Towns & Cities: Dodson, LA., 1949, Winn Parish, LA. Submitted by Greggory E. Davies, 120 Ted Price Lane, Winnfield, LA 71483 ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** From: July 8, 1949 Winnfield News-American What Walks At Night On Specter Street? Village Of Dodson Was Boom Town At Century's Turn by LaRita Smith "Ghost" towns of the West are known for their abandoned railroad stations, their desolate streets, and their deserted and broken down old stores, cafes, and banks. During the gold rush and oil boom days, towns sprang up over night and within a few days were bustling with activity. Then, when the source of income or exploration company, closed down and moved to greener pastures, the towns died. The inhabitants moved away and the buildings were left empty for years. Snakes crawled on the floors, bricks and roofs fell, and storms shattered the windows. Many years later, people passing through drove over grass knee-high in the middle of main street, and saw birds flying through the windows of houses which looked like tombstones on graveyard streets. Winn Parish has its own "specter" street in the village of Dodson. From 1895 to 1915 the now hamlet was as spry a railroad junction and sawmill town as you'd see in any Hollywood Western. It had its horse races, its hotel, its drugstores and a big parish fair that drew as many as 1,000 people a day. There were round trip excursion rides to Hot Springs each Saturday for $ 1. On Saturday afternoon, all the young beaux from Winnfield in suspenders and striped pants got their girls in leg-of-mutton sleeves and high topped shoes and took the train to Dodson, where they got off and walked up to the hotel, drank a cold drink, and rode back to Winnfield before dark. At the beginning of the century it was a sawmill town rivaling Winnfield in population and activity. Now, it is a small residential hamlet and the main street, once called Gansville Ave., is a "ghost" street. Memories of days when moustached men and ladies carrying parasols got off the trains and spent the day in the minds of many of the older people there. Several of these people were interviewed and although no exact dates were obtained, here are a few details of bygone days which are still vivid nostalgic thoughts to many who visited the town while it was a prosperous little industrial center. Dodson had its weekly newspaper, the Dodson Times, and its bank, the Dodson State Bank. A very active town council once established speed limit of 10 miles per hour for motor vehicles. It also passed an ordinance to prohibit the driving of vehicles or riding of horses across the sidewalk other than at public crossings. Dodson reached its peak as a lumbering town shortly after the turn of the century when two railroads operated, carrying logs and lumber to and from two miles. Tremont and Gulf's trains and the Arkansas and Southern brought passengers and freight in for several years. Dodson did not take on its first skeletal appearance until about 1915 when the town council in a move for more taxes extended the town boundaries to include the two booming lumber mills. Upon hearing the news they promptly closed down and moved away, wrecking the water well which supplied all citizens. Then, about ten years later, when the Dodson Bank failed, the town began to take on a more specter-like appearance. A few more people moved, but it was nothing like the exodus when the lumber mills closed down. Many Stores During the years from about 1895 until 1915, when Dodson was a thriving little town, ladies in ankle-length dresses and stiffly starched high collars, and men from logging crews in the woods walked up and down the streets and shopped for merchandise at a number of stores, among them W. R. Sharmon's, J. J. Stovall and Son, D. M. Pyburn, T. L. Jones, J. B. Milam, W. M. Gaar, and visited the Dodson State Bank, the drug store, barber shop, and Mrs. Nancy Radescich's hotel. Advertised in the Dodson Times in 1902 were "ladies celebrated 'Daisy Kid' shoes for $ 2, $ 3, and $ 4. Fair Attracted Thousands During Fair Week in 1910 the Tremont and Gulf Railway picked up as many as 1,000 people a day and deposited them at Dodson, where they looked at all the exhibits and rode the Ferris wheel and other rides and saw the sideshows, monkeys and trained dogs. In 1910 and 1911 Jesse Mixon, superintendent of schools, showed a pair of mules. Board of Health In August of 1905, due to a threatened epidemic of yellow fever and small pox, the Mayor and Board of Aldermen met in a special session and nominated members of a Board of Health for the Village of Dodson. They were Dr. B. H. Talbot, Dr. J. H. Paulhey, D. M. Pyburn, John Wepfer and B. D. Kresge. Had Race Track Some may remember when 15 cents an hour was the rate of pay at which the streets were graveled by L. L. Stewart. Dodson's race track, which furnished afternoon entertainment for many townspeople and those who came up on the train, was about one-fourth of a mile in circumference. It was located on the flat expanse of ground near the highway to Winnfield. Horses were raced in two's and three's. One Arkansas gentleman kept several horses groomed for the races with Louisiana horses. Other horses came in on trains. Altogether about 50 race horses were stabled nearby for the daily races. The following article taken from a Winnfield newspaper circulated in Dodson told hopeful ladies who aspired to have dimples just how the trick was accomplished. Dimples and lily white complections were the beauty marks most desired by the ladies of the day. Home Made Dimples "Smear a small spot on the check or chin with colorless shellac varnish mixed with glue. With a pencil or penholder press the flesh with the point, holding it there until the substance on the face becomes dry and hard. The stiffened indentation thus retains the exact shape of a dimple and a little face powder carefully dusted over the 'artificial dimple' will completely conceal the varnish and glue compound. Some care must be exercised in smiling too suddenly or the dimple may be broken. But with ordinary gentle usage it will retain its pretty shape a whole evening, if not longer. While the dimple process is applicable to those whose faces comprise a soft, velvety or pulpy surface, as then a very deceptive dimple can be produced, it is not so available for thin or bony faces. Do Beauties Make Good Wives The vexed question, whether beauties make good wives deserves a word of notice. While great personal attractions do not, as a rule, tend to stimulate the purely domestic side of the character, there are so many instances of pretty women becoming models of wifely perfections, that it would be obviously unjust to insist upon too close connection between good looks and bad household management. Still, a girl accustomed to the deference and adulation which beauty everywhere commands is liable to find the duties of family life somewhat irksome, is not actually distasteful, more especially if the means of her husband forbid and deprive her of those opportunities of social success to which perhaps, she has been accustomed. Personals From "The Times" From the Dodson Times of Friday, November 14, 1902, which is in the Winn Parish Library, the following nostalgic personals were copied: J. W. Sikes brought cotton to Dodson Tuesday. J. H. Waller is having a storehouse erected near the Kelly Mill. The Dodson State Bank is a home institution. J. J. Stovall, J. B. Milam, D. M. Pyburn, T. L. Jones, A. Smith, J. E. Gaar, and W. B. Terral are the directors. Rev. W. W. Lantrip has been engaged in a protracted meeting near Jonesboro. W. T. Terry has resigned his position as agent of the railroad company at this place. The contractors and carpenters have completed the job of erecting the Baptist Church. J. W. Pickens, the telephone man, was here a few days ago, arranging the preliminaries to putting in the local service at this place. At this writing the posts have been hauled and the poles dry. Gaar & McInnis have completed the neat little cottage residence, the property of Dr. B. H. Dodson. (possibly Dr. B. H. Talbot?) Don't fail to see D. M. Pyburn about the terms which he is having a picture of his customers enlarged free of cost. Go to D. M. Pyburn for one and two gallon jugs in which to put up and keep your molasses fresh and nice through the summer's heat. Hands have been at work grading and preparing the lot of D. M. Pyburn for his new brick store building. L. D. Jones of Winnfield was here first of the week picking up cotton statistics preparatory to making his regular report to the U. S. Government. Ezeriah Walker from near the line of Jackson and Winn will soon be ready to move to Dodson with his family. T. H. Martin of the Dodson Barber Shop returned yesterday from a business trip to Urania. Rev. W. W. Lantrip and son are engaged boring wells about town this week. Born to Mr. and Mrs. W. P. Johns Tuesday morning a 12 pound girl. Dr. B. A. Wasson "officiating". W. R. Stewart and wife returning Saturday night among relatives at Hugo, Indian Territory. J. D. Wright is now in the cattle buying business. Among our exchanges this week we find Volume I of the Olla Signal, a neat little 4-page, 5 column journal, published by Mrs. A. B. Hunly. Mr. J. Wolfe Carter, representing Mt. Lebanon College, was at Winnfield last week.