Visit these places to get a sense of what came before:
Arkansas Post Museum State Park – 5530 Hwy. 165 South, Gillett, AR. Explore life on Arkansas’ Grand Prairie and in the Arkansas Delta from 1877.
Arkansas Post National Memorial – Arkansas’s first territorial capital was French, and was located at the confluence of the Arkansas and Mississippi rivers. The National Memorial has self-guided tours of the town site and walking trails. 1741 Old Post Road, Gillett, AR.
The Benton County Historical Society has compiled a directory of many historical sites in Benton County. See their site for the complete list, which includes museums of the history of Benton County communities, the history of Walmart, and a Native American museum.
County historical associations and societies are listed on the Arkansas Historical Association website. Some offer publications, museums, archives, and public programming and meetings.
Delta Cultural Center Beth El Heritage Hall – 141 Cherry St., Helena, Arkansas 870-338-4350
Hampson Archaeological Museum State Park, 33 Park Avenue, Wilson, AR. A 15-acre palisaded village thrived here between 1400 and 1650 A.D., and the museum houses a phenomenal collection of artifacts. Plus, it’s on the Wilson town square.
Historic Arkansas Museum 200 E 3rd St., Little Rock. A city block including the oldest building in Little Rock, an 1850s Farmstead, galleries of Arkansas-Made art and history ranging from indigenous Arkansans to contemporary artists and artisans. Programming includes re-enactors in period costumes and Living Craft Saturdays. Closed Mondays.
Historic Washington State Park. 103 Franklin Street, Washington, AR. An important stop on the Southwest Trail, James Bowie, Sam Houston, and Davy Crockett famously traveled through here. James Black, a local blacksmith, forged the legendary Bowie knife. From 1863 to 1865, it served as the Confederate capital of Arkansas. Tour the largest collection of 19th-century buildings in the state.
Jacksonport State Park – 111 Avenue St, Newport. In the 1800s, steamboats made Jacksonport a thriving river port. During the Civil War, Confederate and Union forces occupied the town because of its location at the confluence of the White and Black rivers. The museum is open daily. Camping and outdoor family activities.
Jenkins Ferry Battleground State Park – Co Rd 317/Forest Rd 9010, Leola, AR. The third leg of the Red River campaign during the Civil War happened here. Interpretive exhibits.
Lower White River Museum State Park 2009 Main St., Des Arc. The lower White River was a vital transportation route for early settlers on the Arkansas frontier. Museum exhibits interpret the river’s influence on settlements during the steamboat era and the expansion of commerce from its roots in hunting and fishing into shelling, timber, agriculture, pearling, and button making.
Louisiana Purchase State Park – U.S. 49 at AR 362, approximately 3.5 miles southeast of Blackton. The Louisiana Purchase of 1803 almost doubled the size of the United States, and the survey and division of the newly acquired land into square tracts began in Arkansas. An elevated boardwalk leads to a National Monument marking the spot where the survey of the Louisiana Purchase began.
Missouri History Museum 314-361-9017 library@mohistory.org
McArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History – 503 E. 9th St., Little Rock. Interpretive exhibits span Arkansas’s territorial period to the present. Located in the historic Tower Building of the Little Rock Arsenal, which was the birthplace of General Douglas MacArthur. Closed Mondays.
Mosaic Templars Cultural Center – 501 West 9th St, LR – 501-683-3593. Preserves, interprets, and celebrates African American history and culture in Arkansas. Open Tuesday-Saturday, 9-5.
Mount Holly Cemetery – 1200 Broadway, Little Rock, 501-376-1843. See the burial places of many of the most significant people in Arkansas history, from the territorial era through the present. Self-guided walking tour brochures at the bell house in the center of the cemetery. Open 8-4 daily.
Old State House Museum – 300 West Markham, Little Rock. Arkansas’s first state capitol building is now a museum of Arkansas history. Open 9-5 Tuesday-Saturday and 1-5 on Sunday.
Oakland & Fraternal Historic Cemetery Park – 165 acres of six historic Little Rock cemeteries: Oakland Cemetery, Fraternal Cemetery (Black), Confederate Cemetery (Civil War), Little Rock National Cemetery (U.S. military), B’nai Israel Cemetery (Jewish), and Agudath Achim Cemetery (Jewish). Open daylight to dusk. For tour information, please visit the website or call 501-372-6429. 2101 Barber St.
Ozark Folk Center State Park – dedicated to perpetuating the music, crafts, and culture of the Ozarks. Has a Heritage Herb Garden and a Crafts Village. Music is everywhere! Concerts, workshops, and other events. 1032 Park Avenue, Mountain View; 870-269-3851. Open April-October.
Pea Ridge National Battlefield – Pea Ridge was the most pivotal Civil War battle west of the Mississippi. Self-guided and virtual tours. Pea Ridge (near Rogers). 479-451-8122.
Plantation Agriculture Museum – Across the highway from the historic Scott Plantation Settlement (see below), this museum also preserves the agricultural history of Arkansas. 4815 AR Hwy 161 South, Scott. 501-961-1409
Prairie Grove Battlefield State Park – One of America’s most intact Civil War battlefields. Walking and driving tours, programs, and weekend events. Biennial reenactments in the first week of December (even-numbered years). 506 East Douglas St., Prairie Grove. prairiegrove@arkansas.com or call 479-846-2990.
Scott Plantation Settlement – Located near the Plantation Agriculture Museum (see above), the Scott Settlement features structures dating from the 19th through the mid-20th centuries, most of which have been relocated from other areas in the community for preservation. The annual High Cotton festival in October features heritage music, crafts, games, and cooking. 15525 Alexander Rd, Scott. For guided tours of the buildings, call 501-944-0736 or email scottsettlement@gmail.com.
Shiloh Museum of Ozark History – Preserves and provides resources for finding meaning, enjoyment, and inspiration in the exploration of the Arkansas Ozarks. Offers events. 118 W. Johnson Ave. Springdale, 479-750-8165.