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Facilitating "Hanging Out" in Downtown Edmond
Increasing foot traffic in old downtown
Ted Malave - Edmondite.com
EDMOND — The Edmond Economic Development Authority is attempting to transform Edmond's Master Plan--specifically the revitalization of downtown. For years there has been a push to bring more people to the downtown area. Businesses want to make it a unique experience for shopping, dining, entertainment and just hanging out, all while attracting new customers.
It has been trendy in Edmond's past when people have chosen to spend their time downtown. The photo to the left shows downtown Edmond in 1947. Busy foot traffic was not uncommon as many Edmondites are seen patronizing downtown businesses. Of course, there were fewer total businesses, and the population was around 5,000.
Now Edmond has a population of over 85,000, and business competition has never been stronger. It can be a challenge. After sunset the foot traffic wanes.
It has been trendy in Edmond's past when people have chosen to spend their time downtown. The photo to the left shows downtown Edmond in 1947. Busy foot traffic was not uncommon as many Edmondites are seen patronizing downtown businesses. Of course, there were fewer total businesses, and the population was around 5,000.
Now Edmond has a population of over 85,000, and business competition has never been stronger. It can be a challenge. After sunset the foot traffic wanes.
Arguably the first Edmondite
His mom was the original Miss Edmond
Ted Malave - Edmondite.com
EDMOND — On a warm, summer day in 1858, Maria (Edmond) Burdick gave birth to a son, Edmond Schuyler Burdick in Madison, Wisconsin. Being a very bright, young man, he attended Madison High School, and then went on to be the youngest law student in his class at the Univesity of Wisconsin. Edmond is immortalized as founder of Edmond, Oklahoma.
In the 1880s, what is now Edmond, existed as a train station, a few establishments and scattered farmlands. Trains would stop to fill up with water at this site, as it was the highest point on this portion of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad (ATSF). The stop was originally called "Mile Marker 103." Instead, what grew to be our town, was named for Edmond Burdick, a traveling freight agent for the ATSF.
Naming towns for executives and personnel of railroad companies was quite common. Guthrie was named for an ATSF attorney and stockholder.
His life as a traveling freight agent was difficult, at best, during this time. The job took privileged and educated men to the wild frontier. Even though his accommodations on the trains were tolerable, finding boarding accommodations could be a challenge. However, it wasn't long until eating houses and hotels were placed along stops on the ATSF routes. This progress made life a little easier for those traveling using the railroad system.
Even though this original Edmondite never actually lived in Edmond, he did find his way back to this area on several occasions. According to historical information, Burdick stopped in Edmond two years after the Land Run of 1889, while on a business trip. He told the locals he was very pleased to see the town that was named after him doing so well.
Edmond Burdick went on to be a U.S. representative on the Central Mexican Railway and died at the young age of 51 of Typhoid fever in Mexico City.
Edmond could have remained "Mile Marker 103," or worse yet, been named "Burdick." Edmondites are grateful for this and the other pioneers for their efforts in establishing what is now known as Edmond, Oklahoma.
Edmond Burdick in his middle age.
WisconsicHistoricalSociety.org
Senior PGA at Oak Tree showing off best in Edmond
Golf Tourney Big Success for Edmondites
Ted Malave - Edmondite.com
EDMOND — Right on the border of Logan and Oklahoma Counties the Oak Tree International Golf Course has been the site of the 2014 Senior PGA Championship. Golfers from around the world have made a pilgrimage to Edmond, Oklahoma to participate in the prestigious tournament.
But even more importantly for Edmondites the competition is a showcase for our fine community. Whether one is new to Edmond or they descend from Sooners that staked a claim in the area, the tourney allows the city to put their best face forward.
I have been listening to the broadcast of the rounds and it's fun to see how the national announcers and media discuss and portray Edmond. The promotions and opens that NBC is using feature the stereotypical hay jelly rolls, the old windmill water pumps and cattle.
On the other hand the announcers have chosen to not pigeon hole Edmond. They have mentioned, maybe over-mentioned, the beauty and condition of the Oak Tree course, but they have also shared how they think Edmond has a "quaint" downtown. One announcer was particularly impressed with a local grocery store just south of the course no doubt talking about Uptown Market.
Golfers have been sited, more in the fast food establishments than in the nicer sit down restaurants. A friend of mine saw Tom Lehman in Cains and one golfer on the air mentioned he was headed to Chick-fil-A.
I am sure the economic impact of the tourney is the great intangible. All the extra tax dollars from added goods and services including the lucrative hotel taxes. It can only be seen as a great benefit to Edmond, and it puts a smile on many an Edmondite.
Lack of rainfall projects tough, dry summer for Edmond
Exceptional drought on the way to area
James Coburn - The Edmond Sun
EDMOND — Central Oklahoma should have had more rainfall by now, said Steven Root, president and CEO of WeatherBank Inc., located in Edmond. Drought conditions resulting in dry brush did not help firefighters in their effort to quell a wildfire in Logan County this week.
With only 4-inches of rainfall received in Edmond as of Thursday, it’s not too far down the trail that central Oklahoma will go from a severe drought to an exceptional drought, Root said.
According to the National Weather Service, Will Rogers World Airport in Oklahoma City as of Thursday had received 3.94 inches of rain this year. Ten inches of rainfall would be normal for the year, showing a deficit of 6.27 inches.
“If we don’t get rain, and I’m not just talking rain for Western Oklahoma,” Root said. “I’m talking for Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Southern Colorado — all of that — we’re going to turn off the source of water that we normally see.”
Monsoon moisture flow usually comes into Old Mexico, Arizona and parts of New Mexico in June or July, Root said. Indications are that the monsoon will be weaker this year, Root said.
A weak monsoon combined with the existing severe drought encroaching on Oklahoma will make matters worse, Root said. As a result, the drought will be hard to stop, he said.
May and June are the top months for rainfall, with nearly 50 percent of the annual rainfall coming in May, June, August and September or October, depending on location, Root said.
Rainfall in Edmond totaled 2.11 inches Wednesday night, making it the largest 24-hour total since Aug. 9, 2013, when it recorded 3.2 inches of rain.
“Also, there has only been two days of rainfall since the middle of last October,” Root said.
Based on predictive data that year-to-date rainfall will total 4 inches on May 31, then 2014 year-to-date rainfall will be the driest for Edmond since 1996, Root said.
The Palmer Drought Index measurement of dryness is based on recent precipitation and temperature and is most effective in determining long-term drought of more than several months, Root said.
“It uses a 0 as normal, and drought is shown in terms of negative numbers; for example, negative 2 is moderate drought, negative 3 is severe drought, and negative 4 is extreme drought,” he said. The Palmer drought data for Oklahoma City is shown using a 30-day running average up to a 120-day running average.
“The disturbing observation here is, when the PDI is -2.0 or lower (moderate drought), there has only been one instance out of four previous instances (2009) where the drought conditions quickly reversed direction and improved,” Root said. All other instances (2006, 2011 and 2012), the drought worsened. That does not bode well for 2014.”
A burn ban issued by Gov. Mary Fallin remains in effect for Edmond and a large part of Oklahoma. Visit OFS website www.forestry.ok.gov for a complete list of burn bans and compliance guidelines.
jcoburn@edmondsun.com | 341-2121