About Searcy's Old Searcy Arkansas

Driving around Searcy and admiring some of the old buildings, you're apt to come upon this one. It is located near downtown at 308 E Market and is one active business location today.

It's known now as Strother-Wilbourn Land Title Company but previously was known as the Lattimer House. I'll have to call on my Searcy history experts to tell me who the Lattimers were.

The Strothers did most of the title searches in White County for years. Several years ago Jim Wilbourn became the owner and he still does the majority of title searches in our area. He also bought the great old house and has kept it in pristine condition, preserving our history.

Here's another great picture of old Searcy Arkansas. I've never seen this picture before and had no idea that there was once a converted railroad car located at the corner of West Race and Pine Streets. This picture was sent to me by Don Thompson who says he loved eating there because they had the very best BBQ sandwiches and pecan pie.

Don also says that one of the ladies at the entrance is Anita Fuller's mother, Corrine Hart. Don and Anita are frequent contributors to this blog! Thanks to both of you. Now hopefully, we can get a little more information about this eating establishment.

I've posted lots of old pictures of our little town, Searcy Arkansas during the past few months. Lots of them were taken by Paula Anne when she was a Girl Scout and had a photography project to take care of.

Pictures that she took then and she probably considered useless but Mom and Dad thought were wonderful because their little girl took them are now treasures. I'm going to repeat one of my favorite pictures of her as a little girl when she won the camera. She's the tall girl in the background.

Yesterday she and her husband Don visited me at my office and he, being the greatest photographer now, snapped the two of us together. They love the history of our town and regularly contribute with comments on the Localism blogs. Thanks, Paula Anne and Don for your contributions to Searcy's history and my blog!

The White County Historical Society of White County has put out their third or fourth cookbook. It is fun to look through and has some great old pictures of White County. While looking through it, I read this story about Fried Fish and Turtle Meat by Walter Wisdom, now deceased. It's on pages 221 and 222 of the cookbook.

One beautiful morning a large crowd of us had gathered at the Wait's Place on Cypress Creek. We had all scattered out fishing. Father was getting a little old but he would go along with me with a sack for me to put my fish in. He also carried a turtle hook he had made from an iron rod.

I was working around a large cypress tree that had some roots with holes in them and was catching some good fish. Thee was a large hole in the tree about waist high.

I found out there was an opening under water that went into the hollow tree so decided I would get inside.

I was catching fish about as fast as I could sack them when all of a sudden my head began to swim, or so I thought. I was on the back of the largest turtle I had ever encountered.

I had to call some of the fishermen for help. Someone using the hook located the head and, after some time, got the hook in the turtle's mouth.

With a lot of help they pulled the head into the hole in the tree far enough to chop it off with an axe. The head was as large as an average man's head. Then we had a lot of work getting the rest of the turtle out of the tree and to camp.

Cutting a turtle's head off won't kill it. This turtle lived several hours without a head and would walk around the camp with as many as three kids standing on its back. The shell was about 24x28 inches long. I don't remember how they finally killed it but some of the men who loved turtle meat dressed it out and divided it.

What a story! And what a tragedy! That turtle must have been eons old. And what a sad thing to think of it being ridden headless by kids! But people needed to eat back then and anything was game. On page 223 the book tells how to cook a turtle in case you catch one.

I'm borrowing this turtle picture from Charles Buell's blog because it must be similar to the deceased turtle from this story.

This picture brings back so many memories, doesn't it?

Remember when as a child you really wanted something for Christmas that might just materialize under the tree on Christmas morning and you knew your parents had sacrificed to get it for you and you loved it all year long?

Remember when you could play outside without worrying about someone kidnapping you?

Remember wearing little hats? Most hats covered the ears. These girls must be dressed up! Remember when your mom would insist that you wear your coat outside so you wouldn't catch cold?

Remember when you lived in town but the houses were still far apart with big yards like this one in the background?

Remember the simplicity of a baby stroller that would look like this doll buggy? Remember no car seats to lug around? Your arm was the protection for the child as you drove and the child was standing in the front seat?

Personally, I remember this house in the background. A few years ago, the estate sold it and I was chosen as the listing agent. I was estatic! I'd always wanted to go in the sturdy old brick house that had so much charm!

That house worked me to death! EVERYONE in Searcy Arkansas and White County wanted to see that house also. I had to show it and show it and show it. Most were not interested in buying it; they just wanted to see it! We finally sold it to a person who loved old houses and he has put houses around it but kept the original look of the house. I'm pleased about that.

If anyone knows the identity of these two lovely little girls, speak up!