Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

District Gov. visits, Rotary gets museum update

Gurdon's Rotary Club was honored on Thursday, November 6, by the Rotary District Governor Jeff Farris, for raising the most money in this district, per capita member.

Farris presented a plaque to Rotary president Alan Wimberly.

Farris took a few moments to congratulate the club and give a few updates as to what Rotary members were working on in other clubs.

Rotary member Charles Cabe was responsible for this week's program. He asked Bill Newberry, a representative of the Clark County Historical Museum to come and explain what the new museum has to offer.

"As most people know, we just held our ribbon cutting for the museum at the beginning of this month. We are located at the north end of the old Arkadelphia train depot. The other end is occupied by SCAT (South Central Arkansas Transit), this limits our space, but we have a lot to offer," said Newberry.

The museum has been a project for the Clark County Historical Association for quite some time. The CCHA was formed in October of 1972. Since that time members have talked about opening a county museum.

The association has had archives available for many years in the Ouachita Baptist University Library, but no actual memorabilia or artifacts for people to see.

The museum's mission statement states, "The museum is dedicated to preserving and presenting the rich and diverse history of Clark County from prehistoric times to the present. The museum is also committed to educating the public about the important people and events that have influenced the county. Artifacts that best represent the various eras in Clark County history will be displayed for preservation and educational purposes within the museum."

Newberry said, "Ninety percent of the artifacts in the museum came from Clark County. Whether it was something we had or something someone donated."

Some of the displays feature photographs and short biographies of the individuals who have made the county what it is. Others tell the county's history since the advent of American settlement, focusing on the events and activities that have shaped the county.

There are also displays about Clark County residents' roles in the Civil War, World War I and World War II.

All of the displays are intended for educational purposes. Some of the displays are permanent and some are planned to change from time to time.

The museum is open from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. on Tuesday through Thursday, and 10 a.m. until noon on Saturday. There is no admission fee, however the museum accepts denotations.