Snapshot of History by Mike Avitt

BY MIKE AVITT A professional photographer, Dave Austin, recently spent some time in Ringgold County taking pictures of the mural at the Mount Ayr Post Office, Eighme School, and barns. He posted many of his pictures on Facebook and it generated much interest. I get asked about Eighme School often so I’ll share all I…

BY MIKE AVITT Phil Freeland emailed me and wondered if his maternal grandfather, Dr. J. W. Hill, was ever the only physician in Mt. Ayr. No, but it did get a little thin for a while. Dr. Hill came to Mt. Ayr in 1923 after practicing medicine in Ellston the four previous years. At this…

I came across a program dated September 27, 1970 entitled “Knowlton Lives Again.” This program was provided by the Ringgold County Historical Society for a tour of Knowlton and Goshen sponsored by the RCHS. Contained therein is a historical account of Knowlton’s early days which I will share along with my historical collection of Knowlton.…

The church building pictured this week was torn down in 2008. It was dedicated October 4, 1914 and in its last years served as the location of Jack and Vera Moore’s Christmas parties. There are no churches left in Benton as the Methodist Church was also razed in 2008. I have in my possession a…

The Liggett brothers operated a grocery store at 112 W. Madison called H. H. Wilson & Co. Arthur and Harry Liggett, along with partner Charlie Horne, bought Wilson’s business in 1918 and kept the name due to the incredible reputation Mr. Wilson had built up. Wilson erected the building at 112 W. Madison in 1891.…

This week’s picture has a great deal of detail and I’ll touch on that soon. I have been collecting photos for 19 years and I love interior pictures of commercial enterprises with an employee or a customer in it. Jennifer Campbell emailed me this picture in a high-resolution format so I could enlarge it on…

This week’s photo comes courtesy of the Clair Heyer collection. Clair took pictures in and around Tingley from about 1920 until the 1990s. William S. Breckenridge opened a grocery and feed store in Tingley in early May 1921. I believe this first location was about half a block east of the site where Breckenridge Store…

While Sharon Becker and I were working on our book, “Images of America – Ringgold County,” this week’s picture was in the running for the cover photo. The top of the belfry is cropped and that decreases the aesthetic value. But, the children standing on the porch roof brings a “youthful abandon” feeling to the…

A depot picture is always better if it has a train or station agent in it. This photo has children, too. I believe the station agent is Dan Cadagan and his tall, slender assistant is Harry Bedwell of Kellerton. If it is Cadagan and Bedwell, this photo was taken in 1904 or 1905. Harry Chester…