All Around Arkansas: Arkansas Municipal Auditorium

 

            My wife and I spent this past Thanksgiving with her family in their hometown of Texarkana. 

            During our stay, my mother-in-law took us to the downtown historic district to an old venue where she and her musical family performed in the 1960s — the Arkansas Municipal Auditorium. Emory Dale and Mary Sorsby and their three daughters often played on the auditorium’s stage at concerts and variety shows.

            But my mother-in-law wasn’t the only entertainment legend who played there. After our conversation and some quick research, I learned all about the colorful building and the amazing talents that graced its stage through the decades.

            Built in the late 1920s, the auditorium was part of the Texarkana, Arkansas Municipal Building, which also housed city hall, a fire station and a jail. The city, which straddles the Texas-Arkansas line and was home to a major railroad junction, began to experience a significant population boom, prompting the need for a multi-use municipal facility. 

            City officials hired the local architectural firm of Witt Seibert & Holley to design the building and the McGehee Construction Co. to build it. Construction began in 1927. The 950-seat auditorium opened in June 1928, and the other portions of the building completed in 1930. The municipal building was built in a prime location at 3rd and Walnut Streets near the heart of Texarkana, Arkansas. 

            With its large capacity and central location, the auditorium became the hot spot for all kinds of performances, ranging from concerts and fashion shows to dance recitals. It was the primary stop for performers appearing on the Louisiana Hayride, a radio (and later television) country music show broadcast from the Municipal Memorial Auditorium in Shreveport, Louisiana. The program helped launch the careers of several famous musicians, including Hank Williams, Sr. and Elvis Presley. 

            Presley performed at the Arkansas Municipal Auditorium several times in the mid-1950s, as did other legends like Arkansans Johnny Cash and Harold Jenkins, who would become known by his stage name, Conway Twitty. Presley and Cash once performed together at the auditorium on Nov. 17, 1955. 

            Other musicians of note that graced the auditorium’s stage include Louis Armstrong, Fats Domino, George Jones (he apparently showed up that time), Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins, who reportedly debuted his signature song, “Blue Suede Shoes,” on the auditorium's stage. Even the sultry star of the stage and screen, Mae West, performed there.

            But over time, entertainment at the auditorium became more locally focused, featuring high school plays, baby pageants and beauty pageants.

            In 2002, the city’s board of directors created the Texarkana, Arkansas, Municipal Auditorium Commission, which aims to “enhance community pride through the renovation of the Arkansas Municipal Auditorium.”

            The building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2004. On Nov. 17, 2015, city leaders and members of the auditorium commission unveiled a plaque honoring Johnny Cash at the building he helped make famous.

            Throughout the years, with a combination of grants, city and state funds and private donations, the commission has made significant improvements to the building, including a new roof, asbestos removal, and a wall of fame park next to the building.

            Perhaps one day, another young girl will make her own special memories on that historic stage, just as mother-in-law did not so long ago.

            A proud sixth-generation Arkansan, Darrell W. Brown is a lover of all things Arkansas. He lives in Saline County with his wife, Amy, and their beloved Boston Terrier, Dixie. Brown teaches broadcasting and history at a private school in Bryant. Find him on Facebook and Instagram at AllAroundArkansas.

All Around Arkansas: The Hinderliter Grog Shop

                

                Driving through downtown Little Rock (Pulaski County), you may have noticed a white two-story building on the corner of Third and Cumberland streets that looks very out of place. That structure would be the Hinderliter Grog Shop, and it's considered by most local historians to be the oldest still-standing building in the capital city.

         The Hinderliter Grog Shop was built around 1826 by Jesse Hinderliter, who came to Arkansas with his wife, Sophia, from St. Louis. On Lots 7, 8 and 9 of the city’s Block 32, Hinderliter built the two-story, hand-hewn log building, which served as a tavern, a restaurant, an inn and the private residence for the Hinderliters. The grog shop reflects architecture common in the state throughout the 1820s and 1830s

         Unfortunately, Jesse Hinderliter didn’t live long in Little Rock. He died in 1834. The grog shop was then sold at auction to repay the debt Hinderliter owed to the original owner of the property, prominent Little Rock attorney Chester Ashley.

         According to local legend, the last meeting of the Arkansas Territorial Legislature took place in the old grog shop in October 1835. Arkansas historian William Pope, wrote in his book, “The Early Days of Arkansas,” that “the last Territorial Legislature met October 5, 1835 and held its sittings in the old Hinderliter house on the northwest corner of Cumberland and Mulberry Streets. There is a stone marker placed by the Daughters of the American Revolution (which has sunk into the ground and is barely visible now) on the corner of Third and Cumberland that attests to this story. But there is no concrete evidence that the old building ever housed the territorial legislature. 

         After Hinderliter’s death and the sale of the building, it continued to serve as a public building. By the 1880s, the grog shop shifted into tenements with a restaurant inside. Part of the building was also used as a laundry business. As seen in photos taken of the building in the early 1930s, it served as a grocery store and a barber shop. Eventually the building fell into disrepair and was almost demolished by the city.

         But thanks to the efforts of Little Rock socialite Louise Loughborough, the old Hinderliter Grog Shop and several other vintage structures on the block were purchased by the state and restored by the Works Progress Administration. On July 19, 1941, the Arkansas Territorial Capitol Restoration officially opened to the public. The old grog shop was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 31, 2019. 

            Today the restored buildings are part of the Historic Arkansas Museum, which is operated by the heritage division of the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism. Tours are available of the grog shop, just don’t expect any adult beverages when you visit. For that dear readers, you’ll have to walk a couple of blocks over to the River Market.

            May you all have a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving weekend.

       A proud sixth-generation Arkansan, Darrell W. Brown is a lover of all things Arkansas. He lives in Saline County with his wife, Amy, and their beloved Boston Terrier, Dixie. Find him on Facebook and Instagram at AllAroundArkansas.

All Around Arkansas: Dyess Colony, Arkansas

 

                One of my fondest memories of working for the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism was helping lead a group of international tour guides and travel bloggers on a tour of historic attractions in the Arkansas Delta in 2017. Our first stop: Dyess (Mississippi County), the boyhood home of music legend Johnny Cash. 

                Dyess, formerly known as Dyess Colony, was one of several "resettlement colonies" for impoverished farmers who suffered during the Great Depression. The area around Dyess was prime farmland, but by the end of the 1920s, several disasters had devastated the Delta's small independent farmers. The great flood of 1927 was followed by a severe drought. And in 1929, the stock market crashed and banks failed across the country. By 1930, nearly two-thirds of the state's independent farmers had lost their farms and fell into tenancy.

                When President Franklin D. Roosevelt took office in 1933, he created several federal agencies to create jobs and rebuild America's economy. Two of these agencies included the Works Progress Administration (WPA) and the Federal Emergency Relief Administration (FERA), both of which aimed to help impoverished farmers and sharecroppers.

                Mississippi County native W. R. Dyess was appointed as Arkansas’s first WPA administrator. He proposed a plan to the president's advisers through which tenant farmers could buy their own farmland. FERA purchased about 16,000 acres of bottomland in the county, and with the assistance of $3 million in federal funds, that bottomland would become a "resettlement colony" to homesteading families, who would each receive 20 acres of land for a home and a farm. 

                Roosevelt and his advisers signed off on the proposal and in May 1934 "Colonization Project No. 1" was established near Arkansas Highway 297 in southwestern Mississippi County. It would later become known as Dyess Colony. In June 1936, First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt visited Dyess Colony, where she made a speech at the WPA administration building and met with the community’s residents for several hours

                One of the families that applied for and was accepted to become part of the Dyess Colony experiment was the Cash family from Kingsland (Cleveland County). In 1936, Ray and Carrie Cash moved their family to Dyess Colony. One of their young sons, J.R., who was known by his friends as "John" and later as "Johnny," would go on to become one the biggest stars in American music history. 

                Cash graduated from Dyess High School in 1950 and wrote the song "Five Feet High and Rising" about growing up in the small community. His younger brother, Tommy, would also go on to have some success on the country charts.

                In 2011, Arkansas State University in Jonesboro purchased Cash’s boyhood home, which by that time had become dilapidated and was listed on the Historic Preservation of Arkansas’ most endangered places list. A-State restored the house to its original condition, and the home opened to the public on Aug. 16, 2014. Other historic buildings in Dyess have been restored, and the small town has become a popular tourist destination.

                When I led that tour of travel guides and bloggers in 2017, I was afraid the group wouldn't be familiar with Cash or his music and not too excited about visiting the house. So I brought my guitar, and after we toured the small home, I sat down on the front porch swing and began to play some of Cash’s hits. 

                Much to my amazement, the group knew every word to every song. It was a special moment that proved music is an international language that brings us all together.

                A proud sixth-generation Arkansan, Darrell W. Brown is a lover of all things Arkansas. He lives in Saline County with his wife, Amy, and their beloved Boston Terrier, Dixie. Brown teaches history and broadcasting at a private school in Bryant. Find him on Facebook and Instagram at AllAroundArkansas.

All Around Arkansas: The Arlington Hotel

 

                    With its iconic twin towers and Spanish-Colonial Revival style facade, the Arlington Resort Hotel & Spa is the anchor of historic downtown Hot Springs. Generations of Spa City visitors — including gangsters, pro athletes and presidents — have made it their favorite place to stay, take a hot mineral bath, dance the night away, and have an adult beverage or two.

                    Hot Springs railroad executive Samuel W. Fordyce and two other partners, Samuel Stitt and William Gaines, put up the money to build the first Arlington Hotel, which opened in 1875. Fordyce is the namesake for both the Fordyce Bathhouse in Hot Springs and the county seat in Dallas County.

                    The original hotel was considered to be the first luxury hotel in the Spa City and at the time was the largest hotel in the state. The original Arlington was located across from the current hotel on the site now known as Arlington Park. 

                    In 1893, Fordyce and his partners decided the property had become dated compared to the newer hotels in the city, such as the Eastman and the Majestic. So they demolished the Arlington and rebuilt it on the same site. The second hotel, known as the New Arlington, had an elegant Spanish-renaissance design, a larger guest capacity (300 rooms) and more modern amenities. 

                    But a fire destroyed the second Arlington on April 5, 1923. The blaze killed one fireman and caused an estimated $1.6 million in damage (about $23.5 million in today's money). One notable guest staying at the Arlington at the time of the fire: William Pinkerton, founder of the security service that bears his name.

                    Hotel owners decided to rebuild again. But this time, they chose the site at the intersection of Fountain Street and Central Avenue across the street from the two previous structures. Designed by Arkansas State Capitol architect George Mann, the current Arlington Hotel was completed on Nov. 28, 1924.

            

                    During the 1930s, the Arlington was the choice hotel for notorious gangster Al Capone, who had his own suite, Room 443. When Capone was in town for gambling and other adult activities, he would rent the entire fourth floor for his entourage.

                    Throughout the years, many famous people including U.S. presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry Truman, George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton have been guests of the Arlington. Other notables include baseball legend Babe Ruth, humorist Will Rogers, and musicians Tony Bennett (who performed at the nearby Vapors Club) and Barbra Streisand. 

                    In 1928, Joseph T. Robinson, a former governor and U.S. senator from Arkansas, publicly accepted the Democratic nomination for vice president on the front steps of the hotel. The speech was broadcast nationally by KTHS, whose studio was once located inside the Arlington and was the first radio station in Hot Springs.

                    In recent decades, the hotel operated as a shell of a former self, prompting city officials in 2016 to issue the Arlington’s owners a notice of unsafe conditions and threaten to close the building unless repairs were made.

                    Thankfully, the hotel’s new owners, Sky Capital Group LP of Little Rock, have mounted a $30 million renovation of the historic hotel. Construction crews have just completed the restoration of the Arlington’s twin towers and are making other repairs to bring the hotel back to its former glory.

                    So while you may not see Al Capone at the bar or Babe Ruth headed to the spa, you’ll soon be able to see the Arlington how it once looked decades ago, when Hot Springs was the Las Vegas of the South.

All Around Arkansas: Subiaco Abbey and Academy

 

                If you take a drive between Fort Smith (Sebastian County) and Russellville (Pope County) on Highway 22, you may see a building that looks out of place. It appears to be an ancient structure you’d see somewhere in old Europe rather than rural Arkansas. That unusual building is the Subiaco Abbey and it has an interesting story.

                Subiaco Abbey is an American Benedictine monastery located in Logan County, Arkansas. It was established in March 1878 and was called St. Benedict’s Colony. St. Benedict’s Colony provided for the settlement of German-speaking immigrants in western Arkansas and laid the groundwork for what would become known as the Subiaco Abbey and Academy. The monastery is home to thirty-nine monks, as well as a preparatory school operates, Subiaco takes its name from Subiaco, Italy, the site of the first monastery founded by Saint Benedict. 

        In July 1891, Pope Leo XIII upgraded the status of St. Benedict’s Colony to the rank of abbey. With its new status as an independent monastery ruled by an abbot, the colony was renamed Subiaco Abbey. In 1892, Bishop Edward Fitzgerald sent seminarians from the Diocese of Little Rock to train at Subiaco and the training of seminarians continued there until around 1911.

                Sadly, the original monastery was destroyed by fire in December 1901. Thankfully, a new monastery was almost finished at the time of the disaster. The new monastery was located on a hilltop overlooking the small town of Subiaco and is the current site of the abbey and academy. Along with the move to its new location, the abbey opened a high school for boys in 1902.

                Tragedy struck the abbey once again in 1927, as the building was destroyed by flames. Unfortunately, this time Subiaco Abbey suffered a very slow recovery. The fire, along with the dire economic situation caused by the Great Depression, did not allow the abbey and academy to fully recover until a few years after the end of World War II. In 1963, Subiaco Abbey opened the Coury House Retreat Center as a retreat ministry for visitors from across the nation and world and in 1978, Subiaco Abbey and Academy celebrated its 100th anniversary.

                In 2007, Subiaco Academy announced its plans to allow eighth graders to attend the school. Subiaco had admitted eighth graders in the 1940s and 1950s, but had stopped. During the twenty-first century, Subiaco has had quite the diverse student body with students from fifteen states and other nations including China, Mexico and South Korea. Of the nearly thirty staff and faculty members at Subiaco Academy, almost a quarter are Benedictine monks.

                Today, the compound at Subiaco is home to around 40 monks. In addition to serving as instructors at the academy, several of the monks also serve as pastors for churches in the surrounding communities. On the farmland surrounding the abbey, other monks raise Black cattle, maintain a vineyard, operate a sawmill, and grow the produce necessary to make their own Monk Sauce, a habanero pepper sauce which can be purchased in person at the Subiaco store or online at countrymonks.com. In 2018, Subiaco opened a public brewery and tasting room.

                So if you’re ever in the Subiaco area, stop in at the old abbey. After all, where else can you get hot sauce, wine, and go to confession afterwards?

A proud sixth-generation Arkansan, Darrell W. Brown is a lover of all things Arkansas. He lives in Saline County with his wife, Amy, and their beloved Boston Terrier, Dixie. Brown teaches history and broadcasting at a private school in Bryant. Find him on Facebook and Instagram at AllAroundArkansas.

All Around Arkansas: Arkansas' Spookiest Places

            

            This Monday is the scariest day in America (next to April 15) — Halloween. It’s a day for haunted houses, macabre costumes, the telling of spooky ghost stories and other legends, and of course a scary thing to dentists — lots of candy. So in honor of Halloween, here’s the story behind a few of Arkansas’ spookiest places.

             The Crescent Hotel — This legendary Eureka Springs hotel is probably the best-known haunted building in Arkansas. The hotel, built in 1836 as a health resort, has been featured on television programs such as SyFy’s Ghost Hunters and the Travel Channel’s Ghost Adventures. According to one legend, a construction worker who fell to his death from room 218 still haunts the room. (In its later years, after the Crescent became a women’s college, a young student fell — or was pushed—to her death from a top story window.)

             Around 1937, Dr. Norman Baker purchased the Crescent Hotel and turned it into a hospital. Baker claimed he could cure cancer and other diseases.  But Baker had no actual medical training, and his treatments were often sadistic and painful, including drilling holes in patients’ skulls and performing surgeries without anesthesia in the basement.

             Along with the construction worker, the hotel is said to be haunted by former patients and staff from the time it served as Baker’s “hospital.” Throughout the years, there have been mysterious reports of hands coming out of bathroom mirrors, cries of pain, gurneys rattling down halls and doors slamming shut on their own. Some visitors have claimed to see spirits in Victorian dress in the hotel’s dining room. 

             The hotel has been restored to its original condition and offers ghost tours. Contact the Crescent’s front desk at (866) 896-0144 for more information.

             The Allen House — The Natural State also has its share of haunted houses, such as The Allen House in Monticello. This mansion was built in 1906 by local businessman Joe Allen, who lived in the home with his wife and three daughters until his death in 1917. His family continued to live there for decades, but in 1949, Joe’s daughter, Ladel, poisoned herself with mercury cyanide. Mrs. Allen sealed off her daughter’s bedroom for the next 40 years.

             After Mrs. Allen’s death, her two surviving daughters converted the family home into apartments. Soon afterward, renters began to report strange sounds and witnessed bizarre events. They claimed that objects would fall over by themselves and shadowy figures would move across rooms. Allegedly, those figures would appear in pictures taken by residents.

             The Allen House is now a private residence but is open for tours on the last Saturday of each month from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The cost of admission is $15 per person and no reservations are required.

             King Opera House — Local legend states that an actor who performed at this historic theater in Van Buren fell in love with a local doctor’s daughter at the turn of the 20th century. The young lady’s father didn’t approve of the relationship, and the young lovers ran away. Unfortunately, the doctor discovered their plans and met them at the train depot, where he beat the actor to death with a whip.

             The staff of the King Opera House claim to this day that the ghost of the young actor haunts the theater. It’s been said that his ghost has been frequently spotted wearing a top hat and cape and turns the auditorium’s lights on and off.

             If you would like to visit the theater for yourself, contact the theater manager at (479) 474-7767.

            Have a happy and safe Halloween, Arkansas!

            A proud sixth-generation Arkansan, Darrell W. Brown is a lover of all things Arkansas. He lives in Saline County with his wife, Amy, and their beloved Boston Terrier, Dixie. Find him on Facebook and Instagram at AllAroundArkansas.

All Around Arkansas: Arkansas' State Songs

 

            As I’m writing this week’s column, I’m also preparing to begin teaching an Arkansas history class for eighth graders at a private school in Saline County. While going through the textbook to refresh my knowledge of Arkansas geography and state symbols, I'm reminded that our state has not one, but four — count 'em four — state songs. You’ve probably heard a couple of them; others you may not know.

Arguably the most famous song associated with our state is "The Arkansas Traveler." Legend says Col. Sandford C. Faulkner composed the music and lyrics to the song after an encounter with a squatter somewhere in the Ozark Mountains around 1840.

             Most modern-day historians believe that while Faulkner wrote the tune and came up with the tale, the encounter with the Ozarks squatter never happened. "The Arkansas Traveler" was Arkansas' state song from 1949 to 1963, and in 1987, the Arkansas General Assembly designated it the official state historic song.

            Despite being older and more well-known, "The Arkansas Traveler" was not Arkansas' first state song. That distinction belongs to "Arkansas," written by Eva Ware Barnett, who was a music teacher at what is now called Ouachita Baptist University. Barnett wrote the music and lyrics in 1916. And on Jan. 12, 1917, state Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 6 designated it as Arkansas’ state song.

             But in 1949, a copyright dispute broke out between Barnett and then-Arkansas Secretary of State C.G. "Crip" Hall, and the Legislature replaced "Arkansas" with "The Arkansas Traveler." It took several years to settle the dispute, but "Arkansas” was finally restored as the official state song in 1963. The tune served as the state song until 1987, when it was named Arkansas’ official state anthem.

             In that same legislative session, the Legislature mandated that "the Secretary of State shall respond to requests for a copy of the Arkansas state song by furnishing copies of 'Arkansas,' written by Mrs. Eva Ware Barnett." According to the Secretary of State’s website, the office gets between 50-100 requests per year for the sheet music to Barrett's song.

             In 1986, Arkansas celebrated its 150th anniversary of becoming part of the United States with numerous events, celebrations and parades throughout the year. As its contribution to Arkansas' sesquicentennial, Arkansas Power and Light (now Entergy Arkansas) commissioned country music songwriter and Arkansas native Wayland Holyfield to write and record a song celebrating Arkansas pride.

            Originally from Mallet Town (Conway County), Holyfield had become a successful songwriter in Nashville, penning hits for Anne Murray, George Strait, Conway Twitty, Don Williams and other top country musicians.

             Holyfield’s ode to his native state, "Arkansas (You Run Deep in Me)," was released in 1986 and adopted by the state Legislature as one of two official state songs in 1987. At President Bill Clinton's request, Holyfield performed the song at the 1993 presidential inauguration. Throughout the late '80s and into the mid-'90s, the song was the nightly sign-off theme for the Arkansas Educational Television Network (now Arkansas PBS). Holyfield has said that writing the song was "the toughest challenge I think I've ever had."

             Also in 1986, another Arkansas tribute song was released. "Oh, Arkansas" was co-written and recorded by Little Rock musician Terry Rose. Rose was well known for his collaborations with former KATV meteorologist Ned Perme. "Oh, Arkansas" was played frequently on KATV throughout the year as part of its "Spirit of Arkansas" campaign, and the Legislature designated the song as one of Arkansas' two official state songs in 1987.

             While the Natural State may suffer from a lack of significant rainfall these days, it definitely doesn’t suffer from a drought of music and lyrics that honor the history, beauty and pride felt by its people.

             A proud sixth-generation Arkansan, Darrell W. Brown is a lover of all things Arkansas. He lives in Saline County with his wife, Amy, and their beloved Boston Terrier, Dixie. Find him on Facebook and Instagram at AllAroundArkansas.

All Around Arkansas: James Black and the Bowie Knife

            

            Studying Arkansas history nearly all my life, I’ve learned that much of it is part legend and part fact — with the truth somewhere in the middle. 

            This could not be more true than with the story of the Bowie knife. Hundreds of articles and books (including one co-written by my former boss Bill Worthen) have been written about the history of the knife. Despite all the research, no one seems to know the true origin of the legendary weapon made famous by one of the heroes of the Texas revolution, Jim Bowie. But one thing that most historians and scholars agree on is that at least one of the first bowie knives was made here in Arkansas by blacksmith James Black.

            Black was born around 1800 in New Jersey. At age 8, he ran away from home and found himself in Philadelphia. There, he became the apprentice to a silverplater, Stephen Henderson. Black left the apprenticeship as a highly skilled silverplater and headed west to settle in Bayou Sara, Louisiana, where he opened his first blacksmith's shop. Some stories say Black met Bowie for the first time there around 1822, but this can't be verified. 

            In 1823, Black moved to the small town of Washington (Hempstead County), near the Red River.

            About a year later, Black was hired by William Shaw, who owned a successful blacksmith's shop in Washington. It was there that Black built a reputation as one of the best blacksmiths in the area, and soon Shaw made Black a partner in the business. 

            While working with Shaw, Black fell in love with Shaw’s oldest daughter, Anne. But her father strongly opposed the relationship, which led to Black leaving the business — and Washington.

            After settling on the Rolling Fork River in what is now Sevier County, Black opened another blacksmith's shop and a grist mill. But Black returned to Washington after the federal government declared the land part of Indian Territory.

            Once Black returned, he renewed his forbidden relationship with Anne, and the two were married in June 1828 at the Hempstead County Courthouse in Washington. The couple were married for seven years and had five children. Black opened a blacksmith's shop and business boomed. 

            It was at this shop in December 1831 where Black reportedly forged a knife for Bowie using Bowie's design. Many believe this is the knife Bowie used in the failed defense of the Alamo in San Antonio. 

            Anne Shaw Black died in September 1835. Shortly after, Black became gravely ill and was attacked by his father-in-law, who was not only still angry at his daughter’s marriage to Black but also jealous of Black’s fame as the area's premier blacksmith. 

            Black was blinded by the attack and was forced to close his business. Black died on June 21, 1872, in Washington. Newspapers from all over the country carried the news of the death of the man who created the famous Bowie knife.

            Several years ago, a knife with the engraving "Bowie No. 1" on its handle, attributed to Black through scientific analysis, was acquired from a Texas collector by the Historic Arkansas Museum in Little Rock. 

            Is this the true Bowie knife? Like many things in Arkansas history, we may never know.

All Around Arkansas: The Best of Arkansas Catfish

                

                When you’re born into a family of fishermen who love to have a good ol' fashioned fish fry as often as the weather changes in Arkansas, you can’t help but get hooked on fried catfish at an early age. 

                My dad, an avid fisherman, loves to catch and fry catfish, even for Christmas dinner. Yes, we Browns — even on Christmas — have fried catfish for our holiday dinner. 

                Arkansas is one of several southern states known for catfish, which are present in almost all our rivers, lakes, reservoirs and streams. About 18% of sport fishing in Arkansas involves catfish.

                As such, Arkansas has many great restaurants that specialize in catfish, and I’d like to share some of my favorites:

                The Hook in Jacksonville: Located in my hometown, The Hook was known as The Crooked Hoot in the '80s and most people still refer to it as that. The Hook has been serving its signature offering — crispy, consistent fried catfish — for over 30 years. The seafood and chicken are also amazing. “Crooked” or not, The Hook will always be one of my favorites.

                Lassis Inn in Little Rock: Famous not only for catfish but also buffalo ribs, the Lassis Inn was founded by Joe and Molassis Watson in 1905 as a sandwich shop. Sitting in the same spot since the beginning, Lassis Inn became a meeting place for local civil rights leaders during the '50s and '60s. 

                Throughout most of its history, Lassis has had the same basic menu: fried catfish fillets, catfish steaks, seasoned hushpuppies and its famous buffalo fish ribs. Having barely changed its décor, a visit here is like stepping back in time. In 2020, the Lassis Inn received the James Beard American Classics award — one of only two Arkansas restaurants to earn the distinction (Jones Bar-B-Q Diner in Marianna is the other).

                Dondie’s White River Princess in Des Arc: Founded in the late 1980s by Dondie Guess, this restaurant is located in a faux riverboat on the White River. Known for its endless catfish buffet, the restaurant has expanded its menu to include steaks, other seafood items and even pasta. But the catfish buffet remains its heart and soul. The place is packed every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night, so arrive early to avoid a long wait.

                I could also go on and on about other great catfish restaurants in Arkansas such as Pig-n-Chik in Sherwood; The Whippet in Prattsville; Huckleberrys’ in Searcy; Burger Shack, Eat My Catfish and Riverside Grocery in Benton; and Jo-Jo’s in Mountain View. 

                And there's another that's no longer in Arkansas — Cock of the Walk in Maumelle. Back in the '80s, it was the place to go for catfish. Located on a small pond, the restaurant was famed for its tin plates and cups and waiters who would flip cornbread in small iron skillets. Today, it's the home to the Cypress Social restaurant.

            While all the above-mentioned restaurants serve great incarnations of my favorite food, none of them can beat Floyd Brown’s catfish. You’re welcome, dad. When’s the next family fish fry? 

    A proud sixth-generation Arkansan, Darrell W. Brown is a lover of all things Arkansas. He lives on beautiful Lake Norrell in Saline County with his wife, Amy, and their two beloved Boston Terriers. You can find him on Instagram and Facebook at AllAroundArkansas.

All Around Arkansas: Mount Magazine

               

                 One of the many perks of working for the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage & Tourism was the yearly staff retreats we would attend atop Arkansas’ highest point — Mount Magazine — near Paris (Logan County). 

                At a height of 2,753 feet above sea level, Mount Magazine is home to one of Arkansas’ grandest state parks featuring scenic views, numerous hiking trails to a rustic —but state of the art — lodge with luxurious accommodations and a first-class restaurant.

                But while Mount Magazine and the park that bears its name are both worthy of gracing a magazine cover, that’s not where Arkansas’ tallest mountain takes its name. 

                According to botanist Thomas Nuttall, who traveled the area in 1819, French settlers named the mountain "Magazine" from the French word for barn (magasin) because of its barn-like shape. This led to the mountain being originally known as Barn Magazine and eventually Magazine Mountain or the more popular Mount Magazine. 

                There are actually two summits atop the mountain: Signal Hill, with an elevation of 2,753 ft. and Mossback Ridge, which reaches 2,700 ft. Although Mount Magazine is often referred to as the highest point between the Allegheny Mountains and the Rocky Mountains, this is not correct, as there are several mountains in western Texas that exceed Mount Magazine’s elevation.

                Most Arkansas historians believe that Europeans first spotted Mount Magazine when French explorer Bernard de la Harpe and his party explored the upper Arkansas River valley around 1722. As you may know, de la Harpe is credited with discovering the river's “la petite roche,” which is known today as “the little rock” from which our state’s capital city takes its name.

                The first white settlers arrived in the Mount Magazine area in the mid-19th century, with major settlement of the land taking place between 1850 to 1930. In 1900, the town of Magazine was founded atop the mountain. 

                In the years to come, hotels, restaurants and other small businesses began to operate there, as the mountain became a popular tourist destination. Unfortunately, the town all but ceased to exist due to the Great Depression, when the tourism industry and new building construction came to a halt.

                In 1938, President Franklin D. Roosevelt made the mountain a part of the Ouachita National Forest. By 1942, all the land on top of Mount Magazine was under control of the federal government. Mount Magazine State Park officially opened in 2001 and was dedicated by then-Gov. Mike Huckabee. While the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage & Tourism operates the state park, the land upon which it sits is still owned and managed by the U.S. Forest Service.

                The 2,200-acre park features numerous picnic areas, pavilions, campgrounds and a visitors’ center. Accommodations include several cabins and a 60-room lodge, which feature breathtaking views of the Petit Jean River valley and Blue Mountain Lake. The new lodge offers a conference facility, a restaurant, a fitness center, an indoor swimming pool and a gift shop. The lodge was built on the same location as one built in the late-1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps that was destroyed by fire in 1971.

                For those seeking adventure, Mount Magazine State Park provides many recreational opportunities, including hang-gliding, horseback riding, hiking, camping, rock climbing and rappelling. 

                Be sure to call ahead if you want to rent one of the park’s rustic cabins or stay at the lodge as accommodations fill up quickly, especially during the fall. You can contact the park’s office at (479) 963-8502 for more information.

                I've been fortunate to experience the beauty and wonder of Mount Magazine many times. Take it from me — this is one place that should be atop every Arkansans’ bucket list.

All Around Arkansas: The Story of Saracen

                    

                  

                    A few weeks ago, my wife and I made an overnight work trip to Pine Bluff. Across from our hotel was the Saracen Casino Resort. Opened in 2020 on a former soybean field, the complex is owned by the Quapaw Nation of Oklahoma. Being a student of Arkansas history, I knew the Quapaw were one of the three Indian tribes (along with the Caddo and Osage) that inhabited the lands that would become our state. What I didn’t know was the story behind the namesake of the casino and thus began my search to find out.

                    The Quapaw came from the Ohio River Valley to what became Arkansas around 1200 B.C. We can thank the Quapaw for our state’s name; the Native Americans from the upper portion of the Mississippi River referred to the Quapaw as the "Akansea," which meant "the downriver people." The French exploration team of Marquette and Joliet encountered the Quapaw during their journey in the late 1600s through the lands of the lower Mississippi River and referred to them as the "Arcansas." Years later, English settlers who arrived in the land of the Quapaw took the French word and modified it to Arkansas.

                    According to early historians, the man known as Saracen was born around 1673 at Arkansas Post to a French father and Quapaw mother. But because he was not a full-blooded Quapaw, many of the Native Americans did not consider him as such. Noted Arkansas historian Morris S. Arnold wrote that although he was beloved by the European settlers, Saracen "did not fare nearly so well among most of the Quapaws.”

                    Around 1820, Saracen became a legendary hero after rescuing two young children kidnapped by members of the Chickasaw tribe from a white family who lived near what is now Pine Bluff. According to published accounts, once Saracen heard of the abduction, he floated down the Arkansas River the night of the kidnapping and located a Chickasaw camp near Arkansas Post. In the darkness and still of the night, Saracen lifted his tomahawk and gave the Quapaw battle cry, scaring the Chickasaw, which caused them to flee the camp and leave the children behind. For his brave efforts, Saracen was honored by the Governor of the Territory of Arkansas, James Miller, and was also appointed by Miller as chief of the Quapaw, even though Saracen had no hereditary claim to the position and Miller had no authority in the eyes of the natives to make him their leader.

            As the federally recognized chief of the Quapaws, Saracen signed the Treaty of 1833, which relinquished the tribe’s claim to their land in the Arkansas Territory in exchange for 150 sections of land in what was known as Indian Territory in present-day Oklahoma.

            After his participation in the Treaty of 1833, details of Saracen’s life are sketchy. There is even confusion about when he died. Saracen’s tombstone, located at St. John’s Catholic Cemetery in Pine Bluff, says he died in 1832 at age 97. But this date cannot be true because he signed the Treaty of 1833. The Quapaw Nation's official account of Saracen’s life says he died in 1834 just before the removal of all the Quapaw to Indian Territory.

            Now if you ever visit the Saracen Casino in Pine Bluff, you’ll know the story of its namesake — a man who is not only an important figure in Quapaw history, but also the history of our great state.

            A proud sixth-generation Arkansan, Darrell W. Brown is a lover of all things Arkansas. He lives on beautiful Lake Norrell in Saline County with his wife, Amy, and their two beloved Boston Terriers. Find him on Facebook and Instagram at AllAroundArkansas.

All Around Arkansas: The Voice of Southeast Arkansas

           

             Like many Arkansans, my wife and I like to head to the shores of the Florida panhandle during the summer for some fun in the sun. The road to paradise takes us down U.S. Highway 65 through Dumas, Lake Village and Eudora. 

            Near the town of McGehee is a building that has always fascinated me, as it looks like something from another era. It’s a rundown Spanish-style building with red clay roof tiles and a stucco exterior with "KVSA 1220" on its facade. After a little research, I found that it once housed a famous radio station that proudly served the Arkansas Delta.

            Abbott F. Kinney founded KVSA-AM, 1220, and gave it its call sign, which stood for "The Voice of Southeast Arkansas." The station went on the air Monday, June 29, 1953, and ran on 1,000 watts of power. The station’s format changed several times throughout the years; KVSA played everything from country to rock to gospel music. 

            The station aired its Studio “A” Dance Party show every Saturday morning. It featured live music from singers and bands traveling the fields of the Delta, including a young man who would become arguably the most popular singer of all-time, Elvis Presley. 

            Presley, and his band The Blue Moon Boys, appeared at KVSA in March 1955, during which he gave a live on-air interview to KVSA deejay Doug Ward and signed autographs for hundreds of fans — mostly teenage girls — before a concert at the Dermott High School auditorium. 

            Tickets to see Presley were just 75 cents for adults and 50 cents for children. The show was sponsored by the school’s senior class as a fundraiser. But the following Monday, the school superintendent gave students their money back, claiming that Presley’s concert was "not the kind of entertainment his students were supposed to see."

            For decades, KVSA served Dermott, McGehee and the surrounding area with music, local news and agriculture and weather reports. It was also active in the community, sponsoring many school clubs, programs and youth sports teams.

            In 1995, Abbott F. Kinney received the Arkansas Broadcasters Association’s Pioneer Award for his contributions to Arkansas radio. Kinney died in April 2002 at age 92. After his death, his wife, Joyce, took over managing the station. But in spite of her best efforts to keep the station alive, KVSA struggled in its final years.

            Holding to its nostalgic tradition, the station never had a website or live streamed on the internet. In the modern era of radio, it became difficult to keep a stand-alone AM daytime-only station alive, especially with no counterpart on an FM frequency.

            It’s been said that all good things must come to an end. KVSA signed off the air the final time in March 2020. The station’s Facebook page posted this message:

            “It is with a heavy heart that we announce the closing of KVSA. Several factors contributed to the closing of the station. Thank each of you familiar with the station for listening and for your encouragement through the 67 years of broadcasting. As of 1 p.m. today, March 3, 2020, KVSA will be silent forever...”

            I still make sure and look out for the old studio every time we travel to the coast. I also can’t help but think about the days when the local radio station was not a piece of a corporate conglomerate, but rather an old friend who was always there. 

         A proud sixth-generation Arkansan, Darrell W. Brown is a lover of all things Arkansas. He lives in Saline County with his wife, Amy, and their two beloved Boston Terriers. Find him on Facebook and Instagram at AllAroundArkansas.

All Around Arkansas: The Legendary Vapors

                

                Located at 315 Park Ave. not far from the historic Arlington Hotel in Hot Springs stands a building with quite the history of its own — The Vapors. 

                The Vapors was founded in 1960 by Dane Harris and notorious gangster Owen “Owney” Madden, who once owned another nightclub, the Cotton Club in New York City. In Hot Springs, the duo bought the Phillips’ Drive-In and tore down the dairy bar to build The Vapors, named after one of the several nicknames for Hot Springs, "The Valley of the Vapors."

                The club featured Vegas-quality entertainment such as Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Rosemary Clooney and others. In fact, Bennett first performed his signature song, “I Left My Heart in San Francisco,” while practicing on The Vapors’ stage. According to his autobiography, Bennett sang the song once and was told by the only audience member, a bartender, “If you guys ever record that song, I’ll buy the first copy.”

                In its later years, The Vapors hosted many other musicians and comedians such as Rick Nelson, the Oak Ridge Boys, Jim Ed Brown and the Browns, Patti Page, and Jerry Van Dyke.

                The club’s restaurant served first class cuisine and had a full bar. Dinner was served nightly on tables around the stage. A coffee shop open around the clock served not just coffee and food, but also as a place for gangsters and politicians to discuss “business.”

                Arguably the most famous part of the club was its casino. Located in the back, the casino was somewhat small compared to others in the area. But it was filled with enough slot machines and tables to satisfy its patrons looking to strike it rich, as well as the owners — the ones actually getting rich.

                In January 1963, an explosion went off at The Vapors, causing extensive damage to the building, especially the casino. Twelve people were injured, including two who were hospitalized. Authorities never proved who was behind the blast. 

            A photographer from the Arkansas Gazette snapped a picture of the damage to the casino, exposing its slot machines and tables. The photo ran on the paper’s front page the next day and confirmed what was the worst kept-secret in Arkansas — illegal gambling was alive and well in Hot Springs.

            But it all came to an end in 1967 when Gov. Orval Faubus was defeated by Winthrop Rockefeller, who campaigned on a pledge to end gambling in the Spa City. Within six months of his inauguration, Rockefeller ordered the Arkansas State Police to destroy all slot machines and tables.

            After the death of Harris in 1981 (Madden died in 1965), new ownership attempted to keep The Vapors afloat by turning it into a combination disco/honky-tonk. Those attempts proved futile and the club closed in the early 1990s. 

            In October 1998, the building was sold to Tower of Strength Ministries and used as a church (oh, the irony!). The building was once again sold in November 2013. A best-selling book based on the history of The Vapors by author David Hill was released in 2020.

            Recently, the building reopened as an entertainment venue under the name “Vapors Live.” It features musicians, comedians and karaoke starting at 8 p.m. every Friday. There are remnants of the old club, including the iconic illuminated outdoor sign, the original bar and the stage where so many legends performed.

            Several weeks ago, my wife and I went to the club for karaoke night. She sang a few songs while I sat in the audience, closing my eyes trying to picture what The Vapors was like in its heyday, and wishing its walls could tell me some stories.

    A proud sixth-generation Arkansan, Darrell W. Brown is a lover of all things Arkansas. He lives in Saline County with his wife, Amy, and their two beloved Boston Terriers. Find him on Facebook and Instagram at AllAroundArkansas.