Reprinted here by special permission of the author, Cindy Beckman, a retired Conway High School history teacher who writes local history.
While strolling through the book and magazine aisle of Wal-Mart recently (yes, I have time to do that now!), I came across a lone copy “Riders of the Purple Sage” by Zane Grey. It brought back a flood of memories about the public library that I frequented while growing up.
The Faulkner-Van Buren Regional Library was located Continue reading
Reprinted here by special permission of the author, Cindy Beckman, a retired Conway High School history teacher who writes local history.
“Can you tell me how to get to Sesame Street?” For the last five decades, most children have been able to answer this question. They can probably even sing you the song and tell you about Cookie Monster, Elmo and Oscar the Grouch. But did you know you can turn off of Donaghey Avenue onto Sesame Street? Continue reading
Lonoke and Washington Counties are slated to add Civil War commemorative historical markers, according to Tom Dupree with the Arkansas Civil War Sesquicentennial Commission.
In Washington County, a marker about local Confederate camps before the Battle of Pea Ridge will be placed in downtown Elm Springs. 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 my favorite childhood Christmas memories was getting to see the Christmas decorations at the Arkansas Children’s Colony. We would drive by on I-40 to see the display that usually included a Merry Christmas sign, a tree and a small passenger train. All were festively decorated with lights and garland. This was often one of the first Christmas displays of the year so it signaled the beginning of the Christmas season.
As a child, I didn’t know Continue reading
Reprinted here by special permission of the author, Cindy Beckman, a retired Conway High School history teacher who writes local history.
In the early 1980s, I worked downtown every Saturday at Cordia’s Gift Shoppe (where Grand on Oak is today). Cordia Mote was the owner and my grandmother, Viola Burnett, was the store manager. We made some wonderful memories selling gifts for birthdays, anniversaries and Christmas.
The store had a bridal registry so it was a major destination for wedding and bridal shower gifts. Cordia’s Continue reading