About Searcy's Old Searcy Arkansas

These pictures are like a Norman Rockwell painting. Rockwell could have made a great magazine cover. It would show very deserving small-town soldiers visiting home and posing beside the bank. He'd have put in the weeds growing beside the sidewalk, the car in the background, the wrinkles in the uniforms, and even the cracks in the street.

My dad, at my wedding, wore his tie poked into the shirt like these guys. He never wore a tie but when he put one on for the big night, I was quite frankly mortified. Evidently, according to these guys, it was a fashion during WWII, for which my father was drafted. I'd never seen such a fashion.

Rockwell would have made the sign in the back readable. I'll have to depend on Searcy Arkansas historians to tell me what the sign said. They can also name the guys if they know them.

This picture is showing our queen of Searcy, Corrine Hart, who grew up in Searcy and helped Searcy grow up. She lived to be over 100. She is Anita Fuller's mother and Anita supplied this photo.

Where is she posing? I think it is the statue that is on the Court Square. I went there today and took a picture of Searcy as it is today. I got the statue seat, the lamp and possibly the three windowed building in the background.

I'll wait for my Searcy experts to tell me whether I'm right or not. This picture shows the South side of the Court Square.

The lamp post certainly looks similar.

It's great to go in and explore the history of Searcy in White County Arkansas.

I can almost see Corrine sitting on this pedestal and flinging her purse on the pedestal also.

Seems as if Security Bank, which is now First Security Bank, was a lovely building where lots of photos were taken. First Security Bank in Searcy Arkansas has just remodeled this bank to look original as in these pictures.

These two ladies are posing at the same spot.

The first lady below in the fur coat (which we're afraid to wear now) is unknown unless some of my readers can identify her. Notice the old city lamp post reflected in her picture. Reportedly these antiques were later on sold and replaced with more modern ones. What's that thing under the lamp post?

The second lady is our famous Corrine Hart, Anita Fuller's mother, who lived to be 100 and actually suggested the name Security Bank. Notice at the end of the street is First Methodist Church, a landmark and still in existence

Of interest to the fashion conscious, note the shoes.....almost the same.....gotta have fashion just as we have today! And the skirts then had to be the same length to be in style.

Notice the title says the house is "going away." That is better than saying "being torn down."

I've always felt that this big old house located on the very edge of Highway 16 North (1105 N Maple Street) was a mystery house. It stood starkly and was empty of people, shrubs, fences or anything to make it look occupied. It was just there, a landmark. I always wanted to go inside and find out it's history and mystery.

It was always too close to the highway. Even when the highway was a little two-lane one.

Driving past it today, my old heart flipped again. It's going down! Someone is tearing it down! I hate that!!

But what does that sign on the front say? It says that it is being moved! And saved!

Steve Ghent is a builder in our town who loves history and saving historic homes. He will move it someplace where it will fit in and have a new life.

While being happy that it was to be restored and I didn't have to do the old "Another one bites the dust," I started looking at the construction.

Look at the boards! Real boards! Where's the wiring?

The house was built in 1937. Evidently it had absolutely no insulation in the walls.

Times are changing....have changed....will change more!! And even though I liked to see this old house, I wouldn't trade my super energy efficient house for this one. Green is the way to go!!

Here's a historic view of West Arch Street in Searcy Arkansas. Notice the building on the right was under construction. Notice the streets look like mud! Looks like a wagon with passengers heading West. On the South side you can see a Drug Store sign and that must have been Stotts which is still in existence.

And look at all those poles! Telephone poles, light poles, poles to hold up awnings!

This picture should make us appreciate how thing have changed. When we feel like griping about a pothole, remember this picture. Also look at our lovely areas where the utilities are all underground.

A second view shows the street in the 50's.