Historic Arkansas Museum facts for kids
Hinderliter House,
part of the Historic Arkansas Museum |
|
| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
| Established | 1941 |
|---|---|
| Location | 200 E. Third Street Little Rock, Arkansas |
| Type | History museum |
The Historic Arkansas Museum (HAM) is a cool history museum located in downtown Little Rock, Arkansas. It's a place where you can explore Arkansas's past.
The museum started because of a special group called the Arkansas Territorial Capitol Restoration Commission. This group was formed in 1939. A woman named Louise Loughborough led the effort. She wanted to save some old houses in Little Rock that were going to be torn down. One of these was the Hinderliter House, which is the oldest building in Little Rock!
Louise Loughborough told everyone that Little Rock was a "town of three Capitols." These were the Hinderliter House, the Old State House, and the current Arkansas State Capitol Building. She got help from the government and private donors to save and fix up these historic buildings. The museum officially opened its doors on July 19, 1941.
Today, the museum has special gallery spaces and several historic buildings that were originally on the site. It also has old log cabins that were moved there from other parts of Arkansas. The museum used to be called the "Arkansas Territorial Restoration." But in 2001, after new exhibits and updates were finished, its name changed to the Historic Arkansas Museum. It's also connected to the famous Smithsonian Affiliations program. The museum's property was recognized as an important historic place in 2019.
Contents
What You Can See: Museum Collections
The Historic Arkansas Museum has many interesting things from the past. These collections help us understand what life was like long ago in Arkansas.
Art and Paintings
The museum has a collection of art, including paintings by different artists. Some of these artists include:
- A. J. Freeman
- Adrian Brewer
- Alfred R. Waud
- Elsie Freund
- Jenny Eakin Delony
- John James Aududon
- Louis Freund
- Max Mayer
- William Frye
Old Furniture
You can see many pieces of furniture from the 1700s and 1800s. This includes chairs, tables, and even special "sugar chests" used to store sugar. Most of these items were bought through a special fund to help the museum grow its collection.
Historic Guns
The museum has a small collection of firearms from the 1700s and 1800s. These include:
- Percussion Pistol (made in 1860)
- Caplock Pistol (made in 1855)
- Caplock Rifle (made in 1870)
- Colt Navy Revolver (made by Samuel Colt in 1860)
- Flintlock Rifle
Hunting Horns
There are also several old hunting horns in the collection. These were used to communicate during hunts. Some examples are:
- Arkansas Traveler Hunting Horn (from 1880)
- Hunting Dog Ornamented Hunting Horn (from 1860)
- Hunting Horn (made by Dr. C.K. Mason in 1895)
Jewelry from the Past
The museum displays some beautiful old jewelry, such as:
- Bracelet (made by Elsie Freund in 1930)
- Hair brooch (owned by Sarah Downs in 1868)
- Pocketwatch (owned by A.A. Turner in 1870)
Bowie Knives
The museum has ten special "bowie style" knives. These knives were popular in the mid-1800s to mid-1900s.
Old Photographs
You can also see many old photographs that show what people and places looked like in the past. Some photographers whose work is featured include:
- B.S. Alford
- Diehl and Kennedy
- Keystone View Company
- John F. Kennedy
Pottery and Ceramics
The museum has a collection of pottery, including:
- Blue Crackel Vase (made by Camden Pottery in 1925)
- Bowl (made by Niloak Pottery in 1925)
- Churn (made by J.R. Wilbur in 1867)
- Jar (made by George Washington Cranston in 1860)
- Vase (made by Charles Stehm in 1926)
Ancient Caddo Pottery
There is also a special collection of pottery made by the Caddo people. These pieces are very old, dating back to between 1500 and 1600.
See also
- List of historical societies in Arkansas
