Time for another photo of downtown Searcy Arkansas. The First Methodist Church has stood at the end of Arch Stree on Main Street for so many years. It is shown here on an old post card that was sold at Snowden's, a 5 & 10 store that has been closed for a long time.
The church, of course, has continued to grow and stretches out over about one and one/half blocks now. These two pictures just show what is seen from Arch as you drive toward it. It has always been a lovely old building.
Thank you, Barbara, for moving from the ticks and snakes! They were giving me bad dreams.
I, too, love this beautiful church. I grew up attending this church, I was married in it as was our son. My mother was the first woman named to the Official Board of this church. I have played my violin at many weddings here, too. - but no funerals.
Bet you don't know the first names of the owners of Snowdens Variety Store: Verla Mae and Clarence. (they were friends of my mother and dad). They built that yellow brick house on Arch St. - across the side street from the Woodson home.
Anita Fuller
Anita, thanks for telling us more about the church. When I came to Searcy, Snowden's was still open. When the Snowdens died, or at least I assume that is what happened, the estate was being cleaned out. There was this humongous pile of debris out beside the storage building. I stopped and was going through all the collectibles that they had thrown on the pile of "trash". Someone from the family ran me off but not before I'd gathered up a few of the old catalogs that they ordered goods from. I love those old catalogs because they have pictures of the past, the things the common person bought and what they cost! I'll show them to you sometime.
Anita, the old house is for sale right now!! If you want to see it, I'll take you. It is empty.
What happened to the tree that was on the right-hand side? The tree on the left, though, certainly grew. I hate it when old trees are cut down.
Barbara - I love the architecture of old churches. Don't like the space age crystal cathedral style. I will have to come by Searcy next time I head to Bethesda.
I, too, grew up going to that church. My parents were faithful church goers, if the church doors opened, they were there, along with their kids.
I remember that the stained glass above the from door use to say Methodist Episcopal Church South. I wonder if it still does. A couple of years ago when I attended John Wesley's Church in London I noticed that each of the pillars had plaques on them from each of the continents. Except there were two from North America, one said ME-South. I asked about that and was told that when the church fell on hard times, in the late 1800's, they had funds contributed from all over the world but the North Americans couldn't agree to be listed together so there was the ME church and the ME-South church listed separately.
Elizabeth, I'm not sure but the highway may have come so close to the front that they had to cut the tree. OR it could have gotten so big it was hurting the foundation. The tree on the left is actually not on the church property. You looked them over pretty good!!
Harold Gene, thanks for the additional information. Can you imagine churches being that uppidy! goodness. It's supposed to be about love, isn't it?
Barbara,
Many towns have a Methodist church, any many of them look very similar as well.
Steve
Steve Hoffacker, thanks for looking at the old church. I agree, almost every town has a Methodist Church.
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