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| OTASCO in downtown memories |
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| Question: Remember the "OTASCO" store on the west side of the square? |
 Answer: Memories of OTASCO share space in my recollections of so many old stores that once were fixtures on the square. Almost everything you bought came from merchants around the square - from groceries, clothing, shoes and medicine. But let's go back in time when OTASCO was located at 219 West Stephenson, and was next door to the Commercial Hotel. Have you forgotten about the Commercial? It was torn down to make room for the Security Bank, which is now the Boone County Library.
According to Merle Milligan, who gave most of the information for this article, Krogers had moved to the northwest corner of the square in 1947. The same year, J. O. Wilson (also owner of Saveway Hardware) put in a furniture store at 110 North Willow but after only a few months, he and A. C. Christeson, who owned OTASCO on West Stephenson, decided to trade stores. |
| Milligan talked, with a smile on his face, about working in the same building, for three different stores, all within one year. First, he was produce manager for Krogers, then when the
furniture store moved in that space in August of 1947, he became the store manager. Later, when
Wilson and Christeson traded stores, Merle became manager of OTASCO. That building must
have had a revolving front door that year with so much moving in and out going on!
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The OTASCO store sold auto supplies, appliances, house wares, fishing, hunting and
hardware supplies. Merle had an automobile service department in the back of the store for the
installation of tires, batteries and seat covers. While Dad had new tires put on the car, Mom
could look at new appliances and kids could explore Toyland upstairs!
The flood of 1961 changed things for many store owners including the Milligans. Merle
recalls water 9 and ˝ feet deep in the store. The high water washed an automobile into the
service department area and clothing from Nu-Way Cleaners came floating in the back door -
along with mud, snakes and whatever!! A television set from the store was found at the Pyatt
bridge, while some other merchandise turned up in Walter's Dry Goods. Appliances were piled
up at the city waste plant and tires were scattered everywhere. Merle and his wife, the former
Hazel Jean Davis, managed to get back in business within a couple of months. They later became full owners of the store and building.
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| Their neighbor to the south of the store was the Capitol Café. A funny thing about the
staircase between OTASCO and the Capitol that most people may not know - the staircase
served as a taxi stand, complete with phone! If you phoned #777, your call was answered in
that stairway, and the cab was soon on its way to pick you up!
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| Just south of the Capitol was Poyner Barber Shop, later sold to Flem Wasson after Rex
Poynor's death. Carl Jones sold the Capitol to the Fuller family, who lived upstairs over the café
for a number of years. In 1966, the OTASCO company bought out the Milligans, and later
moved the store to the Younes Shopping Center thus ending its stay in downtown Harrison.
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| Merle often wonders if a doctor may have occupied the building at 110 North Willow.
He found various doctor's receipts under the flooring, but like many old building around the
square, they hold secrets aplenty. It is great when people like Merle and Jeane take time to share
their story with the Heritage Museum. We welcome other stories as they tell us about the history
of years gone by.
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| The museum is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Our new website
is www.bchrs.org. Check it out! We strive to preserve the history of Boone County and its
people.
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| This column appears Fridays in the Harrison Daily Times. Mail questions to Boone County Heritage Museum, P. O. Box 1094, Harrison, AR 72601. Marilyn Smith can be contacted at bchm@windstream.net |
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