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Archiver > ARIZARD > 2006-10 > 1160411811


From:
Subject: Re: [ARIZARD] The Batesville - Mammoth Spring Highway
Date: Mon, 09 Oct 2006 12:36:51 -0400


The unpaved version of the Batesville Mammoth Spring Highway, as Bill says, was built between 1924 and 1926 because this was the reason for the town of Brockwell being built. The first store, still standing also the post office from 1934 - 1935 and 1968 - 1977, located across from Walkers' Store, was built, owned and operated by George Brockwell in 1924. He built that store after moving from Newburg and learning the highway would be built through what is now Brockwell and Newburg would eventually become a ghost town. The Post Office was established at Brockwell following the completion of the highway on Feb. 1, 1926, with Homer E. Jennings serving as the first postmaster. His wife, Cora helped with post office and store that was standing until just a few years ago. The first post office was located where the present Brockwell Church of Christ is now located. Sometime later, it was pulled by a team of horses across the highway north of Walkers' Store where the Jonoquils!
bloom every March. The old steps and the cistern or well are still there. After the post office was changed to Ethel Brockwell as postmaster from 1934 to 1977, Cora Jennings continued the store business until 1941 when she sold out to Noil and Lucille Cone Walker. This building was later used by deer hunters during deer season and as part of the music school. The music school had it moved behind the present the tabernacle or community hall until it was torn down around 1990. I still have a 1948 Montgomery Ward catalogue from the upstairs of this building as well as some school memorabilia from the Jennings children such as Dalton Jennings. My first cousin, Katherine Walker Creighton was born in this building on Oct. 3, 1944. Anyway, another reasoning for houses locating along the highway is that my mother's present house that she and my father bought in 1968 previously stood in the back of their 125 acre farm near the Harry Gilstrap farm. The Oxford Newburg Road wen!
t around this direction as it also goes up the hill there to w!
here my
h
ouse is presently located. The present county/city road goes to my property. Anyway, Dad told me that when the highway was built through in 1925, the house was torn down and rebuilt at its present location where you can see the tall Pine trees in front of it that were planted at the same time. The old house places that surround my house became obsolete following the new highway construction in 1925 or between 1924 1nd 1926. It is also the reasoning for part of Hwy. 9 north of Brockwell having a curve in it because Eston Simmons and Nix Melton persuaded the highway crew to build around the Goodrich Cemetery instead of through it as they had originally planned to do not caring about the graves. It is also the reason graves may be located under the highway there as Sue and A.D. Chrisco and I were there this summer, and they located two graves between the state fence and highway meaning there are at least two graves if not more on state property. Just wanted to throw this !
in. I do have pictures of my oldest brother riding a horse along the highway which was unpaved at one time in front of the store at Brockwell. I have no idea what year that portion was paved. He had to be at least 12 or 14 which would make it 1963 or 1965 or in that era.

Mike Walker

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