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Snowball School and Gym

Snowball School and Gym

City/Town:
Location Class:
Built: 1938 | Abandoned: 1970's, 2007
Status: Demolished
Photojournalist: Michael SchwarzEddy Sisson

Originally named Calf Creek, the town of Snowball, Arkansas was founded in the early 1800s. After the entire downtown area was destroyed by a steam engine explosion in 1879, a newly built Masonic lodge was purchased by the town and named after the County Sheriff Bill Snow. This served not only as a lodge but also as a school and the church.

1425461_221406898031277_571467269_oSeveral years after the newly named town Snowball, Arkansas was founded, the Works Progress Administration (WPA) built a brand-new school building for the children of Snowball in 1938. This school served 1st through 12th grade, and the students were transported to and from the school by one bus. The  building had a wood interior, with a wooden stove in the back to heat the school during winter. The outside of the building was a stone similar to that the Masonic lodge. In the 1970s enrollment declined to approximately 30 students. This resulted in the consolidation with the Marshall school district; the Snowball school was then left abandoned. Severe weather and yearly floods condemned the school, and shortly after the old school caught fire in the 80s. Luckily the stone facade of the old school remains.

The gym sits right next to the remains of the old school, and was built several years after the school. After the gym’s closing in the late 1970s, the town reopened it as a Civic Center in 1982, where they would host several events a year including haunted houses. The last haunted house was held in the late 2000s. Shortly after the gym closed once again.

The gym now has a warped floor, dusty and empty bleachers, haunted house remains and untold stories.
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Roger S Case
Roger S Case
11 months ago

Check your details about the fire that burned most of the town down, it was not the steam engine explosion. I attended school in Snowball in the 1960’s and my grandparents owned and operated the Wells Store from the mid 1940’s through the early 1970’s and the Post Office for several years at the same location.

Alan Guthrie
Alan Guthrie
1 year ago

My Grandfather taught school there in the 40’s maybe 30’s Cecil Guthrie. He was from Dongola.

Wade Cash
Wade Cash
3 years ago

Does anyone have interior photos of the gym when it was in good condition?…..Perhaps from the 1940’s or 1950’s? My grandpa, Brough Cash, was the superintendent and basketball coach at Snowball.

Rodney Beaver
Rodney Beaver
Reply to  Wade Cash
3 years ago

I’m working on doing a story on the old gym and hopefully info on the sports played there.
Could you contact me at rodneyb@harrisondaily.com

Jamie Tyroler
Jamie Tyroler
Reply to  Wade Cash
3 years ago

I had an aunt and uncle who owned a farm in the Richland Valley in the 1970s. They had a couple of neighbors with the last name of Cash. I think their names were Woody and Luntz.

Clay Tinnell
Clay Tinnell
4 years ago

My grandpa was born in snowball and raised in the area His name was Harley England

Clay Tinnell
Clay Tinnell
4 years ago

My grandpa was born and raised in snowball. Harley England

math games
4 years ago

Good to know

Amy
Amy
4 years ago

I know this post was from several years ago, but there is new life being breathed in the the Snowball Gym. If any one is interested in information about it, find us on Facebook, Snowball Civic Club or Snowball, AR Pictures! Thanks all!

life insurance
4 years ago

great work admin

Denee
Denee
5 years ago

The Rainbolts (my stepdads family) were from Snowball.

KProxy Review
5 years ago

before be kept. My grandmother lived there in 1895.

Snow Bros Game APK
5 years ago

What is this….???????????

Carolyn
Carolyn
6 years ago

Where would old history of 1895 and before be kept. My grandmother lived there in 1895.

Sharon Gibbs
Sharon Gibbs
7 years ago

What was Snowball's Mascot

Amy
Amy
Reply to  Sharon Gibbs
4 years ago

Eagles

Mary Blaine
Mary Blaine
7 years ago

Correction- The town Hall was named after Benjamin Franklin Snow,my great grandfather.
( Not Bill)

jimmy
8 years ago

My name is jimmy brown I'm wanting information about the snow ball gym I'm starting a non profit called chariotsforchildren.com and want to use and fix the gym back to it's glory days. Any info greatly appreciated! I've done some digging around no one seems to know who is in charge.

Cathy Griffin
Cathy Griffin
Reply to  jimmy
4 years ago

We have done extensive clean up on the Snowball Gym grounds and have had a few fund raisers. Have several events scheduled to happen this year. Have had a Architect come visit with us to hopefully restore the gym.

LEE MOORE
LEE MOORE
9 years ago

It is sad. There are so many places that are just falling apart now, they aren't being used or we don't have the money to fix them.

Don Rickard
Don Rickard
9 years ago

Arthur Dewey Kimbrell was the teacher at the school for a long time. He may have been the only one there at the time, He never mentioned anybody else. He had a lot of stories about people that were students there. Wish he had recorded them.

Kimberly Ingram Dunn
9 years ago

Of all the places "Abandoned AR" features, it's the schools that always make me sad. I grew up going to a HUGE school, (about 500 in my graduating class). When i see these small schools, it always makes me wonder what it would've been like to go to a small school, where everyone knew every body. It makes me feel nostalgic for something I've never even experienced.

Stephanie
Stephanie
9 years ago

Thank you for sharing these pics! My father in law went to school there!

Elizabeth
Elizabeth
9 years ago

Omg!! I would die for one of these!:-) so many memories (referring to the merry-go-round)

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