Just for fun I'm asking what this building usta' be? It is, yes, on Race Street, and you can see the name of the business in there now. But what is the building's history?
If you have a picture of it in its earlier years, we'd love to have it on this blog. Surely, someone out there might have an old photo. Dig in your old files and let us have a copy. If you are not a member of activerain you can't upload a picture but you can send it to me and I'll upload it.
Luke, this reminder blog will get you busy doing your far-superior article about it. I have an associate who says his mother is bringing an old picture which I will post when it gets here. How do I vote for the train?
Barbara-
Go to www.upexcursion.com (it may load slowly; the heated voting competition means lots of people are visiting), click on "The Little Rock Express," then put in your e-mail. You will have to verify your e-mail by clicking a link they will send to you. As I type this, we are winning by about 40 - hopefully it'll turn out in our favor!
Union Pacific is sending a passenger train with one of two antique steam engines through the winning route and the LR route will have the train stopping at the depot in Bald Knob, then continuing on to Little Rock.
Everyone else should vote too!
Here's a bit of history for the St. James Catholic Church.
1928 - with financial aid from Reverend Matthew Saettele (His last pioneer church),OSB( Order of Saint Benedict) and the Catholic Church Extension Society, Saint James Catholic Church was first constructed on East Race Street in 1928, on a piece of property deeded to Bishop John B. Morris of Little Rock diocese by John L. Wrape and his wife, (Searcy's only two Catholics.
The first Catholic Church and School in White County were built in 1908 in the area now known as Morris School. Prior to this time, Mass was celebrated at irregular intervals in Judsonia, Russell or Bald Knob whenever a priest chanced a pass through. Upon a priest's arrival, news spread from farm to farm that Mass would be celebrated the next day. On these visits, always a two-day affair, the various sacraments were administered to the faithful. with financial aid from Reverend Matthew Saettele (His last pioneer church),OSB(Order of Saint Benedict) and the Catholic Church Extension Society, Saint James Catholic Church was first constructed on East Race Street in 1928, on a piece of property deeded to Bishop John B. Morris of Little Rock diocese by John L. Wrape and his wife, (Searcy’s only two Catholics.) When Louis Wrape and his wife moved to Searcy in 1931, the membership doubled to four. Services were held monthly until 1933 when the Right Reverend Monsignor James E. O’Connell came from Little Rock bi-monthly. The Chaplain at Morris School for Boys, Monsignor Walter J. Tynin, also served for a while as pastor. In 1935, St. Richard's was destroyed by fire and a new church was constructed of native stone. It was completed in 1939 and was made a mission of St. James in 1941. In 1949, St. James received canonical status and was assigned its first resident priest, Father John J. Mulligan. A new building was built on Pioneer Road in 1966 with the first mass being held Christmas Eve that year. On February 28, 1967, Bishop Albert L. Fletcher dedicated the new church. The membership has increased from the original two in 1928 to around one hundred in 1975 and about 200 families presently. The newest building housing the St James family was built in 2008 and celebrated the first mass on March 29 2008.
I'd like to go inside and see if there is any remnants of its former identity.
Oddly, I believe B-C Auto Sales has been around for quite a while and has formerly inhabited historic buildings. I remember an old photo of the Rock Island Depot in Searcy in the 1960s (probably very close to its demolition), and there was an auto dealer there. I think it was B-C.
Luke, I think I voted. I got interrupted in the middle but hope it went through. The guy who runs the car lot will probably let you in. His name is Butch Copeland.
Don, thanks for that excellent history. You have just provided Luke with a newspaper article!
Debbie, Luke is in charge of the train. See comment to him below.
Luke, you dominated the front page of the Citizen today with two good stories. I'd wondered what was going on with the Frostyaire building. Tell the folks at the Citizen that folks like the human interest stories like those. They can't be obtained through the internet or Democrat Gazette and they sell newspapers!!
Hey Luke - I'm Debbie and I'm interested in your train project. I saw where it stated that the announcement would be made on facebook Tuesday afternoon. Would you post news about the train on Barbra's blog. I would love to take our Luke (age 11) to see the train the event. Thanks!
With Google Map's help and Paula's memory, I have produced a could have been pic of the St. James
Catholic Church. Hope someone finds the real one.
Don, you are amazing! You can do just about anything on a computer. Resurrecting a church was just a snap of your finger!! Thanks!!!!!!
That looks just like it, as far as my memory serves me (which isn't very far these days).....
I know someone who might have an old picture, and I shall email her immediately.
Ditto what you said to Luke....I really enjoyed his stories in today's Daily Citizen.
Thanks to all who had complements! You'll see my name a lot in the paper this week because Warren is on vacation. I love to write human interest stories - but we have to have some hard news somewhere!
As for the Union Pacific Excursion dates, they have not yet released them and will announce them in the coming weeks. They will not be selling tickets, but will raffle them off to folks who voted. I believe the train will actually stop at each city in the map, so hopefully we will all be able to get a good look at the steam train when it stops in Bald Knob.
And thanks to all who voted for the Little Rock Route!
Anita, Luke is doing a good job with his historical stories at the Citizen.
Sherry, work on it.
Luke, we'll all turn out to see your train when it comes through.
I have one picture of the front of the church. Here it is. It is a picture of Jim and Betty Lercher taken Dec 1954 after the baptism of their 4th son. They had 15 children. Betty supplied the photo for this blog. Thanks, Betty!
Don, you're having to work too hard and we can't afford overtime for you. We need a full picture of this church but in the meantime, you're doing great!!
I was researching the history of St. James and came across this blog. Was scrolling down and very suprised to see a picture of my parents, Jim and Betty Lercher. I was their 7th child and attended this church as a child. I remember there was not a restroom and we had to go across to a gas station if we needed to. Also there was no parking so best I remember we parked in the "clinic" parking lot. I was 7 years old when we moved to the new parish on Pioneer Road. I still attend there in the "new" Church.
Theresa Gilliam
Theresa, thanks for finding the blog. Your parents were kind enough to supply a picture of the entry. As you know, your brother Mark is my associate and asked for their help. It must be a really old building if it had no bath and I can see that parking would be limited. If you find a picture of the building let us borrow it!
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