This commemorative plate, circa 1970s, is 10″, cream colored with a gold border.  The drawing on front of the plate is reddish-brown.  On the back of the plate is a description of the drawing.  The plate was produced by World Wide Art Studios of Covington, Tennessee.

 “First Presbyterian Church, Batesville, Arkansas, Organized May 12, 1842” 

The original house of worship was erected in 1849 on what is now Fourth and Main Streets at a cost of $2,500.  The building was 36′ by 60′. (OIRM, Independence County Historical Society collection)

Photo 1: Nurses Alma Engler and Hester Gray. Date unknown (Dr. Wesley J. Ketz collection)

Photo 2: Nurses “Shorty” and Merle Suiberth, probably taken late 40s to 50s. (Dr. Wesley J. Ketz collection)   

Photo 3: Glendolyn Tichnor and Minnie Scott in nurse uniform, in front of log home.  July 1942. (Jarvis, Shirley collection)

A boy and girl dual puppet, dressed in Swiss costume with jointed legs and with their arms joined together. The girl wears a crepe paper skirt. Wires indicate they were meant to jiggle-dance. A wire suspends them. Puppets are made of wood and a type of mache. Probably played with in the Williams family pre-1900.  (Williams, Frances collection)

Today is April 15th, which means it is national tax day! Even our forefathers bore this responsibility. Check out these images from the Independence County tax record in 1848. OIRM houses some of the county’s earliest records which are stored safely in our vault but are accessible to the public.