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The length of time the house was owned by Dr. Denison is unknown, but was either sold or rented to another family prior to 1945. Ownership could be verified by records in the County Clerk’s office. My parents bought the house at either the end of 1944 or beginning of 1945. I understand we moved into the house in January of 1945. They paid $5K, but spent more than that making it into more suitable living quarters for a family. Location was 702 SE Washington, where a branch bank is now located. Orientation then, as now is north to south, with the main front door on the north side.
Coming in the large front door, you enter, for want of a better term, an entry way. To the right was the fall/winter/spring living room. Then, to the south was the single bedroom for us four boys. Four prison beds lay side by side from the north window to the south window. Yes, prison beds. Our Uncle Shelley ran one of two Arkansas prison farms, and every time a wall boy was born, the prison seemed to have an excess bed!!! Times were much simpler back then, as two dressers and that small closet held all our clothes!!!
Further south was our parent’s bedroom.
Going back to the front entry way. To the left was the summer front room. The west front room got pretty warm in the summer, but the east front room stayed cool. South of the front room was the formal dining room, usually used only at Thanksgiving and Christmas or other special occasion. As to why the outer wall of this room slanted outward at a 30-40 degree angle, while the outer wall in the children’s bedroom went out at 90 degrees is unknown.
The slanted angle in the dining room allowed, with the window raised, easy entry onto the east porch, which contained a swing and some chairs. Standing in front of the front door, the porch to the left was screened.
The second floor, except for a cedar closet, was empty. There were windows for ventilation at the center of all four sides. We used to fly model airplanes out of the north attic window toward US 70!
South of the formal dining room was our kitchen.
Ceilings throughout the house, with the possible exception of our parent’s bathroom, were approximately 14’ high.
South of the entryway was a north south hall, containing two closets to the left and a set of stairs to the right leading to the attic. The attic contained only an old cabinet at the top of the stairs and a cedar closet situated close to the center of the room, but slightly offset to the west.
Here is a picture of the house shortly after it was built.
The shingles were wooden, and I think they are still there, with several sets on top of them. Strongly recommend no reroofing without taking off old shingles!!! Time erodes memory, but I believe the house height above ground at the point of the front steps is approximately 5’.
I have no memory of the small house behind. My guess is that is was storage and/or a remote kitchen.
AT the southeast corner of the house was a fairly shallow well. An underground stream rand though the area and surfaced about 150’ ESE of the house. The creek ran north, under US 70, though Delbert Randolph’s property, east of the high school, and eventually to Little river. There are very few people left who know this was Idabel’s first water source. It had an ability to occasionally go dry in the summer, which was a major factor in Little River becoming the primary water supply!
Editor's Note: Video of Mr. Wall paing a visit to the remains of the old house will be posted here in the next few days. Check back.