I had lunch at Searcy Arkansas's Chit, Chat and Chew restaurant.  Is is on Race Street on the street with the historic Rialto Theater.  There are two separate entry doors.  I sat myself down and looked around and was amazed to see this large brick wall with a Coco Cola sign painted on it.  It was once an outside wall, I am guessing.  The person who served my food was extremely nice and said that folks had said he should just get rid of it, paint over it, and it was not worth keeping.  I agreed with him that it was a wonderful piece of Searcy history.He said he thinks it dates back to about 1940.   Here is a picture that I took of the outside as it is now.  Now here is a picture of the outside taken a long time ago.  Note the obvious two entries to two different businesses.  Very much a... 03/06/2023

Taking a picture of a picture is not ideal. So I am sorry the picture is not quite straight.  But......While visiting a historic location on Spruce Street in downtown Searcy AR I found this picture of "how things used to be" at the location. It "used to be" a pool hall so I took this picture of the picture.  It was called Pastime Pool Hall.  In the picture are 4 men that some may remember.  One is Tom Killough (owner of the business), another is Tom Head, another is Lloyd Welch, and last Elvin Hilger.  The pool and snooker tables are neatly lined up in the long slender hall.  The court house information says it was built in 1900 and the width is only 25 feet and depth is 101 feet, perfect to line up tables.Lined against the left wall are boxes of beer.  WHAT!! Boxes of beer?  In Searcy ... 02/28/2023

 This is a curved pencil that shows a good sense of humor.  Evidently Carder Buick (Automobile dealers in Searcy AR and I wish I knew the date it was done!) gave them away for advertising.  This side reads  "The Only Curve You Will Receive At Carder Buick - Olds- Opel Kadett Co."  Now read the back side.See Straight Talking PAUL A.  CROOK  Cook. That seems pretty funny to me today.  Mr. Cook has passed away and I'll bet he gave them permission to put these pencils out.  Can't you just see him laughing as he gave his friend a pencil!!  Since he is gone and we can't ask him, perhaps a Searcy Sleuth will remember and share the memory with us.  Carder Buick has also gone away so perhaps the Sleuth can tell us what Opel Kadett Co. means.  02/23/2023

Boy Scout Card!Just found.  My husband's Boy Scout card from December 1949 to December 1950.  They spelled his name wrong.  Rodger had a "d" in it but they spelled it Roger.  So it went for his whole life.Someone tell me......do they still have these?  This one was very small and came in the little envelope as shown in the first picture.  I imagine it made the young guys feel important to get such a pretty card.  He definitely saved it and throughout our long marriage, I had never seen it!!  Now it's an antique!  02/09/2023

We have shown several pictures in the last few weeks that were taken by REALTOR  M. D. Faith in Searcy AR.  The pictures were taken around 1979 or 1980.  Here are two more, pretty close neighbors.  Top is one to be loved and cherished, the Legion Hut, that is very historic.  Second is (look closely) First National Bank.  It is still there.....lovely.....but with a new name.  The Legion Hut was built in 1934 and has a long history.  Go here https://www.whitecountyhistory.net/legion-hut and read more about its history. It is a treasure that we hope to uphold.  The First National Bank building has recently changed hands for the second time so drive by and check it out.  It is still lovely and is an asset to downtown Searcy AR!! I love the old pictures and hope you to too! Both buildings ar... 02/06/2023

Lovely Happy Anniversary Card.I am calling it a card but it is really about 20" x 28".  The photographs date back to around  1945 when he was fresh out of service and they were married.  In 1995 they had their 50th anniversary and that is probably when this gift card was made.  It is very attractive with the photos surrounded with the black lines that make them really stand out and then glued to the poster board.There is no date on the card and no formal signatures so we will not call names.  The card was left in a house and given to my daughter and me, both REALTORS.  The handsome couple has passed on and we think we know who the folks who gave it were.  But we are not sure.One thing we can't deny.  It is absolutely beautiful and a wonderful gift. 01/29/2023

 Another M. D. Faith real estate photo from around 1979. Searcy AR As I began two other blogs,  M. D. Faith was one of the early real estate brokers in Searcy AR.  He and his wife have both passed and their home on Pleasure Street has just sold.  An estate sale was held and I dropped by.  There was an envelop with negatives in it from pictures made by him for his real estate sales or for his pleasure.  I have a friend who was able to print the pictures from the negatives (I returned the negatives to the heirs) and this is another one of the delightful pictures.This one is still standing and is located at the corner of Beebe-Capps Expressway and Country Club Road.  It houses a business that is still successfully operating and still looks about the same.  AND!  The info at the court house... 01/24/2023

710 W Arch, Searcy AR.....a few days ago.  710 W. Arch as it was yesterday, Jan. 17 2023.  It is being demolished as this picture shows.  It was in terrible condition so it probably had to come down.  The court house gives construction date as 1935.  An interesting thing about this house is that it was an old frame house and someone took the time and spent the money to rock around it. Notice the back of the house now, the old wood siding, and the rocks that have been pulled off and piled in the yard.  It is sad to see the old houses come down in Searcy Arkansas.  01/18/2023

Another historic picture of the Rialto and downtown SearcyAs I stated in another blog, M. D. Faith was one of the early real estate brokers in Searcy AR.  He and his wife have both passed and their home on Pleasure Street has just sold.  An estate sale was held and I dropped by.  There was an envelop with negatives in it from pictures made by him for his real estate sales or for his pleasure.  I have a friend who was able to print the pictures from the negatives (I returned the negatives to the heirs) and this is one of them.Here is another one of the pictures that date back to about 1979 or 1980.  It shows a great image of the Rialto, the Cumberland Presbyterian  Church and the old abstract office.  This is at the corner of Spring and Race.  Notice the parking meters and the direction ... 01/12/2023

Here's an old photo of Spruce Street, Searcy AR.M. D. Faith was one of the early real estate brokers in Searcy AR.  He and his wife have both passed and their home on Pleasure Street has just sold.  An estate sale was held and I dropped by.  There was an envelop with negatives in it from pictures made by him for his real estate sales or for his pleasure.  I have a friend who was able to print the pictures from the negatives (I returned the negatives to the heirs) and this is one of them.Lots of people remember Mrs. Harris's cafeteria and will enjoy seeing the cafeteria plus the other businesses on Spruce Street. Now we can see how it appears on the court house photo today.  I don't know about you but I like the first look better.  The court house records also say it was built about 1900... 01/04/2023

Built in 1907 and probably elegant.....now history.This home at 207 E Center, located behind the old historic Rendezvous, is going down.  This picture came from the court house information.  It seemed to have out-of-town owners who didn't take care of it and did for care for it so it was in such bad shape that it had to come down.  Most interesting is that it was once the framing studio of Terry Williams, Searcy's fantastic artist and framer.  Terry did beautiful duck prints that can be found all over town including my house.Here is one of the house going down on December 20 2022.  I got one last glance and said my good-bye.  12/21/2022

 FOUND IN MY ATTIC!  HUGE SIGNS!Signs are 24" x 48".......pretty big and very old.  Reading the signs will bring back Searcy AR memories for sure.  There is no date but read through them and see how many of the sponsoring new car dealers are still owned by the same folks.  Then go to the ones who gave donations and see if they are still around.  Things changed greatly as these big signs slept in our attic.And they provide great Searcy memories. 12/06/2022

 Do you have relatives in this picture?  It was loaned to me by Betty Mote, who knows a lot about Searcy history.  I like seeing again how hair styles change and how girls seemingly have always wanted to have matching hair styles.I assume the girls were cheer leaders but I don't know for sure.  And what's that man doing back there?  Here are the names written on the back of the picture.  Left to right:  Floy Elliott, Era Greer, Mary Elliott, Helen Gerbert, Evamae Caraker, Ludie Allen, and Wesley Gilliland.  If you have information, we'd love for you to share. 11/22/2022

 Another one bites the dust?Clicking the address   here    will take you to a fantastic picture of the above house and a great article about it.  The house definitely appears to be going down.    The ones above showed it about two days ago.  It may be gone now.  It is located at 702 West Center St in Searcy AR. It was built in 1925 and placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1991.You might want to jump in your car and go say your good-bye to a once lovely home that housed great families and was always a beauty to drive by.  Wouldn't I love a call from someone telling me they have bought it and are restoring it!!   Also be sure to go read the article that was in The Daily Citizen a few weeks ago when you click the address above.  10/08/2022

Who made frying pans?While digging around in old stuff in my garage I came across this interesting frying pan (my folks would have said skillet).  It was different, kinda pale and not heavy at all.  But most interesting was the still-attached ticket saying "Home made for Dewey Wright."  I remember Dewey.  He passed away in January 2005 and he may have been a camping type.But who, in Searcy Arkansas, would have been able to make him a frying pan?  If any of our Searcy Sleuths can remember, share it with us.  And if there is a relative of his who might know, give us a "holler" and let us know. 10/01/2022

Look at this ad from 1970!  The Pit Drive-In was located in Searcy AR on East Race.  It was greatly loved and look at the price of a tub of chicken......$1.49.  Compare that with today and cry.  Many folks went there to get their fried chicken instead of trying to cook it at home.  I wrote a blog about it several years ago.  Let's review it.  Click here to go to that blog.  Be sure to read all the comments while you are there. 09/26/2022

I know.  It is not Valentine's day or even close but this old blog that I did several years ago talking about a Valentine Queen for Searcy was fun then and is still fun now.  This cutie in the photo and what she replied is meaningful today because it shows that history repeats itself.  The picture of a girl on a boy's bike was a bit of a scandal back in the 1940's when it was taken.  Please go now to this old blog and read it.Are you back?  Now if you did not take time to read the many comments, I will show you what the no-longer-little-girl said.  ""To answer the comments about the boys bike:  I got this bike for Christmas, one Christmas during "the war"  (WWII).....there were no new bicycles to be bought  in Searcy and no girl's bike could my parents find.  This was a used bike.   I, ... 09/14/2022

 1957 White County 4-H Club WinnersFound!  Treasure from 1957 with pictures of two winners at the fair.  I'm guessing but I think she may have won a sewing machine and he won for having a great steer.  The style of the day is obvious.  She was wearing a dress and I loved the way he had those jeans rolled up.  She was Jo Ann Swain and he was Leslie Scarborough.  Prizes were evidently given by The Searcy Bank which is now First Security Bank.  Searcy Sleuths, tell us what you can about those old times and the folks if you knew them! 08/22/2022

Searcy AR RevisitThe lady on the right above is Betty Mason Martin and she lived in Searcy way back in about 1947.  Her memories of Searcy are quite favorable except for one so she just paid us a visit.  She now lives in Virginia, drove to Arkansas, and had a visit with old friends from her childhood.  Mary Kay VanPatten James is shown with her in the above picture.The bad memory is of her father's death.  Her father, Lester Mason, was superintendent of Searcy Public Schools.  Her mother, Alice, was a teacher of music and was choir director at a local church.  Mr. Mason was driving home from Bald Knob on what is now Hwy 13 By-Pass.  There was a big bridge across the river (it has now been replaced) that he had to cross and for some reason he did not make it across and he died in the acc... 08/12/2022

Anyone recognize the Searcy girl in the picture of Maud Crawford serving tea at Arkansas Girls State?  My friend and great Searcy Sleuth has found this picture in the newspaper or on line and knew the girl.  Here's what Anita wrote about it."Arkansan and author, Beth Brickell, has published another book "Solving the Puzzle of the Disappearance of Maud Crawford" - and recently the Arkansas Democrat Gazette  published excerpts.  Searcy Sleuth, Anita Fuller, who attended Girl's State in l953, recognized a Searcy classmate in the photo, and Jo Ann Cooper verified:  Dorothy Anderson Maple.  JoAnn attended Girls State with Dorothy in l956, but doesn't remember Mrs. Crawford."Dorothy is the girl on the right, says Anita.  Anyone remember her? 07/31/2022