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

Comparing the old with the new in Searcy AR, White County, is interesting.  Here's another shot of yesteryear vs. today. In the old photo, the old Security Bank is on the left and the building in the background is Lee Biggs old office building.  It still is, as a matter-of-fact.  But the upstairs has changed.  It has become private living quarters for a Searcy couple who also has a home in Little Rock and Aspen and no telling where else! Living upstairs in downtown Searcy may become very fashionable as more of the old buildings are renovated.   08/26/2008

  Some of you have said you like my old photos and I'm glad.  Some have said to give us the present to compare with the old.  I am doing that today.  First Security Bank used to look like the picture below.  It was added on and covered over many times during the years.  Now it is being restored to some of its former majesty.  It's on the court square and the first picture is courtesy of Paula, who took it as a photography project for the Girl Scouts in the 40's. I like the way it is looking.  08/25/2008

Years ago the ice-man came to your house.  He'd have blocks of ice on a wagon or some vehicle and he'd lift those blocks into your refrigerator (ice box)  which had a place for ice storage.  You could buy probably 25, 50 or 100 lb. chunks. (Correct me if I'm wrong, Anita or Don.) Here'a a picture of the ice plant taken by Paula for a Girl Scout's project in photography.  It's the place where the ice was frozen.  What there was for coal I don't know.  I never remember anyone delivering coal to anyone in the South but that's probably because I only knew wood-burning fireplaces.  The ice plant was located on Woodruff Street at the back side of Spring Park.  It is gone now.    08/24/2008

Last year I had communication from someone who wanted to move from Baltimore to the country.  They decided to look at Searcy after doing extensive searches on the internet. First trip they just looked around and went back to place their house on the market. Then they came back with the intent to buy!  Lucky me!  We found them a house in a beautiful part of the country with a basement!!  We don't have basements in this area.  Only foolish people build houses with basements in the south.  And this house with a basement wouldn't sell because it had a basement.  Southerners know better. They knew and loved basements so it was just waiting for them.  They bought it, left Baltimore and settled in our area.  They still come to see me.  He calls me Mom and she and I go out to eat and catch up.... 08/23/2008

On my way to work, I thought I saw birds on the power line.  Look again!  Not birds.  Shoes!  Two pairs of shoes wrapped around the power line.  Little brat kids have been throwing shoes up in the air! BUT THEN....BUT THEN....I started thinkin'.....little brat kids playing outside!!  HOORAY!! They got away from the computer games, the TV, and actually played outdoors.  I can even hear them. "MMMOMMMM. Brother threw my tennis shoes onto the power line!"  Mom, "Brother, what did you do that for!" Brother, "I didn't mean to.  I just threw them in the air and they landed there.  I couldn't help it."  ______________________________________________ Next day, sister spends half a day throwing brother's shoes up into the air with shoe strings tied together and finally succeeds in hanging them ... 08/22/2008

I got a call from a sweet little lady to list her home.  She has moved to an assisted living home, but she is in the independent section.  She doesn't need any assistance, she gets along just fine by her self. She drives and does her own cooking.  THE FUNNY THING IS,  SHE IS 93 YEARS OLD, LOOKS YEARS YOUNGER AND HAS A GREAT ATTITUDE.  THAT IS HOW I WANT TO BE,  IF I LIVE THAT LONG! She is a retired school teacher, an avid reader, works crossword puzzles and is a very smart lady.  I think keeping an active mind is a big plus in how we age.  She is a very remarkable person.  I knew her daughter from high school and she told her mother to call me.  Her daughter was one of the most beautiful girls in school.  As she was showing me her home we had the best time!  She went from room to room, ... 08/21/2008

    This great old photo of Searcy AR comes from the White County Historical Society collection of photos.  It dates back to 1900 and also looks like a photo from an old Western movie.  This quote below is from the WCHS explanation of the photo. This scene is from approximately 1900, when Gem Café operated on the southwest corner of Spring and Center in Searcy. Directly behind the café, Giles Walker had the City Meat Market. And, as the giant sign on the side of the building proclaims, Cokes were only a nickel. The name at the top of the front of the building is "O.W. James." At least four chimneys can be counted. The streetlight dangling from the wires overhead appears crude but was probably very effective. Note the onlookers in the upstairs windows, which obviously had no screens. Aft... 08/20/2008

Everyone loved Andy Griffith's Mayberry.  Everyone loved Opie and Aunt Bee and Otis and Barney and the whole cast.  Searcy, Arkansas is a lot like Mayberry.  We have folks who love each other and care about the town and about morals and doing the right thing.  If you get your hair cut, you learn about the whole town and what is going on.  Our police chief is just as handsome as Andy Griffith.    And we have our own Little Opie.  He's sitting here watching the town go by!  OR....he may be waiting for the postman to pick him up.  The flag is up which means pick up the mail!!  And, yes, we do have a Barney!    08/17/2008

I have been glued to the tv set, watching this incredible swimmer! He is like a fish in the water!  HE HAS WON EIGHT GOLD MEDALS, BREAKING MARK SPITZ RECORD OF SEVEN!!! Michael is 23 years old and hails from Baltimore, Maryland.  His mother, Debbie, is the light of his life.  It was so refreshing to see a young man, after each event, find his mother to hug her.  Girls, take note, you can tell what kind of a husband a guy will be by the way he treats his mother.  Michael does not take all the credit himself for the gold.  The relay team nailed his last medal.  He was quick to say that they were a team.  I think Michael is not only a swimmer, but a very nice guy.  GOOD JOB, MICHAEL!  WE ARE SO PROUD OF YOU!!         www.http://maryjpaul.com   08/17/2008

IT DOESN'T MEAN IT WAS PRICED TOO LOW!  When a Realtor does the comps for your property, that is where it needs to be priced.  If you get a quick offer, it only means that someone was looking for a property like yours and snatched it up when it became available.  The buyers may have been looking for six months. I recently had a quick low offer on some acreage, the seller countered.  The buyer then countered with a respectable offer and I advised the seller to take it.  He said, "It hasn't been on the market long enough and I don't want to leave any money on the table."  I replied, "It is your call, but remember, not everyone can pay cash, yes cash, for that amount."  We countered and the buyer did not respond.  About two weeks later I get a call from the seller asking if I would let the... 08/17/2008