Another house gone.I wasn't surprised when I drove by this house a few days ago and saw that it was being taken down.  It has been in bad condition for a long time.....probably not livable.  But it was the subject of a blog or two because of its rumored history.  The address is 407 E Vine and it was once a part of the house on the West side of it (410 N Oak) thus I called it half a house.The bigger part of the house is in beautiful condition and when they were originally  combined the two were located facing Race Street on the corner of N Oak and E Race.  They were moved back so that a newer house could be built.  It is still there and is called The Watkins House.Here is the way it looked earlier.  The courthouse said it was built in 1915.  The other part of it was built in 1890 says th... 11/28/2021

1980 Ad Judsonia  White County RecordWho remembers "tanning?"  I do.  And not so pleasantly because I never tanned well and I'd see all my friends sitting in the sun getting wonderful tans.  Then along came these things shown above in the picture in the ad.  I don't remember ever using them but lots of people did.  Then along came "spray tanning," a new easy adventure.  I only know about this because of my commenting on someone's lovely tan and the person with me said, "Oh, she gets a spray tan."  What!  Another new way to receive a tan?  There may be other ways.What I liked about this picture was the location!  RIGHT ACROSS FROM EL CHARRO!  Now everyone remembers El Charro, probably Searcy's first Mexican type restaurant, and it was so popular and so loved that they used it in this new... 11/19/2021

John Marshall (Royal Navy) was born in Ramsgate, Kent, Great Britain back in 1748.  When he was ten-years-old he became an apprentice sailor and spent his life at sea.  During the American Revolutionary Way from 1778 to 1783 he saw action serving in the Royal Navy.  By 1788, he was captain of the Scarborough, a ship of the First Fleet taking convicts from England to Botany Bay in New South Wales.  Afterwards to sailed from Australia to China charting previously unknow island including the Gilbert Islands while in route to Canton.  During his second voyage transporting convicts to Australia in 1790, many of them were in poor health and did not survive the voyage.  During the Napoleonic Wars of 1803-1815 as captain of the ship Diana he was severely wounded by an attack of a French private... 10/31/2021

 Historic Mayfair Hotel in Searcy AR is almost 100 years old.And I had the pleasure of a short guided tour today.  The picture above shows the Mayfair as it is today.  The town has grown up around it and its charm is still there.  I have done several blogs about it in the past.  I'll try to list some of them at the bottom of this blog so be sure to pull them up and read the comments.  Searcy Sleuths always provide so much information.This small sign was in the owner's office and he reported that it has been there since the hotel first operated.  It is more like a reminder for departing guests.  In the owner's office was this framed picture of the way it used to look.  It was built in 1924.  I have seen postcards of this view but not a large one.....possibly the original.....like this on... 10/26/2021

Marcellus Neal was born in Lebanon, Tennessee back in 1868.  Shortly after his birth the family moved to Greenfield, Indiana.  He excelled academically in high school graduating with distinction.  His high school academic record earned him a scholarship to Indiana University enrolling in the fall of 1891.During his time at college he was a member of the Married Folks’ Club.  After graduation, he did graduate work, held short-term teaching jobs and traveled, spending time in Europe and Canada.  He served as head of the science department at Washington High School in Dallas, Texas for nearly twenty-five years.  he left Dallas and moved to Chicago, Illinois where he worked at a Civil Service job.  On October 20, 1939, he was struck by a car in a hit and run, he later died of his injuries, ... 10/24/2021

Memories!  You want memories!  We have found them!Let's assume you went to school in White County AR sometime from about 1950 to 1974.  W. E. Orr, from Judsonia, was instrumental in beginning and continuing a White County Girls' Basketball Tournament during those years.  It was called "The South's Most Spectacular Cage Tournament" with a new program made up each year. His daughter, Fonda McCarty,  has a wealth of not-used and saved programs from those years.  Go right now to That's Judsonia on facebook and find her comment and pictures about the programs.  Click here. She is selling the old memory books for $1 each!  They are SO interesting.  I was fortunate to have a few given to me earlier by friends and I treasure them and have done several blogs about the girls' teams that participa... 10/17/2021

Francis Marion was born in Berkeley County, South Carolina back in 1732.  When he was 15, he was hired on a ship bound for the West Indies, the ship never made it as it sank, but the crew escaped on a lifeboat.  He began his military career shortly before his 25th birthday to serve in the French and Indian War.In 1776, the Continental Congress commissioned Francis a captain in the 2nd South Carolina Regiment.  by 1776, he was a lieutenant colonel taking part in the siege of Savannah.  In 1780, he joined Major General Horatio Gates.  Gates sent Francis towards the interior to gather intelligence on the British Army.  The British Army hated Francis (more on that later).  They sent Colonel Banastre Tarleton out to either capture or kill Francis because of his fighting techniques.  It was T... 10/17/2021

Benjamin Clayton Black House in Searcy ARFound!  Another old newspaper clipping that has interesting history about the house.  Problem?  No date.Solution?  I checked Google to see when it was placed on the Historic Register and found that it was done on 11-20-1974.  That still does not date the article but helps with reading it.  And please do read it.  It gives some history about the Benjamin Clayton Black family.  Once your interest has been revived, travel to the house and visit it.  It is now our art gallery and is open certain hours, owned by the city and needs attention.  For another view of it (when it was a real estate office)  Click here   10/12/2021

Quilting BeeHere's a fun picture that was clipped and saved by someone in the past.  These Searcy ladies (who have no names except through husbands and we've complained about this in other blogs) are on the porch of the old house located in Pioneer Village in Searcy.  They have on period dress and are named.  It has no date saved so we can only guess about the time.  The one called Mrs. Jim Wilson is actually my sister-in-law with the nice name of Barbara and she was a Duncan before becoming Mrs. Wilson.  Some folks have said to me, "I know Barbara Duncan."  and they sorta disbelieve that I am now Barbara Duncan.  Look through them and see if you remember the ladies or the affair. 10/06/2021

Homemade Hammer?  Weapon?I stumbled across this the other day at my own home!  Has it been here forever? Did it come from one of my daughter's estate sales?  A gift from above for my protection?  I don't know but it is definitely interesting.  It is definitely made by hand by some person who needed a tool.It looks old and weathered and perhaps the scraped bark was to keep the hand of the user from bruising.  Looks like a tiny hole with perhaps a nail to keep the handle secure is on both sides. Searcy Sleuths may be able to add info.........  10/02/2021

 Silver Dining Car in BackgroundA few days ago we did a blog with a picture of a 1940's parade in Searcy AR.  In the background of that blog (click to see) were some old buildings that included our still existing Legion Hut and two other businesses.  This picture shows the buildings in better detail.  You can see the shorter one and it is called Silver Dining Car, Ralph's Place.  It was so like one that was in another blog that we need to show it to you also.  Click here to see it. In it we see Corinne Hart and her friend at the door.  When you go to it you MUST read the comments that tell all about the diners and where they were.  Some great Searcy Sleuths told us all about them back in 2008 when we started doing some blogs.In this picture I wonder what the cover on the car represented... 09/28/2021

1890 Built Kerr-Booth home on West CenterIt is worth a drive by to see the new look of a Searcy AR historic home.  The home is located at 611 W Center and sold recently.  It is on the Historic Register of Homes and is Victorian in style, located on a shaded (as this picture shows) corner with a big porch and a sidewalk.  Modern houses may not need huge porches but they could sure use more sidewalks in our subdivisions.Lots more pictures and information can be found at facebook Kerr-Booth House.  Try going there. https://www.facebook.com/611WestCenter/ 09/26/2021

Thomas Mapother IV was born in Syracuse, New York back in 1962 to Thomas and Mary.  He spent his childhood in Canada before moving to Beacon Hill, Ottawa where he attended the Robert Hopkins Public School.  He returned to the United States when he was in the sixth grade.  He attended the St. Francis Seminary in Cincinnati, Ohio. The family moved again and he graduated from Glen Ridge High School in Glen Ridge, New Jersey.When he was 18, he moved to New York City to pursue an acting career.  That didn’t work out so he moved to Los Angeles to try out for a television role.  He first landed some minor roles but his first lead was in 1985.  If I named the films you would know who I’m writing about immediately, so I’m avoiding that.  He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.  He has three... 09/24/2021

Belle Aurelia Babb was born in Benton Township, Iowa back in 1846 to Miles and Mary.  Her father left for California in 1850, where he was superintendent of the Bay State Mining Company, where he was killed in the collapse of a mining tunnel in 1852.  After her father’s death the family moved to Mount Pleasant, Iowa where the children attended the local schools.In 1862, she attended the Iowa Wesleyan College.  As the men were leaving to fight in the Civil War, universities were admitting women students, then hiring them as teachers.  She graduated as valedictorian in just three years.After graduation, she taught school at Des Moines Conference Seminary in Indianola, Iowa for a year.  She returned to Mount Pleasant to marry her college sweetheart John.  She taught college at Wesleyan fol... 09/23/2021

 Chubbys Sandwich ShopWho remembers this?  Chubbys Sandwich Shop, with address of 2801 E Race, Searcy AR.   This advertisement was in the 1978 Harding College yearbook and I don't remember it.I checked to see what is located there today.  The location is at the entrance to Cloverdale Subdivision and now has First Community Bank on the corner.It looks interesting so do any of you Searcy Sleuths remember it or anything about it? P. S.  Are you aware of the huge controversy going on right now regarding the sign on S Main welcoming folks to Obecity USA?  The name Chubbys  might not be a good one for the present time!  09/22/2021

George William Manby was born in Denver, Norfolk, England back in 1765 to Matthew and Mary.  He was educated at the Free Grammar School in King’s Lynn.  He volunteered to fight in the American War of Independence at 17.  He was rejected due to his youth, instead he was sent to the Royal Military Academy in Woolwich.  In 1788, he was commissioned as a Lieutenant in the Cambridgeshire Militia reaching the rank of captain before resigning in 1793.  He married the daughter of Reverend Preston but left her in 1801 after being shot by her lover moving to Clifton, Bristol.  In 1807, he witnessed a Royal Navy ship carrying French prisoners run aground killing 214 people including women and children.  With that embedded in his mind he invented a mortar call the Manby Mortar.  It fired a thin rop... 09/22/2021

Effa Louise Manley was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania back in 1897 to John and Bertha.  She graduated from Penn Central High School.  After graduation is worked in the hat making business.  She married Abe in 1935 after meeting him at a New York Yankees game.  Abe owned and operated the Newark Eagles in Newark, New Jersey.She took over the day-to-day operation of the team, arranged playing schedules, planned the team’s travel, managed and me the payroll, bought equipment, negotiated contracts and handled publicity and promotions.  By the spring of 1981 her health had deteriorated to the point that she could no longer live in her apartment. She had colon cancer which progressed into the peritonitis after surgery.  She never recovered and died in 1981. Don Tate wrote a children’s book... 09/21/2021

Abdul Malik was born in South Surma, British India back in 1929 to Molvi and Syeda.  He attended the Sylhet Government Pilot High School in 1947.  After graduation he was admitted to the Dhaka Medical College passing in 1954 with a MBBS. In 1955, he joined the Pakistan Army Medical Corps.  He continued his education at the Royal College of Physicians and at the Hammersmith Hospital, his Post Graduate Medical School, London.  He returned to Pakistan in 1966.  In 1966, he established the first cardiac unit in Pakistan at the Military Hospital, Rawalpindl.  He served as Professor of Cardiology at the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University from 1970-78. In 1978, he founded the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Dhaka.  He worked there as director cum professor until 1989, t... 09/20/2021

Joy Mangno was born in Brooklyn, New York back in 1956.  As a teenager she began working at an animal hospital in Huntington, New York.  She dreamed up a fluorescent flea collar to keep pets safe.  She graduated from Pace University with a degree in business administration in 1978.  After graduation she had a variety of jobs, including a waitress, an airline reservations manager while raising her three children.  She is alive and well from what I’ve read.  What you may not know about Joy is that she is also an inventor.  She holds 71 patents and 126 patent publications.  Maybe you’ve heard about a few of them, I’ll save the best one for last, so let’s go.  Huggable Hangers, Forever Fragrant, Clothes It All Luggage System, Performance Platforms, Comfort & Joy Textiles, Shades readers and... 09/19/2021

Theodore Harold Maiman was born in Los Angeles, California back in 1927 to Abraham and Rose.  Still a youngster the family moved to Denver, Colorado.  In his teens he earned money by repairing electric appliances and radios.  At 17 he was employed as a junior engineer with the National Union Radio Company.During World War II he served in the United States Navy.  After being discharged, he earned a B.S. in engineering physics from the University of Colorado, Boulder.  He continued his education at Stanford University earning a M.S. in electrical engineering in 1951 and a Ph.D. in physics in 1955.  In 1956, he started working for the Atomic Physics Department of Hughes Aircraft Company.  he died in 2007, he was 79.What you may not know about Theodore is that he was also an inventor.  In 1... 09/18/2021