logo
Login Subscribe
Google Play App Store
  • News
    • Obituaries
    • Lifestyle
    • Opinions
  • Sports
  • E-edition
  • Calendar
  • Archives
  • Contact
    • Contact Us
    • Advertisers
    • Form Submission
    • About Us
    • News
      • Obituaries
      • Lifestyle
      • Opinions
    • Sports
    • E-edition
    • Calendar
    • Archives
    • Contact
      • Contact Us
      • Advertisers
      • Form Submission
      • About Us
Fire destroys familiar lakeside A-frame home
news
November 22, 2023
Fire destroys familiar lakeside A-frame home
By JERRY FINK MANAGING EDITOR,

A fire of unknown origin Sunday morning destroyed a distinctive, decades old Aframe home that sat on the side of a heavily forested hill overlooking Lake Eufaula and the SH 9 bridge.

The copper-roofed house on the north side of the highway three miles east of Eufaula was a familiar sight to motorists driving west on the highway leaving Longtown and to visitors on the nearby lake.

The unusual home, with a detached game room adjacent to the main house, haa been vacant for some time, noted Eufaula Fire Chief Cliff Shatswell.

He said he believes the uninsured structure is owned by Joe Street.

“He didn’t live there. No one has been there for a long time. Vagrants have been stealing everything out of there. Lots of police reports have been filed,” Shatswell said.

The cause of the fire is unknown, he said.

“We don’t have a clue,” Shatswell said.

A call came in about the fire at 2:30 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 19.

“By the time we got there it was fully involved. The only thing we could do was go into a defensive mode. We cooled down the propane tank on the property, which was extremely hot,” he said.

Three trucks and six firefighters and several sheriff ’s deputies responded to the alarm.

Fighting the fire was problematic because of the isolated location and difficulty getting to it. Even though it sits near the lake, it was difficult getting water to the fire.

“There was no readily available water source,” he said.

A large metal gate slowed down the fire fighting crews.

“We had to go through the gate, then we had to walk through the woods,” he said. “There is only one way in and one way out. It was a tight, small area.”

The house and garage were destroyed. The game room was saved.

Firefighters contained grass fires that were cropping up hours after the fire.

The house once was owned by the late Mickey Medley, former wife of entertainer Conway Twitty. Mickey Medley died in 2021 in Hendersonville, Tennessee.

Chelsie McClelland, who says she grew up in the house, posted the following message on Facebook: “Before I get bombarded with messages I wanted to just state here … yes!! I watched my childhood home/ Conway Twitty’s exwife’s house/copper top/frame burn to the ground early this morning. No we don’t know what the cause was and nobody was there that we were aware of!!!! The game room still stands and they contained the fire the best they could to just the house and the garage. I want to personally thank the Eufaula fire department and Mc-Intosh county sheriffs who came and assisted. We are so grateful for all your hard work and dedication to your community.”

Eufaula Memorial Library
A: Main, news
Eufaula Memorial Library
July 2, 2025
A llama and a youngster got acquainted at a petting zoo at the Eufaula Memorial Library Wednesday, June 25. Dozens of kids and adults enjoyed the llama, goats, donkey and other animals, provided by Ma...
A: Main, news
Eufaula hosting July 4 Celebration
July 2, 2025
Mayor James Hickman and the City of Eufaula are honored to invite residents and visitors to the annual Fourth of July Fireworks Celebration on Friday, July 4. The fireworks will begin shortly after su...
A legacy lives on
A: Main, news
A legacy lives on
By LaDonna Rhodes Staff Writer 
July 2, 2025
Selby Minner’s Celebration of Life on Saturday at the Checotah Performing Arts Center was a beautiful 3-hour-long tribute to an amazing soul who loved the blues and more importantly, loved people. As ...
Lightning strike kills Eufaula woman in cemetery
A: Main, news
Lightning strike kills Eufaula woman in cemetery
By JERRY FINK MANAGING EDITOR 
July 2, 2025
A 57-year-old Eufaula woman was killed by lightning during a routine stroll through a cemetery Friday evening. Joy Ann Rogers was walking through Greenwood cemetery shortly before 7 p.m. when a thunde...
A: Main, news
Native American Arts & Crafts show Saturday
July 2, 2025
Eufaula Indian Community will host an Arts and Crafts show and sale Saturday, July 5 at the IEC Center, 800 Birkes Road, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. In addition to this event, a chair volleyball tournament...
Olivia Shackelford honored with 2025 Youth Prevention Award
news
Olivia Shackelford honored with 2025 Youth Prevention Award
July 2, 2025
On June 5, local student Olivia Shackelford of Eufaula was recognized as the recipient of the prestigious 2025 Youth Prevention Award in Oklahoma City at the Heartland Conference. This past week Olivi...
United for Oklahoma
ePaper
google_play
app_store
Editor Picks
Family, friends and fans bid farewell to Blues legend
news
Family, friends and fans bid farewell to Blues legend
By LENORE BECHTEL 
July 2, 2025
Her casket rested below center stage at the Checotah Performing Arts Center, open for friends, fans, and family to view her precious body before her life’s celebration began. No one lingered long. Tha...
Another busy week in the district
commentary
Another busy week in the district
By REP. TIM TURNER 
July 2, 2025
I started last Saturday June 21, bright and early at Stigler Reunion Days. I kicked things off at the Haskell County GOP Tent, answering questions and catching up with friends and supporters. Then I h...
Killing them with kindness
commentary
Killing them with kindness
July 2, 2025
What a month it’s been for me personally and in our close-knit communities. Trying to cope with the loss of loved ones has been extremely difficult and downright demanding. Yet having to come to terms...
‘Big Beautiful Bill’ overhauled in Senate, would cause even more government borrowing
commentary
‘Big Beautiful Bill’ overhauled in Senate, would cause even more government borrowing
By JOE DORMAN OICA CEO 
July 2, 2025
OKLAHOMA CITY – Over the past month, I have highlighted portions of the federal “Big Beautiful Bill” as passed by the U.S. House of Representatives. Currently, the bill is under consideration by the U...
Hays Supports MOHA Executive Order
commentary
Hays Supports MOHA Executive Order
July 2, 2025
OKLAHOMA CITY – Rep. Neil Hays, R-Muskogee, today expressed strong support for Gov. Kevin Stitt’s new “Make Oklahoma Healthy Again” (MOHA) executive order, which targets artificial food additives and ...
Facebook

THE EUFAULA INDIAN JOURNAL
100 N. 2nd Street
Eufaula, OK 74432

(918) 689-2191

This site complies with ADA requirements

© 2023 THE EUFAULA INDIAN JOURNAL

  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Accessibility Policy