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

 From this drawing in 1979....to this exhibited art work at Searcy Art Gallery, 300 East Race St.I was teaching Art in 1979 at Searcy High School.  One of my most talented students was a young man named Bill Reames.  He loved art and did lots of illustrations in the year books.  The 1979 yearbook said, "Bill Reames has been drawing for as long as he can remember but the true interest began in the 7th grade.  Bill started making up comic book characters modeled after D. C. and Marvel characters.  Since then Bill has won first and second place in the White County Fair art exhibit and he drew last year's yearbook cover as well as some caricatures of several teachers for the book.  Bill hopes to get a job penciling for either Marvel or D. C. comics."I somehow still have some of Bill's work ... 06/22/2022

Graduation? Big Party?  Where?Searcy AR had several places for parties way-back-then?  This one has lots of young people so it may be a school prom.  What I wonder is where it was being held.  The Mayfair had big rooms, I think.  So did the very popular Rendezvous Restaurant.  Roseann Motel? It is sorta contemporary in style except for the chairs and it appears to have a floor where they could play a slow song and the folks could dance.  Searcy Sleuths, can you give us more info.  Perhaps you are in the crowd?Here's another get together and I am thinking that it was at the American Legion Hut in Searcy AR.  Note no ladies present at this one. 06/22/2022

Governor Orville Faubus visits Searcy and the band greets him.These are interesting old pictures of the then Governor Faubus arriving in Searcy AR for some function that was important enough to bring out the band.  Searcy Sleuths can tell the year by the vehicles, I predict.  To the left would be the historic Mayfair Hotel and to the right we see favorite stores like The Ideal Shop and Morris & Sons.  It was before my time because I don't remember a Lure Cafe or a Headlee Drug.  Was VanAtkins there already?  A Sears sign is down the street.  Old and good memories!  Mostly! 06/14/2022

Parade downtown Searcy. Here's an interesting picture of a parade in old down-town Searcy AR.  The original brick streets are visible and interesting.  The court house is in the distance.  To me, most interesting is the service window that has now been closed but once was a part of what is now Quattlebaum Music Store on the corner of Arch and Spring Streets.  That's a Truman Baker Chevrolet float and some of the Searcy Sleuths may recognize the lady on the float.  Someone may also know the date by observing the cars.  Definitely a good historic photo!! 06/13/2022

Karen Fuller in Searcy ARKaren Fuller has returned to Arkansas.  She was a top TV news anchor a few years back in Arkansas....so good that she was stolen away by other news stations in other states.  She has returned and is working for KTHV  11 as an early morning TV anchor.  Her mother, Anita Hart (sometimes I call her Tart) Fuller grew up in Searcy AR and married Bobby Fuller and they traveled the world.  Anita has provided SO much history for this blog.  Just google her and she will pop up many times! I was lucky enough to have Karen and Anita visit me yesterday for lunch and a little sight-seeing of the long-ago Searcy.  Anita remembered where all her friends had lived and "cussed" a little if houses had been taken down that she remembered with love.Welcome back, Karen Fuller!!  And... 06/05/2022

Early look at Arch Street in Searcy ARI stumbled across this old card that is for sale on ebay right now.  We often wonder what the old buildings originally looked like.  Here is the possible answer.  Only Baugh Drug Store appeared to have a protective covered sidewalk and the streets were dirt.  The brickwork was interesting.  I plan to compare it to the same street today. There was no date on the card but it called for 1 cent postage for US and 2 cents for foreign postage.  Those were the days...... 05/23/2022

Fred Stewart, cartoonist, did this scary, wonderful picture using pen and ink.  It has just been discovered after having been packed away for many years.  The lower one shows it framed and the top one shows the fantastic pen strokes that make up the picture.  It was done in 1972.  We wrote a blog a few years ago about his book, called "Coptoons," that he eventually wrote and you can read it by clicking here.The book explains what happened to Fred.  In his own words, here is what he wrote about himself. "Fred Stewart has been involved in law enforcement since 1964 when he started with the Skokie, Ill. police department.  He has been a patrolman, Sgt., small town police chief, a road deputy, an investigator, and is currently an elected Arkansas constable. In 1986 Fred was shot in the face... 05/17/2022

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

This makes me think of all the Searcy experts who help me with this blog.  It is an Avon Super Sleuth Magnifier which has a handle that screws onto the magnifying glass and is called Everest After Shave.  The after shave is still in the handle and contains alcohol!  Age is not stated but it has been in my attic for many years.  Searcy Sleuths, can you help with this vintage item? This blog is a tribute to all of you and I do like the artwork!  You are a handsome group!!   04/19/2022

Welcome to my blog! I am a top selling agent in Northwest Arkansas. I have been selling for 21 years and in the top 1% for the past 18 years. I have the experience you are looking for. I specialize in listing/selling high end homes but I also will sell homes located in great neighborhoods, etc. 2022 has been an interesting year in selling homes in NWA - you need an experienced agent to help you navigate through the process. I would love to be your agent. Call or text me anytime at 479-236-3457. I have some upcoming listings in Pinnacle, Scissortail, Versailles and more. I also have lots available to build your dream home in Oakbrooke subdivision in Fayetteville, Arkansas Nicky DouSr. Vice President, Executive BrokerCollier and Associates  04/01/2022

A different style for Searcy AR house, now gone.This house at 1302 E. Race in Searcy AR has been taken down and I will miss it.  It was the only house in Searcy of this style.  Arches, a tower, and when it was built in 1934 it was probably considered "way out in the country."  The courthouse says it was 1460 sq. ft. of living space and that is where I found this picture.  When I drove by a day or so ago, it was being taken down.  I wish we had some history of its builder.  Searcy Sleuths?  I do know that it was Riley Real Estate for many years but who built that style house and why? 03/25/2022

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 unfortun... 03/22/2022

Disco Palace!This is a rare photo loaned to me by Beverly McMinn and she gave me a little history about the building.  It is located at 101 N. Main in Searcy AR.  Note the famous place in the background on the left?  That looks like the Rendezvous Restaurant to me!  And here is the front of the building at that time.  The sign that says either hotel or motel is a sign pointing to the Mayfair Hotel.  I wish we could read all of it.Corner entries were popular back then and there are several in Searcy.  Check out Quattlebaum Music.  Very interesting about this building is its history.  Reportedly it was built in 1928 and it has been a funeral home, a candy company, attorney's office and the colorful Disco Palace.  (Disco Palace didn't last long.) It was bought in 1979 by Dr. Ron McMinn and... 03/17/2022

Great Picture from 1982 advertisementAnyone who has lived in Searcy AR for many years will remember at least one of these guys and it is the best picture that I have found with the father, V. W. Duncan, on the left and known as PoDunk, and his two sons with him.  This ad was in the 1982 Searcy High School yearbook.  The sons are Montie and Rodger, and they were all car dealers at 704 East Race St. in Searcy.  The location is now the home of Four Seasons and V. W. and Montie have passed.  Their car lot was last called Duncan's Chrysler Plymouth Jeep....as I best remember.  V. W. Duncan's favorite saying through the years was, "What Old PoDunk says it is, it is!"  He built the business and welcomed the boys when they grew up and joined him.  The company did ads in the yearbooks but I just... 03/10/2022

Stop and StareThat's what I did when I saw these in the window of a building at the corner of Beebe Capps and Sawmill Road in Searcy AR.  The glare sorta hurts seeing the detail in these pieces of paper that covers the window but check it out for yourself.Perhaps it is intended to be art.....but I think it is accidental art from paper that has been damaged.  My favorite is the center one which reminds me of a cowboy from the waist down with his guns showing!Interesting for sure!!! 03/09/2022

An estate sale visit cost me again.  I found several old bound copies of Harding's The Bison newspapers.  They were from back in the 70's and 80's.  This was an advertisement from September 13, 1985.Click here  to see the tribute that I made for her when she passed away in 2013.  This little ad above shows her creative and humorous nature and  reminds me of how much we still miss Tina Beavers DanielThe tribute has many pictures and you'll see lots of Searcy real estate agents in it.  Notice that in the ad she was Beavers.  Later she married Walt Daniel and we loved and respected Walt immediately and still do.  Here's that link again.https://activerain.com/droplet/6SSV 02/21/2022

Picture on Feb 2 2022.  Another one bites the dust in Searcy AR?  Picture from White County Courthouse.Another double-take for me!  Passing by this house at 301 East Market today made me stop and stare because there was a huge machine attacking it.  I was so sad to see that it is apparently being taken down.  It looks historic and when I went to the National Register of Historic Places I found it there. It was placed on the Historic Register in 1991.  It says that Ben Lightle built the home in 1898 after moving to Searcy from Carlisle in Lonoke County.  It is an example of Folk Victorian architecture.  If you want to search the history there go to this address. https://www.arkansasheritage.com/arkansas-preservation/properties/national-registry?cities=SearcyHurry for your final view, how... 02/03/2022

There is money waiting for some folks......but not for me YET.  Therefore, I decided a good name for this blog would be, Give a Gift for Free.  That is what I did.  This website is easy to find and search.  So I decided to search for money that might be for family members.There was money!  My daughter's name search said she had $50 waiting for her.....and I gifted her with this information.  She claimed it....got it....thanked me for the information. But that was not the end.  A few weeks later while I was searching, her name was there again!  And this time it said for over $50!  She really thanked me then.Perhaps the best surprise, however, was stumbling over a friend's name and seeing that "over $50" notice.  Not just his name, but names of other members of his family.  He didn't get ... 02/01/2022

 Dot Beck had a wonderful school for kids!Kids and parents loved the Dot Beck Kindergarten in Searcy AR.  My own son, Paul, first on the left front row, loved going there.  I seem to recognize a few others of the children but it would be nice if everyone could be named.  The second lady on back row, left, was Lorene Smith.  Lorene became a REALTOR, owned her own real estate office, and was very successful in her new profession.  Dot Beck is the first on right on back row.  The kids are beautiful and it would be nice to see them in a group today. 01/17/2022