In celebration of Arkansas Heritage Month, an event has been planned through BRTC’s Project REACH (Researching Early Arkansas Cultural Heritage) for May 16-18.
The event, entitled “Showcasing Treasures: the Rice-Upshaw House and the William Looney Tavern,” will feature three days of activities all open to the public.
On Thursday, May 16, a presentation on Subscription Schools will be given at 7 p.m. at the Randolph County Heritage Museum on the square in Pocahontas. On Friday, May 17, 7 p.m., a presentation on Frontier Slavery will be given at the Eddie Mae Herron Center on Archer Street in Pocahontas. Both presentations will be led by Gerry Barker, living history re-enactor.
From 9 a.m.. – 3 p.m., both Friday and Saturday, May 17-18, tours will be given at the Rice Upshaw House and William Looney Tavern sites in Dalton. Also at the site of the Rice Upshaw House, visitors will enjoy seeing demonstrations by a team of oxen led by Barker, as well as demonstrations by Eric Sammons, log craftsman.
Food and drinks will be available for purchase at the Rice Upshaw site both Friday and Saturday. Made possible in part by a grant from the Department of Arkansas Heritage, funded by a 1/8 cent conservation tax, Amendment 75. For more information, contact Jessica McFadden, at 870-248-4000, ext. 4189.