Editorial
Front Page - Monday, December 29, 2008
Free things to do in ‘The Rock’
Lauren James
In the city, there are many things that can occupy your time and provide an educational experience without putting a dent in your wallet after the holidays.
Whether you’re interested in the Civil War, the historic integration of Little Rock Central in 1957, or you find old-fashioned homes appealing, Little Rock has it all without any cost to you.
Parts of Arkansas were very much involved in the American Civil War that lasted from 1861 to 1865. Following the fall of Vicksburg in July of 1863, the Union Army turned its attention to another place: Little Rock. Marching from Helena, more than 12,000 Union troops under the guidance of Gen. Frederick Steele headed for the Confederate-held state capitol at Little Rock.
The Little Rock Campaign Tour is a free driving tour of sites along the route the Union Army took in the capture of the capitol of Arkansas. There are seven stops along the extensive tour, beginning with the action east of the city in late August. It covers the Arkansas River crossings that Steele used to threaten the city, forcing the evacuation of Confederates in September. The tour ends with the final action as the Confederates withdrew. Stops are located at the Brownsville Cemetery in Lonoke, Reed’s Bridge over Bayou Meto in Jacksonville, Ashley’s Mill in Scott, the river crossing near Baucum Corner, Bayou Fourche in Pratt Remmel Park, the Battle of the Little Rock stone monument, and the Riverfront Park in downtown Little Rock.
For more information, pick up a tour brochure at the Little Rock visitor center, download the brochure online at www.civilwarbuff.org/campaign_tour.html, or call 501-370-3290.
The Old State House Museum, located on 300 W. Markham St., is the site of the Arkansas State House that was completed in 1842 and is currently the oldest standing state capitol building west of the Mississippi River. It is a National Historic Landmark that saw much action during the Civil War, including the state’s secession convention and the occupation by the Union Army in September of 1863. It was also the site of President Bill Clinton’s 1992 and 1996 election night celebrations. Exhibits in the museum feature many areas of Arkansas state history.
The museum is part of the Department of Arkansas Heritage, and is open Monday to Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. Admission is free. For additional information, call 501-324-9685 or visit the Web site www.oldstatehouse.com.
An important part of Arkansas history, as well as American history, is the integration at Little Rock’s Central High. On the morning
of Sept. 23, 1957, nine African-American teenagers stood up to a crowd protesting integration in front of the Little Rock high school as they entered the school for the first time. It was the site of the first crucial test of the U.S. Supreme Court’s historic Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka decision.
The school is still in operation, but has become known as the Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site, which is partnered with the Jefferson National Parks Association. The visitor center, which is at 120 Daisy Bates Dr., is open daily from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. all year. For groups wishing to have a guided tour of the visitor center exhibits, call 501-374-1957 for a reservation. For more information about the historic site, visit the JNPA Web site at www.jnpa.com.
To check out a cluster of historic houses and a park named after a general, visit the Quapaw Quarter, a nine-mile area that includes Little Rock’s central business district and adjacent residential neighborhoods, including “MacArthur Park Historic District,” “Governor’s Mansion Historic District” and the “Central High Neighborhood Historic District.” From the frontier days to the early years of the 20th century, it is encompassed in the Quapaw Quarter.
Among the many ornate houses in the residential neighborhoods, is the famous Villa Marre, the house used as a backdrop for the 1980s comedy “Designing Women.” The fictional home of Sugarbaker’s Design firm in the show is actually on Scott Street and dates back to 1881 when Angelo Marre and his wife Jennie Marre built the home.
MacArthur Park, at 9th and McAlmont streets, is the city’s oldest municipal park and houses Arkansas Arts Center, which is free to the public, and the MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History. There are various outdoor facilities in the park including brick promenades, a bocce court and the Contemplation Gardens.
Although a majority of the restored buildings are private homes or businesses and are not open to the public, they can be viewed from the street or sidewalk through driving or walking tours. Quapaw Quarter Association arranges for several privately owned historic houses to be opened to the public during the first weekend in May for the bi-annual Spring Tour of Historic Homes.
For more information about
the historical area, contact the
Quapaw Quarter Association by calling 501-371-0075 or visit the Web site at www.quapaw.com.
If you’re on a budget and looking for something to do, there’s always something to see in Little Rock.
Contact Lauren at ljames@dailydata.com
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