Museums & Heritage

Museums and historic districts weave a fascinating story of our past. There are museums where you can explore the history of winemaking and prehistoric times. We invite you to discover the rich past of the Arkansas River Valley Tri-Peaks Region.

 


 

Conway County

Depot Museum

Morrilton’s restored Missouri-Pacific railroad depot is now the site for interesting displays, from the time of American Indian removal and the Trail of Tears to railroad legend, lore, and fact, by appointment.

Morrilton Downtown Historic District

Church and Broadway Streets. See Carnegie Library, the classic revival courthouse, churches, homes, and enjoy downtown shopping.

Museum of Automobiles

See the great automobile classics on display atop Petit Jean Mountain – a collection of 50 painstakingly restored, vintage vehicles. The vehicles range from a 1904 Oldsmobile to a 1967 Cadillac Fleetwood 75 that belonged to the late Winthrop Rockefeller. Included in the exhibit is an Arkansas built 1923 Climber automobile.

Springfield Des Arc Bridge

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places. One-of-a-kind bridge used in Arkansas – inquire locally.

Johnson County

Johnson County Courthouse

Main Street, Clarksville. The best example of federally funded Classical Revival-style structure built in Johnson County during the Depression era of the 1930s. Listed 6/14/91.

R. Munqer Memorial Chapel

University of the Ozarks Campus, Clarksville. Built in 1932, two-story church designed in the collegiate Gothic style. Listed 6/8/93.

Missouri-Pacific Depot

101 Johnson St., Clarksville. Single-story brick masonry freight and passenger railroad depot, designed in the Mediterranean style, built in 1910. The original Italianate braces under the wide projecting eaves remain, as does the unique parapet cross gable over the three-sided telegrapher’s bay. Listed 6/11/92.

Harmony Presbyterian Church

Highway 103, approximately eight miles north of Clarksville. Built in 1915-1917, a single- V story masonry church designed in a simplified Gothic Revival style. Listed 12/1/94.

Logan County

Paris Historic District

The City of Paris and Logan County boast over 25 listings on the National Historic Register, including the Old Logan County Jail, site of the last legal hanging in Arkansas, and the Logan County Courthouse and Gill “Rock” Houses.

Arkansas Historic Wine Museum

Ark. 22, Paris. A family-owned and operated winery with tours and tastings. Celebrate Arkansas Wine Heritage Day in May and learn about the history of wine making in Arkansas at the Museum.

Perry County

Perry County Courthouse

Second oldest working courthouse in Arkansas. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Camp Ouachita

Camp Ouachita was the hearthstone for outdoor and social-skills development and a path through adolescence for two generations of Arkansas Girl Scouts who seasonally camped there between 1937 and 1979. The Works Progress Administration (WPA), a federal New Deal agency, constructed Camp Ouachita from 1936 to 1940 for the Little Rock Area Girl Scout Council (LRGSC) in the Ouachita National Forest, twelve miles south of Perryville (Perry County) Camp Ouachita, the nation’s only surviving WPA-constructed Girl Scout camp complex, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The fully refurbished Great Hall and cabins are now used by the Game and Fish Commission for trainings and education programs.

The Perry County Historical Museum

The Perry County Historical Museum is located at 408 W. Main Street in Perryville holds many treasures from Perry County’s past. Painting and drawing classes as well as art sales are scheduled frequently at the museum.

Hollis CCC Camp 

Near Hollis on State Highway 7. U.S. Forest Service interpretive site with paved handicapped accessible trails and restrooms.

Pope County

Museum of Prehistory and History

Arkansas Tech University; exhibits include archeological artifacts and Native American presence in western Arkansas from 12,000 years ago through European contact to today. Museum Store has teaching aids, books, games, and items by Native American crafters and area artisans.

Potts Inn Museum

Ark. 247 at Pottsville; once a major stop on the Butterfield Overland Stage route, this restored antebellum home now showcases antiques and a hat museum.

Yell County

Steamboat House, Kimball House, First Presbyterian Church, First United Methodist Church and Yell County Courthouse

These Dardanelle landmarks are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.