Shiloh Museum of Ozark History facts for kids
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| Established | 1968 |
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| Location | 118 W. Johnson Avenue Springdale, Arkansas |
| Type | History museum |
The Shiloh Museum of Ozark History is a cool place in Springdale, Arkansas. It's a museum that teaches you all about the history of the Ozarks region in Arkansas. The museum offers many programs, exhibits, and events. These activities help people learn about the history of the Ozarks and Northwest Arkansas.
The museum also has a huge research library. It holds the largest collection of old photos in Arkansas. You can visit the library during the museum's regular hours. The museum focuses on six counties in the Ozarks. These are Benton County, Boone County, Carroll County, Madison County, Newton County, and Washington County.
Contents
How the Museum Started
The Shiloh Museum began in 1965. That's when the city of Springdale bought a big collection of items from Native American history. Soon after, an amateur archeologist was hired. He became the museum's first curator. The museum officially opened its doors on September 8, 1968. It was located in an old library building.
At first, the museum only focused on Springdale's local history. But over time, it grew. The museum started collecting items and stories from the wider Arkansas Ozarks area.
Growing and Expanding
In 1980, the museum hired a full-time professional director. With a bigger and more active group of leaders, the museum really took off! They created new educational programs for the public. They also put together exciting new exhibits. The museum even received seven grants from the government. This helped them grow even more.
Throughout the 1980s, the museum added more staff and resources. They won an important award from the American Association for State and Local History. This award was for their "Vanishing Northwest Arkansas" program. This program includes more than 100,000 historic pictures!
Historic Buildings at the Museum
Another cool thing added in the 1980s was a collection of historic buildings. These old buildings are now on the museum's property. They include:
- An 1850s log cabin
- An 1870s general store
- An 1880s doctor's office
- A 1930s outhouse
There's also an 1870s home that was already there. It was updated in the 1930s. Later, in the 1990s, a 1930s barn was added. This barn now holds the museum's collection of old farm machines. In 2005, a seventh historic building joined the group. It's called the Shiloh Meeting Hall. It was built in 1871 for three churches and the Masons. Later, it was used by a women's club. From 1935 to 2005, it was a lodge for the Odd Fellows.
In 1991, the museum moved into its new main building. This building is 22,000 square feet. It used to be a library. This building is part of the Shiloh Historic District. The City of Springdale mostly pays for the Shiloh Museum. Even though most visitors live outside Springdale, the city helps keep it running. The museum has been named "Museum of the Year" four times. This happened in 1982, 1991, 2004, and 2008.
Why the Name "Shiloh"?
The city of Springdale used to be called Shiloh. This was until 1872. At that time, the town of Shiloh wanted to get a post office. But they found out there was already another town named Shiloh in Arkansas! Because of postal rules, the town had to change its name. So, they chose "Springdale" because of the many springs in the area.
When the museum was created, it was named "Shiloh Museum" to honor the town's original name. In 1993, the museum's leaders added "of Ozark History" to the name. This helped show that the museum covers the history of the whole Ozarks region.
Museum Awards and Recognition
The Shiloh Museum of Ozark History has won many awards. Here are some of the special ones:
- Arkansas Museum Association 1982 Museum of the Year
- Arkansas Museum Association 1991 Museum of the Year
- American Association for State and Local History 1993 Award for Vanishing Northwest Arkansas Photo Project
- Arkansas Museum Association 1995 Publication of the Year, Shiloh Scrapbook
- Arkansas Museum Association 1997 Best Book of the Year, Shiloh Reflections
- Arkansas Museum Association 2004 Museum of the Year (for museums with budgets over $200,000)
- Arkansas Museum Association 2005 Adult Educational Program of the Year, "Hola, amigos! Historic Ozarks & Latin American Amigos"
- Arkansas Museum Association 2005 Publication of the Year, Shiloh Scrapbook
- Arkansas Museum Association 2006 Adult & Family Educational Program of the Year, Shiloh Podcasts
- Northwest Arkansas Citiscapes Metro Monthly 2007 Best Museum
- Arkansas Museum Association 2007 Publication of the Year, Color the Ozarks
- Northwest Arkansas Citiscapes Metro Monthly 2008 Best Museum
- Arkansas Museum Association 2008 Adult/Family Educational Program of the Year, Shiloh Museum in iTunes U
- Arkansas Museum Association 2008 Museum of the Year (for museums with budgets over $500,000)
