By Joe David Rice To the best of my knowledge, only one person has publicly performed the hoochie-coochie within the hallowed halls of the U.S. House of Representatives in the U.S. Capitol. That unlikely dancer was ultra-conservative Congressman Ezekiel Candler “Took” Gathings, a devout Baptist who represented Arkansas’ First Congressional District for 30 years. But…
By Joe David Rice I’ve seen several bears and a half a dozen or so bobcats in the wilds of Arkansas but have yet to spot my first mountain lion. The Arkansas Game & Fish Commission says it won’t happen, chiefly because these large and elusive carnivores no longer exist in The Natural State –…
The Witt Stephens Jr. Central Arkansas Nature Center is located on 3.4 acres in Little Rock, overlooking the Arkansas River. The site is a part of the River Market District.The center focuses on the wide variety of outdoor recreational opportunities that our state’s fish and wildlife resources provide. Exhibits highlight the role of fish and…
Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art welcomes all to celebrate the American spirit in a setting that unites the power of art with the beauty of nature. Nestled in an 120-acre Ozark woods with more than four miles of trails, the museum features a permanent collection ranging from Early American art to contemporary times. A…
The Arkansas Arts Center is an art museum and active center for the visual and performing arts. Featuring a world-class international collection of art, live theatre productions, art classes, lectures, films, family programs, shopping and dining, the Arkansas Arts Center offers something for everyone. The Museum is open to the public Tuesday through Saturday from…
On a hot summer day in 1934, a group of sharecroppers came together in Tyronza, Arkansas, to form the Southern Tenant Farmers Union. Today their informal headquarters, a dry cleaners and gas station owned by two of the organizers serves as a museum dedicated to sharecroppers and the Depression-era farm labor activities that grew into…
Step back in time at the Lakeport Plantation House, one of Arkansas’s premier historic structures. Built in 1859 with enslaved labor, the house retains many of its original finishes. The only remaining Arkansas plantation home on the Mississippi River, it has been restored to tell the stories of the people who lived and worked at…
Dyess Colony was created in 1934 as part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal to aid in economic recovery from the Great Depression. It provided a new start for nearly 500 Arkansas farm families, including the family of Johnny Cash. The historic Administration Building houses exhibits related to establishment of the colony and the…
The HEMINGWAY-PFEIFFER MUSEUM and EDUCATIONAL CENTER features the restored home and barn studio where Ernest Hemingway penned portions of some of his most famous works, including A Farewell to Arms. The museum offers tours, exhibits, educational programs, special events, Hemingway and related books, and unique gifts. Group tours are offered by appointment, with drop-in tours…
Founded by renowned Arkansas author Bernie Babcock in 1927, the Museum of Discovery is the state’s oldest museum. The Museum has been in the River Market entertainment district since 1998. After a $9.2 million complete renovation funded by a grant from the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation, the museum reopened in its current format in January…
