Special thanks to Kathy Neidergeses and the Lawrence County Archives.
Today First Farmers and Merchants Bank occupies the lot where once stood the Gunn house. In the "then" photo a direct view of the Gunn home is seen and a buggy decorated well enough for the Rose Parade is shown with lovely ladies of the day. Our current guess on the year the photo was taken is late 1800's or early 1900's. Later the Gunn home was razed except for the tower section. Later used as part of the Silo Gas Station. The lot sat empty until the bank built here. The Following was submitted by Kathy Neidergeses...Mrs. Claude M. (Neal) Blue (Claude was her name, not her husband's) purchased the property in 1899 and built the house not too long afterwards. Not having sufficient funds to complete and furnish the structure, she was unable to repay the loan and the property was sold at public auction November 29, 1902 for $2,100 to M. S. McDougal. M. S. McDougal sold the lot and residence to L. F. Gunn December 15, 1902. On August 15, 1925, L. F. Gunn sold the above to Parkes Richardson Co. Businesses later located on this large lot were Esso, or Tower, Service Station; Parkes Motor Co. Sales and Warehouse building; home, barber and beauty shop of R. L. Bailey; and part of the building of the Crockett Theatre. The Tower Service Station was the building located on the very corner, with the only remaining part of the house, the tower, being the main feature. On November 28, 1947, the last trace of the once magnificent Gunn house, the tower, was demolished to allow for the remodeling and construction of a modern service station by Parkes Motor Co. First Farmer?s & Merchants Bank is currently located on part of this lot.
Today you'll find WDXE AM and FM studios located in what once was the Princess Theatre. Several businesses have set up in this location, one I remember was Lay's Five and Dime store. From the contruction on what looks like would be the second floor, this building was probably converted to meet the needs of the Princess Theatre. WDXE station manager Jack Cheatwood took us upstairs to show us what was left of the theatre. Inset photo to the right is what ran along the top of the wall next to the ceiling. The projection room is still there, or at least the room it was in, but it was a little treacherous getting to the front without taking a possible fall into the studios below.
