Mississippi County's Best Kept Secret--The Museum in Osceola

"On June 20, 1901, Mr. Fred G. Patterson purchased the lot where the 1902 Fred G. Patterson Store Building sits on, for the sum of $250.00. This area of town was referred to a 'New Town'. After two years of successful business in 'New Town' Osceola, Mr. Patterson purchased the adjoining lot #4 from W. H. and Lou Pullen, also for the sum of $250.00, paid in cash on April 18, 1904. . . .In 1904, he moved the Fred G. Patterson Store into his new building. . . .used as the Patterson Dry Good Store until 1987. . . ."

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"Miss Lonetta Patterson made a gift of the 1902-1904 buildings to the Mississippi County Historical & Genealogical Society on November 21, 1993 in memory of Henry J. Patterson. By her request, these buildings will always be used for a Historical Center, not just a museum. Permanent exhibits are on display for the enjoyment of the citizens of Mississippi County and the American public."

Did you know about this museum in Osceola?

They have a wealth of information on Mississippi County, Arkansas

and the displays are a delight--taking you back to the early 20th Century,

when life was a lot different from today.

It's a wonderful resource for all Mississippi County residents,
as well as those interested in our Delta Heritage.

The admission cost couldn't be better. . . .It's free!

See and learn about the museum itself, as well as life in the Delta. . . .

Use their resources for genealogy research. . . .

Learn about the Mighty Mississippi
and how it affected the development of our county. . .

In addition, each month the museum focuses on a special topic. . . .

This month of March is Women's History Month,

Where. . . .

I was very honored to be included for our work
at the Widner-Magers Farm Historic District, north of Dell.

John and I spent several hours this week at the Mississippi County Museum and highly recommend it to everyone. It's Mississippi County's best kept secret. . . .but, we want to get the word out! So, hop in your car and get over there! You'll find the folks are friendly, knowledgeable and brimming over with that southern Delta charm.

Open: Monday-Friday, 10:00-4:00 p.m.

Visit their website at: 

Mississippi Country Museum

Email:

mshgsosceola@gmail.com

Phone:

870-563-6161

Some Personal Memories from Elaine

I recently had an interesting email from Elaine. . . Her Dad was from Tomato, but they lived for a time in the Half Moon area. . . .

"Daddy was from Tomato! He and Mamma met in IL.  A tornado blew our home down in 1963 so  we packed up and came to Arkansas. I stared googled eyed thru the windows as we passed the fields watching them blazing with fire.  They were buring off what remained from the wheat for the cattel to be feed during winter as we went under the arch leaving Missouri entering Arkansas; Steele!!!  I shall always have that vision in my mind. 

We stayed with my daddy's sister, Aunt Eddy and my beloved Uncle Audie Dunham of Tomato, Arkansas!!!  As we crossed over that levy and I saw house built on those tall stilts; oh, my my---   "MAMA!!!"    "What, child?"  "What's that? Why are those house's on stick's" I cried ever so confused...   "Honey, the farm land is so rich here you see."   Well, that may be;  but in my mind I all ways figured personally I would rather get up a bit earlier and ride further to live in a home that didn't flood every winter. Back then people had respect, looked out for one another, had Barn-raisers etc.  Didn't lock their doors - left widows open for the fresh air and breezes..... oh, well;  I'm suppose to be focus on Halfmoon and Dell so rein me back now please;

When first arriving in Arkansas we stayed in Tomato, rented in Blytheville, my parents purchased a home in Blytheville and then---Daddy and Mamma purchased two houses from an Urban Renewal Program and had them toted out in the soybean fields; set them just so apart and joined them making two rooms that connecting BINGO a HOME!!!  Now a new problem  what "district" did we belong {what word applies --- preplexing now } Today I still do not know WHAT where that property was called, Half-moon.  Judy Freeman lived with her Aunt, Larry Buck was on my bus route and Johnny Sikes was accoss the cotton field.  When I got off the Gosnell Bus and crossed the wooded bridge, walked infront of their hog/pig pen; my brother and I would stop and used our thorat and tounges to "Oiank" at 'em" then we'd have ta run 'cause man they'd charge @ us!!!

Dell did not have a bus that stop in front of  OUR plot of land we were told.  And the Gosnell bus would only come to the bridge and turn around, but not cross it!!!

After oh, maybe 2 six week terms, we did transfer to Dell School System.

And Gosnell... well ended up were were enrolled!!!

I think one of the cutest memories is the Tiny Post Office in Tomatoe, a Courier News Paper article,  "Post Office size of Out House"  wish I'd cliped that one!!!

Biggest Heart Ache---The Levy  --- My memories   sitting in Circle with everyone; some pickin' guitars, Where have all the flowers gone...how many miles must a man walk befor he can be called a man...;  children sliding down that beautilful levy on cardboard--- and at the end  the trees and a massive one had fallen, I walked accross with a pickinc basket & blanket; had lunch among the cows while watchin' the cow graze....

Yes, I use refuse when told you can never go home...

We had a class reunion for Class reunion of 1975, and they we demoing the gym that Saturday,

Mercy, Mercy me; Lands Sakes Alive, What Can I Say, What Is A Body To Do or Say...."

 Thanks for sharing with us! Love your memories. . . .

General Stores, from The Richardson Memoirs

 From: “Bert Richardson Memoirs,” The Heritage of Blytheville, Arkansas, Wade c 1973, pg. 12-14

Some things I remember about the country stores: The candy was in large barrels. When we went to the store to buy our bill of groceries, each child was given a large paper sack full of candy. Sometimes it was all stuck together and we had to pry it apart, but it was candy nevertheless. The first packaged candy I remember was peppermint candy in a box. Each piece was not wrapped separately, though, and it became a big mess in the warm weather.

The crackers came in a large barrel. One would reach down into the barrel with his hands, clean or not, and sack up the desired amount of crackers in a paper sack. They were then weighed and sold by the pound.

Cheese came in big round hoops. We used a cheese cutter to cut the size hunk we wanted. By taking a guitar wire you could rip the cheese hoop in half and put half back in the icebox, while one-half stayed on the counter for sale.

Pickled pig feet came in barrels. You could get a pig foot and a few crackers from the barrel for five cents.

We would take prepared mustard and mix it half and half with vinegar to make it go further in the store.

About 500 pound cakes of ice were put in the top of the big icebox where the meat hung. The meat had to be sold fast, or it would begin smelling in a short time. We had soda pop in the boxes with ice on them.

Everything that was shipped to the store came in hoop barrels instead of cardboard boxes like we have today. Dried apples and peaches came in 50 pound boxes. We had a hook we could use to pull them loose so we could sack them.

Coffee came in coffee beans to the store and were ground there with a hand grinder. I’ll bet I have ground 100 pounds of coffee in one day many a time. We didn’t have computer scales and had to weigh each item and figure its cost on paper.

We sacked potatoes from 100 pound bags, weighing out 12 ½ pounds for a peck. Flour was shipped to us in barrels by the carloads. The farmer bought it by the barrels. I can remember selling eight barrels of flour to one farmer. We also had sacks of flour for the smaller families.

Northern beans also came in grass burlap bags. I have sold many a 100 pounds of northern beans to one family. When the farm sold his crop and drew his first check after paying his debts, he would stop by the sotre and load up with his winters supply of flour, coffee and winter groceries. . .

Greyhound Bus Station, Blytheville, AR

There's a wonderful post about the one person's memories of the Greyhound Bus Station at:
 Blytheville, Arkansas: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly   Well, worth the read.

Also, check out the story behind these photos: Retro 50s at the Old Greyhound Bus Station

I'm sure many of you have memories of the old bus station. Please share them with us!

Barn Charm--Winter Barn

A Winter snow storm in 2008, early morning. . . .

Then came the sun. . . .

With a few exceptions, Snow doesn't last long in the Delta. . . .

The Magers Barn, blt. ca. 1930 by Earl Magers

North of Dell, Arkansas

I'm sharing this post with:

 Tricia's Barn Charm