Here is a link to a partial photograph. It is the best I can find thus far, and is the only one that I can recall seeing. http://www.topix.com/album/detail/blytheville-ar/PF8IJN9I87UKPA45 Best Regards,
Chris, Great photograph, thanks for sharing! This depot must have been removed earlier than most. Fire? Tornado? Does anyone know? Mike Sypult MP 333 Central Division
According to a map of all depots in Arkansas I got at the visitor center near Van Buren, AR, the Blytheville, AR depot was built by the Blytheville, Leachville and Arkansas Southern (BL&AS) Railroad. They included a picture. It looks in pretty rough shape. The map says it was abandon in 1999. I do not know if it is still there, as that was 11 years ago. Ship it on the Frisco! Murphy Jenkins
Indirectly related to this thread is a picture postcard that I have from my family history collection of Blytheville, Leachville and Arkansas Southern locomotive BL&AS 7. In the picture, second from the left is Ivan Robinson, fireman, brother of my great-grandfather Goley Robinson. The note on the back made by Ivan to his mother, does not indicate whether this picture was taken at Blytheville, MO or Leachville, MO. The postmark year cannot be determined. BL&AS 7 was an 1889-vintage 20x24 Baldwin built as Western New York and Pennsylvania (WNY&P) #111. The WNY&P was a predecessor of the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR). It was soon renumbered WNY&P 159. When the WNY&P was taken over by the Pennsy, it became PRR 6285. In 1909, it was sold to Southern Iron and Equipment Company in Atlanta, GA. It was overhauled and assigned #679. In December 1910, it became BL&AS #7. A new boiler was applied in February 1921. Acquired in December 1929 by the Cotton Belt, it helped complete the St Francis Basin Project. As Cotton Belt #7 it was finally sold in December 1933 to the Jonesboro Gravel Company where it was later scrapped. The #7 has the double distinction of being both the smallest and oldest Baldwin to have served the Cotton Belt.
Great photograph! Thanks for sharing. This design is much like the depots at Caruthersville, MO and Bentonville, AR.
Here are all four of my photographs of Blytheville, AR. These were taken on 9/27/1973, 10/7/1954, 9-25-1972, and 9/17/1974. All of these photographs are by Howard D. Killam.
Great photographs, Richard! The Blytheville, MO depot was pretty impressive. Compare the design to those at Bentonville, AR and Caruthersville, MO. Their design looks like a smaller version of the Blytheville design. I know the Bentonville depot was a remodel from an earlier two-story design. I am assuming the Blytheville depot came down shortly after the 1974 picture was taken. Mike Sypult, MP 333 Central Division Rogers, AR
Keith, The photo of BL&AS #7 is most interesting. It is almost certain that this photograph was not taken near the Blytheville, MO Frisco trackage. BL&AS operated into Blytheville via trackage rights, primarily over the Cotton Belt's Paragould Southeastern line. The Chicago Mill & Lumber sawmill, the owner of BL&AS, in Blytheville was west of the Frisco mainline. For a few years they ran over the pre-Frisco Jonesboro, Lake City and Eastern (JLC&E). BL&AS operated over Frisco trackage rights from Arbyrd, MO to Leachville, AR, then over their own trackage south from Leachville, AR to Rivervale, AR. Do you have any additional photograph coverage of the BL&AS? Thanks for posting the photograph. Bill Pollard
Another depot that carried the same design as the Blytheville, AR, Bentonville, AR and Caruthersville, MO depots was at Claremore, OK. Does anyone have information on who the architect was for these depots?
Henryetta, OK also had this style of depot. The exterior lighting fixtures were attached to the stucco with metal plates in the shape of the Frisco coonskin herald or logo.
