Voices from Small Places - Arcadia Slideshows

Arcadia, TX Slideshows

iNTRODUCTION

The following slideshows feature recent photographs from Arcadia, Texas. These 2014 photographs were taken by Mr. Javier Franco Vega, while the captions were provided by Mr. Greg Grant, a longtime resident of Arcadia.

Big Momma's Dogtrot

“Big Momma’s Dogtrot.” This dogtrot home belonged to Jake and Dee Ann Jones Smith. Mrs. Smith was called “Miss Dee” by members of the community but “Big Momma” by her family. The Smith’s moved into the home sometime around 1920 after moving east across West Creek.

FM 1645

The original FM 1645 roadbed (looking north) ran in front of the old Walker Store directly in front of Miss Lou Wheeler’s store and house.

Golden Grocery

Golden’s Grocery opened in 1975 and was the last store Arcadia had. It was owned and operated by Aaron B. Golden and R.J. Golden. Golden’s Grocery closed in January 1985.

Jim Walker's Store

The old Jim Walker store.

Miss Lou's House

“Miss Lou’s House.” In 1935, Mrs. Lou Wheeler, J.A. Crawford, and J.E. Wheeler purchased land from J.A. Gunnels and established a store just to the south of this house. Mrs. Lou Wheeler had the only store at that time and it was locally referred to as “Miss Lou’s Store”. Mrs. Wheeler was a vital part of Arcadia and was a widow when she went into the store business. Maggie Louise Echols Wheeler was born December 29, 1869 and passed away on June 8, 1965.

According to grandson, J. Reginald Crawford, in 1939, after being in business for a while, Mrs. Wheeler moved the Jim Walker Store from its location adjacent to her store. Workers came and placed the building on logs and rolled it across the street next to the existing store. After Mrs. Wheeler died, her son-in-law, J.A. Crawford, daughter, Gladys Wheeler Crawford, grandson, J. Reginald Crawford, and granddaughter, Wylda Crawford, ran the store. At this time it was called the Jim Crawford Store. Many folks gathered at the store to visit, play washers or to turn the wooden chairs over and use as a prop to take a nap in the afternoon, In 1969, after the store closed, the buildings were torn down and the lumber sold.

Stones

This grouping of rocks was reportedly the site of the original Arcadia picnic grounds before trees blew down in a storm making them inaccessible. The picnic grounds were then moved beneath the post oaks near the school house and Masonic Lodge.

The Barn

This barn was possibly built in the 1940’s by Voyd and Nara Hughes before the home and property was sold to Eloy and Marquette Emanis. When the Emanis’ Grant grandchildren were young they played in the hay loft above pens and rooms of milk cows, horses, pigs, and coon dog pups. Many a hen’s nest and chicken snake was found in the loft hay. An old bicycle rim mounted on front served as a basketball goal for Ronnie Emanis.

The Corn Crib

Henry Jackson Grant’s double pen log corn crib. It was originally located at his old dogtrot homeplace on CR, about a mile north of its present location. It features dovetail notching considered “higher class” compared to less skilled saddle notching or square notching which required a moderate level of skill to produce. A dried crop of corn still in the shucks was piled and stored in each crib. The corn was later used for grits, meal, and livestock food.

The Emanis Dogtrot

The Emanis House dogtrot (c. 1890) was the central home in Arcadia and generally housed the storekeeper and his family. Now restored, it is used as a residence by Mr. Greg Grant, the grandson and great-great-grandson of the original owners.

The Henhouse

Mr. Greg Grant’s henhouse, repurposed from grandmother Emanis’s car shed.

The Jim Crawford House

“The Jim Crawford House” was owned by Jim and Glady’s Wheeler Crawford. James Reginald Crawford and sister Wylda Crawford Dudley were raised here. According to Reginald, it was upgrade from a simpler architecture to its current “bungalow” style.

The Main Road

Arcadia’s main dirt lane ran directly in front of the Arcadia Missionary Baptist Church and connected the school house, community center, Masonic Lodge, and picnic grounds with the cotton gin, the Aiken-Huber Road, and the M&E Grocery.

The Masonic Lodge

The Newbern Masonic Lodge received its first dispensation in 1851, at the time located in the Newbern Community, ten miles northwest of Shelbyville. The Lodge moved from there to Buena Vista in 1859, and then ceased to meet for twelve years, mostly due to the Civil War. Newbern Lodge was re-chartered in 1889 in the Pleasant Grove Community, a few miles northeast of Arcadia. In 1922, the Newbern Lodge was relocated to Arcadia. Newbern Lodge meetings were continually held in the same two story wooden building until 1987. At this time, the members voted to build a new brick, one story building on the same site. The old structure was moved to the old J.D. Jones homeplace on FM 138 to the west.

The Picnic Area

After trees were blown down in a storm at the original picnic area, community picnics were held in this wide grassy area, close to the “center” of town, complete with outhouses.