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Gem Cafe, Old Searcy Arkansas 1900 photo.

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Real Estate Agent with RE/MAX Advantage

 

Gem Cafe Searcy AR

 

This great old photo of Searcy AR comes from the White County Historical Society collection of photos.  It dates back to 1900 and also looks like a photo from an old Western movie.  This quote below is from the WCHS explanation of the photo.

This scene is from approximately 1900, when Gem Café operated on the southwest corner of Spring and Center in Searcy. Directly behind the café, Giles Walker had the City Meat Market. And, as the giant sign on the side of the building proclaims, Cokes were only a nickel. The name at the top of the front of the building is "O.W. James." At least four chimneys can be counted. The streetlight dangling from the wires overhead appears crude but was probably very effective. Note the onlookers in the upstairs windows, which obviously had no screens.

After seeing this, it does make you appreciate modern air-conditioning more!  I'm not sure what church is in the background.  Perhaps a reader can tell us.  The White County Historical Society meets regularly and does a great job of keeping our past part of the present.

Show All Comments
Gary Woltal
Keller Williams Realty - Flower Mound, TX
Assoc. Broker Realtor SFR Dallas Ft. Worth

Barbara, with Cokes only a nickel this was definitely yesteryear. Look how HUGE that Coke sign is on the side of the wall there. Amazing. Look at that long "sexy" dress. Didn't want to show any leg in those days ; ) It's amazing people knew what to do to have kids.

Aug 20, 2008 01:34 AM
Barbara S. Duncan
RE/MAX Advantage - Searcy, AR
GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR

Gary, it is an amazing picture.  But cokes didn't go up above a nickel until when?  the 50's?  I remember because I had to have a dime to get a coke and crackers. But it wasn't a fountain coke like this ad may be for.  I thought the person was a man in his long apron....perhaps the store keeper.

Aug 20, 2008 02:05 AM
Anonymous
Anita Fuller

Bob says that is the Presbyterian Church, on the site of where the Rendezvous would later be built.

 

Who makes up these words, "What does the graphic say"?

Aug 20, 2008 04:44 AM
#3
Steven L. Smith
King of the House Home Inspection, Inc. - Bellingham, WA
Bellingham WA Home Inspector

Barbara,

Another great photo. That one reminds me of some buildings we have around here too.

Aug 20, 2008 05:55 AM
Anonymous
Harold Gene Sullivan

I'm trying to picture the location for the Gem Cafe.  If it is on the SW corner of Spring and Center, the First Baptist Church is there now, the building must be facing north onto Center Street.  However, if the church in the background is on the site that became the Rendezvous, then the Gem Cafe would have to be on the SE corner facing west onto Spring. 

Aug 20, 2008 07:01 AM
#5
Barbara S. Duncan
RE/MAX Advantage - Searcy, AR
GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR

Thanks, Anita.  I don't know who does the words but some of them are lulus, aren't they?

Thanks, Steve, and thanks for letting me "test" on your blog last night. 

Harold Gene, you have turned me around and around.  I'll let you and Anita decide definitely where it was.  But it is a great picture, isn't it!

Aug 20, 2008 08:11 AM
Elizabeth Weintraub Sacramento Broker
Elizabeth Anne Weintraub, Broker - Sacramento, CA
Put 40 years of experience to work for you

You've posted so many of these old photos -- and don't get me wrong, I LOVE them -- but it's starting to make me think that this is what Searcy looks like today. Maybe you should post a "today" photo alongside?

elizabeth weintraub sacramento land park real estate agent

Aug 20, 2008 01:25 PM
Barbara S. Duncan
RE/MAX Advantage - Searcy, AR
GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR

Elizabeth, perhaps Searcy does look like that today!  LOL   This Gem Cafe has been gone so long, the locals can hardly remember where it was!  And a few locals are reading my blogs just to see the old photos.  Check this blog.  You can see how much better the old photo was.  Too many shrubs and trees are around the house now. 

P.S.  You are given credit in my blog tomorrow for inspiring me to write it.

Aug 20, 2008 01:46 PM
Dick Betts
TOUCHSTONE REAL ESTATE - The Villages, FL
REALTOR® The Villages, Florida

Is that you walking by the front of the store?  It looks likes you!

Aug 21, 2008 03:41 PM
Barbara S. Duncan
RE/MAX Advantage - Searcy, AR
GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR

Dick, you're back!!  Where ever you have been I'm sure you're glad to be back!  Do some fast catch-up on this blog site.  I'm glad you thought that slender, walk-with-alacrity person was me!  I accept it as a compliment and refuse to believe that you are saying I'm over 100 years old. 

Aug 22, 2008 12:18 AM
Anonymous
Don Thompson

Bob is right. That's the First Presbyterian Church on Main and Center. Center is the street running East

toward Main along the side of the Coke sign. Note also the wooden bridge across Center. The "bridges"

or sidewalks were built by the city at the cost of $15 to keep folks from miring to their knees in mud.

All this is in Muncy's book on page 83 and the church is shown on page 106.

The site of the Mairfair Hotel is directly across Spring from the front of the Gem Cafe.

 

Those of you not familiar with Ramond Lee Muncy's book " Searcy, Arkansas A Frontier Town Grows Up In America" should know that it is a gem.

 

Don

 

 

 

 

 

Aug 22, 2008 04:30 AM
#11
Barbara S. Duncan
RE/MAX Advantage - Searcy, AR
GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR

Thanks, Don, for giving us the rest of the information.  That was really a long time ago, wasn't it?

Aug 22, 2008 07:34 AM
Trey Thurmond
BCR Realtors - College Station, TX
College Station , Texas Homes

You always have the coolest antique photos. I can stare at them for hours wondering about what was going on the day that photo was taken.

Aug 22, 2008 03:49 PM
Barbara S. Duncan
RE/MAX Advantage - Searcy, AR
GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR

Trey, I do the same thing with ones as clear as this one.  I really wondered about the people in the window.  Were they trying to get air, soliciting, appearing for the photo?  Thanks for comments.

Aug 23, 2008 12:26 AM
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