| City/Town: • Bridgeport |
| Location Class: • Disappearing Town |
| Built: • 1902 | Abandoned: • N/A |
| Status: • Disappearing Town |
| Photojournalist: • Michael Schwarz |
Bridgeport had possibilities of becoming an important and progressive town, but two factors (1) physical‚-the Canadian River‚-and (2) human‚- a town feud‚- caused its downfall. Located on the south bank of the Canadian River in an area of rich farming land, and served by crossing rail lines, the town appeared destined to be the chief shipping point for a large area. The Canadian River, approximately one mile wide at Bridgeport, was subject to high water and sometimes flood during the rainy season. When water was low it could be forded, but there was always the problem of quicksand. The town received its name in the 1890s as the place where stagecoaches waited to cross the river. During high water they were ferried across; during low water the teams forded the river, following well-chosen paths carefully but never stopping in the channel. In 1893 a toll bridge was built. In 1895 a store with a post office located at the south end of the bridge, and Bridgeport had its start. In 1915 a free bridge replaced the toll bridge, but a few years later it was damaged by a flood. The bridge was eventually replaced by the Key Bridge, which charged tolls during the first year. In 1932 the Oklahoma Highway Department constructed a bridge downstream from the Key Bridge and rerouted highways to the south of Bridgeport. In 1948 the Key Bridge was partly burned as a result of a grass fire and had to be removed. In 1958 the bridge for Interstate 40 was completed, resulting in the highway being moved more than one mile south of town. There have been at least five high-water and a dozen low-water bridges across the Canadian near Bridgeport.
In 1898 the Choctaw, Oklahoma and Gulf extended their tracks westward and built their bridge near the toll bridge. The Enid and Anadarko Railway north-south lines, built in 1901, used the same bridge. In 1907 the railroad bridge was demolished when a freight car jumped the track and struck a span of the bridge. This train, carrying cars of livestock and household goods belonging to German emigrants, fell into the sandy river bed. The heavily loaded cars Immediately began sinking into the quicksand. Men trying to save the livestock opened the car doors. Out flew ducks, chickens. and geese to the Bridgeport side of the river. The engine, coal car, and caboose were all that was saved. “To this day the other cars with everything inside as well as the middle section of the bridge lie buried deep somewhere in the shifting sand of the Canadian River bed.” The bridge was replaced the next year but in 1914 was washed away during a flood. A new railroad bridge was again built. Later, in 1939, the track south from Bridgeport was abandoned. In 1901, when the Caddo and Wichita lands were opened for settlement, Bridgeport became a booming new tent town. In a short time frame and brick business buildings and good homes replaced the tents, and a town of over three thousand persons had come into existence. Because of the topography and water a feud developed. Chrystobel Poteet, in the article “Bridgeport by the Canadian” (Chronicles of Oklahoma Vol. XXXIX, No. 2) described it:
People found that water on the west side of Bridgeport was clear and pure while that on the east side, where most of the business buildings had been erected, was filled with gypsum crystals. Instead of trying to find a way to bring good water to the east side a bitter feud developed. The depot was on the west side near the river but a long hill had to be climbed to reach the post office on the east side. To get mail distributed more conveniently businessmen on the west side contrived to move the post office one night during dark hours. A two-story brick building was erected hurriedly on the west side for a bank. The big three-story frame hotel was also moved to a corner location on the west side. Merchants on the east side became so embittered that many of them, in 1902, moved their buildings and stock to Hinton. It is pretty interesting to see buildings that have been abandoned, there is a lot left to wonder about, but it is even crazier when a whole town is practically left behind. It’s a weird feeling seeing the number of belongings left. In between the levels of wear, tear and aging, you can see that the objects were once in good condition, and were once used frequently.
In 1904 Bridgeport had seventy-six places of business, including two banks, a flour mill with an output of one hundred barrels per day, and two hotels. A waterworks had been built along with a forty-thousand-gallon elevated tank. By 1909, however, the number of business institutions had decreased to forty-three. and the population was estimated at less than one thousand. Throughout the years Bridgeport has declined in both populations and as a trade center. The changing of the highways resulted in the town being bypassed to the east and south. It is now a somewhat isolated village in which about 30 people live. The only remaining business is a small grocery store. The depot has been removed, and spurs of the primary track are covered by sand and grass. The place has been described as a rural retirement community.
-From “Ghost Towns of Oklahoma” by John Wesley Morris
Gallery Below
https://www.newspapers.com/image/631964281/?terms=new%20bridgeport%20post%20office&match=1
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My father Emmett Lambert Sr. was born and raised in Bridgeport. I remember visiting my grandmother Channie Lambert as a child, can’t remember my grandfather Ambrose Lambert Sr. But I want to learn more about my Dads side of the family.
[spoiler title=”My grandfather Dan Cooley was four years old when he traveled to Bridgeport on a buckboard. His family got a big piece of bottom land on the west side of Bridgeport in a lottery. Coming from Kansas with forty head of cattle they encountered a bad blizzard. When then storm subsided all their cattle were frozen to death. They didn’t know what to do. Then Indians came and offered to buy the frozen cattle from them. They built their house in the south side of the river. My grandfather told me that when they had “too many puppies”, his father had him take the dogs across the river where Indians lived and sell them to the Indians who would eat them. My grandfather went to college in Stillwater. There he joined the schools very first wrestling team and participated in the first ever wrestling match at A&M. The first two Aggie wrestlers lost then my grandfather, Dan Cooley pinned his aponent in 55 seconds with a leg scissors. The newspaper reported “for the first time the crowd jumped to their feet and cheered”. My grandfather met and married Fanny grace hale- Cooley at A&M and both became career educators in Oklahoma City. “] [/spoiler]
[spoiler title=”My grandfather”] [/spoiler]
My Grandfather told me just before his passing that his Aunt ran a restaurant/boarding house called Bell's Tavern. I understand the building itself was moved to the North East end of the yellow bridge.
Can anyone tell me about Bell's Tavern? She would have ran it in the 30s and 40s.
Yes, you’re right. Bell Tavern was located where you say. My dad went there to buy “medicine” for us kids when we had bad coughs…whiskey for hot toddies!Dewayne
Loved growing up there I am 70 now but those were the best days of my life will never forget Bridgeport or the wonderful people my dad had the grocery store there I. Am Judy Mashaney my daddy was John we moved there when I was in second grade there was a school for two more years then went to Hinton the rest of my school days
Hi Judy. I remember your dad John very well, and Allie! No more people like that being created!
They were in the state tournament in OKC in 1943. Maud beat them in the first round.
[…] der Zusammenstellung der Webseite bin ich auf ein interessantes Video von AO AbandonedOK gestossen, dass einige Einblicke in den Zerfall von Bridgeport […]
Awesome pics! You couldn't PAY me enough to go in those abandoned houses, but hats off to you for doing it. My grandma grew up in and around Bridgeport and spoke highly of it until her dying day.
Sadly, a lot of small Oklahoma towns are starting to resemble this one due to widespread meth abuse and general neglect.
My mom was born in Bridgeport in 1937 to Thelma Arthurs. My mom was Dorthy Arthurs, they probably left the area for OKC in 1948. I am planning a trip to Bridgeport, Hydro and Hinton and would like to know if any Arthurs relatives are still in the area.
I can remember a flood in the late 40's or early 50's that washed a Greyhound bus off the road. My grandfather, dad, and I drove up from Binger to see it. Can't find any information about it.
Does anyone remember the Dobbins family that lived in Bridgeport in the 80s? I know they moved in '91, but I was curious about what happened to their house.
If anyone has any infromation, my email address is mangel@uco.edu
I miss Velmer McCain Jr.. He was a classmate of mine at Hinton when we were just kids. I heard he passed away, but am unable to find any information on a gravesite or anything. I found what I think is his dad's gravesite there in Graceland Cemetary in Bridgeport, but am unable to find any info on Velmer Jr himself. Velmer Jr. had a sister named Vicky. I believe Velmer's full name was Velmer Earl Mccain Jr. but I'm not 100% sure because we were just kids. The grave I found belongs to Velmer Earl McCain Senior who was born in 1943. I'm pretty sure that would have been the dad of the Velmer I am looking for. The Velmer McCain I am looking for would have been born around 1967. Any information anyone could share I would appreciate greatly. I am also trying to find Johnny Plank a good friend of Velmer's when we were all in school but I'm not sure if Johnny was from Bridgeport or Cedar Lake. Thanks for any and all info.
You know, so-me of the McCains still live at Bridgeport…we're related by way of our grandfathers being 1/2 brothers (b.1860-1880)
Velmer still lives on the family land directly east of the community building. 2016
I lived in Bridgeport in the mid 80s. When we moved there, they said we moved into the "Hippie House". I know why they called it that. A very good friend of our family lived there before we moved in, he liked to smoke pot and got busted. I really enjoyed living there as a child.
Do you remember the Dobbins family that lived there in the 80s?
Theres another ghost town between hydro and bridgeport that we found fishing on deer creek. Can't remember the name though does anyone know?
im looking foe anyone from bridgeport, who knew, helon an jim mmcain aka jr, stonie an vickie, had a little girl named natosha, freinds also incluted frank mmcain, an a son frank, velmer mmcaine who owned biscut hill? anyone knows any of thes folks please e mail me …. thank you for your time.
I lived in bridge port and knew a biggin McCain maybe related to them in the 90's
The name Biggin sounds familiar. I think my older brothers were friends with them. My brother's names are Jerry (Pancho) and Michael Dobbins.
Biggin passed away around 1995. If he was alive he would be gpaw to three grandaughters. I have a great memory of poncho getting on the bus one day with a big patch of hair missing from his head. we asked him what happend? he said the goat got hungry in middle of the night and he didnt have time to shave his head before school. LOL. Never a dull moment with him and michael around.
I remember us owning goats when we lived there. I've been trying to get as much information about Bridgeport. We moved in 1991.
Are you asking who ownded Biscuit Hill truck stop and restaurant in Hinton? My family is from Bridgeport/Hinton.
Velvet operated not owned Biscuit Hill. Helen, “Jim” really James, Jr. And both Franks have passed
Someone needs to open a resort or amusement park. I miss Hinton Junction too.
say Phil, how ya doing i use to work at the truck stop when velmer McCain had it, aka biscut hill, i almost forgot about that place.great ice tea.
the train is not in the river I found a old news paper. and the train was saved from the river. its called the Bridgeport news feb, 7 1907
someone who knows more than I do should tell about the Civil War Vet reunions at the City Park, which was on the east end near the water tower. That Park had an Olympic size pool (30 yrs ago the hole was still there) Frisco
ran special trains from all over the state….The suspention bridge was a toll bridge, and in about '28 the family who ran it paid my dad, Harvey McCain, to take the 8th grade over, and tutor their son, who had failed. So my dad went thru the 8th grade twice, and made straight 'A's both times
The remains of the pool is still here. Difficult to get to it but I have a plan! Was your family related to the Whites from Geary and the Pecks? If so, you and I are related also! Carol McCain, daughter of James W. McCain, Jr. And Evelyn “Boonie” McCain
My son has lived in Bridgeport since 1992. His uncle, a dear friend of mine, has owned a farm house with several acres of land there for a great number of years. The farm had been his aunt and uncle's home for many decades before, We came down from up north on a vacation this spring and spent a couple of nights there. It had changed quite a bit since my visit in 1964. We investigated several of the old abandoned homes…so sad to see them coming to such an end. The greenery…tall grasses and new trees…take over pretty fast. Not to mention the young folk that tend to make a mess of things when they enter one of the abandoned homes. It would be a neat place to live if you worked out of your home (via the Internet), or worked near by. But it sure gets HOT down there …you have to be a hardy sole to work outside in that heat!!!
I grew up in Bridgeport andlater moved back there, buyingan acreage and building a unique house there…many memories…keep them coming!
I'm assuming you are in AddyMae's Family, since Peak and Belles lived across the river. We get down to Graceland about everyother Memorial Day….. I'm Harvey's son, 74 yrs old now..never lived in Bridgeport when old enough to remember, but spent a lot of summers there, back when Andis' store was still alive. Played on cotton bales at the gin and roller skated in the old high school……….h
I’m just seeing your reply! In what town do you live now? Sure would like to touch base. Trying to rebuild here, looking at getting help from the Oklahoma Historic Society! Thanks for the reply! This thread doesn’t give alerts so I missed your response. TerritoryROUTE66 @gmail.com
Hey carol. This is Ginger Ashley. Do you remember me? I lived in Bridgeport from 1970 to the early 80s. My mom was Dorothy Mashaney.
hello carol, my name is Lyall shafer,i lived in bridgport in the late 70s,, and was friends with jim McCain,an his sons james an jimmy. i knew velmer an frank also . i guss what i want to know is if your related, an if you can help me fined a way to get hold of them. between jim an velmer an james thay had alot of propity in bridgeport. jim McCain was remaried to Helon,so i guss youd say jim was like a step father inlaw. If you can help me please contact me at lyallshafer2011@yahoo.com thank you so much.
Is the "cable car" still next to the railroad bridge? I'm thinking back to over thirty years ago, but I'd like to know.
It is not.
My family lived in Bridgeport, OK. I started to school there when I was five years old. Miss Bonnie Thompson was my teacher. Mrs Derigo was my second grade teacher.
My Grandmother, Belle Hull Armstrong, once had a restaurant in the hotel, later she cooked at her house for the school children. She supplied room and board for the depot agents.
My Uncle, Ernest “Bun” Armstrong carried the mail from the depot to the Post Office for years. Lucille Helderman was the postmistress. Four generations of our family got their mail at the Bridgeport Post Office.
We moved to Oklahoma City in December 1941.
I can remember a bank building, the drug store, two grocery stores, the cream station, Johnson’s garage, The telephone office, the Baptist Church and the Methodist Church.
A lot of my childhood memories are connected to Bridgeport.
My family attended the Bridgeport “Reunion” until the passing of our Mother, Winnie Armstrong, in 1996,
Sad to see the condition the town is now in.
im trying to find out some history on bridgeport. i live in banner oklahoma i have been there looking around
Hello, I am a member of a historical excavation group that researches the remains of the early Oklahoma Lifestyle. Do you know of any contact that I could get in touch with? We are very excited to get our metal detectors on this land and find some great history of the people that once lived there. Let me know!
tkwoodward@live.com
I believe we have connections. Was Olive Armstrong a relative of yours? The names you mention are very familiar. Sadly, these connections are being lost as the elders die and the stories end. I live back here now. My e mail address is TerritoryROUTE66@gmail.com
My cousin George Robinson & I, was just talking about Brigeport today watching football on tv. Bridgeport is our home. I was raised there with my brother & sisters. We were talking about returning to live there. I believed I recognized some of the houses in your photos. It would be nice to have a Bridgeport reunion for all who ever lived & loved Bridgeport as much as I.
Good Idea Cousin….Toby
Dewayne, some of those who knew you are still here!
I was in Bridgeport yesterday, April 28, 2012. It is so sad. I grew up about 30 minutes from there and had never heard of it. It really should be cleaned up and some places demolished. It would be nice if there were some historical plaques in the area to tell people about it when they do venture by. I wish there had been more left, I cannot believe it used to be a town of 3000. I only saw the church and the post office.
at least there is something still left of the town. I was looking for one near there and it is gone, Bridgeport is on the map and my town is so gone it is not even on the map. Happy times to all.
I am helping to chart out a route for some horse back riders who want to ride from Ft. Reno, OK to Black Kettle National Grasslands in Cheyenne. I am looking for places that the horses and crew can campout overnight. I was wondering if Bridgeport could be one of those places. They are self contained and just need a place to pitch a few tents and park the trucks with horse trailers for one night as they would head out the next day. Does anyone have any idea who I could contact for a possible site and permission? Thank you for any ideas, phone numbers, etc. Jill Starr 661-727-0049 or lifesavers@wildhorserescue.org
Hello Jill, I am a member of an historical excavation group. We try to find history in the red dirt of the early Okie's lives. did you find any contacts that could possibly help us out? Thanks!
tkwoodward@live.com
My name is Walter and I have one sheet of paper from Bridgeport with companys advertiseing on it.The same
thing is on the other side of the paper.Phone numbers are two Like this one.( G.A. Wilkerson, M.D. phone 36. city
There one about the Bridgeport. Bank.,Bakery,Confectionery and Icce Cream Parlor. A others.
When I was a little girl my aunt Hazel Prince Cotter told me that her grandfather lived in Bridgeport when he first came to OK from Kentucy in the 1890"s and that he was the first Post Master in Bridgeport; His name (my g-grandfather) was John Wilhoyt Prince. Does anyone have any information that verifies this or not? I loved reading this website! good job
Dear Jane,
I am looking into my family history and 1/2 of my mothers siblings were born in Bridgeport – Winters family. My grandmother was Orpha White Winters and my grandfather was Noble Winters. Their family also settled from Kentucky about the same time! The Winters family history was written by a U of K student who was related and tracing the Winters name from Kentucky on. If anyone has any info – I too would be interested. Is there a US census dating back to those times? I also heard stories that it was a silver mining area and the town went bust and people moved when the mines went dry…. have you heard any info on silver mining?
I am working on a family tree..John Wilhoyt Prince is also a g-g-grandfather of mine. would love more information on him. my email address is jlnbacarr@yahoo.com my name is Beth. Any information would be great. Thank you..01July13
Beth, I still live here. Glad to help but this thread is old so perhaps too late. TerritoryROUTE66 @gmail.com
Hello.
Wonderful post, thank you for posting! I�m looking forward to reading more!
I used to be recommended this web site via my cousin. I am now not certain whether this put up is written via him as nobody else know such specific about my difficulty. You are wonderful! Thank you!
Sad to know hardly any one is around. We were the Johnson family that lived there from 1920"s to about 1972. The last one to leave was my grandmother Nellie. Maybe I'll visit some day
Hi, T.O., that is what we called you years ago, my Grandmother and your Father were brother and sister. My father was Frank, your cousin. I graduated from Bridgeport High in 1941. I am back in Okla. after being gone about 70 some years. The last I seen you was in Artesia,CA at my Folks place. If you see this, I say Hi, and hope you are well. It is good to be back in Ok. and I have a place on Lake Eufaula and hope to spend the rest of my days here. Take care and good Luck. Al Cutright
Would you have known any of the Winters family- James, Bernice, Aline, Laura Nadine, Ben, David were the kids- Orpha and Nobles were the parents? Half of the kids were born in Bridgeport but the family migrated to Geary and later Kansas.
Tom, my family is related to the Johnsons, Jim and Mary, Connie, Louise. Any of your relation? My parents are James, Jr. and Evelyn McCain, moms nicname was “Boonie”. Let me hear from you! I moved back in 2003 and have now opened a small RVPark on Route 66 at the Bridgeport Y. Carol McCain
TerritoryROUTE66 @gmail.com
Off course its nice when you stay in a place you like, but working is necessary
Not if you're on welfare
Anyone who works commutes to nearby towns. I have been back since 2003 and work in Oklahoma City as a healthcare professional. I enjoy the rural life even with its difficulties of a town in ill repair with town council as lame ducks…we need to look to the future and build upon the opportunities. I can see possibilities.
i live in bridgeport and im happy 2 tell u that we fixd the leak
and the old rail road bridge isstill standin ,also the toll bridge
only some of the supports…nothing else left of the toll bridge. i thought it burned in about '43.
my aunt martha bruce's home still standtin and occupied, but my grandmothers home is gone…
howard mccain
atheen, how you doing?, i see you live in bridgeport, im not sure how long or how old ya are, but do you remember any mmcains who lived ther or vickie an stonie, frank mmcain, velmer mmcain any of them vickie is no longer with stoine, but had a little girl named natosh. not much information. i use to live in the house down over the hill from the old dump? can ya help me thank you.
Visited last year with some buddies; didn't get to see the house in your first batch of pictures, but did get to see the second one. I believe the floor connecting to the kitchen from the outside is caving in, was very difficult to get to the piano. And Bridgeport has some very nice people; they let us photograph without any trouble. Thanks for having this here on your site 🙂
the suspension supports of the old toll bridge are still standing. Just to the east of the train bridge, you can see the pillars on the south bank among some tall, mature trees
i am interested in knowing if there are any plans on rebuilding bridgeport my husband is from there and would like to see it back on the map again
This is absolutely amazing. My family is from Bridgeport and we are having a family reunion this 4th of July, 2010. One of the acitivites we have planned is to drive there and see what was left behind. as I was watching your pictures I tried to recognize as much as I could, however, sadly I was so young when we moved to OKC. Great job on this town.
I'm trying to locate the old toll bridge on Google maps. I see what may be a railroad bridge pretty much straight north of Bridgeport, and there is a road that follows the river on the north bank to just east of the RR crossing, and looks like there may have been a road bridge there. But other things I've read indicate that the toll bridge was quite a ways east down the river, just west of the long pony truss Rt 66 bridge. Do you know?
Well, I'm not sure it's even there anymore. I read that it actually washed away twice with the river, and they just never rebuilt it a third time. But I can't remember where I read that and if it was a reliable source….
I remember living on that dirt road as a kid in the early 1980's. I used to ride my bicycle down there and see the old toll bridge columns. The railroad bridge stood nearby. And yeah, you had to be on alert with all the poisonous snakes and quicksand in the area. It was an awesome place to grow up as a kid, the people were wonderful and I have very fond memories of that area.
I grew up in bridgeport in the 60s and early 70s — was a great place to be–fishing- swimming-hunting and riding motorcycles on the river.Most of your story was correct, but there is no store left and there are several nice homes and doublewides and the Methodist Church and community building are still used regularly.The water system was just recently updated with new wells-etc.Also there are some of the nicest and down to earth people on earth left in Bridgeport.
im try to find out about bridgeport how can i talk to about the history. jeff
Hello, I was wondering if y'all know of any public property in Bridgeport. A Friend and me are avid metal detectorsists and would love to find some history concerning the early Oklahoma lifestyle. If you know of anything please email me at:
tkwoodward@live.com
My wife and I visited Bridgeport a couple of years ago on a personal ghost town exploration trip. One of the things that struck me about Bridgeport at the time was that the tower had a significant leak. We drove up the dirt road toward the tower and there was a constant stream flowing from the bottom of the tank like a faucet was open. I wonder if they ever got that fixed?
No. There is still a leak in the tower to this day. Lol. Not sure if its being repaired only to spring a new one or if it could coincidentally be one in the same.
Amazing! You can see the tower right off I-40. You would have never known any of this was there. Great work guys! Your site just keeps getting better by the day!