barbara s duncan: What is this!! Fruit from Tree of the Month. Osage Orange. Mayfair!
- 10/06/25 07:39 AM
Strange! Weighs almost 2 pounds! Don't be under the tree when it falls! The tree is shown below. The sign is calling it the Tree of Month in Searcy AR and is located right behind Mayfair Hotel which has just been sold to new owners. The third picture shows parts of my car parked amidst the dropped fruit and shows how big the fruit is and some that has been crushed by traffic. I picked up one and brought it home with me.
Here is what City of Searcy facebook entry says about the tree.
'"This month, the Searcy Tree Board is proud … (7 comments)
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barbara s duncan: Colorful cars. N Spring St, Searcy AR history. Around court square.
- 09/29/25 11:10 AM
Ok. I admit it.
I have a white vehicle.
My husband had a white truck.
Most of my friends and his friends have white vehicles. Seeing a bright yellow or baby blue or red vehicle will make you blink several times from surprise.
So, what happened to cars like these in this old picture above of our beloved North Spring St. in Searcy AR? And what happened to parking meters? Did double-color cars cost more? And notice the lack of pickup trucks above? The vehicles above are attractive, aren't they? I'd kinda like seeing them again.
Now, here's the way parking lots look today!
… (2 comments)
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barbara s duncan: Oversized junk mail. Too much of it! Searcy AR history of mailboxes.
- 08/15/25 11:26 AM
Too much oversized worthless mail!
It will not easily fit in mailboxes. Mail carriers must not like carrying the oversized mail. Makes me think of the history of mailboxes. My older house and most of our Searcy Arkansas older subdivisions still have little hanging mailboxes beside the front door and the "mailman" still walks through the neighborhood and delivers the mail. Wonder how they like this big stuff?
That made me start thinking. Betcha you have paid no attention to mail boxes. Older subdivisions in Searcy like Cloverdale and Lambert Terrace all have the little front porch mailboxes. Later there were lots of … (4 comments)
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barbara s duncan: Buttons! Talk about buttons. Pearl buttons. Arkansas's Button Boom!
- 08/11/25 12:55 PM
Buttons!!
In my blog career we have never talked about buttons. What can you say about buttons? I just read an interesting article about buttons. First Security Bank's weekly email had an article about buttons that I found interesting and had never heard of. Keisha Pittman McKinney wrote about "The Hidden Story of Arkansas's Pearl Button Boom."
In the early 1900's, Arkansas was at the center of a pearl rush and by the mid-century was producing lots of buttons. Soon, Arkansas had button factories that were active. The author gives great detail about the beginning and the progress.
So I thought about my button … (7 comments)
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barbara s duncan: Drive by...Stop!! Is that another bite the dust! 307 Center. Searcy AR
- 08/09/25 08:21 AM
Looks bad, doesn't it?
I was driving by this old house and noticed the condition of it. Built in 1901, so says the Course House info about it. That means it is about 124 years old! What is going on? Is it another one getting prepared to "bite the dust"? So I hurry home and start my research about it. It sold a few months ago. It had been sitting there empty for years and going down.
I found that it was to be renovated!!!! Hooray to hear that!
So let's continue to drive by and watch its progress and hope for great … (5 comments)
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barbara s duncan: HEY! Support Searcy AR! KTHV11 25th Annual Cereal Drive Coming Wed!
- 06/09/25 07:54 AM
HEY!!
SO!! We have had Searcy in the news a lot in the last few years. Our Mayor Matt Faulkner has done a great promotion job for our town. He is going to support this drive and will come and visit the drive. KTHV11 is having their 25 anniversary cereal drive this year. They visit cities and collect cereal to help our children. It is time for them to visit Searcy. The drive will be held Wednesday, June 11, 2025 at the front of our large Walmart store beginning at 6:30 am.
My connection is through one of their star reporters, Karen Fuller, and her … (4 comments)
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barbara s duncan: 1970 yearbook. Vani Jo Quattlebaum Geroy. Searcy AR. Memorial. Style.
- 03/17/25 01:03 PM
Another "style" picture from 1970.
Old yearbooks are a lot of fun to look through.
I was searching the 1970 one and saw this group picture of the Future Homemakers of America. Looks like all girls, doesn't it. Then I noticed all those legs on the front row. Notice two girls with what we used to call "saddle oxfords" and they date way back to the 50's and were worn with socks, always with socks. Note there are no socks on these girls but all of the shoes look as if they need socks! A style change, I guess.
And sadly, the reason I … (6 comments)
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barbara s duncan: Ultimate fashion photo example! 1968 Searcy AR Wrought Iron Hippy
- 02/23/25 09:01 AM
The Ultimate 1968 Fashion Photo Example!
Hold it!!
I was not referring to the people in the photo even though being a hippy was popular back then. I was talking about the wrought iron porch pillar posts. Driving now through Searcy's first subdivisions with covenants, Lambert Terrace and Cloverdale, you can still see lots of wrought iron decor like these. Some has been replaced with wood but lots remain. If curious, click the link below for my view of what happened regarding carports and garages in our area. In 2007 I wrote a blog about the unofficial history of carports and … (3 comments)
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barbara s duncan: A wonderful memory. Romantic hubby. Valentine's Day. 2008.
- 02/07/25 08:39 AM
Handsome Hubby
Always a great memory from 2008! I have blogged this before but it is still one of my favorite Valentine's stories and so true. Valentine's Day has rolled around again and this memory always pops back up!
It is about my husband and a new side of him. He has never been a romantic! The club that we attend decided to delay Valentine's until Saturday night and charge an enormous amount for the dinner.
Well, our buddies decided along with us that we'd boycott the dinner and celebrate Valentine's Day on the proper day. We were sitting around the table … (5 comments)
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barbara s duncan: Great tour of 605 Race Avenue Searcy AR, Lightle House, 100 years old
- 02/06/25 11:11 AM
Tour was so delightful and educational.
This historic home is for sale right now and the REALTORS were invited to tour it. I accepted the invitation and was delighted to see all the historic items still in and around the house.
The windows in the house are original. The tile on the roof had to be special ordered to be the same type as the original when built in 1924 and designed by Charles Thompson, architect. The Edward Lightle family moved into the house in 1926. Thus, the name Lightle House. Notice the wonderful brick work that looks as if it could be … (5 comments)
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barbara s duncan: Greetings from the bottom of the drawer. Barbara. Hankerchief.
- 01/03/25 11:09 AM
Greetings, Barbara!!
It is time to clean up, get rid of, look again, wonder where this stuff came from, drag out, sift through and be amazed at the pile of items. That is what I was doing. Two bottom dresser drawers had not been touched in many years. Where did all these lovely ladies vintage hankerchiefs come from? What about all these old scarves from the 50's, 60's, 70's and even further back?
Remember women's slips? Back when we had to wear dresses.....Gloves? Back when we had to wear gloves with the dresses.....Panty hose? Back before ladies just quit wearing hose at all.... … (2 comments)
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barbara s duncan: Happy Memory! Fishing trip. Leon Person. Toby Noble. Historic Photo.
- 12/16/24 10:05 AM
Example of Happy Times!
Leon Person and his friend Toby Noble.
I borrowed this wonderful picture from Sherry Quattlebaum Person, who married Leon Person many years later when they became adults. Noble Motel, in Searcy AR, was a very popular spot. Click https://activerain.com/droplet/4H4B to see the very beginning of the motel started by Toby Noble. The picture you'll see there was given to me by his son.
Back to the picture above. The Christmas-looking tree in front makes me wonder if they picked up a Christmas tree on their way to the fishing hole and doubled their pleasure! They evidently had a successful fishing … (0 comments)
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barbara s duncan: Searcy AR Courthouse drawing. Tommy Jackson. Searcy Daily Citizen 1986
- 12/05/24 12:06 PM
White County courthouse drawing.
1986 is the date signed by the artist and must be the approximate date of the drawing for this plan for the courthouse grounds. I clipped this article by Tommy Jackson, editor of the Daily Searcy Citizen, but I did not keep the extension of the article on page 3A. The article says there was a move afoot to enhance the beauty of the courthouse which was built in 1877.
The White County Quorum Court had agreed to match on a dollar-for dollar basis up to $3000 for contributions made by the public to the Courthouse Grounds Beautification Committee … (2 comments)
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barbara s duncan: Curtis Kindergarten signs. About 1997. Phyllis Alexander artist.
- 11/13/24 05:21 AM
Remembering Curtis Kindergarten in Searcy Arkansas again with two signs.
The signs were painted by a wonderful local artist, Phyllis Alexander. At the recent estate sale, I found the original two signs. Here they are. They were painted in the late 90's.
I bought them and made a surprise delivery to the artist. She definitely was surprised and thanked me for bringing them. I thanked her for accepting them and she gave me two pictures of how they looked when newly finished. They follow below.
The little girl above and the boy below. Notice how the colors were so bright and vivid. After … (3 comments)
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barbara s duncan: Searcy's Historic Black House Art Gallery displays old pictures.
- 11/09/24 10:12 AM
A little bit strange curved wall? I didn't take this picture so I don't know how the photographer took it. Below is the more realistic bath room.
She achieved her purpose in this one and you'd love to visit. The Historic Black House of Searcy AR found lots of old historic photos of people and things. Debbie Higgs, who maintains the home, had this very creative and different way of displaying them. They are beautifully arranged using matching tacks and spaced in a lovely manner. Look at the next two historic Searcy pictures.
These pictures were taken by Faylen Waggoner, apprentice at the … (2 comments)
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barbara s duncan: Searcy AR postcard from Snowden's. Old car show downtown.
- 10/28/24 12:30 PM
When did they narrow the street
Sure looks wide in this old picture post card but I guess that over the years the vehicles just got longer, especially trucks. Do you sleuths know the age of the cars? The street in Searcy AR does look delightfully wide!
I was downtown on Saturday 10-26-24. There was a great vintage car show going on. Here are a few shots. Doesn't the street seem narrow?
Car pictures below.
Remember? The court house is older than any of the cars! The car show was a good exhibit … (3 comments)
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barbara s duncan: McRae AR historic house. Built in 1921. For sale now. Downtown.
- 10/07/24 11:13 AM
l have always stared at it!
Every time I drive through McRae AR I stare at this house thinking that it is the extreme example of an old house that seems to be original and needs work. It has suddenly been listed and is for sale. So I can see it thoroughly. It was built in 1921, says the listing. Pretty old!!
Look at this pretty entrance. It must be from long ago but is still fashionable and has class! Great detail.
And here's an excellent example of chipping paint that a lender would never allow. How many of us as real estate agents … (3 comments)
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barbara s duncan: Over 50 years ago. Searcy AR courthouse. Parking meters. Statue.
- 10/05/24 04:57 AM
Searcy Arkansas Courthouse Painting
Notice the date of this painting that I did about 54 years ago! It has just resurfaced and I had not seen it through all those years. It is mainly of the statue on the court square that was done in memory of the Confederate Soldiers of White County AR that served in the war between 1861 and 1865.
I must have been trying abstract painting. The composition is good but the detail is definitely abstracted. Most interesting is possibly the parking meters that were there! Remember parking meters? I wonder what year they went away.
Here's the signature. … (5 comments)
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barbara s duncan: EGGS'travaganza! Remember? 1998. Liz Howell organized. Fine artists!
- 09/16/24 11:49 AM
Painted eggs from May 1998 EGGS'travaganza
Way back in 1998 many citizens and I attended a corporate fund-raising event at Harding representing the White County Medical Center. Way back then lots of folks around Searcy were raising ostriches and other different birds or animals. Ostrich eggs were plentiful. Local artists were asked to contribute a hand painted egg for auctioning off. Liz Howell, now a highly successfuly REALTOR with her own real estate office, planned and held the auction. Eggs were displayed on tables and a silent auction was held!
I bought two. One by Lee Freppon and one by Phyllis Alexander. (see … (5 comments)
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barbara s duncan: Winners! White County Fair. Portrait of Cleo. Barbara & Valerie Smith
- 09/14/24 07:43 AM
Portrait of Cleo 1966
This has been White County Fair Week in Arkansas. Memories return. Here is a strange one. Yearly, there was an art contest along with pickles and sewing and all kinds of other things. I entered this painting of a lady named Cleo. She actually sat and posed for me. It won first place at the fair and I have had it since. I'd like to know where she is and perhaps she'd like this picture for her family.
Children's art winner.
My daughter, Valerie Smith, attended McRae Elementary back in the 60's. She painted and entered this one. She won!! … (6 comments)
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