Gilmore: Traces of Railroads and Highways

Gilmore’s local history brings together the history of roads and railroads with commerce, schools, and agriculture. A section of Highway A-7, the development of the railroad, and buildings with changing uses offer different insights into the town. If you consider cultural and transportation history when choosing a destination, you’ll find several specific topics here: a named road, the establishment of a railroad station, and changes to buildings and land use.

Highway A-7 and old US 63

The section of Highway A-7 listed on the National Register of Historic Places runs along old US 63 between Acwin Street in Gilmore and Ditch No. 2 in Turrell. This section has been listed on the Register since 2009. The year refers to the Register listing; Acwin Street and Ditch No. 2 identify the endpoints of the described stretch. This makes it possible to associate the historic road reference with a specific section rather than equating it with all of old US 63. Travelers interested in transportation history can identify both the route’s designation and its two endpoints.

Railroad, station, and town name

John Gilmore gave the community and its later railroad station their name. Gilmore Station received this name when the Springfield and Memphis Railroad built its line through the area in 1883. The town’s name and the railroad’s construction are thus part of the same chapter in Gilmore’s development. The depot was used by the railroad and its successor companies until freight and passenger trains stopped there in the 1960s.

The timeline shows two distinct phases in the railroad’s history: 1883 marks the construction of the line and the naming of Gilmore Station, while the 1960s mark the end of freight and passenger stops. This distinguishes the establishment of the railroad town from the later discontinuation of stops, without conflating the depot’s historic use with present-day rail traffic.

Commerce, schools, and community life

The brick building of Ed Talbott & Company was built in 1928 on Front Street, across from the railroad tracks. The store closed in 1981; the building was later converted into an apartment building. The year it was built, the store’s closure, and its later conversion form a clear sequence in the building’s history. Together, they connect the architecture of the brick structure with a change in its use.

Another chapter in the history of local businesses is the company-owned boarding house operated in Gilmore by the Chapman & Dewey Lumber Company. The boarding house represented a different use from the Ed Talbott & Company store.

The history of the schools can also be traced to a specific building. In 1912, Gilmore School was replaced by a four-classroom wooden building south of Saint Catherines Church on Rhyolite Avenue. Its construction, size, and location distinguish this chapter of local history from the stories of rail travel and commercial life. A branch of the Crittenden County Library System is located in Gilmore City Hall, adding another connection to community life in the town’s history.

Agriculture and trip planning

After the land was cleared, Gilmore developed into an agricultural community. The use of the land is therefore part of the town’s history, alongside the development of roads, railroads, and buildings. These different topics offer different ways to understand Gilmore: through old US 63, railroad development, or local architectural and agricultural history. If you’re looking for a hotel in Gilmore, this historical context can help you choose a destination that suits your travel interests.

Discover more destinations: Turrell, West Memphis, Marion, Edmondson

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