Little Rock Quapaw Quarter and the Old Mill

The Quapaw Quarter is located in the heart of Little Rock and is home to many of the city's oldest buildings and homes. More than 200 homes and structures from the area are listed on the National Register of Historic Places; a few of the more famous places include MacArthur Park, Curran Hall, Mt. Holly Cemetery, and the Governor's Mansion. With so many historic buildings, numerous tales of hauntings have accumulated over the years. On Saturday, April 26, we visited the Quapaw Quarter to visit a few of these locations for ourselves. We first visited the U.S. Arsenal Building in MacArthur Park, followed by the Curran House (which will be featured in another post), and the Albert Pike Memorial Masonic Temple. Several weeks back, we also walked through Mt. Holly Cemetery. Afterwords, we traveled to North Little Rock to visit the Old Mill.

U.S. Arsenal Building

The U.S. Arsenal Building was built in 1840 and has had an illustrious history. The arsenal was seized by a state militia in the early days of the Civil War and munitions were used to supply Confederate armies until the Union retook Little Rock in 1864. In building was also briefly held by followers of Joseph Brooks during the Brooks-Baxter War in 1874. General Douglas MacArthur was born on the upper floor in 1880. Decommissioned as an arsenal in 1890, the building is now the MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History.


A number of ghosts allegedly walk the halls of the museum. Stories of ghostly shadows, apparitions, and voices have risen over the years. According to some employees, one playful ghost enjoys throwing things at passing people. We did not come across anything during our visit and we did not learn much from the employees. However, the site continues to be an important historical building in Little Rock, and the stories live on alongside the history.


Albert Pike Memorial Masonic Temple

The Albert Pike Memorial Masonic Temple is closed off the the public. An impressive building several blocks west of MacArthur Park, the temple is named after Confederate general and influential Freemason Albert Pike. Some say that his ghost continues to reside in the temple. There was nobody we could speak to and the building is private, so we did not have the opportunity to learn any more than internet research had shown us. However, the building is still used and is notable for its architecture.

Mount Holly Cemetery

Mount Holly Cemetery is the final resting place for many important Arkansans. Governors, mayors, senators, generals, and authors native to Arkansas have been buried in this location. Established in 1843, the grounds are well maintained and people continue to visit the grave sites. We walked the grounds admiring tomb stones that were well over 100 years old. We noted that a few of the decayed headstones had been replaced over the years, especially those of war veterans - a few of which could be traced back to the War of 1812. Clearly the City of Little Rock has put a lot of effort and money into preserving the cemetery, which has certainly helped maintain Arkansas history. In October, the cemetery hosts an event called "Tales of the Crypt" for Little Rock high school students; the lives of some of the famous Mt. Holly inhabitants are reenacted by the students.

A few ghostly stories surround the cemetery. People claim to have seen people in period clothing walking the grounds. Others have seen strange mists or lights in photographs. Occasionally music or other phantom sounds can be heard, and a few people have even claimed to observe some of the statues moving. We didn't experience anything paranormal during our visit. The grounds were quiet and nobody was around to interview. Ghost stories do not seem to be the most notable feature of Mt. Holly; however, the deep history that is preserved within these grounds shows how important history is for many Arkansans.


The Old Mill

After a few hours in Little Rock, we left the Quapaw Quarter for North Little Rock. The Old Mill, located in a small park alongside Lakewood Lake, was originally built in 1828. The existing structure is actually a replica, but it has been dedicated to the past and gives visitors a chance to observe what the mill once looked like. As far as ghost stories go, there is not much to tell. However, some people have seen strange things moving in the windows. Some say that there is a shadow of a hanging person on the side of the building. We were unable to find any historical basis for people being killed at the site, but the tales persist regardless.  Most significantly, the park is a favorite place for pictures and recreation. The grounds were full of people enjoying the weather, which shows that the Old Mill is still valued by residents and tourists alike. The long history of the building lives on thanks to the creation of Pugh Memorial Park and the replica of the original structure.