Artifact of the Week

Spring Cleaning, Museum Style! Welcome to spring in a 200-year-old town! While you are digging through items you have not seen in a while, consider sharing what you believe may be worthwhile with the patrons of Old Independence Regional Museum. We would love to showcase your grandparents’ or parents’ old newspapers they thought worthy of … Continue reading »

Old Independence Regional Museum to Host Smithsonian FOOD Exhibit In February OIRM submitted a request to the Smithsonian Museum to host their FOOD exhibit, which showcases local cultures and cuisines throughout history – in our case, Independence County’s history. On Monday OIRM was notified of the success of their application: FOOD will be exhibited in … Continue reading »

The Maxfield Business Legacy In June 1842 Batesville became home to the Maxfield family, Uriah and Leah with their sons, George and Will. Uriah was an entrepreneur who quickly set up a cobbler shop and mercantile. Theodore Maxfield took over the family business after the Civil War, when he realized his father’s failing health would … Continue reading »

Hail and Faye Bryant When true love comes along, some people drop everything and plunge in head first. Such is the story of Hail and Faye Bryant. The two were dating other people when they met in their late teens – Hail was an engineering student graduating in a year from the University of Arkansas … Continue reading »

Danny Dozier Many of you recognize Danny as a guitar riffing musical magician, but far fewer realize how instrumental Danny was in the beautiful Maxfield Park created behind the old Maxfield store (now Main Attire). It was during the groundwork on the park that Danny made an archeological discovery – a huge collection of assorted … Continue reading »