Way Down South in Dixie: Arkansas - Page 3

photoLith · #41 Posted **Jul 27, 2011, 4:09 PM**

They tear them down because most of the people who inhabit these towns don't appreciate history and are ignorant of historic preservation programs and or sell the bricks for new developments. The bricks of these amazing old buildings are worth quite a bit and these areas are hardcore economically depressed so they go for a quick monetary gain and destroy the towns history while doing so. It's really sad but there are a few towns like Jonesboro and el dorado that have embraced historic preservation, mainly because those are the few towns that aren't dying. But most small towns in eastern and southern Arkansas are dying a slow painful death.

rbourne520 · #42 Posted **Dec 18, 2012, 12:39 AM**

Russellville is working on plans for a modern downtown facelift somewhat similar to Jonesboro and maybe Tempe, AZ. I'm sorry you didn't feel at home there. I was born and raised there so I guess I have a different perspective. I do enjoy and appreciate your images of there and of the rest of Arkansas. See here: http://www.rivervalleyleader.com/content/plan-downtown

and

http://www.rivervalleyleader.com/con...pairs-underway

you can search the website for more news on it if you're interested. At least one thing downtown Russellville has going for it that most of the other little towns you've visited is that most of the buildings have functioning and some thriving businesses. It's by far, not a ghost town. It's not a dying town. The population continues to grow. Probably wouldn't hurt for you to revisit Russellville again sometime with a bit of a different perspective. How about another book you're doing that has some voices of the residents; old and young?

Expat · #43 Posted **Dec 19, 2012, 12:19 AM**

Sometimes sad & pathetic, but impossible not to look.

MSP · #44 Posted **Dec 20, 2012, 1:13 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by flar

Awesome documentation

When I was young, there was a Ben Franklin store in downtown Marine City, MI. As kids, we used to cross the river to go there for candy. Don't know if it was part of this chain of stores.

Ben Franklin was also in the Minneapolis area too when I was growing up....

Thanks for the interesting pics. My roomate is from Arkansas, he has lots of stories to tell about the place...

AJW · #45 Posted **Dec 28, 2012, 10:33 PM**

There's a mythical quality to America's southern states. Arkansas is certainly no exception. Great tour!

DetroitSky · #46 Posted **Dec 29, 2012, 4:25 AM**

This is an amazing thread!

Dale · #47 Posted **Dec 29, 2012, 4:58 AM**

My wife is from Augusta.

Also, IMO, Black Oak Arkansas birthed the greatest guitarist who ever lived, the late Shawn Lane.

MolsonExport · #48 Posted **Dec 29, 2012, 10:03 PM**

H-a-u-n-t-i-n-g-!

kcexpress69 · #49 Posted **Dec 29, 2012, 10:33 PM**

A very excellent photothread..grit and all.. of Arkansas. Nice work as always. Loved the courthouse picture. Obviously I need a better camera to get shots like that.

MolsonExport · #50 Posted **Dec 30, 2012, 3:52 AM**

I had to come back for a third helping of this thread.

urbanactivist · #51 Posted **Jan 2, 2013, 8:28 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by photoLith

I dont remember where this was, somewhere around Searcy getting closer to Little Rock sort of.

Judsonia?? It's like right outside of Searcy. Been years since I've been there, but I do remember the tower right in downtown, and a neat stone church that's not in the picture.

Native Arkansan here. Is the book entirely about Arkansas?

urbanpln · #52 Posted **Jan 2, 2013, 11:19 PM**

Man! What a great set.

photoLith · #53 Posted **Jan 2, 2013, 11:26 PM**

Unfortunately, I never finished the book since I wasnt in Arkansas long enough to see everything I wanted to put in it. Maybe someday Ill get back there and finish seeing some of the towns I missed.

sleepy · #54 Posted **Jan 17, 2013, 6:20 AM**

Thanks for this thread.

I grew up in Memphis, but my mom grew up in a tiny town a couple miles north of Newport.

As a little kid I remember duck hunting in that area, and going to downtown Newport in the late 50s and 60s when it was a functioning downtown.

You might be interested in some of the musical history of the Newport area. It's pretty rich in rock n roll history. Highway 67 north out of Newport had a few famous clubs back in the mid/late 50s when rockabilly was getting started.

http://raicesdelsonido.blogspot.com/...ighway-67.html

"The history sprang from the nightclubs and honky tonks which lined the highway in the 50’s and 60’s. Rock and Roll pioneers such as Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, Roy Orbison, and Sonny Burgess were among the greatest entertainers to frequent the highway venues."

They have a festival there:

http://www.depotdays.org/

I should add--John Grisham wrote an excellent novel/memoir about growing up in the northeast Arkansas Delta--"The Painted House".

photoLith · #55 Posted **Jun 28, 2013, 7:58 PM**

Sorry it took me so long to respond but I actually went to a rock and roll blues fest in Newport. People tend to forget that the delta region of Arkansas is the cradle of blues music in America. Northeast arkansas today though is one of the most economically depressed regions in the United States, it's really sad.