Brinkley

Brinkley is both the largest town in Monroe County and the largest city along I-40 between Little Rock and Memphis. It was established in 1872 as a railroad town and was originally called "Lick Skillet" (shame they didn't keep that name). It soon became a major transportation and agricultural hub for the area. The railroad still passes through town today, passing right by the old historic core of the city. These old silos sit near the tracks:



Also near the tracks is this old bar/club, that has now been abandoned for many years. Painted on both sides is the warning: "NO-DRINKING-ON-OUT-SIDE-ThAT-ThE-LAW-YOU-CAN-BE-ARRESTED-BY-POLICE." I think this might be the most photographed building in Brinkley (or at least tied with the big bridal gown store), because of how charming that little painted warning is.





Crossing over the railroad tracks takes you to the old section of the city, with buildings dating back to the 1800s. Sadly most of them look abandoned, and many are in a significant state of disrepair.



Painted on the side of this building is a massive ghost sign for Kis-Me Gum. The gum was the first fruit-flavored gum, and had the slogan "Far Better Than A Kiss."



Nextdoor is the old Monroe County Bank Building, which was built in 1889 and almost destroyed by a tornado in 1909. The building housed the town's first major bank, and also an opera house on the top floor. But it is abandoned now, with ivy and vines growing wild on the back wall.







And just down the block, right by the train tracks, is this old building that once housed the Langley's Food Warehouse. It was apparently a discount grocery store, and before that the building was used as a bakery. From what I can find, there was a fire and the building has been empty and crumbling away ever since.









And on the side of the building is this old ghost sign for the grocery store, the paint faded and worn.





I got back in the car and started to head out of town, but made one more stop at another old building. Parked beside it was this car, covered with a thick layer of dust and rust.



The year on the license plate shows 1997.



And that was enough pictures of old buildings for the day, it was time to head off to find some fall colors. More on that on the next post...