. Harrison starting in 1956 and the 19 years before that they were at 10 NW 5th.

You might find this document (http://www.docstoc.com/docs/84152185/doc---TheOnline) interesting, if you're doing something involving the history of Mistletoe. Upsher was the CDO there for many years and this is his first-person account of how that happened...

The reason I would like to see this on the building is I am buying this old sign from a collector and would love to know the history and a picture of it from back during its glory days. I am planning on standing it and redoing the neon on it.

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m512/ronboss123/Mistletoe.jpg

Very cool!


Do you know if that was from the building at 111 N. Harrison or from 10 NW 5th?

They moved to the Harrison location in 1956.

No I dont, the old man I got it from could not recall where the building was. He was a great old guy and said he got it from a auction yearsss ago.


Very cool!


Do you know if that was from the building at 111 N. Harrison or from 10 NW 5th?

They moved to the Harrison location in 1956.

Looks like it is still in decent condition too...Awesome!

Looks like it is still in decent condition too...Awesome!

Yes it is in amazing condition a great piece of Oklahoma history.

Wow, that's a beautiful sign ... good thing you found it before American Pickers came to town 'cause they'd go crazy over that one. I'll see if I can find anything in the Oklahoman's archives, might get lucky.

On edit: Are you interested in general photos showing ME vehicles? I forgot that I own a copy of the centennial book that OPUBCO put out a few years ago and I find 2 ME photos, one a not too high aerial showing a fleet of vehicles with a man standing by each, and another with a vehicle and Braniff airlines plane ... apparently the companies worked together for a time. If you'd like these, I will scan them for you.

If anyone can find out, it's Doug!


BTW, the sign looks newer so I'd bet it came from 111 N. Harrison.

Thanks Doug, I am glad I found this before they did or it might leave the state.

Yes I would love to see those pictures, I am trying to archive all I can about the company so I can keep it for my kids.


Wow, that's a beautiful sign ... good thing you found it before American Pickers came to town 'cause they'd go crazy over that one. I'll see if I can find anything in the Oklahoman's archives, might get lucky.

On edit: Are you interested in general photos showing ME vehicles? I forgot that I own a copy of the centennial book that OPUBCO put out a few years ago and I find 2 ME photos, one a not too high aerial showing a fleet of vehicles with a man standing by each, and another with a vehicle and Braniff airlines plane ... apparently the companies worked together for a time. If you'd like these, I will scan them for you.

Yes that was my thought exactly!

The design I am thinking late 30`s to early 40`s



If anyone can find out, it's Doug!


BTW, the sign looks newer so I'd bet it came from 111 N. Harrison.

I've just begun my Oklahoman research, but a pair of March 1932 ads show the extensive routes of the Mistletoe Express. The ads are pretty amazing. BTW, thanks to grantgeneral78's inspiration, I've started a new photobucket catalog (http://s8.photobucket.com/albums/a49/DougLoudenback/mistletoe_express/) and whatever I find will be located there and sooner or later my intention is to put together an article on the Mistletoe Express.

Click the image below for a much larger view of this March 5, 1932, Oklahoman ad

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a49/DougLoudenback/mistletoe_express/mistletoe_express_1932_3_5_800.jpg (http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a49/DougLoudenback/mistletoe_express/mistletoe_express_1932_3_5.jpg)

Here is the map shown in the March 5, 1932, ad

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a49/DougLoudenback/mistletoe_express/mistletoe_express_1932_3_5_map.jpg

The March 13, 1932, Oklahoman, ad contains a much better map. Click the image below for a much larger view of the full March 13 ad.

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a49/DougLoudenback/mistletoe_express/mistletoe_express_1932_3_13_800.jpg (http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a49/DougLoudenback/mistletoe_express/mistletoe_express_1932_3_13.jpg)

Here's a crop of just the March 13 map (click image for larger view).

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a49/DougLoudenback/mistletoe_express/mistletoe_express_1932_3_13_map_800.jpg (http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a49/DougLoudenback/mistletoe_express/mistletoe_express_1932_3_13_map.jpg)

I'll get back to my research but, trust me, it will be interrupted by the NBA championship series which will likely consume most of my compulsive obsessive energy and time. Consider this a start.

Those March 1932 routes are pretty amazing ... I note that the Panhandle portion of the state was not included. Perhaps Boise City, Guymon, etc., will show up in later ads/maps.

Awesome, Doug. I and lots of others really appreciate the time and effort you put into your OKC research. I've learned a lot from your writings.


That is a very intricate and interesting web of routes. Just goes to show how important the Oklahoman was to the state; had to reach every corner every day.

Thanks, Pete. "Every corner" except the Panhandle, at least in March 1932.

Looks like they were hitting about 70 of the 77 counties at that time.

Its hard to believe they covered that much area. That is pretty impressive considering road conditions back in the day.

"Thanks, Pete. "Every corner" except the Panhandle, at least in March 1932."

Beaver Express is/was a "subsidiary" of Mistletoe covering the Oklahoma panhandle. There was another one whose name escapes me. And Doug, let me echo Pete's gratitude. I too, have learned a lot from your work.

What must hurt is that 1932 circulation figure: 186,726. Eighty years later, they're selling about 25 percent fewer copies a day.

At some point after 1932 they had one of more routes into Leflore County as well. I seem to recall their dark green vehicles being there in the latter 60's and into the 70's.

Did you find that old sign at The Old Sign Resting Place near Luther?

(Years ago there used to be a huge "pile" of old neon signs a few miles north of town on the west side of the road . . . before you got to the turnoff to Lake Lamar . . . when you could still fish there.)

In any case, that is VERY cool.
My guess would be that it came from the Mistletoe yard just east of the old Oklahoman building downtown. I seem to recall driving by it many times back in the early 70s. I used to know a few Mistletoe drivers and what they liked about the job was that they were home just about every night.

Did you find that old sign at The Old Sign Resting Place near Luther?

(Years ago there used to be a huge "pile" of old neon signs a few miles north of town on the west side of the road . . . before you got to the turnoff to Lake Lamar . . . when you could still fish there.)

In any case, that is VERY cool.
My guess would be that it came from the Mistletoe yard just east of the old Oklahoman building downtown. I seem to recall driving by it many times back in the early 70s. I used to know a few Mistletoe drivers and what they liked about the job was that they were home just about every night.

No I actually got it over in Choctaw from a car collector that had a few signs also. He is a collector of some pretty fine cars. I would love to see a pic of it on the building you drove by, maybe Doug will find one.

Doug L. IS The Man . . . (in regard to interesting OKC history.)
Pete ain't no slouch neither.

Thanks, again, for sharing your "find", sir.

Doug L. IS The Man . . . (in regard to interesting OKC history.)
Pete ain't no slouch neither.

Thanks, again, for sharing your "find", sir.
Yeah they are both great guys, I actually met Doug at one of the southside meetings a while back.
And yes Pete has shared some good info in the past with me as well.

Your Welcome it is just too cool not to share with the other "okies" here.

By way of update, somehow in the midst of the Thunder stuff going on I've gotten past the 1930s and am now in the early 1940s parts of the Oklahoman's archives. It is a bit of a chore (because of the Oklahoman's archival stuff methodology or lack thereof) but I'm piecing together a 7/27/1941 multi-page supplement to the Oklahoman celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Mistletoe Express. It's taking a little time to copy, paste, and piece each of the pages together rather like a quilt, but once done that supplement should tell a good bit about the MExpress, at least from the owner's perspective. But, of course, that's just a jumping off point to the time after that. I've run across some maps later than those posted already which reflect that some counties, notably in far SE Oklahoma, were cut from the 1932 ME routes ... and also that at least some parts of the Panhandle came to be included ...

And, thanks, Tritone, about the Beaver Express info. I'll check into that, also.

I've still not located an Oklahoman photo of the ME facility in Oklahoma City ... perhaps that will come.

I'm still reviewing the 42 page supplement to the July 27, 1941, Oklahoman, but perusing those pages I found this image at the 38th page which I thought should be posted immediately ... it doesn't appear to be your signage, grantgeneral78, since, at the bottom your photo shows "Oklahoman & Times" and in this sign the bottom reads, "Express Service."

Original image without enhancing the Oklahoman archives image ... click on image for larger ...


http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a49/DougLoudenback/mistletoe_express_1941_7_27_supp38_photo_800.jpg (http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a49/DougLoudenback/mistletoe_express_1941_7_27_supp38_photo.jpg)


Doctored image from the Oklahoman archives image ... click on image for larger ...

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a49/DougLoudenback/mistletoe_express_1941_7_27_supp38_photo2_800.jpg (http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a49/DougLoudenback/mistletoe_express_1941_7_27_supp38_photo2.jpg)

The text below this photo says, "There are no idle hours in Mistletoe's main headquarters on 5th street and Santa Fe. Shipping goes on virtually around the clock, and trucks are arriving and leaving at all times. Here is a night view exterior of the main offices."

Very nice find Doug! So I am assuming this sign is from the 1930`s seeing as how this is a similar sign. That sign looks great out there very art deco look.

Looks like your hot on the trail, hopefully this sign will show up in one of those pictures....thanks for posting this Doug!

The building on the NW corner of 4th and Walnut used to say Mistletoe on it. It's like a big storage place with big doors for delivery trucks to load up.

My guess is that the location suggested by OSUMom is probably closest to the original location of the sign. I'm almost sure that I saw the sign--many times--as I made many (paid) drives from the former Steelman Const. location near 4th and Bryant to various points in the old/70s downtown version of OKC. The fact that the sign specifies Oklahoman/Times rather than Express Service means that it was probably right next to the old newspaper production facility. Doesn't it?

Here's a cool old picture... Look at Lincoln and all the oil derricks!

http://images.wisconsinhistory.org/700003050968/0305010508-l.jpg

Very Cool !!

My guess is that the location suggested by OSUMom is probably closest to the original location of the sign. I'm almost sure that I saw the sign--many times--as I made many (paid) drives from the former Steelman Const. location near 4th and Bryant to various points in the old/70s downtown version of OKC. The fact that the sign specifies Oklahoman/Times rather than Express Service means that it was probably right next to the old newspaper production facility. Doesn't it?

You may have something there.

Grantgeneral78, I've finished browsing the Oklahoman's archives through the early 60s (past the time that the new Mistletoe Express facility opened on Harrison in October 1956). All of the signage shown in Oklahoman articles which present and describe the new building are "modern" and aren't consistent with the style of your sign and just wouldn't "fit in." I'm suspecting that your sign was actually used at the earlier building on Broadway at some point in time. I've still not found anything which nails the sign, but that's what I'm thinking at this point.

This drawing in the January 23, 1956, Oklahoman, shows the architectural style and matching signage presented in the new building,

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a49/DougLoudenback/mistletoe_express/mistletoe_express_1956_1_23_onharrison_800.jpg (http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a49/DougLoudenback/mistletoe_express/mistletoe_express_1956_1_23_onharrison.jpg)

The older building on Broadway is more interesting, anyway. Here's a clip from an October 7, 1956, article, which makes my point.

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a49/DougLoudenback/mistletoe_express/mistletoe_express_1956_10_7_3_excerpt.jpg

I've moved some earlier Photobucket mages in this thread to where they belong, into this Photobucket album (http://s8.photobucket.com/albums/a49/DougLoudenback/mistletoe_express/), so some early images in this thread may not show up correctly in this thread after that movement.

You may have something there.

Actually . . . I have nothing but a sincere interest and some conjecture about something as cool as that sign.
YOU really DO have "something there"! =)

Grantgeneral78, I've finished browsing the Oklahoman's archives through the early 60s (past the time that the new Mistletoe Express facility opened on Harrison in October 1956). All of the signage shown in Oklahoman articles which present and describe the new building are "modern" and aren't consistent with the style of your sign and just wouldn't "fit in." I'm suspecting that your sign was actually used at the earlier building on Broadway at some point in time. I've still not found anything which nails the sign, but that's what I'm thinking at this point.

This drawing in the January 23, 1956, Oklahoman, shows the architectural style and matching signage presented in the new building,

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a49/DougLoudenback/mistletoe_express/mistletoe_express_1956_1_23_onharrison_800.jpg (http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a49/DougLoudenback/mistletoe_express/mistletoe_express_1956_1_23_onharrison.jpg)

The older building on Broadway is more interesting, anyway. Here's a clip from an October 7, 1956, article, which makes my point.

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a49/DougLoudenback/mistletoe_express/mistletoe_express_1956_10_7_3_excerpt.jpg

I've moved some earlier Photobucket mages in this thread to where they belong, into this Photobucket album (http://s8.photobucket.com/albums/a49/DougLoudenback/mistletoe_express/), so some early images in this thread may not show up correctly in this thread after that movement.
Yeah Doug I think your right that newer building they moved to has a total different updated look to it. So the sign most likely came from the old building they moved from. Were there ever any other building locations in other cities? That is a great article you found on the old buildings history it paints a great visual of what the interior would have looked like, I am sure there are pictures of the old swimming pool and club floating around somewhere, this is really turning up some great history!


Actually . . . I have nothing but a sincere interest and some conjecture about something as cool as that sign.
YOU really DO have "something there"! =)
Yes I was really fortunate to rescue it from its cage, I have to go back and he says he has the pole for it but from the other pictures it looks like it mounted to the building itself.

Does the bottom of the sign have a place that a pole would have mounted? Are there other evidences on the sign that might indicate how it was mounted to what?

Yes, there were other ME offices ... Enid, Tulsa, Lawton come to mind but I'm pretty sure there were others also. Several Oklahoman photos are present in the Oklahoman but the quality of the images are so poor as to be useless.

Does the bottom of the sign have a place that a pole would have mounted? Are there other evidences on the sign that might indicate how it was mounted to what?

Yes, there were other ME offices ... Enid, Tulsa, Lawton come to mind but I'm pretty sure there were others also. Several Oklahoman photos are present in the Oklahoman but the quality of the images are so poor as to be useless.
It actually attached on the long tall side of the sign with 3 brackets that stick out of the side as seen in the pics.

Could it be possible it hung at one of those offices?

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m512/ronboss123/gas%20pumps/2012-06-11_16_29_101.jpg

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m512/ronboss123/gas%20pumps/2012-06-11_16_28_53.jpg

Anything is possible, but you did find it in Oklahoma County, right? Since "Mistlletoe" is combined with "Oklahoman & Times," that combo makes it more likely that it was in Oklahoma City somewhere, I would suppose.

Yes it was in Oklahoma county. Yeah this big of sign is too big and heavy to be traveling far with.

Here's a cool old picture... Look at Lincoln and all the oil derricks!

http://images.wisconsinhistory.org/700003050968/0305010508-l.jpg

Not only is the 1944 photo cool, it's just as cool that you located it at the Wisconsin Historical Society's website, Pete! Notice the brick road which I presume is Lincoln Blvd. My guess is that the view looks south at the State Capitol Bldg ... if it looked north, we'd be seeing residences and medical buildings on the right ... do you all agree?

On Edit: I've looked at a city map contemporary with the photo ... Lincoln Blvd. only extended south of the Capitol Bldg. to NE 11th Street after which it ceased to exist, plus it wasn't all "straight" like the photo shows. In this day, Lincoln Blvd. extended north from the Capitol until it merged with Grand Blvd. (US 77). So this photo definitely looks south at the State Capitol Building.

On Edit: I've looked at a city map contemporary with the photo ... Lincoln Blvd. only extended south of the Capitol Bldg. to NE 11th Street after which it ceased to exist, plus it wasn't all "straight" like the photo shows. In this day, Lincoln Blvd. extended north from the Capitol until it merged with Grand Blvd. (US 77). So this photo definitely looks south at the State Capitol Building.True, and noticing the shadows, it looks like the photo was taken about 2pm on a winter day.

That can't be the capitol building . . . It doesn't have a dome!

Looking at that wonderful photo, has anyone else considered how the definition of "boulevard" seems to have changed over the years?

I know you are making a joke about the dome, but Ryan's/Fire Mountain had enlarged old postcards of various places in the City as wall decor and one of the fascinating ones was the new capitol with a dome (dirt streets and Model T Fords in it too), of course it was an artist's rendering what the building was going to look like and not a photo.

You might find this document (http://www.docstoc.com/docs/84152185/doc---TheOnline) interesting, if you're doing something involving the history of Mistletoe. Upsher was the CDO there for many years and this is his first-person account of how that happened...
Jim, I'm having trouble finding "Mistletoe" when searching in the file you linked to ... help, please?

Look at Page 37 of 42 in the "Saga of Sidney Upsher" for his account of a meeting with Edward Gaylord and subsequent happenings. The first 36 pages, though, are also quite interesting although they have nothing to do with Mistletoe...

Thanks much, Jim. Waking rather early this morning, I located what you're referring to but then decided to start reading the whole memoir and found it to be well worthwhile. It will be even more useful if and when someone gets around to doing a story on Leeway Motor Freight. As to Mistletoe Express, I had already read something of the litigation between Mistletoe Express and UPS and was guessing that UPS might have been Mistletoe's downfall, but Mr. Upsher nailed it, as well as giving some good "inside information" about what was taking place in Mistletoe's last days.

It was annoying that the whole document could be neither printed nor downloaded at the pay website where Upsher's very useful document could only be read. So, I've done screen shots of the 1st page and then 37-39, reassembled them as graphic images, and added the following "Editor's Notes" at the end.


Editor's Notes

The above is extracted from an undated memoir titled, "The Saga of Sidney Upsher," written by him and published on the internet at doc - TheOnline. Actually, two of his memoirs are there, the one just mentioned which is 39 pages long, and a second 3-page piece, "30 Years of Travel," describes Mr. Upsher's travel experiences with his second wife, Betty Lou, during their marriage which began in October 1970, through December 2000.

Unfortunately, to be able to print and/or download the full documents, the hosting organization charges membership fees which I declined to pay. However, for educational and research purposes, I extracted the foregoing pages having to do with Mistletoe Express by screen captures and reassembled the pieces into what you are reading here.

Mr. Upsher (1923-2010) tells quite a poignant and interesting story of his life which spanned numerous personal family experiences, his education in Oklahoma City's public schools (Gatewood Elementary, Taft Junior High, original Classen High School) and at the University of Oklahoma. As well, he describes his military service during World War II and the Korean War, and his work with Leeway Motor Freight, where he became general counsel, and his time as chief executive of Mistletoe Express, the topic covered in these extracted pages. He died November 28, 2010, at the age of 87.

I've made a PDF file of the extracted pages and have uploaded it at my web host here (http://www.dougloudenback.com/okchistory/sidney_upsher_saga.pdf) and will be using it in the article that will eventually be written. Thanks again for the great heads up about this piece. At the personal (his, that is) level, one can only be shaking one's head in sad bewilderment about his mother and have sadness for Mr. Upsher's otherwise excellent life. It is probably not accidental that he refers to his father as "Dad" and his mother as "Mother." His obituary is here (http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/oklahoman/obituary.aspx?n=sidney-upsher&pid=146859782).

Mr. Upsher`s life was busy from start to finish. What a great read thanks for posting this up Doug.

I downloaded the whole thing several years ago from some other site -- I no longer remember where it was -- and saved it for possible use in "The New Classen Life" magazine that I edit for the Classen High School Alumni Association (shameless plug to entice any Classen or CSAS alums to join and read). However due to the nature of the earlier material I decided that full publication might not be a good idea. It's possible to read the whole thing from the link I posted earlier, just not to print or download it...

Grantgeneral, I did note in his article that one of his addresses (after his first wife and he were married in 1948) was what he described as a very spartan apartment ... he gave the address as "500 NW 20th, just across from Wilson School." Well, I live on NW 19th, between Walker and Dewey but near Dewey, about 2-3 blocks from Wilson School. So while I doing an errand this morning I drove by BOTH 500 NW 20 and 500 NW 21. The 500 NW 21 address is "just across from Wilson School" but the 500 NW 20 is a block to the south and, exactly speaking, is not "just across from Wilson School" but is, as I said, a block south. Either way, both are vintage apartment buildings in my neighborhood although the one which looks from the street as being the most spartan is definitely on NW 21 which is the one "just across from Wilson School." So he may have gotten the street wrong.

Truth is, while reading his article, the sense of "deja vu all over again" began to grow. There were so many coincidental pieces/locals/other similarities in his own history and mine ... mainly small points but there were so many ... that I started hearing Rod Serling's Twilight Zone music, you know, "do do dah dah, do do dah dah," but, of course, the thing that brought me down to earth is that I'm quite sure the he made a bucket load of money during his life but such similar good fortune never came my way. Not complaining. Still, the number of coincidental events/places/some family experiences started to make me wonder (closeness of my present home to his 1st marital home in Okc; California; his reference to Christian Science (my mom was a devoted member); many others that I'm not mentioning). I'm thinking that Jim Kyle may have had similar sensations since he was a student at OU pretty close to the time that Upsher was. I think that at least twice in his piece Upsher said, "What goes around comes around," or something like that.

I think that it probably does, and I don't mean that in a bad way at all. I just mean in it the sense of "good karma."

I understand, Jim.

I may just go ahead and screen capture the whole thing while it is still available ... it's a great piece ... and the personal references are a large part of what makes it that way. I'm thinking that it is something that you, yourself, might easily have written.

History is history, don't you think? Somehow someway his family and other personal matters were important for him to convey to others else he would not have done the piece that he did. He did, at least at one point, back of from telling personal stuff that he didn't want published.

This reminds me of at least a pair of personal situations ... one belonging to my ancestors and one belonging to me. I'll speak to the "ancestors" part first.

Decades ago, and I'm talking the 1920s-1930s or so, a child born out of wedlock was something not to be discussed. Period. Paragraph. Family members didn't speak of it; no one did. I have two great aunts, sisters, one who was married and one who was not. The unmarried sister had a child born out of wedlock. The married sister raised the child and for the longest time the child understood her mother to be my great aunt who, in fact, was not her mother.

Whoa. What's wrong with this picture? Everything, I'm thinking. The child lost knowing who her mother was and embracing her during her childhood, and the mother lost the quid pro quo.

Secrecy and facades were once of paramount value, and truth was worth nothing at all, or even worse, truth was or could be despicable to speak and certainly to publish in written form.

When I was going through my personal life throes in 1981-82, I eventually came to grips with such kinds of things and face myself. I came to conclude that of all values that I could identify, honesty was of the highest value and that something less than honesty poisoned the well, so to speak. I began writing my writing my personal story in 1981-1982 and it is not yet done since I am not dead yet. Of course, I'm not an important historical OKC figure, so unless that should change (yeah, right) my finished document will only fall into the hands of my children and grandchildren. But (I promise you), what a story! It's the best of my lifetime.

Grantgeneral, I did note in his article that one of his addresses (after his first wife and he were married in 1948) was what he described as a very spartan apartment ... he gave the address as "500 NW 20th, just across from Wilson School." Well, I live on NW 19th, between Walker and Dewey but near Dewey, about 2-3 blocks from Wilson School. So while I doing an errand this morning I drove by BOTH 500 NW 20 and 500 NW 21. The 500 NW 21 address is "just across from Wilson School" but the 500 NW 20 is a block to the south and, exactly speaking, is not "just across from Wilson School" but is, as I said, a block south. Either way, both are vintage apartment buildings in my neighborhood although the one which looks from the street as being the most spartan is definitely on NW 21 which is the one "just across from Wilson School." So he may have gotten the street wrong.

Truth is, while reading his article, the sense of "deja vu all over again" began to grow. There were so many coincidental pieces/locals/other similarities in his own history and mine ... mainly small points but there were so many ... that I started hearing Rod Serling's Twilight Zone music, you know, "do do dah dah, do do dah dah," but, of course, the thing that brought me down to earth is that I'm quite sure the he made a bucket load of money during his life but such similar good fortune never came my way. Not complaining. Still, the number of coincidental events/places/some family experiences started to make me wonder (closeness of my present home to his 1st marital home in Okc; California; his reference to Christian Science (my mom was a devoted member); many others that I'm not mentioning). I'm thinking that Jim Kyle may have had similar sensations since he was a student at OU pretty close to the time that Upsher was. I think that at least twice in his piece Upsher said, "What goes around comes around," or something like that.

I think that it probably does, and I don't mean that in a bad way at all. I just mean in it the sense of "good karma."

The twighlight zone reference had me laughing out loud here! That is wild how all of this has close relation just out of the blue, you are right about the karma. I have always believed that way from the raising I recieved from my parents, thats the reason you always treat folks the way you would like to be treated. It some ways it like the sign found you also...it is just meant to be!

I'm thinking that it is something that you, yourself, might have written. Am I wrong?You're in the middle of my own saga, of course. I seriously doubt that I would ever put on paper some of the details that Sidney wrote about, though, particularly his mother's involvement with the executive. Those are the parts that led me to put the piece on the shelf. Too much danger of hurting other folk who might be connected to some of the principals...

Jim, although I count you as a friend, even a good friend, we have not been personally intimate about either of our personal histories when we have met. And that's fine. Next time we are face to face, I'll tell you my own best story, very personal, if you want to hear it, with no obligation to reciprocate.

We have to make our own choices about how much truth to reveal to members of our families later born than we were. I've already alluded to a story about a great-aunt of mine.

My choice is that I want my children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, to have a personally fascinating story, and as accurate as a subjective writer can make it, of my family's history to read, even if the audience is limited to a small group of people who live in Oklahoma City (as both of my children and all of grandchildren presently do). I want them to be able to know the nitty-gritty, mainly because ... I want them to have a better glimpse on the family's history than I actually do myself. They will have heard one thing from X, and another thing from Y. I want them to know me, not the rumors of me, not what my ex-wife or present-wife says of me, but what I say myself. They can and will have a better perspective than I have to judge for themselves whether what I've written and passed along to them is accurate or should be dumped down the toilet as just plain crap.

Let me step back one or more generations and put it this way ... we have both heard stories of our own ancestors, some good, some bad. Which were the most interesting to hear (and, of course, none were ever written about)? About how Aunt so-and-so did this or that ... or how great uncle so-and-so was in the penitentiary at McAlester?

Or, perhaps, was it about how I, Doug Dawg, came to be married to the most beautiful woman in Oklahoma, she having much earlier having been proclaimed the Queen of Mexico while stepping off of an airplane many years before we met and later became married? And how did this nobody in Oklahoma City, Doug Dawg, ever come to be her husband?

That's the kind of story that I want to pass along to any of my descendants who want to read about their good old grandfather, great grandfather, that being me, Doug Dawg, the son-of-a-bitch that got more than he was ever entitled to. These are stories of religion, intrigue, betrayal, sin and redemption. Now, to be sure, the general populace in Oklahoma City could care less about my personal story ... but I'll bet money that my great grandchildren will care ... even though I will be dead when it comes time to collect the bet.

Great family stories are just that ... great family stories. Sometimes they are about unimportant people like me, but sometimes they are about the makers and shakers of the city which are totally newsworthy, so to speak.

Heck, what do you think engaged my fancy while reading the piece by Upsher before skipping over all the personal history to get down to the Mistletoe Express stuff ... even though he acknowledged that he was not telling all there was to tell. It was the personal stuff, the great personal stuff. That's what hooked me into reading the whole damned thing which took an 1-2 hours to do. It was a great story to read, even though I'm unrelated to the man (possibly other than through good karma).

Who is around to tell those stories once the story teller is dead and buried? Nobody. And, the story not being told, the story, and at least part of the truth, is gone.

Grantgeneral78, I've finished my research in the Oklahoman archives of "Mistletoe Express," as a search phrase, even though a few other loose ends exist as to other names/phrases. Beyond what existed at the Harrison address, Mistletoe Express established a terminal, and probably its main terminal, at SW 15 & Council Road, 8000 SW 15, and it is possible that your fine sign came from that location. I located no photos of this or other Mistletoe Express signage which shows your exact sign in the Oklahoman or from some other source. But the best or at least a strong candidate for your sign, I'm thinking, is the 8000 SW 15 location.

Mistletoe Express' ending time, corporate death (and we all do know that corporations are people, don't we?), was long and messy, embroiled in hearings before the Oklahoma Corporation Commission and litigation in state courts, and, eventually, a very long bankruptcy, all of which began in 1988. OPUBCO spun off the business, but reacquired it during this time. While OPUBCO still owned the ME, it fought tooth and nail against the position of UPS, whether before the Corporation Commission, state or federal court litigation. But OPUBCO lost all those battles. Eventually, OPUBCO (having earlier divested itself of ME but having reacquired it after that) sold Mistletoe Express to a Colorado outfit, Redstone Carriers of Littleton, Colorado, in 1988.

1988 was perhaps the black-letter year of Mistletoe Express, which I'll later describe. Mistletoe Express never recovered from the events which occurred in 1988. The business was eventually liquidated in 1993.

Doug thanks for all the hours you have spent on trying to find all the info and photos of the sign I do appreciate it. It sounds like the guy may have bought it at a liquidation auction then. I am plaaning on going back over there soon and talking more in depth with him and see if he has anymore Oklahoma history items as well. Maybe someone will see this thread and by chance have a pic of it, or someone who worked at mistletoe and remembers it.

I see in the KTOK thread that Steve is lurking about OkcTalk again ... if you see this thread, Steve, you could sure help us out with some OPUBCO photos of Mistletoe Express! Come on DOWN!