On the Lookout

As I travel Arkansas highways

there are certain things that I like to look for

courthouses,

historic buildings,

and

ghost signs.

To find these things it means getting off the main thoroughfare and finding the historic downtown streets. In most Arkansas towns that's not too hard at all. Occasionally Jerry and I take a trip to satisfy my craving for all things old. I'm so grateful on these hot summer days that he's willing to keep the car cool while I hop out and take a few pictures.

I'm not a big fan of modern architecture with it's steel and glass. I love old brick buildings. I love the designs they made by carefully placing bricks. Sometimes I find one really unusual like this pharmacy. I've never seen the pharmaceutical sign made out of bricks.

DeQueen, AR

I like the architecture on top of this building; the curved canopy and parapet which is decorated with brick piers that are topped with rounded concrete caps. It was built around 1902 for the First National Bank of Lewisville. Later it was home to legal offices and title companies. It's know as the King-Whatley Building.

Lewisville, AR

My heart skips a beat or two when I spot old ghost signs, which are advertising signs painted years ago on brick walls. I found several this trip, twenty-eight in only six cities. Among my favorite are the Coca-Cola signs. There's just something nostalgic about Coca-Cola signs. It brings back childhood memories of ice cold glass bottles of Coke on a hot summer afteroon. That was something rare to us. We mostly drank Kool-Aid.

Camden, AR

Sanitary meat anyone? It's a shame someone broke out part of the bricks to insert an air conditioner. Couldn't they find a better place? Like the back maybe?

Stamps, AR

Lewisville, AR

For some reason I vividly remember all the advertising for Dr. Tichenor's formula. Although you can barely read it, the advertisement below is for Dr. Tichenor's which could be bought at Lafayette Drug Company. I got a little curious and googled his name. George Humphrey Tichenor was a Kentucky-born physician who introduced antiseptic surgery while in the service of the Confederate States of America. He was very loyal to the South and would not let his antisepetic be used on soldiers from the North. His medicine consisted of alcohol, oil of peppermint, and arnica. The company is still in existence although the recommended uses are as a mouthwash and topical antiseptic.

Lewisville, AR

Lewisville, AR

My favorite find of this trip was a small library in Ashdown, AR. The public library is housed in what looked to be some type of old garage. Note the large garage door on the left. As you can see they tried very hard to make their library attractive. The murals of popular books were painted on all four sides by artist Art Pelcher. I regret that I didn't take the effort to take better pictures of the library. These where shot out of the car window. I was tired, very tired and very hot. I just couldn't get out of the car again!

Ashdown, AR

This trip was to southwest Arkansas.

Next trip will be to the northeast.

Wonder what I'll find there?