Randolph County Heritage Museum

Arkansas was in the midst of its first legislative session, and a deadly fight between legislators was about to begin. Lawmakers had been arguing about payouts for timber wolf pelts when Speaker of the House John Wilson became enraged with Rep. Joseph J. Anthony of Randolph County.

Wilson pulled out a knife and approached Anthony. He tried to unsheathe his knife, but he dropped it. Wilson lunged at Anthony, stabbing him in the arm. Anthony tried to defend himself with a chair, but had no luck. Wilson stabbed him in the abdomen and neck and he died.

This is one of many stories told at the Randolph County Heritage Museum in Pocahontas, President Dr. Rodney Harris said.

Located on the Pocahontas Court Square, the museum tells the story of the Randolph County area from its earliest history to present with permanent and traveling exhibits, special presentations, interactive exhibits, and informational programs. In 1838, portions of what is now Arkansas 166 was the route the Trail of Tears took into Arkansas and across Randolph County.

The museum opened in 2006 at the culmination of the city’s sesquicentennial celebration. Pocahontas had existed for many years before it was finally incorporated.

“We’ve been really blessed. Museums like that don’t typically last longer than five- or six-years and we’re still here. We get a lot of support from the community,” Harris said.

The museum is filled with exhibits. One of the most interesting is the button exhibit. Years ago, shells were harvested from local rivers. Randolph County is reportedly the only county in the country that has five navigable rivers. Buttons were made from the shells and it was a major economic driver for the city and county for years, Harris said. When cheaper buttons began to be made, especially after World War II the business was shuttered in the area, he said.

One exhibit they are working on is an agriculture exhibit. Randolph County used to be a major cotton producer, but now the cotton fields have been replaced with rice and peanuts. A cotton bale will be part of the display along with panels that will describe how and where cotton was grown and why farmers stopped growing it.

Inside the museum there are numerous exhibits that range from one about the first school in Arkansas being in a cave near Ravenden Springs that may have also served as a church. Another display depicts an old country store.

Funding is always an issue for a nonprofit, especially museums, Harris said. Expected federal grant cuts will hurt, and a changing population is having an impact.

“One of our biggest challenges is the baby boomer generation is dying. It was built in with that generation to donate money to things like churches and museums. Younger generations don’t donate as much,” he said.

Editor’s note: This company is a finalist for the Northeast Arkansas Outstanding Business Awards — Nonprofit Business category. Winners will be announced at a luncheon on April 15. Contact Rob Gutterridge at rgutterridge@nwabj.com for tickets.