The Arkansas Museum of Natural Resources near Smackover (Union County) showcases the compelling story of oil and bromine production in southern Arkansas, focusing on the historic oil boom of the 1920s. The museum not only delves into the history of these resources from their ancient origins to modern times but also highlights the impact of this significant period in Arkansas history.
During the 1920s, national attention was drawn to this region, as the Smackover Oil Field rose to prominence, ranking first among the nation’s oil fields with an impressive yearly production of sixty-nine million barrels in 1925. This area experienced one of the most rapid mineral booms in North America, with a staggering success rate of ninety-two percent in drilling 1,000 wells within the first six months, leading to the exponential growth of Smackover.
However, the lack of conservation laws resulted in the escape of natural gas and the pollution of the landscape by saltwater, leading to the decline of the oil boom by the early 1930s. Despite this, south Arkansas oil fields continue to produce petroleum, albeit at a slower rate.
The Arkansas Museum of Natural Resources’ origins can be traced back to 1975, when a group of visionaries envisioned a place to preserve and interpret Arkansas’s oil history. Subsequently, in 1977, the Arkansas General Assembly passed Act 310, which imposed a tax on the state’s oil production to fund the museum’s construction and operation. Additionally, in 1979, the legislature imposed a tax on brine, a saltwater often found alongside oil deposits and a source of bromine extraction. Notably, bromine, a vital chemical used in various industries, is derived from this brine.
In 1980, Jack Turner donated nineteen acres in Smackover as a site for the Arkansas Oil and Brine Museum. Initially known by this name, the museum was later renamed the Arkansas Museum of Natural Resources in 1997 and is operated by the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism.
The museum’s exhibition center spans 25,000 square feet and houses an array of captivating displays. Visitors can explore vintage photographs, an auditorium showcasing two videos, a unique exhibit called “Center of the Earth,” a geologic time scale and fossil exhibit, and life-size representations of roughnecks working an oil derrick. Additionally, there are exhibits on family life in the oil fields, vintage gas pumps, and petroleum company signs.
One of the museum’s highlights is a high-tech elevator that takes visitors on a journey through time, from a Jurassic period sea floor to the Industrial Revolution. An adjoining exhibit focuses on the evolution of oil consumption from 1922 to modern times, offering a fascinating perspective. Moreover, visitors can peer from a replica of the Rogerson Hotel’s second-floor veranda overlooking a re-created, boom-era street scene in Smackover, complete with numerous storefronts, a jail, a newspaper office, mannequins in period dress, and vintage automobiles.
Outside, the center’s Oilfield Park features operating examples of oil-producing technology from the 1920s to the present day, including a 112-foot wooden derrick similar to the one at the original Busey No. 1 Well in El Dorado. For those interested in seeing an active oil field, the museum’s staff has prepared maps for either six- or fifteen-mile driving tours of the Smackover field, revealing remnants of early production such as salt flats. The field is conveniently located just north of the museum.
For further details regarding the Arkansas Museum of Natural Resources, contact the museum’s office at 870-725-2877 or visit its website at www.amnr.org.
Comments
Post a Comment