I have finally reached my 100th blog and it has been so much fun!  I have enjoyed posting and reading blogs on Active Rain.  However, I hope they get their site problems worked out.  Sometimes I can post a blog and other times it won't post.  I get the points, but it does not post.  I have learned a lot from other bloggers about all subjects, real estate, banking, life in general and soooo much more.  It is certainly addictive but fun!                www.http://maryjpaul.com 09/24/2008

  Here's another one of friend Paula's pictures.  She won a camera and went around town snapping pictures for a Girl Scout project.  It was sometime in the 40's. This was the Truman Baker corner at the corner of Race and Main.  The Truman Baker Chevrolet dealership took up this corner for many years.  It has been less than 5 years, probably, since they closed it down and moved it to a larger spot near the freeway.  The corner now has a Walgreen's drugstore.  All buildings have been torn down.  09/24/2008

My friend Paula took photos with a camera she'd won sometime in the 40's.  The assignment was for Girl Scouts and she was to take photos of buildings in Searcy AR.  She dutifully went around snapping photos and we've been featuring them on this blog. Here's another one.  It is a school building.  I looked it up in Ray Muncy's "Searcy Arkansas: A Frontier Town Grows Up With America" book and he says it was built in 1908 and called it Searcy High School.  His book, by the way, was written in 1976 to celebrate the American Revolution Bicentennial.  Dr. Muncy was a favorite history professor at Harding University and he was commissioned (I believe) to do this book on the history of Searcy. But he didn't have Paula's pictures!  They are special and newly discovered, aren't they, Paula? This... 09/22/2008

Yesterday's blog about two mystery churches has been solved. One is still there.  I just didn't recognize it from the picture.  My friends, Don and Paula, quickly found me a current picture of it.  They'll probably send me a book on "Dummie's Blogging" if I don't get better.  But they do understand that being a newcomer with a mere 40 years in a town puts you at a disadvantage.  This church is at the corner of Arch and Elm near downtown, Trinity Parish Episcopal Church, and it is really one of our oldest and most charming churches.  It is still small and hasn't lost its character.  It dates back to 1903. But the frame church has been demolished, according to my friends, somewhere around 1955.  09/20/2008

My Searcy friends and I have a thing going.....where did this property "used to be?" Not having grown up in Searcy and not having roamed the streets of Searcy like my friends Don and Paula and Anita and Ludean, I can't remember these places.  My history is only 40 years so I'm a newcomer! Going through my picture collection, and these were taken by Paula (I think.) for her Girl Scout photography project, I found these churches.  Where were they?? 09/19/2008

This old building dates back to WWI, according to Dr. Ray Muncy's book called "Searcy Arkansas, A Frontier Town Grows Up With America."  He reports that the Federal Government gave approval for this building as a Post Office when post office buildings were rare in small towns. Most communities with  a population of less than 3000 at that time picked up their mail at a cage in the corner of a merchandise establishment, said Muncy.  It still occupies a place of importance on Arch Street just about a block from downtown Searcy AR, White County.  I really feel proud of this building each time I drive by and I drive by often!  It is largely unchanged and note it has a basement! 09/17/2008

WHAT A CONTRAST BETWEEN JE'ROD AND DICK FULD!  Yesterday I blogged about Dick Fuld and his receiving millions for bankrupting Lehman Brothers.  Today,  I want to honor Je'Rod Cherry, former New England Patriots safety, for his unselfish act of humanity!  What a great guy! In case you haven't watched the news, Je'Rod is raffling off his Super Bowl ring from Super Bowl XXXVI. The proceeds are not going into his pockets. He is giving the proceeds  to help exploited children in Asia and Africa.  Isn't that great?  This wonderful man knows the difference between material things and human lives.  Dick Fuld doesn't have a clue!  Can you imagine the lives that will be affected by his  act of kindness?  A ring on his  finger or touching the lives of children.   Je'Rod has his heart in the right ... 09/17/2008

WHY IS THIS?   He receives millions as a "bonus" for failing an investment bank, one that is over 160 years old.  The largest bankruptcy filed in American history, under the leadership of this man.  There is something not right with this picture.  He receives a "bonus" and the stockholders and 25,000 workers are left holding the bag.  Thank God I don't have Lehman Brothers stock!  But I do feel sorry for those who do. The right thing to do would be for his bonus to be distributed among the workers and stockholders.  Also, he and all those involved, including the auditors, should be held accountable.  We should NOT reward those who do wrong.   America is still struggling through the mortgage crisis and now this!  I don't think the government needs to do a bail out.  Fuld and his cronies ... 09/16/2008

  I posted a picture yesterday and will post it again below.  It was this magnificent mansion in Searcy AR, White County, very near downtown, that was torn down many years ago.  At least I think it was this house.  If not this one, one so similar. Before it was torn down, they held an auction of the things inside.  I went and took my children.  We went all over the house looking at things.  My kids ran up to me and  whispered, "Mom, we found something upstairs that you will love!  Come see!"  So I went to the attic with them and they showed me a portfolio of art work!  I did love it.  I am an artist.  The kids knew I loved art.  So we left it where it was, in dust and grime in the attic and declared that we would stick around and buy it when the auctioneer got to the attic. Hours later ... 09/16/2008

  This house was torn down for progress.  I think there is an apartment complex sitting where this old house used to be.  My Searcy historians can tell me exactly where it was but I believe it was on Center Street.  It shows the fancy architecture that was loved a long time ago. People actually sat on the wrap porches.  This house was the ultimate.  If it were around today, my thinking would be that it is a maintenance nightmare and the fireman would probably think of "fire trap" with all that wood. Our friend Paula took this picture in the 40's for her Girl Scout photography project.  Thanks, Paula! 09/15/2008

This old picture is another treasure and I believe it is also from our girl scout photography project done by Paula.  She took them in the 40's.  To take this she must have climbed up to the top of the Court House.  The view she took shows the old Searcy Bank which we've featured before. What I like best about the picture, however, is the view of the houses barely in the distance.  Little rooftops are everywhere.  House rooftops, not businesses, because Searcy was still a small town and Paula, Don, Ludean, Anita and others could walk downtown at any time!  Notice the Safeway Store.  Note the Stotts Drugstore. 09/13/2008

ARE YOU WORRIED ABOUT THEM?  AFRAID THEY WILL "KILL THE DEAL"?   I offer all my buyers a home inspection.  I don't care if it is an FHA loan, cash, VA, Conventional  or whatever.  NO ONE  leaves my office unless they sign off on a home inspection.  I encourage buyers to get one.  This will tell them things about the home that is not  visible during the showing.  I don't worry about the deal going sour.  If the home has major problems, I don't want my buyers to buy it!  I give my buyers a list of inspectors and they choose the one they want.  I NEVER suggest a particular inspector.  This takes the "monkey" off my back. When we get the report, if there are no major problems, I remind the buyers that we have a repair limit.  Then I suggest they make a list and prioritize the repairs that a... 09/12/2008

I KNOW ALL OF US CAN REMEMBER WHAT WE WERE DOING ON SEPTEMBER 11, 2001.   I can!  I was on my way to Little Rock, with a Realtor friend of mine. We were going to spend the day shopping.  My husband called to tell me what happened.  I could not believe it!  I immediately started praying for the families of the victims.  My husband was frantic because we had to pass the Jacksonville Air Force Base to get home.  He was afraid there could be more terrorist attacks. The cowardly terrorist attacks have changed our nation.  No longer can we feel safe and secure!  We stand in long lines in the airport to pass security.  This is for our own protection, we should all be happy to wait!!  The memory of the towers and Pentagon  falling should be forever etched in our minds.  The brave people who ove... 09/11/2008

  Yesterday was a busy day.  I had no  time to check on my favorite bloggers.  The flea house, which still has fleas, is listed again.  I told them that I'd just put a warning on the door to watch for fleas or spray or wear waders! ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK!  An agent at the office accused me of being a carrier because she found a flea in our workroom!  I then took photos of another property that has ten acres with a barn and an old house that the owner is redoing.  He has some classy looking stuff in the part of the house that he has finished. He intended to make an RV park to house all the people in here doing gas drilling.  Plans have changed and he needs to move on.  (Look at the size of these trees!)  If you know of anyone who wants to invest in an RV park that has a good beginning, l... 09/11/2008

  My memory of the scouts dates way back.  My son wanted to be a scout and he dragged me to a meeting of all interested parents and kids at the beginning of the scout year.  I was a busy person.  I took care of the house, the spouse, the kids, and attended college and worked as a Junior Auxiliary member who had to donate oodles of hours to children's projects. At the meeting the speaker asked how many people had time to be a scout leader.  No hands were raised.  He asked how many of the people had no time to do any scout work and just wanted their kids to be involved.  All hands went up, including mine.  He pounced, "YOU ARE THE ONES WE WANT TO BE SCOUT LEADERS!!  You who are too busy are the ones who balance your time and get things done and are responsible people who make good leaders... 09/08/2008

Paula, my friend who did the photography project for Girl Scouts back in the 40's, photographed what we now call the Person building.  Persons/Quattlebaums have owned it for many years.  It is about a block or two from the court square so it is considered downtown.  I'm going to depend on my friends from Arkansas to give me more of the history of this building and what the sign above the corner entry door said.  I find it interesting that there were quite a few corner doors.  Was there a reason for that?  This building as you can see, is largely unchanged, and may be for sale right now.    09/07/2008

  Time for another photo of downtown Searcy Arkansas.  The First Methodist Church has stood at the end of Arch Stree on Main Street for so many years.  It is shown here on an old post card that was sold at Snowden's, a 5 & 10 store that has been closed for a long time. The church, of course, has continued to grow and stretches out over about one and one/half blocks now.  These two pictures just show what is seen from Arch as you drive toward it.  It has always been a lovely old building. 09/04/2008

Today I received an e-mail that had been forwarded to me.  I normally don't respond to them, but this one caught my attention.  It was a prayer request from Iraq.  Here it is: Prayer request for Gary and Cindy Hogman-don't delete please!  Gary is serving in Iraq while his young wife is fighting cancer here.  THIS COUPLE NEEDS OUR PRAYERS.  PLEASE READ THIS.  IT MUST BE TERRIBLY DIFFICULT TO BE IN IRAQ WITH A SICK WIFE AT HOME! Bobby S. Briggs, MSgt. USAF   823 ESFS/SFOC    Flight Seargeant     BAGHDAD AB, IRAQ Tough times don't last....Tough people do.  My name is Gary Hogman.  Some of you receiving this know me, some do not.  My wife, Cindy, is 32 years old and has just been diagnosed 3 days ago with stage 4 cervical cancer and her chances for survival are very slim.  She was pregnant ... 09/02/2008

  Searcy Arkansas has one of the oldest theaters in Arkansas.  It was built in approximately 1923 and still flashes its Neon sign as busy Race Street passes within a few feet of its ticket window. The theater building is owned by the city of Searcy as it was donated to the city by a prominent family several years ago.  It is now operated by a gentleman who gets to rent it free because he paid about $75,000 of his own funds to renovate the Rialto. It's a win-win situation because the building is not sitting vacant.  Victor Weber runs the theater and charges much less for tickets than the newer Cinema 8 charges.  Example is a ticket for $2 and possibly free popcorn.  Mr. Weber seems to have the theater in his blood and has been in the theater business since 1954. Personally I love having ... 08/31/2008

  What a treat to put up this old picture.  These two ladies worked at a bank in Searcy Arkansas and there was a contest to name the bank.  Reportedly the one on the right won the contest with the name Security Bank.  This lady also is the mother of Anita, who comments on my blogs and gives us additional information about our city. First Security Bank, as it is now named, stretches out over the whole city block but they are restoring this old building to resemble the way it was originally.  I love this picture and it was sent to me by Don and Paula.  So look at this old picture, probably from the 40's, and compare it to the way it is being restored.  And, ladies only, look at the legs.  The legs appear to be housed in cotton stockings.  They probably sagged and that's why the ladies fel... 08/30/2008