Have you ever noticed that a yearbook may be called "Panther" or some name but you have a hard time finding the city that it is from?  Here are our Panthers but it was a search to find that they are from Judsonia AR. (Remember the city that was destroyed in 1952 by a tornado.)So what are they good for? They are historic for sure! Looking through them reminds you of your favorite or least favorite teachers, students that you had crushes on or hated, hair styles, clothing styles, sports events, school events of all kinds!  And these are from kindergarten to 12th grade.Yes, they could remind you of so much, things that make you sad and things that make you smile.  Be prepared to spend some time if you find some of the books from a long time ago.  Help me find an owner for these.  They are... 02/16/2024

Another sad photo of Judsonia AR tornadoI can't remember where I got this picture but it brings back sad memories of the 1952 tornado that practically wiped out the Arkansas town of Judsonia and did damage to other towns nearby.  Perhaps someone can tell us the location of this destruction.  It is amazing to see the two story house still standing.  I did another blog that shows the famous Judsonia mansion before the tornado.  Click here to see it.  The mansion survived and is still standing.     06/28/2022

Sears Roebuck home? 1908 built?  Plan 115?This home has just sold and reportedly it is a Sears Roebuck home that was built over 100 years ago.  The setting is magnificent with huge trees.  A search turned up a similar home shown below in an advertisement.  The price is amazing, isn't it!  The actual home has had some add-ons and changes.  For sure a porch in front was enclosed and part of it became a closet.  It would be interesting to know if anyone out there knows how the homes were shipped and put together.  Help us out, Searcy Sleuths!   04/20/2022

1980 Ad Judsonia  White County RecordWho remembers "tanning?"  I do.  And not so pleasantly because I never tanned well and I'd see all my friends sitting in the sun getting wonderful tans.  Then along came these things shown above in the picture in the ad.  I don't remember ever using them but lots of people did.  Then along came "spray tanning," a new easy adventure.  I only know about this because of my commenting on someone's lovely tan and the person with me said, "Oh, she gets a spray tan."  What!  Another new way to receive a tan?  There may be other ways.What I liked about this picture was the location!  RIGHT ACROSS FROM EL CHARRO!  Now everyone remembers El Charro, probably Searcy's first Mexican type restaurant, and it was so popular and so loved that they used it in this new... 11/19/2021

This old postcard is on line right now, for sale on ebay, and I may think of buying it.  Why?I'd like to know more about its history.  What a strange name for a motel in Judsonia AR.  Was there a string of the Texas ILL motels in several states?  It definitely looks like a typical motel from probably the 1950's or 1960's.  Was it destroyed in the 1952 tornado?Perhaps some Searcy/Judsonia sleuths can tell us more..................    01/19/2021

Central School Senior Girls' Basketball Team 1953Here's another team that participated in the 1953 White County Girls' Basketball tournament held at the Rose Bud, AR High School Gymnasium.  I bought a program that sold for 25 cents at the tournament on ebay and paid lots more than that but the pictures are wonderful.  Check and see if you know any of the girls or their fans!   11/10/2020

Great picture of 1953 Judsonia AR girls' basketball team.Here's a picture with an excellent heading. "Judsonia's spirit wasn't lost in the big tornado."  This picture was in the White County Girls' Basketball Tourney program that I found on ebay.  I am planning to do each town's team picture that was in the tournament.  Interestingly, some pictures show girls in kneepads and some without.  See if you have relatives listed above!  And I know you are familiar with the tornado that destroyed Judsonia in 1952.   10/24/2020

Remember how much we LOVE the mansion in Judsonia that survived the Judsonia tornado in 1952?Look what we have found.  This picture was in a White County Centennial Edition of The Daily Citizen and White County Citizen that was published in Searcy in August 1936!  It shows the mansion long before the tornado and shows all the beauty with trees and shrubs and flowers all around.  Streets were probably not paved but there appears to be a curb and sidewalk around the corner.  My friend, Letain DeVore, gave me this great old 16 page bit of history because she knew I'd probably share it with you.  Perhaps I can put up more pictures from it in the future.   07/26/2019

After the tornado.While listing a property recently, I saw this old picture just laying on the bookcase.  The back of it says March 1952.  Jim & Julian McFadden.  I quickly asked if I could borrow it and share on this blog.  The owner gave me permission.  It is just a snapshot but shows the devastation of the never-to-be-forgotten tornado that struck Judsonia AR and other surrounding towns in 1952.  Judsonia was a thriving small town at the time and has never fully recovered.  We have uploaded other tornado pictures but I had never seen this one before.  One of our favorites, of course, shows the mansion in Judsonia that survived the tornado.  Click here to review the blog that shows the mansion.  And do a google search for Judsonia tornado and lots of others will pop up.  11/02/2018

We can look at this photo and think about how things have changed for the better in the last 100 years.  Imagine traveling those mud streets of Judsonia AR.  This is an old postcard that is on ebay right now.  Price is pretty high so I will not be buying but it would be good for Judsonia to have it in their historic collection.  A one cent stamp delivered it to Indianapolis, Indiana to a Mr. Robert Storm and I like the last sentence which says, "Whats the matter with you dead or married?"  Postcards, when they become enlarged by scanning, as this one has been, show the detail much better. A click or two can enlarge for even better viewing. Our little town of Judsonia has a lot of history and this would be a good addition. 05/27/2017

The huge tornado that destroyed Judsonia AR still lives in the memories of so many people.  It destroyed a thriving town and the town has never recovered completely.  These pictures were loaned to me by a Judsonia resident who has a scrapbook of  events and news clippings and the pictures show how things "used to be".  The three story house shown here was destroyed as was the little grocery store beside it.  The photo was taken in the Depot Town section of Judsonia.  The Johnson House Hotel was built in 1907 and enjoyed heavy patronage while the railroad was in its heyday.  The depot is also shown in the picture.   Below is a closeup of the house with three ladies who were owners shown on the steps. The three story home fell in sections and a house that is now occupying the space report... 03/22/2017

Blogs live for such a long time!  I had a comment today from another person who survived the Judsonia tornado of 1952. He had found and read the blog that was written in 2008 when I was new to blogging.  If you'd like to review the blog and comments click here. The picture in that blog, shown below, had this house in it alongside the mansion that is still proudly standing in Judsonia AR.  It was strongly built and the owners have kept it looking good through the years.  It is right now on the market for sale by Jimmie England who sold it to the present owner many years ago.  I think it deserves a lot of respect and is a great home for some fortunate buyer.  MLS number for it is 16011959 and the address is 401 Main.  And thank you William Jackson for your comment! 08/24/2016

We are beginning a new year.  2016!  2015 surely went by in a hurry and we are all glad to start anew.Look back, however, to how it used to be.  I have so many old pictures on my computer and I have written so many blogs that I forget what I have already published on this blog.  But this old building is worth seeing again.  I have it down as Judsonia Hotel and wonder if it lasted up until the tornado.  The enormous size can be seen by the person on the porch.  Porches were important then  in order to be able to sit outside and cool off.  Here's what the back of the card said.Oh Yeah!  Maybe the hotel was somewhere else but the postmark on the card was from Judsonia, wasn't it.  And that is a 1 cent stamp.  Perhaps a Judsonia sleuth can verify this picture.Happy New Year! 01/01/2016

I found this old card on ebay and added it to my collection.  However, I am unable to figure out where exactly it was.  It says Hy 64 & 67 so that must have been an intersection.  I have not done a real search yet because it seems that highways change.  I prefer asking the Sleuths to give me their opinion as to where it was.    It looks like a really peaceful location to pull in and spend the night.  Here's the back of the card.  Seems the managers were Joseph and Lottie Rice and the motel had cabins with one or two beds, modern furniture, automatic heat and air and private showers.  10/08/2015

Now that sounds like a tricky title.  Sounds as if Landis Cafe and Filling Station is for sale.  And I AM a real estate agent looking for things to sell.  But that is not what I meant. I meant that I have found a great old post card showing the old Landis Motel Cafe and Station at Highways 64 and 67 in Judsonia, Arkansas.  Their slogan was "We Doze but Never Close."  Air-conditioned rooms, new and modern.  Here is the way it looked in 1958. It looks so clean and neat, doesn't it?  But what is interesting and surprising is the message on the back of the card.  I had to think about it for some time.  It said, "The total price is for show case $19,949.  Reva Crawford, Andrews.2.c."  And it was mailed to 1958 Show Case, The price is Right, P. O. Box 1958, New York 46, N. Y.  Then it hit me!... 03/16/2015

Donnie Miller, whose family grew up around Judsonia, gave me permission to post this picture from 1946.  He obtained an old National Geographic magazine which had an article in it about Arkansas and the article included this picture. Donnie says that the lady in pink was his grandmother, Helen Hubach.  The one in overalls was Donnie's Aunt Emogene Hubach Miller.  Donnie's grandmother looks lovely and makes me wonder if she dressed up for the picture or whether she looked that good every day.  Looks as if she has on high heels and a lovely matching outfit.  Strawberries used to be a huge crop in the Judsonia and Bald Knob area in Arkansas.  As the article says school was sometimes delayed in order for the children to help in the crops.  Today the crops are mostly pick-your-own.  But they... 08/03/2014

Maintaining a search on ebay for your home town or the surrounding area will bring rewards from time to time.  This picture is on ebay right now showing what must have been the main street in Judsonia AR a long time ago.  It is for sale and I hope Judsonia will buy it for their historic archives if there is someone maintaining them. The awful tornado in 1952 probably wiped out all these buildings and by then the wagons and mules had been replaced with automobiles.  We have featured Judsonia several times in this blog so look at this one for a great historic photo also. 05/28/2014

We had this old house in Judsonia to sell.  We begged for a yard clean-up to make the house show better.  Hold it!  Let's not call this an old house.  Let's call it a historic house because it survived the Judsonia 1952 tornado and most of Judsonia AR did not. Alas, no clean-up.... It looked liked this on the side and on the front. Fortunately, one buyer could see behind the bushes and bought the house.  A drive-by after the sale made us slam on the brakes and back up quickly to see if what we thought we saw was really what we saw. Look at the difference. Thanks, Mr. Buyer, for bringing this historic house back up to an attractive look. 06/12/2013

Here is another very sad picture of Judsonia folks walking after the tornado that hit Judsonia in 1952.  This picture is for sale on ebay right now and does belong in the Judsonia archives so hopefully it will be found and purchased by Judsonia. Click here. Also, since Judsonia AR is so close to Searcy AR these might be relatives of some of us.  Note there is one building in the background that is still standing.    10/28/2012

FOR SALE ON EBAY JUDSONIA AR RHEW MERC. CO. GENERAL MERCHANDISE.   This wonderful old post card is on ebay for sale.  Judsonia AR needs to buy this card and hang it in City Hall. It shows Judsonia AR before the demon tornado that attacked the city in 1952.  I love the little kids in the picture, the men standing (one in awkward position) and visiting and the old automobile parked in front.  It makes me wonder if the location was the same as this current picture of a store in Judsonia.  Probably not but the before and after pictures tell the story of the tragedy the Judsonia residents endured.   10/13/2012