Southerland Addition- Rush Springs, OK - Oklahoma Historical Markers on Waymarking.com

The town of Rush Springs is called The Watermelon Capital of the World. Watermelons and Rush Springs are almost synonymous. The town's Watermelon Festival, held each August in Jeff Davis Park, is known worldwide.

This historical marker, placed by the town of Rush Springs at the edge of Jeff Davis Park, describes the town's debt to the Southerland family. The marker reads:

"Southerland Addition/The Southerland addition of Jeff Davis Park has been significant in the history of Rush Springs. The City purchased this property from the Southerland estate in 1988. The first business on this location was the Hudson Houston Lumber Company established in the early 1920's when sweet potatoes became a major cash crop in the late 1920's. This building was then used as a processing and shipping warehouse for the sweet potatoes. In the late 1930's the growing of watermelons for seed became a thriving enterprise. Harvey and Ethel Southerland who owned the property at this time began producing watermelon seed and other seeds. He also operated a cold storage locker. His watermelon seeds were sold wherever watermelons were grown. He retired in 1974. He died on August 7, 1986."

County: Grady Record Address:: Jeff David Park Rush Springs, OK US 73082 Web site if available: [Web Link] Rate the Site: Sponsor (Who put it there): Town of Rush Springs Date Erected: Not listed

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Date Logged Log   12/16/2019 The Snowdog visited it