Special offer
Home > Blogs > Barbara S. Duncan > Barbara Duncan's blog
bookmark_border

It's White County Fair Week in Searcy Arkansas. They used to give away cars!

By
Real Estate Agent with RE/MAX Advantage

Monday there was a parade down the main streets of Searcy Arkansas to begin the White County Fair.  Bands, floats, horses, queens, politicians, and a-lot-more strutted along the streets as cheering throngs waved to them from the sidelines.

Weather is pretty nasty this week but hopefully it will clear up before the week is out.  During this Fair Mania a friend brought this picture to my husband saying he'd found it in an old fair tabloid from 1964!!  Look at what they were giving away.  Looks like two cars and a boat to me. 

That's my husband in the foreground even though I didn't know him at the time.  Second guy was a popular car dealer named Audley Bolton.  Somewhere back through the years the big give-aways ended and the fair certainly is not the same without them.

White county fair

Show All Comments
Anonymous
Anita Fuller

Great picture....and how timely with the fair going on and all.  Do I detect a little white on Dude's shoes?  As he might have on a pair of men's black and white "spectators"?    Did you know that Elizabeth Capps'(Mrs. John Paul, as the Citizen would have called her)  step mother was Audley Bolton's sister, Rosa Mae Bolton Pope Vaughn? 

Anita Fuller

Sep 16, 2009 08:32 AM
#1
Barbara S. Duncan
RE/MAX Advantage - Searcy, AR
GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR

Anita, you are sharp eyed.  If those things were the fashion, he probably had them on.  Guess that's why he was called Dude for being a fancy dude.  I did not know any of that about Elizabeth Capps relatives.  We may have to get some history out of her! 

Sep 16, 2009 09:26 AM
Craig Rutman
Helping people in transition - Cary, NC
Raleigh, Cary, Apex area Realtor

Tell the truth. you married Mr. Duncan because he had a sharp looking '64 Valiant, didn't you?!!!

Kidding aside, that's a great old photo from the not too distant past.

Sep 16, 2009 01:33 PM
Barbara S. Duncan
RE/MAX Advantage - Searcy, AR
GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR

Craig, I didn't know him then.  He always threatened me through the years after I did meet him and we were married that he was getting me a Valiant to drive.  I guess that must have been the ugliest and cheapest car that he could think of!  Happy Brithday.

Sep 16, 2009 01:41 PM
Steven L. Smith
King of the House Home Inspection, Inc. - Bellingham, WA
Bellingham WA Home Inspector

Godmother Barbara,

I do not know if it is the same thing or not. But a couple times a month Mr Charles talks about getting a free car. He will say that he has to boost a free car. Would that be the same thing? He disappears for a couple hours and always comes back with a newer model. He is very clever.

Nutsy

 

Sep 16, 2009 02:47 PM
Myrl Jeffcoat
Sacramento, CA
Greater Sacramento Realtor - Retired

Barbara - Here in Sacramento during the 1950s, we use to have a Regal Gas Station, which would give tickets when you bought gas, and then periodically hold a drawing for a new car.  I can't even imagine it in today's world.

Sep 17, 2009 08:13 AM
Don Thompson
Donthomp Associates - Sunnyvale, CA

Here's a Google Earth view of the fairgrounds. Too bad the imaging wasn't done during fair time.

White County Fairgrounds

Also here's a fairiswheel shot from 2007.

Fairiswheel

 

Sep 17, 2009 08:25 AM
Barbara S. Duncan
RE/MAX Advantage - Searcy, AR
GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR

Nutsy, I hope you're not with Mr. C when he "boosts" a car.  I'd hate to have to visit you in the Pen!

Myrl,  remember when we'd get a glass or some sort of gift from gas stations?  In today's world, NOT!

Don, thanks for the view.  That is a large amount of land and lots of buildings for using just a few times a year, isn't it.

Sep 18, 2009 12:21 AM
Elizabeth Weintraub Sacramento Broker
Elizabeth Anne Weintraub, Broker - Sacramento, CA
Put 40 years of experience to work for you

Hi Barbara: And at the fair, do you still have guys smashing up cars with sledgehammers? They used to do that at the Minnesota State Fair, and I never really understand why it was such a popular event. You paid your quarter, or whatever, and they handed you a sledgehammer so you could go at it, banging up some old clunker.

land park agent

Sep 18, 2009 02:48 AM
Barbara S. Duncan
RE/MAX Advantage - Searcy, AR
GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR

Elizabeth, the last night of the fair includes the Demolition Derby.  Mud covers the field and people are in their cars and smash into each other until all cars are demolished and one winner remains.  That is probably more fun to our rednecks than a mere smashing with a sledgehammer.

Sep 18, 2009 04:01 AM
Steven L. Smith
King of the House Home Inspection, Inc. - Bellingham, WA
Bellingham WA Home Inspector

Godmother Barbara,

I am so pleased that you are looking out for me. Mr Charles boosts cars on his own.

Sep 18, 2009 04:43 PM
Barbara S. Duncan
RE/MAX Advantage - Searcy, AR
GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR

Nutsy,

Wouldn't it be fun to put you in a car and Mr. C in a car and let you two bash it out in a demolition derby?  He could have Ms K as a passenger;  I'd be cheering you on from the side.  With your nimble speed, you'd wipe them out.  We might let Croakster ride with you.  Just thinking about it makes me ROTF laughing!!!!!!

Godmoma Barbara

Sep 19, 2009 02:31 AM
Kate Kate
San Diego, CA

Barbara, Besides the obvious changes of fashion or style of cars and architecture, the style of taking pictures was so different. I was just thinking abut this yesterday. Most of the older pictures were taken from a distance. This is a great photo. Kate

Sep 19, 2009 02:53 AM
Elizabeth Weintraub Sacramento Broker
Elizabeth Anne Weintraub, Broker - Sacramento, CA
Put 40 years of experience to work for you

I see, Barbara, the difference between an Arkansas State Fair and the Minnesota State Fair. Minnesotans probably direct their excess energy individually, one-on-one with the vehicle.

east sacramento agent

Sep 19, 2009 03:29 AM
Anonymous
RitaB

This post about the fair brought back so many memories for me.  Families went together (do they still do that?) and then us young people would hit the midway.  I remember seeing the Ink Spots there in '65 or '66 maybe.  And I remember the Fair Queen competition.  A lovely, more innocent time!

Just between us, though, I think the white above the shoes on your guy are his white socks!!

Oct 17, 2009 03:13 PM
#15
Barbara S. Duncan
RE/MAX Advantage - Searcy, AR
GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR

Kate, I went back to this blog and found your comment.  Comments don't not seem to be consistent in arriving at my house.  On this picture, I guess it had to be a distance shot to get all the car dealers in the picture.

RitaB, I have not gone to the fair in years.  For some reason when kids grow up it's not fun.  I participated many years ago.  I won the big prize in art one year with a painting.  I then helped man the art-booth for several years but unless you have some specific reason for going, it's easy to just stay home.  I haven't seen any statistics for attendance this year vs. years past.  Big stars used to come to the fair, I remember.  Thanks for the comment.  I think you may be right about white socks!

Oct 18, 2009 01:50 AM
Back to Top

What's the reason you're reporting this blog entry?

Are you sure you want to report this blog entry as spam?