Governor Asa Hutchinson’s office announced last week the Governor’s intention to switch the Arkansas History Commission out from under the Arkansas Parks and Tourism Department to the Department of Arkansas Heritage.
Spokesman J.R. Davis couldn’t say when the shift — which requires the approval of the Arkansas Legislature — would happen. Continue reading
Reprinted here by special permission of the author, Cindy Beckman, a retired Conway High School history teacher who writes local history.
It’s that time again! Time to turn the page to start a new chapter! Time to reflect on the past year and make resolutions for the New Year!
There are lots of long-standing traditions for New Year’s Day Continue reading
Reprinted here by special permission of the author, Cindy Beckman, a retired Conway High School history teacher who writes local history.
Amidst the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season, it is often nice to stop and remind ourselves about what makes Christmas special. My grandmother and her two sisters, Lou and Jewell, sat down with me several years ago and shared some of the special things they remembered about past Christmases with their family. Continue reading
A $500,000 federal grant administered by the Arkansas Highway Department will start the process to make Saline County’s 124-year-old “Old River Bridge” serviceable again.
On the National Register of Historic Places, the bridge allows passage over the Saline River and was built in 1891. In 1974 it was closed after being damaged by a truck with a too-heavy load of concrete blocks. Continue reading
Reprinted here by special permission of the author, Cindy Beckman, a retired Conway High School history teacher who writes local history.
One of the most notable things about modern Conway (besides the roundabouts!) is the large number of banks located in the city. This is a sharp contrast to the 1960s and 1970s when there were only two major full-service banks. They were First National Bank and First State Bank and Trust Company. Both left a large footprint on the city. Continue reading