Little rock august 26, 2019 in honor of the 80 th annual arkansas state fair, the old state house museum will feature two fairthemed exhibits beginning oct. Construction began in 1833 and was completed in 1842. Jul 28, 2010 welcome to the old state house museum collections blog. The arkansas state archives houses approximately,000 cubic feet of state records and manuscript collections pertaining to the history of arkansas and its people. I know there are some places around arkansas where people refuse to believe coincidences and claim supernatural causes behind strange circumstances. To learn about arkansass earliest days, tour the museums historic grounds and visit a precivil war neighborhood, including the oldest home still standing in little rock and the site where. At that time the division included the history commission, the old state house museum, the arkansas territorial restoration and the historic preservation program. Located in downtown little rock, this hotel is steps from old state house museum and river market district.
Situated between the doubletree hotel and marriott hotel in little rock, arkansas, the old state house opened in 1836 as arkansas first state capitol. Browse archival collections arkansas state archives. Mark christ was the guest curator for the 20012002 exhibit, brothers in arms. Nov 02, 2011 in this episode of the old state house museum collections video podcast, we take a look at the collection of materials related to the arkansas prison system and the department of correction. Search collections welcome to the old state house museum. Historic arkansas museum department of arkansas heritage. The ultimate list of virtual experiences in arkansas. Territorial governor john pope chose architect gideon shryock, who had previously designed the kentucky state capitol building, to create plans for the arkansass capitol. My favorite exhibits were the arkansas first ladies gown exhibit and the afric. It served as the arkansas war memorial, became the first home of the arkansas state police, and held the offices of a number of statewide patriotic organizations. Historic arkansas s awardwinning living history program is grant and donor funded and is the only program of its kind in arkansas.
Peel mansion museum bentonville, arkansas peel compton. The museum village contains a collection of pioneer artifacts from the town of washington, arkansas, which is a former pioneer settlement along the southwest trail. In 1947, legislation was passed that turned the former capitol into a museum of arkansas history. Sorry, there are no tours or activities available to book online for the dates you selected.
Historic arkansas museum is a historic site museum of arkansas s frontier days and a modern museum of arkansas history. Results of state government reorganization left the archives with parks and tourism while the other agencies became a part of the new department of natural and cultural heritage in 1975. The old state house, formerly called the arkansas state house, is the oldest surviving state capitol building west of the mississippi river. Old state house museum department of arkansas heritage. Visit the old state house museum in little rock, ar. Arkansas historic preservation program identifies, evaluates, registers, and preserves the states historic and cultural resources and seeks to instill a preservation ethic in arkansas. Visit the old state house museum store to shop for an array of merchandise and gift items for the whole family. Old state house museum museum of arkansas history, people, and culture. These inventories, called finding aids, are keyword searchable. Research tools by subject central arkansas library system. Old state house museum of arkansas history the old state house is accredited by the american association of museums and provides a full complement of educational programs and interpretive exhibits on arkansas history. Cotton to cattle takes visitors from the early days of the fair to the building of barton coliseum.
Old state house and historic arkansas museum franawiki. Ozark cultural heritage and tradition, music, crafts. Visit old state house museum in downtown little rock expedia. Living history museums offer a unique educational opportunity to experience life in an earlier time period. Historic arkansas museum 200 e 3rd st, little rock, arkansas 72201 rated 4. The oldest surviving state capitol west of the mississippi, the old state house museum bears testimony to arkansass political history. This list of museums in arkansas is a list of museums, defined for this context as institutions including nonprofit organizations, government entities, and private businesses that collect and care for objects of cultural, artistic, scientific, or historical interest and make their collections or related exhibits available for public viewing museums that exist only in cyberspace i. Meet ghosts from arkansas and their bonechilling stories i wonder if the place where the tilly willy bridge used to be still has the lady in the white dress popping up every now and again. The old state house museum is the original state capitol of arkansas. A branch of the arkansas state archives, the mission of the southwest arkansas regional archives sara is to collect and preserve primary and secondary source materials pertaining to the history of southwest arkansas and its people, and to serve as a resource center for historical research focusing on the unique history, culture, and heritage of the area. Fitzgerald, michigan state university museum 1987, isbn 0944311008.
We invite people into the mansion to create personal memories of their own. Visit arkansass old state house museum to learn about arkansass rich history and culture as part of this group bus trip. Historic arkansass awardwinning living history program is grant and donor funded and is the only program of its kind in arkansas. Since 1833, when construction began, the building and its grounds have witnessed many of the most important events in arkansas history. The 10 best arkansas history museums with photos tripadvisor.
Curators talked about the exhibits at the old state house museum in little rock, arkansas. The old state house museum is an agency of the division of arkansas heritage, within the department of parks, heritage and tourism. Discover the most important events in arkansas history, and its culture and the communities throughout time. Part of the land acquired in the louisiana purchase, arkansas became a separate territory in 1819 and achieved statehood in 1836. Over its lifetime, this national historic landmark has experienced as much turbulence as the history it chronicles. The old state house museum began collecting artifacts of arkansas history in the 1950 s. Michigan state university press and michigan state university museum, 1997. A really good book that tells of arkansas history in a brief form but enough to wet my interest so much that i researched more detailed information through the internet. The structure was built to accommodate all branches of the new state s government.
Explore restored antebellum homes on their original block, including the c. Arkansas river valley region local history local history and railroad memorabilia ozark folk center. You can help support our living history program by making a donation. The arkansas womens suffrage centennial project is led by a steering committee comprising the arkansas secretary of states office, the arkansas state archives, the arkansas womens history institute, the butler center for arkansas studies, the ua little rock center for arkansas history and culture, the old state house museum, and the macarthur museum of arkansas military history. Since 1833, when construction began, the building and its grounds have witnessed many of. In town for only two days, the old state house museum was directly next to. A guide to the state by writers program of the work projects administration in the state of arkansas hastings house, 1941. It was the site of the secession convention, as well as the fourth constitutional convention when delegates agreed to ensure voting rights for freedmen and establish public education. Old state house museum pays tribute to the arkansas state fair. Now known as the old state house museum, the building houses an arkansas history museum and the national historic landmark is the oldest standing state. The state archives are maintained by the arkansas history commission.
Under the direction of the department of arkansas heritage, the old state house museum continues. The arkansas state archives, located in little rock pulaski county, is the official state archives of arkansas and houses the states largest collection of documents, publications, photographs, and other material relating to arkansas history the arkansas history commission, as the institution was originally named, was established by the arkansas general assembly in 1905 as part of the. The old state house is the oldest standing state capitol building west of the mississippi river. In this episode of the old state house museum collections video podcast, we take a look at the collection of materials related to the arkansas prison system and the department of correction. Historic washington state park formerly old washington historic state park is a 101acre 41 ha arkansas state park in hemsptead county, arkansas in the united states. Myra mcalmont vaughan, a history of the old state house, in publications of the arkansas historical association vol. The building continues to serve as a museum with exhibits related to arkansas history and culture. John popes ideas for a symbolic state house for arkansas and continues through the construction years and an expansion in 1885. Meet ghosts from arkansas and their bonechilling stories. Road trips within 3 hours of hot springs, arkansas usa today. Continue to the old state house to learn about arkansas history. Read about arkansas politicians and discover the history of the state.
Step back into arkansass frontier history at historic arkansas museum to find out how pioneers lived and what they can teach us about living today. Since 1973, the museum has hosted a family favorite, the annual territorial fair where visitors experience frontier life first hand. The old state house in little rock pulaski county is the oldest standing state capitol building west of the mississippi river. Little rock pulaski little rock central area history state history and culture ozark depot museum.
A pictorial history of arkansass old state house traces the history of the architecture and purposes of the remarkable building. The old state house continues to play a vital role in preserving, sharing, and celebrating the history ofarkansas and its people. Old state house museum is exploring a series with past arkansas governors through their facebook page, and their permanent collections offer a tour through their website, including womens history, arkansas pottery, first families, and campaign collections. Arkansas womens suffrage centennial project a digital. The museum serves the academic mission of the university as a teaching museum and provides quality programming that broadens the perceptions of people in northeast arkansas and the mississippi river delta region, connects people with their history, promotes tolerance, engages minds in progressive thinking, and enhances the sense of community among all audiences. Welcome to the old state house museum collections blog. Territorial governor john pope chose architect gideon shryock, who had previously designed the kentucky state capitol building, to create plans for the arkansas s capitol. Verizon arena and university of arkansas for medical sciences are also within 3 mi 5 km.
For operating hours, exhibits, events calendar, and more information, visit the old state house museum homepage. Michigan michigan quilts 150 years of textile tradition ed. Washington county historical society the society publishes a quarterly historical journal and is based at headquarters house. Old state house museum old state house museum arkansas. The oldest surviving state capitol west of the mississippi, the old state house museum bears testimony to arkansas s political history. One of the most beautiful antebellum homes in arkansas, trapnall hall, located at 423 e. Visit the old state house museum to see a variety of arkansas history exhibits, covering everything from the inaugural. We carry items handcrafted by arkansas artisans, books on the history of the state and the old state house, jewelry, traditional wooden toys and more. Browse archival collections the arkansas state archives houses approximately,000 cubic feet of state records and manuscript collections pertaining to the history of arkansas and its people. A history of arkansas s old state house traces the history of the architecture and purposes of the remarkable building. Arkansas historical association the association publishes a quarterly journal about history in arkansas. Arkansass old state house, arguably the most famous building in the state, was. Special emphasis is given the period 18361911, the historic old state house and arkansas state government. Arkansas prison collection at the old state house museum.
An aamaccredited museum in little rock, arkansas, the old state house museum preserves and interprets the history of the oldest state capitol building west of the mississippi. Old state house museum collections blog arkansas history. Consider visiting the clinton presidential library and park in little rock, smackovers arkansas museum of natural resources state park, the hemingwaypfeiffer museum and educational center in piggott, lakeport plantation in lake village, gangster museum of america in hot springs, old state house museum in little rock, fort chaffee barbershop. Since that time a variety of museum staff members and volunteers have worked to describe and find background information on artifacts in the collection. A pictorial history of arkansass old state house university of. Choose either a selfguided tour using your cell phone to get information about exhibits, or take a guided tour. The old state house, formerly called the arkansas state house, is the oldest surviving state. For more info view this cspan american history tv clip read more. Which added to all of the information my teacher, dr. Apr 23, 2020 old state house museum is exploring a series with past arkansas governors through their facebook page, and their permanent collections offer a tour through their website, including womens history, arkansas pottery, first families, and campaign collections. The old state house of little rock will show rare flags from the civil war and expose the stories of the men that took them into battle. The museum celebrates arkansas history and heritage year round with annual heritage events and living history reenactments. It served a multitude of uses before becoming, in 1951, a museum of arkansas history. List of books and articles about arkansas history online.