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Day Care Center in Searcy Arkansas in historic home. Year 1987.

By Barbara S. Duncan

Real Estate Agent with RE/MAX Advantage

July 29, 2010 02:16 AM

This blog is a test for Searcy readers as well as a memory trip for me. During my real estate career I've helped two families obtain property for child care centers and this is one of the results.

It is extremely difficult to get licensed as a day care center. We had to measure every room. Dish washers could not be used. There were so many requirements! But the two families succeeded in opening the centers. Both found the job too demanding and both closed after a few years. I had this one for sale in 1987.

Now the test? Where was this historic house? You should remember because it was home to a very prominent family before it was a daycare center.

Over the Rainbow Daycare

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Anonymous

Anita Fuller

You're stumped me, Barbara! You sure it is in SEARCY? The only one I can think of is what was Judy Deener's house: 306 E. Center.

I wasn't living in Searcy in l987 but I sure should recognize the house. HELP, guys (and gals).

Jul 30, 2010 01:54 AM

Barbara S. Duncan

RE/MAX Advantage - Searcy, AR

GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR

Anita. Here's a hint. It is gone now but you should remember it from the 50's because of who lived there then. Have a cup of coffee and try again.

Jul 30, 2010 02:34 AM

Barbara S. Duncan

RE/MAX Advantage - Searcy, AR

GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR

Anita, p. s., remove the front stairs. They had to be added because of the daycare.

Jul 30, 2010 02:35 AM

Anonymous

Anita Fuller

O.K. Bob doesn't have a clue. Billy Fuller and I have decided it is the home of B.H. Lacey, once Mayor of Searcy. Address: 403 E. Race, phone 646.

Do we win a prize or have to go back to the drawing board? I have a few more friends to enlist: Marcia, Sherry.....

Jul 30, 2010 03:13 AM

Barbara S. Duncan

RE/MAX Advantage - Searcy, AR

GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR

Nope. But did you know the Lacy's in Lambert Terrace? Miss Ann was a teacher and lived with her brother, neither ever married.

Jul 30, 2010 03:23 AM

Anonymous

Anita Fuller

Yes, I knew An Lacy and just know OF her brother. Ann recently died.

Miight this mystery house be on E. Race?

Jul 30, 2010 03:30 AM

Anonymous

Sherry Person

Leon and I have different ideas about this house. We really don't know, but I'll bet it was on E. Center or E. Market st. close to Harding.

Sherry

Jul 30, 2010 06:26 AM

Barbara S. Duncan

RE/MAX Advantage - Searcy, AR

GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR

Anita, nope.

Sherry, yep to close to Harding. Nope to Center or Market. Tell Leon to think, think, think. He should know..........because he was close around it.

Jul 30, 2010 06:40 AM

Anonymous

Anita Fuller

But Barbara, are you not going to tell us WHERE is was and WHO lived in it, in our day? I'll admit to being stumped and giving up. All my buddies I enlisted to help say they are stumpted, too.

I still say it was Mayor Lacy's house on E. Race!

Jul 31, 2010 02:02 AM

Barbara S. Duncan

RE/MAX Advantage - Searcy, AR

GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR

Ok, crybaby Anita. The house was on North Grand Street. It was a two story house that belonged to the VanPattens. I believe it was Mary Kay and Rebecca VanPatten's family but someone will correct me if I'm wrong. After the day care closed and it was purchased by someone else, the house burned. Now it is an almost vacant lot with a little detached garage/apt building still on it. Drive by there on your next trip and check your phone book for the VanPattens.

P. S. You sleuths are getting rusty. LOL

Jul 31, 2010 02:40 AM

Anonymous

Sherry Person

I sure failed that mystery.

Jul 31, 2010 03:37 AM

#11

Barbara S. Duncan

RE/MAX Advantage - Searcy, AR

GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR

Sherry, Leon will remember it now, won't he. He probably rode by it on his bike while he was growing up nearby. Be sure to show him the postcard on ebay.

Jul 31, 2010 04:00 AM

Anonymous

Anita Fuller

I have just gotten off the phone with Mary Kay VanPatten James.....and it IS her old house. 420 N. Grand, Phone 3l.

While Mary Kay was and still is a dear friend, I guess I have forgotten where she lived growing up. I have told her about your wonderful blog, Barbara, so I imagine you'll have another reader, and commenter. She and Larry, her husband, have lived in Searcy all their lives. They will be good contributors. Larry's dad owned Western Auto Store. Maybe he will have some old pictures?

I have a funny story about Mary Kay's mother, Katherine, and a woman named Zoe Harlan. Katherine wore the rhinestone glasses that were so in way back in the early 50s. Zoe always wore her hair in tight curls and wore a hairnet. K. and Z. sat by one another in the lst Methodist Church Choir. One of them dropped their music, they both bent down to pick it up and Zoe's hairnet got caught in Kathryn's glasses and when they sat up they were hooked together. My husband, Bob, was the choir director and has told that story many times.

Jul 31, 2010 04:41 AM

#13

Anonymous

Anita Fuller

Actually we really didn't get totally stumped. When I called Bill Fuller to tell him, he said he was intending to call me for he HAD remembered, finally, that it was his friend, Irvin B. VanPatten's house. Irvin B. is Mary Kay's brother. Since Billy Fuller is an honest person, and we have no reason to doubt he REALLY did name the house, don't we get maybe just a B minus for our sleuth abilities?

Jul 31, 2010 04:47 AM

#14

Barbara S. Duncan

RE/MAX Advantage - Searcy, AR

GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR

Anita, that is a fun story about Mary Kay's mother. I was in Junior Auxiliary with Mary Kay many eons ago and she was a real organizer and smart person. Still is, I'm sure.

Anita again, in your first comments you said that Billy didn't know which house it was. You didn't know and I had to tell you so you all FLUNKED the test. Being honest people you will have to ADMIT that you made a failing grade. Don would have found it with Mr. Google if it had still been standing. Mr. Google will be able to see the old detached garage that went with the house.

Aug 01, 2010 05:00 AM

Anonymous

Anita Fuller

O.K. I will accept the failing grade you feel you HAVE to give me....but in future, I won't be so quick to "throw in the towel"....

Find us another challenge.

Aug 01, 2010 06:15 AM

#16

Barbara S. Duncan

RE/MAX Advantage - Searcy, AR

GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR

Here is the lot where the house used to stand. It is much larger than this picture makes it appear.

Grand St