Whispers from Another Time
Cathy Padgett's photographs focus on the things people leave behind as they journey across time and the landscape.
In celebration of Arkansas Heritage Month, the University Libraries are pleased to present Whispers from Another Time, photographs by Cathy D. Padgett.
The places Padgett photographs are relics of an earlier era, stuck in the process of decay: abandoned houses, old country stores, churches, or one-room schoolhouses. She suggests that such buildings are so commonplace that we don't even see them anymore.
Padgett has lived in Northwest Arkansas since 1971. She earned a BA in Art with a concentration in photography from the U of A in 1991, an MA in Anthropology in 2000, and an MEd in Educational Technology in 2005. She is currently the Administrative Analyst and Visual Resource Curator for the Department of Art.
For more information about Padgett and her work, please visit her website at cathy-padgett.squarespace.com. Padgett's site has an email link so that you can inquire about purchasing prints or even suggest a place that you think she should photograph.
Find more information at http://cathy-padgett.squarespace.com/.
(Click thumbnail image to enlarge.)
Caretaker's Cottage
Fayetteville, Washington County, 2014: The native stone Pump Station house and caretaker's cottage were built in 1925. Water was pumped to Mt. Sequoyah, where it was filtered and stored before being gravity-fed to Fayetteville homes and businesses. After the Pump Station closed down operations, the Fayetteville Fire Marshal moved into the cottage.
Aurora Store
Aurora, Madison County, 2012: Back in its heyday, people would gather on the porch with their musical instruments and play music together. People passing by would have to stop and listen, often times joining in. The current owners tried to make a go of it with a junk shop, but gave it up after a few years.
Gilstrap General Store
Dutton, Madison County, 2014: According to the caption beneath a 1967 newspaper article, traveling salesmen rented buggies at Saint Paul to make calls at the Walter Gilstrap General Store at Dutton before the railroad was extended through in 1897 on the way to Pettigrew.
Old Home Place
Thorney, Madison County, 2012: Old home places, such as this one in Madison County, can be found hidden among the trees and off the beaten paths and roadways almost anywhere in Arkansas. There was no road or path leading to this home and one would need to cross a small creek to gain access.
Vineyard Community Church
Evansville, Washington County, AR, 2010: Located near Evansville, not far from the Oklahoma line, the Vineyard Community Church serves a small non-denominational congregation. School was once held here for a short time after the Vineyard Schoolhouse burned down.
