Volume 13 , Issue 42

Chester Oklahoma

The following was taken from the last page of the "Chester Centennial 1895-1995." "The tree sketched on the back cover of the Chester Centennial 1895-1995 book symbolizes the many cottonwood trees that dominated the area around Chester. These massive trees radiated from the corners to the west, east and south.

Mr. Tom Leonard, owner of the first business, referred to the service station he operated at Cottonwood Corners. Upon moving the post office to the corners it became officially known as Chester. The widening of the right-of-way for Highway 60 spelled doom for most of these trees, as the state removed, stacked and burned them.

The sketch of the farmer with a Tailholt represents the other nickname of Chester. The story is that the Woods Brothers, who operated the second business in present day Chester, were asked by Mr. George Floyd, a local farmer, how business was.

The reply was, "We are still here."

To which Mr. Floyd replied, "You boys have just got a tail holt and you'll never last."

A man who was doing some painting on the service station they operated overheard the remark and proceeded to write the work Tailholt above the door of the station and also on the tailgate of an old pickup the brothers owned.

Today the nicknames "Cottonwood Corners" and "Tailholt" are almost as well known as the legal name of a busy little corner called "Chester."   |  View or Add Comments (0 Comments)   |   Receive updates ( subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

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