ozarks By Terry Ropp
roots
Old-School History
Boone County, Ark., museum is home to some very unique collections Taking a trip sometimes requires choosing between a big city attraction or a less urban location with the unfamiliar museums. One often overlooked category of museums is county museums frequently operated by local historical societies. Such is the case with the Boone County Historical Museum in Harrison, Ark. Boone
County’s Heritage Museum opened in 1987 when the Younger brothers of nearby Beaver, Ark., were looking for a home for their extensive collection of railroad memorabilia at the same time the historical society began leasing the first statesponsored high school in Boone County which was founded in 1912. The old, three-story school became home to a beehive of volunteer renovation activity headed by then–historical society president Fred Hudson. Classrooms converted to themed showrooms and collections which had been stored in various locations. Curator Toinette Madison has worked as a small museum curator for 15 years. Coming from a six-generation Boone County, Ark., family, a love of history was a natural. Having served as the curator of the Newton County Museum, when asked to curate for
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the people, places and traditions that make the ozarks home
Boone County, she jumped at the chance. “All three floors are chock full of wonderful stuff that tell the story of our area which, in many ways, tells the story of the early years of our entire region,” she explained. “Details of different areas, of course, are unique, but the feeling of the historical eras is genuine and universal.” The M&N Railroad (Missouri and North Arkansas Railroad) opened headquarters in Harrison in 1911. Though the railroad was a short line, it ran 365 miles from Joplin, Mo., to Helena, Ark., and provided shipping to larger produce markets. The railroad had a colorful history and has many avid fans whose family members had been employed by the railroad since the beginning. Railroad buffs are eager to see the extensive collection of personal items such as excursion car dishes, payroll lists and other records, as well as lanterns and other personal items most often lost to time that many museums don’t keep. Another highly popular collection is in the Dogpatch Room, reminiscent of the Al Capp comic strip. The room contains many items from the local Dogpatch USA
theme park, which was open from 1968 until 1993, another significant area employer. Included in the collection are a restaurant table, souvenirs and the cape worn by the winner of the National Miss Dogpatch Contest, which was held in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Other room themes are a country store and house reminiscent of the late 1800s to 1900s, a medical room and the military room. The military room covers all U.S. wars and is highlighted by the curator’s favorite exhibit, a jacket from the Spanish-American war. The room also contains a Japanese rifle from World War II as well as saltpeter pots used to make gunpowder for Civil War weapons. Most areas across the country have a larger-than-life folk “celebrity” and Harrison is no exception. Henry Starr was an Oklahoma outlaw who robbed his first bank on horseback and claims to have been the first to use an automobile. He ventured to Harrison, where he killed a U.S. Marshal and was sentenced
Photos
Ozarks Farm & Neighbor • www.ozarksfn.com
JULY 6, 2020
