Dedication of Historic St. Joe Depot

June 10, 2011 By admin 1 Comment

The official Grand Opening of the Historic Missouri and North Arkansas Railway Depot was held on May 28, 2011 from 9:00 AM till 4:00 PM, in conjunction with the Buffalo River Spring Fling. Official Dedication of the Depot was at 2:00 PM, with the Honorable Judge Charles Clawson serving as Master of Ceremonies. Dedication of the Civil War Monument was at 2:30. Be sure and visit this beautiful piece of restored Missouri and North Arkansas Railroad history. A 2 year project of Renovation is nearing completion. The people of St. Joe and all the people of Searcy County should be very proud of what has been accomplished. The Depot structure itself, which sits on the original site is nearing completion. The exterior is complete, and the interior is nearing completion. Some items will be added later, such as the original deck that went around the depot (see the old photo below) , and additional museum items inside

Opened in 1902, the St. Joe Train Depot was a stop on the Missouri and North Arkansas (M & NA) Railway running south from Joplin, MO to Helena, AR. The 365 mile railway cut a path through the Ozark Mountain Region of southern Missouri and northern Arkansas encompassing the natural beauty, vast scenic landscape and mountainous terrain of the area. This smaller connector rail line was a lifeline between the happenings of the big cities, international commerce and the rural country lifestyle by exporting timber, minerals and local goods in exchange for supplies and products from around the United States and beyond. The M & NA was vital to the development of the culture and the economy in every respect. It helped in the creation of colorful lifestyles and history in this region. This rail line paralleled the Buffalo National River for a distance, crossed it as well as other rivers and streams along its journey. Unique vegetation and spectacular cliffs abound along this rail line.

The railway closed for regular service in 1946. It since has served the community as a church, temporary classrooms for the local school and a feed store until it became vacant and fell into disrepair. The City of St. Joe purchased the building in 2009, completed repairs to the structure and has restored it to its original colors. On the National Registry of Historic Buildings since 1991, the property recently acquired a Civil War historic marker for the local area.

The City is currently developing and furnishing the building to be used as a train museum, a local history museum and an information center. Due to limited funds, at this time, the depot is unable to be opened to the public on a regular basis. Located at 110 Highway U.S. 65 South in St. Joe, AR, viewing can be scheduled by calling the City of St. Joe, Mayor John Henley, at 870-439-2012 or Councilman Norman Morrison at 870-439-2369.

See a slide show of more photos of the renovations by clicking on a smaller picture below.

Photo of the Missouri and North Arkansas - St. Joe, Arkansas Railroad Depot nearing completion in 1902

Filed Under: Featured, Happenings-Activities-Events, News Items, Searcy County History, What's New Tagged With: Activities, Buffalo River Spring Fling, County History, Events, St. Joe, Train Depot

22nd North Arkansas Ancestor Fair Starts Friday

May 1, 2011 By admin Leave a Comment

22nd Annual North Arkansas Ancestor Fair

Civil War Sesquicentennial

June 3-4, 2011 — Marshall, AR 72650

Agenda and Sessions

Friday, June 3, 2011

Session 1: VFW Museum, Marshall, AR – Genealogical Help $7.50

9:30 am – 10:30 am — Finding Confederate Ancestors - Russell P. Baker, Arkansas History Commission, Retired
11:00 am – 12:00 noon — Finding Union Ancestors – Russell P. Baker, Arkansas History Commission, Retired - DNA Surprise for some Searcy/Newton County Families
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm — Lunch Break

Session 2: VFW Museum, Marshall, AR - Background for Civil War North Arkansas $7.50

1:00 pm-2:00 pm – Searcy County and North Arkansas January to October 1861 - Recruiting for Dixie - James J. Johnston
2:30 pm – 3:30 pm – North Arkansas Peace Society and the Chain Gang – November 1861 to April 1862 – James J. Johnston
Attend both Morning and Afternoon Sessions for $10.00
3:30 pm – 5:00 pm — Chain Gang Seminar - Telling Your Chain Gang Stories — NO CHARGE
6:30 pm – - Mixer Dinner – Cost and Site to be Announced

Saturday, June 4, 2011

Ancestor Fair — Searcy County Civic Center - Zack Road - Marshall, AR – ATTENDANCE IS FREE

8:00 am – 9:00 am – Providers Set Up
9:00 am – 3:00 pm — Doors Open for Genealogy Swap Meet – No Pre-registration required, sign in for your table when you set up.

North Arkansas Ancestor Fair – 22 Years

The 22nd North Arkansas Ancestor Fair will be held Friday, June 3rd and Saturday, June 4th, in Marshall , AR. This year the theme will be the Civil War Sesquicentennial, and the talks on Friday will be about what happened in 1861 in North Arkansas and about researching Confederate and Union Soldier ancestors. Saturday will be devoted to family historians swapping information, but there will also be the opportunity to get help writing family reminiscences about the Civil War.

The North Arkansas Ancestor Fair is the longest running genealogical event of its kind in North Arkansas. It has two sections: on Friday, there are speakers who talk about subjects of interest to genealogists and family historians; on Saturday family genealogists are provided tables and chairs so they can visit and swap information with the public, who have com to see what information is available. North Arkansas county genealogical and historical societies have tables to offer information, publications for sale and to attract new members.

This year, there will be enough seating for both Friday and Saturday events so that advance registration is not necessary, but early arrivals will get the best seats, or table locations. Friday’s talks will be held at the new VFW building, located just north of the Stoplight, and Northeast of Highway 65. Russell Baker, Arkansas History Commission-Retired and perhaps the most knowledgeable person on Arkansas research, will speak from 9:30am on “Finding Confederate and Union Ancestors”. He will also have a fillip on results of DNA tests on a couple of Newton/Searcy county families. Friday afternoon, James Johnston, Searcy County historian, will tell about what happened in Searcy and surrounding counties in 1861. This will include the formation, betrayal and capture of the Peace Society and the Chain Gang that took them to Little Rock. This will be followed by a discussion group where attendees will be invited to tell their family stories of the Chain Gang. Friday’s lectures cost $7.50 for a half day or $10.00 for all day, which will be collected at the door. The Discussion Group is free and everyone is encouraged to attend.

Friday night there will be a Mixer Dinner – place to be announced – where folks can mingle, visit, meet new-found kin, and get a start on Saturday’s ancestor hunting. There is usually some musical entertainment as well.

Saturday’s Genealogical Swap Meet at the Searcy County Civic Center on Zack Road is free all day for providers who want table and chairs for their information and wares and for the public who only want to browse. The doors are open at 8:00 am to set up for providers of information and wares, and are open at 9:00 am for the public.

The Ancestor Fair has drawn as many as 500 in years past, but recently the numbers have declined. However, the sponsor, Searcy County Historical Society, expects the Civil War Sesquicentennial theme will attract over 200 visitors this year.

Additional information is available at the Ancestor Fair website. www.ancestorfair.us ,or from Shirley Gray at shirleysdream@windstream.net or 870-448-3308

Filed Under: Happenings-Activities-Events, Searcy County History, Searcy County Library Tagged With: County History, Events, Marshall

Local Art Gallery at Searcy County Court House

April 5, 2011 By admin Leave a Comment

Searcy County has a storied history of talented artists, probably the most famous of which is Essie Ward, who painted numerous scenes of life in the Ozarks in back over 30 years ago. But you may not know that there are many very talented artists continuing that tradition today.

To show their talents, on Sunday, March 27th, a group of local artists gathered at the Searcy County Court House in Marshall to hang their art work in the old court room.

This effort is the brainchild of Brenda Smith and Thereisa Housley, with the cooperation of our county government officials and with a donation from the Searcy County Chamber of Commerce, the upstairs court room is now an art gallery that is open to the Public.

There is now 15 pieces of local art work on display, with more to be added at a later date.

This is just the first of several new art events that are happening very soon in the county. In conjunction with Westfest, there is planning underway for the “First Annual Frontier Heritage Art Contest”, which will also be on display at the Courthouse Art Gallery, starting in July. There is more information about this event at the westfest website.

We will have more information about this event very soon on our website as well.

For more information about this upcoming event or to possibly hang your artwork in the courthouse gallery, e-mail Thereisa or Brenda.

For now, the next time you are around the Marshall Courthouse Square, take a trip upstairs and and check out the public gallery.

Click on one of the smaller images below for a slideshow of all the photos.

Filed Under: Featured, Happenings-Activities-Events, News Items, Recreation, What's New Tagged With: Art Contest, County History, Local Art, Marshall

Latest Story of Lost Silver Mine in Searcy County

March 13, 2011 By admin Leave a Comment

Re-Printed from the Marshall Mountain Wave - Friday May 30, 1924

It is believed that the lost silver mine for which many have searched in Searcy County for the last seventy-five years and in quest of which some have devoted much and their lives and fortunes have been dissipated, has at last been discovered by a daughter of Hulse Tyler near her father’s farm in the rough country between Bear and Calf Creeks about ten miles from St. Joe, and five miles from Gilbert.

The tradition prevalent in this part of the state is that the section of the country embraced in the above named territory and known as the Silver Hill settlement, has been the scene of mining operation by the Indians in prehistoric days and that later the Spaniards had mined much silver in that locality. The story is that with the varying fortunes of war between the Spaniards and the Indians and their enemies, that the location of the mine was lost.

The story is also related by old timers that about seventy-five years ago, a man by the name of Tabor located one of the mines. It is said he uncovered a cave of almost pure silver and that he began to mold silver coins. He was apprehended for counterfeiting and was forced to leave the country, but the place of his mining operations remained a secret.

About thirty years ago, Mark Boyd, who came to this locality from Little Rock, purchased 1200 acres of land in the Silver Hill neighborhood. Soon he announced he had been visited by an old Indian, who blindfolded him and led him several miles through the rough country, finally leading him into a cave. There the hood was removed and Boyd was allowed to view a great accumulation of pure silver and high grade ore. Continuing his story he related that he was again blindfolded in the cave and conducted away for several miles before the blindfold was removed and he was restored to liberty.

Then began Boyd’s search for the hidden treasure, which extended over many years. He hired men to assist him and numerous holes they bored into the hillside in the Silver Hill locality are still visible. Boyd persisted in the search until he used up all his substance and eventually he was forced to sell his land to pay the debts he had incurred in his prospecting operations. Later he enlisted some friends in Little Rock in the venture and these spent considerable money in the prospecting with no results. Almost penniless, Boyd left this country for Texas, where he died four years ago. Many of his kinfolks still live here.

Twelve years ago a large mining company was organized and bought a large tract of land in the neighborhood but they too were unsuccessful in locating any mineral. Now the story which is being related is that the daughter of Hulse Tyler, while hunting for a cow which had strayed away, found an opening to a cave in an almost inaccessible gulch. The entrance to the cave was overgrown with vines and brush, a recent storm had blown aside leaving it partly exposed. She at once summoned other members of the family and the cave was explored. It is claimed that the silver was found as described with the mining tools, which had been there seventy-five years. Now that the deed is on file, the story has come out.

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Dedication of Historic St. Joe Depot

22nd North Arkansas Ancestor Fair Starts Friday

22nd Annual North Arkansas Ancestor Fair