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UER Forum > Archived US: South > General store and boarding house, SEARK (Viewed 539 times)
dwtaylor999 


Location: Unassigned Lands, Oklahoma
Gender: Male




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General store and boarding house, SEARK
< on 3/23/2011 2:47 AM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
I'm getting ready for a break and head back to Oklahoma for awhile, but thought I would post this before leaving Arkansas.

I've driven past this old building several times while working in Arkansas and finally stopped to check it out.

The building appears to be the sole surviving piece of a small community called Fresno. Located at an intersection of two highways, and other than some grain bins, the building and sign appear to be all that remain.





Located in the delta, this is cotton, rice, and soybean country. Not surprisingly, there was absolutely nothing on the web about Fresno, but I did find out some information from a few of the locals, one of whom was 83.

According to the older gentleman, the building had been there as long as he could remember. This would put its construction at least as far back as the 1920s. He remembers it was both a general store and boarding house. He thinks the boarding house closed in the 1940s, but the store remained in service until around 1970.

Another of the gentleman remembers stopping there when he was a kid when it was a parts store, catering to the local farmers. Everybody seems to be in agreement that it was boarded up and abandoned in the mid to late 70s.



It's not a beautiful building, but it's design is interesting as it was built for maximum space utilization. There is an addition built on to the rear of the original building where indoor plumbing was added. From the fixtures and cast iron sewer lines, I'd guess late 30s or early 40s. It appears that the store also sold gasoline, which makes sense due to its location.







Construction was standard for the era, lap siding with tongue and groove floors/ceilings. The tin roof was typical for the area as well. It's in poor repair, with sections missing or loose. Rot has a strong foothold.











My point of entry via the addition.









The old safe was slightly ajar. I tried to pry it open with my trusty leatherman, but it was not up to the task. The hinges have rusted solid and it would have taken a crowbar to open it, which I didn't have.





Remnants of its part store days. Looks like a condensor to a point system. (and a Miller pony bottle)





These "stairs" led to the upper floor, as well as the outside ones in the front. I use the term stairs loosely, as it was like climbing a ladder. Note the boards nailed to the wall for use as railing. You needed them.





I didn't venture far as the floor/ceiling was less than solid. I'm guessing this is where the store owner lived. I could see the upper floor contained other rooms, but didn't press my luck.









The original lower floor housed the general store, which was essentially just a single large room.











I was surprised the old display case was still intact.



The old gas pumps where moved inside and stored and pumped leaded gas. If your curious, the price on the pump was 21 and 7/10.











Some more parts store debris. New Britain tools was sold off in 1972. They provided tools to NAPA from at least the 1940's.













Back outside to try the front stairs.





The stairs, while they groaned a bit, held. Any hopes I had of entry at the top though were quickly dashed.









Discretion being the better part and all that, I decided to pass on the upper floor.









The old building is definitely on it's last days and is the last remnant of the community it served.



Ruins, the fate of all cities.
Captain_Slow 

The infamous Buttram Manfist


Location: Dallas, Tx
Gender: Male


Obviously capable of mediocre things.

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Re: General store and boarding house, SEARK
<Reply # 1 on 3/23/2011 3:28 AM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
Your threads are always a treat. Awesome building! I would mumble at you for posting a POE but that picture is just too damn interesting and I doubt anyone cares, lol. Nice set.

Wiccan 


Location: Hamilton Ontario
Gender: Female




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Re: General store and boarding house, SEARK
<Reply # 2 on 3/23/2011 5:31 AM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
I look forward to your threads as well,great work! I explored a similar type of location recently,I'm jealous that yours wasn't covered in snow.

dwtaylor999 


Location: Unassigned Lands, Oklahoma
Gender: Male




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Re: General store and boarding house, SEARK
<Reply # 3 on 3/23/2011 6:40 AM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
Posted by Captain_Slow
Your threads are always a treat. Awesome building! I would mumble at you for posting a POE but that picture is just too damn interesting and I doubt anyone cares, lol. Nice set.


Thanks. I didn't really think about it as it was so obvious if you found the building, but as you said, in this case, nobody cares.

Ruins, the fate of all cities.
dwtaylor999 


Location: Unassigned Lands, Oklahoma
Gender: Male




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Re: General store and boarding house, SEARK
<Reply # 4 on 3/23/2011 6:48 AM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
Posted by Wiccan
I look forward to your threads as well,great work! I explored a similar type of location recently,I'm jealous that yours wasn't covered in snow.


Thanks. In about another month, I'll wish there was snow! I may have just enough time to finish up a couple of projects before it gets unbearable.
[last edit 3/23/2011 6:51 AM by dwtaylor999 - edited 1 times]

Ruins, the fate of all cities.
Captain_Slow 

The infamous Buttram Manfist


Location: Dallas, Tx
Gender: Male


Obviously capable of mediocre things.

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Re: General store and boarding house, SEARK
<Reply # 5 on 3/23/2011 3:13 PM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
Posted by dwtaylor999


Thanks. I didn't really think about it as it was so obvious if you found the building, but as you said, in this case, nobody cares.


Yeah I don't think that rule really applies in practice to places like this, it's pretty much wide open and only suitable for exploring. Is this off 20, I think, near Hot Springs by any chance?

Superlocrian 


Location: Austin, TX
Gender: Male




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Re: General store and boarding house, SEARK
<Reply # 6 on 3/23/2011 6:23 PM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
very nice! thanks for posting this.

Price 


Location: Houston,TX
Gender: Male


Urbex: Keeping record of things most people have forgotten.

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Re: General store and boarding house, SEARK
<Reply # 7 on 3/23/2011 7:38 PM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
american pickers would love those pumps lol


mmm lead


love ur posts

ive pretty much found everything in my area =[ i need to venture now

“It still amazes me how many millions goes to discovering another star in the galaxies when, for all we know, we are still sitting on top of another undiscovered world beneath our feet.”

-Martin Dansky (1952)
Raticus 

Moderator


Location: Tyler
Gender: Male


Ratus exploricus abandonae

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Re: General store and boarding house, SEARK
<Reply # 8 on 3/25/2011 2:45 AM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
Excellent, as always. Price, you've found everything in your area of Houston, or you've found everything IN Houston? LOL. If so, man you need to post about 784 galleries! lol

A lot of these are posted in threads, which is fine, but you guys do know you can create galleries in the db for these, right?

Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools speak because they have to say something.
adventuremom 






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Re: General store and boarding house, SEARK
<Reply # 9 on 3/25/2011 9:55 PM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
I don't know how you resisted going back to open that safe!

UER Forum > Archived US: South > General store and boarding house, SEARK (Viewed 539 times)



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