Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Scottish Heritage Of Arkansas To Be Emphasized On May 10-11

The Arkansas Territorial Restoration will emphasize the Scottish heritage of Arkansas at the Territorial Fair on Mother's Day weekend, May 10 and 11, restoration director Bill Worthen has announced.

The free event, featuring Scottish music, dancing, storytelling, crafts and food will be held on the museum grounds at 200 East Third Street in downtown Little Rock.

The festival will take place from 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 10, and from noon to 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, May 11.

The Territorial Fair marks the opening of Arkansas Heritage Week, which begins May 8 and ends May 18. The Arkansas Territorial Restoration is a museum of the Department of Arkansas Heritage.

"Our historical research shows that Scotland produced a generous number of Arkansas pioneers," Worthen said. "And of course, two of the Restoration's houses -- the Brownlee and the McVicar -- were built by Scots. We think it's high time to celebrate this rich facet of Arkansas heritage."

The South Central Order of the Scots (SCOT), a chapter of the Scottish Society of the Ozark Region, will operate a tent where visitors can view and research surnames, crests and tartans. They can learn about the influence of Scotland on Arkansas history and find out about other Scottish events in the state and region.

A traveling exhibit will present the ancient Scottish game of golf and visitors can play an outdoor putting game. The exhibit and game will be provided by The Golf Museum of Altus, the only international golf museum between the east and west coasts. Dusty Helbling, the museum's owner and collector of over 1,000 golf-related items, will give brief talks on the history of golf.

The Golf Museum exhibit will include golf balls from 1820s and 1840s made of feathers and leather; a picture of Queen Mary of Scots playing golf in 1563 (she called the men who carried the clubs her cadets, which became caddy); Scottish golf clubs, some dating to the 1840s; and flags, trophies, children's items and postcards.

Christy Saunders, the official harper for Clan MacNeil of America, will perform a broad repertoire of Scottish ballads, many in the ancient Scots Gaelic language. Christy has traveled to Scotland with her harp, which was given to her by Clan MacNeil.

Harmony, a three-person musical ensemble from Stone County, will show how Scottish music evolved as it traveled across America with the settlers.

Banjo artists Clarke Buehling and Dr. Buddy McCutcheon will also play American versions of Scottish tunes. Buehling is a 19th century banjo scholar, performer, and recording artist.

Bagpipers Allen Alverson and Wendall Hall will perform, as will Lark in the Morning and Scott Moye.

The Scottish Country Dancers will perform traditional dances at the Hinderliter Grog Shop, and Steve Green will do the Highland Fling at the Plum Bayou Log House.

Storytellers, including retired Methodist minister Frank Jones, will pass on tales such as the legend of the tallest mountain in Scotland. Jim McKenzie will demonstrate the proper way to wear a kilt.

The Restoration's five historic houses will be open. The Brownlee and McVicar families, friends and slaves will be portrayed by actors in short scenes throughout the fair. Captain McVicar, planning his 1850 Gold Rush trip to California, may try to recruit fair goers to join his wagon train.

Plenty of food will be available for purchase at the fair. Those not brave enough to try Scottish meat pies and scones can choose from American standbys, such as hotdogs, hamburgers, grilled chicken sandwiches, roasted corn, baked potatoes, popcorn, shaved ice and soft drinks.

Second Street -- closed for the occasion -- will hold a territorial market place of Scottish goods, Arkansas crafts, herbs and foodstuffs. Crafts demonstrated or on sale will include gourds, baskets, carved wood, paintings, handmade soaps and lotions.

Scottish Rose Imports of Bihalia, Miss., will offer tartan ties, sashes, jewelry, kilts, bag pipes, swords, dirks and daggers, shortbread, musical instruments and Scottish music (tapes and CDs).

Arkansas honey, herbs and flowers will also be on sale.

Children can design their own family crests, play the golf game and make a picture of a sheep with real wool. The Pioneer Playroom will be filled with handmade reproductions of frontier toys for kids to use, including tops, rocking horses, stick horses, children's rocking chairs, Lincoln logs and doll furniture.

The Diamond Chapter of the Embroidery Guild of America will demonstrate its work in the McVicar kitchen building, and the Ozark Gateway Fiber artists will spin and weave in the Plum Bayou Log House.

Civil War re-enactors representing the 1st Arkansas Infantry and the 6th Arkansas Infantry will be encamped on the grounds of the Plum Bayou Log House. Nearby, the early Arkansaw Re-enactors Association will demonstrate the Arkansas lifestyle of the 1830s.

The Territorial Restoration is a historic site museum with some of the oldest buildings in the state on its grounds. Regular daily tours of its historic buildings are $2 for adults, $1 for senior citizens and 50 cents for children. Tours are free the first Sunday of every month.