Remember the old depot on S Main Street in Searcy?
Most likely you will not see it when you drive by again because it is finally going down. I hear that it has been sold and when I stopped by a few days ago it was almost gone. Its story is rather interesting in that it was owned by a railroad but no one could find anyone at the railroad to ask about purchasing it and reviving it.
My friend, Shelly Churchwell, told me that no one had noticed that the deed had a reverter clause which said that if the railroad ever stopped using it it would revert back to the previous owner......one of the members of the Lightle family. Of course that person has been long deceased but he had heirs.....over 20 of them who had to agree to let a new owner have it!
So it has successfully been sold and unfortunately its condition was so bad that it had to go down. Interesting information, isn't it? Here's my last look.
Look at this early picture of the depot. Shelly Churchwell says that they lost the front part because of road widening years ago. Didn't it look good then!
The old building (in your picture) was originally built and occupied by the Doniphan, Kensett and Searcy Railroad, says Jim Bohannon, former Searcy resident and railroad history expert. You can contact him here.
From: Jim Bohannon
Email: oldrailroadmaps@gmail.com
Reply_to: oldrailroadmaps@gmail.com
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