"BRINGING THE MAIL"

FIRST TOMATO CANNERY

A Tomato cannery, owned and operated by

James A. Centers opened in 1916 and gave the farmers A cash crop and also A source of employment for both men and women.

FIRST PRINTING OFFICE

In 1911 Alpena had it's first printing office .

It put out A weekly Newspaper that was

called "THE ALPENA SEARCHLIGHT" ,

and was edited by Robert Eddens

Carroll Co. Historical Society

History of Carroll County

BRIEF HISTORY OF ALPENA PASS

Alpena Pass Arkansas came into real light in the early 1900's
after completion of the Missouri--North Arkansas Railroad that
passed right through the town, Even though many familys had
setteled in the area before then.

Carrollton that was at that time the County Seat for Carroll
County was already in A declining state and with the passing
of the Railroad A lot of the building were moved to Alpena.

Alpena Pass was at first all in Carroll County untill it was
Split, then about 90% was in Boone County. The county line is
somewhere around the old WPA road.

Alpena had the Pass dropped from its name in late 1950's or
the early 1960's and up untill the early 1980's the United
States Census listed Alpena only under Boone County, then
around 2000 it was split into three townships in two Countys
(Boone and Carroll).

EARLY PIONEER FAMILES TO SETTLE IN THE ALPENA AREA

Ayres, Bailey, Barr, Bayne, Bellamy, Bishop, Blakmon, Boyd, Breeding, Brown, Burgess, Byerly, Cantwell, Carson, Center, Clark, Clifford, Coker, Collins, Coulson, Craig, Crisham, Curtis, Davis, Deberry, Denton, Dillingham, Dillon, Easter, Farmer, Faulkner, Fields, Foley, Fox, Furgason, Gibbs, Gifford, Grant, Green, Grisham, Gurley, Harrington, Hammons, Hartnett, Hobbs, Hooper, Hopper, Jackson, Jenkins, Johnson, Jones, Kennedy, Kirkham, Kirkpatrick, Lane, Langston, Lawson, LeGrand, Loback, Magness, Maples, Markley, Martin, McCurry, McGehee, Mealman, Mills, Mitchell, Nancy, Plum, Powel, Price, Rader, Rains, Ramey, Rice, Richardson, Savage, Sellers, Shipman, Shrum, Sims, Smith, Sparks, Stacy, Stanphill, Stevens, Storm, Swor, Teegarden, Thompson, Wallace, Watkins, Watson, Whitaker, White, Wise, Wootan, Wymore, and Wynne.

History: Carroll County, Carrollton County seat. Coming of railroad, first families

BATAVIA, ARKANSAS

In 1880 A man by the name of Roswell Underwood, A Surveyor from Batavia, New York came and estabished the first Post Office in the town of Batavia. He named the town after his hometown, Batavia, N.Y.
A two story Hotel was built in 1904 by John Markley. It had 8 or 10 rooms to rent. It closed about 1926, when the Railroad quit running A passenger train through Batavia.
Mrs Mary Brackett owned the finest store in Batavia and housed the Post Office of which she was Postmaster from 1936 until 1955 when the Post Office was discontinued. Mrs Brackett's mother was post- master from 1921 until 1931.
In 1914 Batavia had A Canning Factory that closed in 1938 because of Government Regulations and A short supply of produce. It was run by Seth Markley and owned by A.R. Centers of Alpena.
The old Canning Factory stills stands today where it once was.
At one time there were two mills in Batavia, one was run by Mr Markley and the other by Mr. Ryke. Mr. Markley also ran A grist mill where people had their cornmeal ground.

Mr Charlie Wilson ran A Blacksmith Shop in town for A few years.
A School and Church was built on the property where Mr. Seth Markley lived. The school was taught by Mrs. Audry Davis.

The old School was torn down and A new one built, the new one was later converted into the home where the Markleys lived.

The Batavia area has A Hugh Rock called Pilot Knob, During the winter of 1911, there was A family that lived on Pilot Knob in A cave.

They slep on straw beds and had a Covered Wagon Cover hanging

over the door of the cave.

ALPENA'S FIRST WATER SYSTEM

Alpena's first water system was water hauled in a wagon from the creek and sold for Ten cents a Barrel.

.

Find a Grave

Find the graves of ancestors, create virtual memorials, add 'virtual flowers' and a note to a loved one's grave, etc.

.

THE FIRST HIGHWAY

The first Highway through Alpena was built in 1919--1920 and was called the Jefferson Highway.

Later it was called Highway No. 12, Then in 1933 it was Blacktopped and changed to Highway 62.

THE SECURITY BANK BRANCH IN ALPENA RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONIE ARE HELD

From left, Dolores Lafferly, Branch Manager; Bert Thomason, Mayor of Alpena, cutting the

ribbon and Wayne Clark, President of the Security Bank.
The Bank was robbed on June 21, 1991 by two former Alpena residents with criminal records.

They were arrested in Forsyth, Mo. and charged.
The Bank tellers at the time of the robbery were Judy Epley and BarbaraFrench.

The Bank was opened Nov. 5, 1977 and closed Oct 29, 1998 after Regions bought out the Security Bank.

Boone Co. Historical Society

History of Boone County and NW Arkansas Rail Road

The first Autombile in Alpena was owned by J.P. Griffin. He would take people

for A ride up the Jim Ward Hill and back, which was about A mile from town and

charge them 50 cents.

BLACKSMITH SHOPS
Probably one of the most essential business in

town at that time was the Blacksmith Shop.

Besides shoeing horses, the Blacksmiths were

excellent repairmen, and there is A long list of

Articles made and repaired by Dan Tabor, Andy Stills and Hugh Putman.

The Bank of Alpena Pass, Arkansas was Chartered in Jan of 1907 by J.W. and J.E. Paul.

Around 1923 control of the Bank was sold by the Pauls to Absolem . T. Hudspeth of Harrison.
The Directors of the Bank at that time was Absolem T. Hudspeth, Eber Hugh Wymore and Sterlin Hurley, who was Absolem's son-in-law and Will Jenkins was Cashier.

The Bank of Alpena Pass was amoung nine other Banks in Boone, Marion and Searcy Countys that failed in Sept. of 1931.
When the Banks went under, almost everyone with money in them lost everything.

LUMBER YARD

Eber Hugh Wymore ran A lumber yard in Alpena for A number of years, and is credited with A leading role in the development of our town.
He served on the School Board for 33 years.
He was Justice of the Peace, Notary Public and A Deacon of the Baptist Church.
He was also owner of the Telephone System for A
number of years.

corn on the halves.

ALPENA 0NLY DOCTOR

Alpena's only Dr. was Dr. Larkin Watkins who first lived

in Carrollton, and then moved to Alpena, setting up an
office in the back of Collins Store.
Dr. Watkins drove A Buggy pulled by 2 horses. Weather
was no hinderance to him. He came to people's houses
whenever they needed him. He wore A Bear Skin Coat
in cold weather, to protect him from cold sharp winds
and flying sleet and snow. If A family didn't have money
to pay him, Dr. Watkins would treat them for free.

FIRST PRODUCE HOUSE

William Leatherbury opened A produce house,

which gave the farmers A place to dispose of

their eggs, chickens, cream, hides wool and herbs.