Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Many Changes Have Taken Place Since Opening

Prescott Motor Company is celebrating its golden anniversary this year.

In 1945 J.R. Bemis, then president of the Ozan Lumber Co., helped purchase an automobile dealership. R.F. Yarbrough was named manager at the time. The original dealership was located in the former Crotty Arkansas building owned by the Ozan Lumber Company at the time.

It moved to its current location in 1955, according to Charles Yarbrough, son of the late R.F. Yarbrough.

Because World War II had just ended, it was hard to get new cars. However, the dealership sold what new cars it could get along with any used cars it was able to acquire.

Yarbrough said there were 10 mechanics employed at Prescott Motor Co. then. The were also a body shop, parts room and full service service station. He said the service station helped attract customers who were traveling along Highway 67 before Interstate 30 was built. At one time, the service station was open around the clock, seven days a week.

In 1967, R.F. Yarbrough bought Prescott Motor Co. from Potlatch Corp., the business that bought Ozan Lumber Co. out.

According to Charles Yarbrough, Bemis purchased the dealership to make sure his lumber company would have plenty of parts because of the war. Bemis sold Ozan Lumber Co. to Potlatch in 1965, along with the Ford dealership, which Yarbrough bought in '67.

Charles joined the work force at the dealership in Aug. 1967 after getting out of the USAF, and worked there until 1990.

He said the full service station was operated until 1991. "My first job," he said, "was pumping gas. The station was at the original location to attract business. We bought gas by the train tanker car full. There were three tanks, and we off loaded right at the track. We ran a line to the new dealership when we moved."

In 1972 R.F. Yarbrough was recognized as the Arkansas Times Dealer of the Year by his peers. The younger Yarbrough said the dealership has earned many achievements over the years from Ford Motor Co. for market penetration and service.

The dealership is still owned by the Yarbrough family, though Charles said it took the family 20 years to pay for it after buying it from Potlatch. "It's been great," he said. "I hope to continue running it longer."

Yarbrough said 1977 was the best single year for Prescott Motor Co. in sales, but it looks like, he continued, 1995 may be the best year ever if business continues as it has been. Yarbrough credits this to a new, aggressive management staff at the dealership.