Mistletoe Oklahoman &Times

[grantgeneral78]

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.

[Pete]

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

[grantgeneral78]

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!

[Pete]

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.

[Jim Kyle]

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...

[grantgeneral78]

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.

[Pete]

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.

[grantgeneral78]

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.

[Larry OKC]

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

[grantgeneral78]

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

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

[Doug Loudenback]

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.

[Pete]

If anyone can find out, it's Doug!


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

[grantgeneral78]

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.

[grantgeneral78]

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.

[Doug Loudenback]

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 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



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



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.



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



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.

[Pete]

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.

[Doug Loudenback]

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

[Pete]

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

[grantgeneral78]

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

[Tritone]

"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.

[windowphobe]

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

[kevinpate]

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.

[RadicalModerate]

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.

[grantgeneral78]

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.

[RadicalModerate]

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

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