Category Archives: “Looking Back”

Arkansas Children’s Colony: “Looking Back”

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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 →

Working Downtown: “Looking Back”

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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 →

Honoring Our Veterans: “Looking Back”

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Reprinted here by special permission of the author, Cindy Beckman, a retired Conway High School history teacher who writes local history.

On November 11, 1918, at 11 a.m. the Germans signed an armistice, or cease-fire, agreement ending World War I. A year later, President Woodrow Wilson would proclaim November 11 as Armistice Day, a day to honor those who died in the service of their country during World War I. Congress made it a legal holiday in 1938.

After World War II, Congress changed the name of the day to Veteran’s Day so that all veterans from all wars could be honored. President Eisenhower, a decorated World War II veteran himself, set up Continue reading →

Serving in World War II: “Looking Back”

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Reprinted here by special permission of the author, Cindy Beckman, a retired Conway High School history teacher who writes local history.

In 2007, AETN created an oral history program called In Their Words which attempted to preserve the experiences of Arkansas’ World War II veterans. Eventually more than 500 stories were recorded and archived. I encourage you to go to www.intheirwords.org and read some of their stories.

Many other stories will remain untold but my grandmother helped me preserve a few of them in the summer of 1999. Pleasant Valley joined Continue reading →

Pleasant Valley Goes to War: “Looking Back”

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Reprinted here by special permission of the author, Cindy Beckman, a retired Conway High School history teacher who writes local history.

War often requires sacrifices and effort at home as well as in the battlefield. Pleasant Valley, a small Faulkner County community of about 50 or 60 families, contributed greatly to the war effort during World War II. Many of its young men had gone to serve in the military so those who were left behind worked doubly hard to do all they could for the war effort.

The community became well known for its efforts to provide agricultural products that were greatly needed by the troops. In the November 8, 1942 Arkansas Gazette Magazine section, the efforts of the community were featured in Continue reading →