Artifact of the Week

Photo 1:  Six National Guardsmen in the armory in Batesville, AR, in 1952.  From left:  Leo Seery, Homer Hayden, Budge Evans, Denver Bruce, Ed Linebarger, Lucien Abraham.  (OIRM, Donald and Deann Coleman collection) Photo 2:  A “Batesville Guard” newspaper clipping reported Leo Seery had been named as commander of the new National Guard infantry company … Continue reading »

The Batesville Institute was constructed on Block 13 under the leadership of the local Masonic Order with the purpose of creating “an institution for the promotion of Fine Arts, Mechanism, Science, Education, Commerce and Agriculture, and the Diffusion of Knowledge.” Its three stories and cupola formed the largest building in town. The cornerstone was laid … Continue reading »

A photo  of Glendolyn Tichnor and Minnie Scott with friends Lydia, Howard, Elsie and Will. Photo shows them standing in front of a rock house, next to a store at Union Hill, dated Sept. 11, 1946.  (Jarvis, Shirley collection)   

The manganese mining industry in Independence, Izard, and Stone Counties supplied vital material during several wars and produced almost all of the ore shipped from Arkansas. It was a thriving economic industry in the area from 1849-1959.  For more information, visit https://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/entries/manganese-mining-4315/. Photo 1: Two men working on each side of a large rock sorter, … Continue reading »

Photo believed to be of Willie Helm, made at  Dawson Studio in Little Rock, Arkansas, in Sept of 1884. At the time, she would have been age 15 years and 7 months.  The dress was made of wine colored cashmere and the flowers are geraniums.  (Young, Betty Umstead collection)