Paragould City Hall 1929: Firefighters pose with the city's two engines in front of the city hall-fire station on North Pruett. From left are: John Butler, Guy McAllister G. W. "Bun" Miller, Pete Kitchens, Claud Highfill, George Rechtin, Ben Gregg, Ralph Nesler, E. O. Newsom, Ed Stanton, G. A. "Tuff" Baker and fire chief Jim Taylor with Leo Schmuecker in the background near the station entrance. On the far left can be seen a portion of the bandstand that graced the city park at the southeast corner of Pruett and Poplar. City Hall remained at this site until it was moved into the old Dickson Memorial Hospital in 1950.
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Early Paragould Petitioners
The petition seeking incorporation of the town of Paragould was submitted to County Clerk R. H. Gardner at the Gainesville courthouse on Jan. 15, 1883 , by John B. Boykin and D. B. Warren legal representatives of the 77 petitioners.
County Judge John
Osteen heard the petition on March 3, 1883 "and ordered that said
territory described in the within petition be organized as prayed for
and that said town be incorporated according to law."
The petitioners included--- as best as the hand -written record can be
deciphered in order.
J.M. Landrum, A.P. Cox, Silas A. Whitley, S. B. Vaughn, G.R. Ray, H. L.
Bramlet, E.D. Carrigan, W.H. Armstrong, M.J. Latta, J. W. Davis, W. L.
Hays, C. Rowland, F. N. Carter, A.B. Glisson, M.V. Camp, S.L. Ward,
Nathan Harris, W.C. Okley, Chris Ritter, A. Knight, J.B. Smith, Frank S.
Jost, I. M. Thompson, G.W. Thompson, J.H. Herrion, J.S. Hooper, D.H.
Walls, A.H. Tinin, W.W. Lowery, George W. Cox, J.M. Williams , W.Y.
Fuley, James B. Williamson , T.C. Spain, H.C. Hill, C.F. Wilson, J.A.
Steadman, W.H. Foster, J.A.J. Baker, J. M. Minton , Wilson Hunt, E. C.
Hunter, D.P. Norvell, W.S. Pruet, R.W. Hunt, D.A. Smith, B.F. Cornstock,
J.G. Brewer, C.D. Pruet, D.D. Hodges, J.E. Garland, J.H. Grantham, J.L.
Poindexter, D.S. Spain, W.L. Strickland, John M.Davis, A.J. Hall, R.H.
Rutledge, W.A. Simmons jr., D.L. McClamrock, J.C. Glass, A.W. Safley,
John Cox, W.T. Hale, J.A. Dickson, R.Corman, G.W. Fisher, J.R. Turner,
J.R. Thomp-son, E.S. Bray, A. Grisby, J.W. Cooper, W.A. Strickland, M.H.
Willis, William Wright, L.C. Thompson, and J.A. Thompson.
Ten years later after the town's incorporation , its
population exceeded 2,500 allowing it to be ranked the following year as
a second class city.
The population had doubled to 5, 122 by 1907 and first-class status
was awarded on Dec. 31 of that year.
