Stuttgart, Arkansas
This picture was donated by Ron
Stone at
blueoak @ ix.netcom.com.
We would like to find more info on
the buildings or the picture. One
building says Rock Island and the
other is the Harness/Feed Store.
Possibly the Gettle Harness Store. If you have any
info, contact Ron or me (Pris) at
ArkansasTies@ArkansasTies.com
From Jeannie Bormann (jheraldfb @ gmail.com), October 17, 2011:
I am very sure that this block in Mr. Stone's picture (older
than penny postcard era) is between 1st and 2nd streets on the
east side of Main just south of the railroad tracks. Obviously,
the original wood frame buildings have been replaced over the
years -- strip became Frank Searan's grist mill. I can base my
certainty on previous study of Sanborn Fire Maps that came into
local use around the time of the huge two-block fire in 1889 on
the west side of Main Street. Rock Island would be the closest
storefront to the tracks themselves (tickets & cargo office?).
The feed store serviced the livery / harness shop adjacent where
farmers and families coming to town would "park" their wagons
when they came to do business. The block of Main between 2nd and
3rd streets are where the earliest groceries / dry goods stores
were located.
Regarding the pieces on the street, the first implement with two
large wheels is a hay comb / combine. There is a small steel
seat on an angled bar that functions like our automobile shocks
to bounce through rough spots. The hay would probably have
already by cut by hand with a scythe leaving a stalk height of
about four inches. Then, this implement would be pulled behind
the mule to gather the cut hay into smaller round rolls (thus
the curved steel tines to draw a certain quantity) pulled to the
edge of the field. Then men would use a T-shaped fork to push
the small rolls into a large round bale to carry to town by
wagon. McCormick would be the manufacturer of the steel
implement, whereas the railroad company is now selling it in
their store. McCormick reapers are more well-known, but this
isn't quite as advanced as a reaper which is later used in the
area to glean rice.
The second wooden frame with four wheels is a wagon base. Wooden
frame might have been shipped in or locally made, although steel
bracing would be preferred on the wheels. (There were cooperages
along the Ohio, and sometimes wheels were made to fit the size
of old iron barrel rings. Early recycling.) This size wagon
would carry hay. Rice was introduced from the Carolinas in 1904
and this crop took over the local economy as soon as wells and
pumps were created for the heavy irrigation needs. (Today,
Stuttgart is the Rice and Duck Capital of the World with our
ESPN-covered festival week every Thanksgiving Week in November!)
Rice does especially well here because the topsoil is 12-16
inches before hitting a plate of clay at about 18 inches. This
pan helps hold water up those two months of flooded fields in
the summer. Cotton fails here because of the lack of drainage.
Mud, mud, mud . . . mules!
Note that your next storefront is relative to water needs --
windmills came before pumps, towers before derricks, tanks to
hold water until needed whereas pumps pull water on demand. The
official founding of Stuttgart with a post office was in 1879,
then 1889 was a very significant year with the town large enough
with buildings side-by-side to have the big two-block fire
mentioned in previous email. I WOULD DATE THIS PICTURE BETWEEN
1885 and 1895.
The mules are hitched to a riding "sedan" covered two-seater for
ride to town for business. (Not a farmer hauling anything.)
