Home Care In Russellville, IN

After an overnight fire in Russellville destroyed the Old South restaurant that first opened in 1947, the owners are now figuring out their next steps.

RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. — An early morning fire sparked on Tuesday and destroyed the Old South restaurant in Russellville. Now, the owners have been left to figure out what's next for the historic business.

The restaurant first opened in 1947 and the owner explained that it has been a staple in the community ever since.

"It's just part of life in Russellville. And it'll be missed," Old South Co-owner, Zach Summitt said.

Summitt and his dad, Dale have owned Old South for 9 years and were surprised to wake up to the news of the fire.

"Just kind of shocked right now. Just trying to figure out what the next steps are," Summitt added.

The Russellville Fire Department responded to the fire at the restaurant around 12:30 a.m. and spent most of the morning working to put out the flames.

"It was a long process to secure the building and make sure it didn't spread," he explained.

Russellville's Fire Marshal said the cause of the fire is still under investigation, but thankfully nobody was inside.

"We're very grateful for that. God was gracious to us," he said.

Longtime Russellville resident, Michael Bynum said he's grateful for all the memories at Old South.

"The Old South has been a part of, you know, was a part of my upbringing. My grandpa used to take me there all the time," Bynum said.

His grandpa, F.W. Bynum spent so much time at the restaurant that when he passed away in 2010 staff put his picture up in his usual corner booth.

"It was the picture that was used whenever he was inducted into the 1999 Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame. So that was a pretty special thing for us," he explained.

Now, Bynum holds onto those happy memories despite the fire's devastation.

"It was very sad, because, you know, that place meant a lot to people. And it reminds you that you can't take for granted all those small places in your community. Because those are places where memories are made," he said.

While Summitt figures out what to do next, he has had the community backing him up every step of the way.

"Russellville is a great community. They're one of the kindest communities I've lived in," he added.

Summitt said his top priority is making sure his 50 employees are taken of. Anyone interested in helping can donate through The Russ Bus organization by clicking here.

Fire damages historic Old South restaurant in Russellville

Editor's note: Jeremy P. Amick is writing a series of articles highlighting the history of the Russellville area in honor of Missouri's bicentennial. This is the final installment in a two-part series about the Russellville school district.

When a 6-year-old Freeman Kraus started grade school in Consolidated District No. 1 in Russellville in 1926, older students attended classes in a relatively modern two-story brick building. However, because of overcrowding from a growing student population, his first educational experiences were in a small building that was rented from the Catholic church.

In the years before his death, Kraus reflected on his early education, writing that his first teacher was Bertha Hitch, who originated from the Brazito area and taught with the Russellville school district for many years.

"At Christmas (1926) our teacher promoted Nelda Schubert and I to the second grade, which didn't set too good with the rest of the class," Kraus reminisced. "The boys said she flunked all but us that year, but that was not right."

A few years before Kraus and his handful of classmates embarked upon their grade school education, grander plans were implemented to ensure there would be adequate facilities to support the ever-growing student population, while also expanding the educational offerings in the district.

Roger V. Smith, the superintendent at Russellville in the early 1920s, was elected the Cole County superintendent of schools in 1923. On May 1, 1923, despite Smith's best efforts, a proposed tax levy to support the construction of a larger school and to expand the high school from three to four years failed to pass.

"Citizens of the Russellville Consolidated School District desiring a four-year high school course there are not deterred by the election Tuesday," reported the Daily Capital News on May 3, 1923.

The sesquicentennial book published for Russellville in 1988 explained, "Under the leadership of Mr. Smith, (members of the school district) undertook the task of building by (public) subscription. During May and June (1923), $7,000 was raised by the citizens; thus, with the state aid they were assured a fund of $9,000."

The expansion of the district was supported by the donation of a 5-acre tract of land on the south side of Russellville. Within only a few months, a new high school building had been completed.

"Amid impressive ceremonies yesterday morning, the new Russellville High School building was formally dedicated," wrote the Jefferson City Post-Tribune on Jan. 2, 1924. "The newly dedicated edifice is an $18,000/two-story and basement brick structure. It was built by subscription and donated labor. There is not a penny of debt in it."

The newspaper further explained in sincere appreciation for the efforts of County Superintendent Roger V. Smith, he was presented with a gold watch and chain by the residents of Russellville.

The next few years became a medley of progress for all grade levels. The large, two-story structure on the north side of town was often full of students from the primary grades while high school students received instruction in the newer facility on the south side of Russellville.

L.A.B. Leslie wrote that between 1929-31, high school was discontinued, but through efforts of E.S. Bond, who was a school board member and secretary of the district, high school was soon reestablished.

"Russellville is to have a new $96,000 school building," the Iberia Sentinel reported on Dec. 14, 1939. "Work started last week on the structure. It is a WPA (Works Progress Administration) project."

The old high school building was demolished on the property on the south side of Russellville to accommodate the new, larger school building that would host the elementary and high school. The following year, in 1940, the two-story brick building in the north of town was also demolished, with many of the materials salvaged for other construction projects.

All grades moved into the new facility in 1942. Since that time, there have been several additions and improvements made to the property; many of these enhancements were necessitated by the consolidation of one-room school districts.

Enrollment continued to increase and, in 2000, a new high school was built outside the city limits, west of town, on more than 30 acres donated by the late L.A.B. Leslie. The elementary and middle school remains on the south side of the city on property belonging to the school district since 1924.

There is little evidence of the transition the school district made from a small log cabin south of town to two sprawling campuses. However, as Jeff Payne explained, an item was donated to the high school that helps link the current educational institution to its extensive history.

"My dad's aunt and uncle, Herbert and Ruth Hahn, acquired the bell from the brick school house that was torn down (in 1940)," Payne said. "During their estate sale in the late 1990s, it was purchased by Ben and Dorothy Goodin in Brazito and used as a yard decoration."

He added, "The Goodins decided the bell needed to return home to Russellville and donated it to the school in 2012."

The bell, manufactured by C.S. Bell Company of Hillsboro, Ohio, has been painted blue and is mounted under the marquee and message board by the entrance of Russellville High School along Route C.

Though only a simple metal object, the bell rang boldly for many years, but now silently denotes that the past and future of the school district remain connected. In the words former President Theodore Roosevelt, the bell is an object through which to share with future students the history and growth of their local education system.

"The more you know about the past, the better prepared you are for the future."

On this week's Eat It Up, Skot Covert visits Old South, a historic restaurant in Russellville famous for not only its food but also its diners— including Elvis!

RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. — Originally opened in 1947, Old South Restaurant is the oldest restaurant in Russellville and it’s one that’s rich with history.

Since its opening on Main Street all those years ago, very little has changed. From the building's retro exterior to the interior décor and menu itself, walking through the doors of Old South is like stepping back in time.

“Everybody feels like they’re coming home when they walk in the doors. It brings back memories,” explained co-owner Zack Summit.

He and his father and co-owner Dale Summitt have taken pride in that feeling of hospitality.

While their longevity in the community has cemented this iconic joint as a local favorite, their claim to fame originates from something a little different.

Old South is famously known for hosting “two presidents and a king”— a reference to when Presidents Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, and the King of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley, dined here.

To this day you can still sit at the same booth that Elvis famously sat at.

“We’ve probably got the biggest menu in town,” Zack proudly claimed.

Whether you’re craving breakfast or dinner, you’re in luck. The full menu is served all day.

The menu is HUGE. You’ll find classic diner staples such as burgers, chicken fried steak, and salads. But Old South also offers many unique dishes such as a deep-fried meatloaf sandwich and a BLT using fried green tomatoes.

Old South serves a rich chocolate gravy, a southern novelty that’s increasingly tough to find on restaurant menus. Owners of Old South said it is the hardest item on the menu to make, but one that keeps people coming back for more.

While there are plenty of heavier options, the salads are also quite popular. Locals love the special “Old South Dressing”, a salad dressing made using a top-secret recipe that the original owner created in the 1940s.

Old South Restaurant is located at 1330 East Main Street in Russellville. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

RUSSELLVILLE, ARKANSAS – September 2022. The City of Russellville, in collaboration with its waste and recycling provider WM, announced today a campaign to encourage proper curbside residential recycling and to reduce contamination which includes materials not on the recyclable materials list. Residents of Russellville participate in a city-wide program that provides each residence with a 96-gallon recycle cart.

Acceptable items to deposit into the recyclables cart include paper, cardboard, metal cans, and plastic bottles. Plastic bags and bagged recyclables cannot be accepted. Recyclables must be placed in the recycle cart unbagged. A full list of recyclables may be found on the city’s website at: http://www.russellvillearkansas.org/272/Solid-Waste-Recycling.

“Russellville is proud to offer recycling to our residents,” said Mayor Richard Harris. “Today we ask our residents to renew their efforts to recycle appropriately. Recycling is both good for the environment and the budget, as recycling reduces the need for expensive disposal. Protecting this program by proper participation will help protect our economic and environmental wellbeing.”

Russellville participates in a state-of-the-art, single-stream recycling program. This allows residents to comingle acceptable items in the cart. This saves both time and money for citizens and collects as much as four times the recovered materials compared to dual-stream programs.

“External economic pressures have made it essential that recycling programs reduce contamination in the carts,” said Jaime Vernon, WM Mid-South Public Sector Manager. “Recycling centers need residents help to keep the carts free of non-recyclable items to ensure that all the collected material is reused. WM has noticed a significant increase in non-recyclable contamination in the carts, which includes trash, food waste and construction type material.”

Residents who place non-recyclable items or bagged recyclables in their carts risk having their cart being left at the curb and not emptied. Drivers are trained to spot contamination and to tag the cart with a sticker informing the resident of the contamination.

“We will be increasing our education efforts to our residents in the future,” said Mayor Harris. “If you are not sure if something is recyclable, remember, when in doubt, leave it out.”

Residents with questions regarding the recycling program may call 479-880-CART (2278).