Old State House Museum

Hello readers!

We apologize for the delay in posts! We have had a few weeks of extremely busy schedules.

On Saturday, March 8, we made a trip to Little Rock to begin our search for centers of folklore and stories. Our first stop was the Old State House Museum.

The Old State House (OHS) is Arkansas's original capitol building; construction began in 1833 and was completed in 1842. When Arkansas gained its statehood in 1836, the legislators began to use the building despite continued construction. After 75 years of use, the Old State House was replaced in 1911 by the current Capitol building. The landmark went through a series of different uses until it became a museum in 1947, and was overseen by the new Arkansas Commemorative Commission.

A number of notable events have occurred in the halls of the OSH. In 1837, only a year after Arkansas became a state, a fatal knife fight broke out in the House of Representatives Chamber on the second floor. The argument began after Rep. J.J. Anthony subtly insulted Speaker of the House John Wilson during a debate on how to fund a bounty on wolf pelts. Accounts differ on who first pulled their weapon, but within moments, Anthony lay dead with a knife through his heart.

House of Representatives Chamber

In 1861, the OSH saw Arkansas secede from the Union. Over the course of the war, the building became the Confederate and later the Union state capitol. During Reconstruction, the Brooks-Baxter War broke out concerning a dispute over who was the proper governor. Elisha Baxter was elected governor, but Joseph Brooks led a small militia that ousted Baxter. A two-month civil war broke out until the federal government declared Baxter the rightful governor. Somewhere between 40-200 people died during the conflict.

Throughout its illustrious history, the Old State House has gathered a few ghost stories. Some employees claim they have heard noises in empty rooms; that they sometimes feel an unsettling chill; and that objects move when no one is looking.

Some claim that the Representatives Chamber is haunted, possibly because of the murder of J.J. Anthony. Others say that the ghost of a dejected Brooks walks the halls of the OSH. According to one employee, a paranormal crew visited the building and claimed to have found a spirit. However, she has never experienced anything herself. Whether ghosts walk the halls or not is still up for question, but stories continue to persist.

While we have no evidence either way, the preservation of the building and the historical displays throughout show that Arkansans hold their history dear. One of the current and more modern exhibits is titled "Lights, Camera, Arkansas!", which documents various films that were either filmed in Arkansas or had actors with Arkansas ties.

Lights, Camera, Arkansas!

Media becomes an important way for Arkansas to express its people and folklore. For example, there was a movie poster for the Legend of Boggy Creek. The movie was based off an urban legend that spread through south Arkansas.

People find it important to recognize their tales, be it through ghost stories, movies, or recorded history. These help build the cultures and values of our community, allowing us to remember and relive our past in one way or another. Our visit to the Old State House directed us to this important facet of culture.

Introductions

Greetings, readers!

This is our first post in a new blog dedicated to analyzing hauntings and urban legends in Arkansas. First, a bit about us: our names are Matt and Victoria, and we are students at Hendrix College in Conway, Arkansas. We are participating in what is known as an "Odyssey Project." The Odyssey Program is a unique opportunity offered at Hendrix that allows students to design their own project for credit, which brings us to "A Haunting in Arkansas."

For our Odyssey Project, we intend to seek out and visit allegedly-haunted locations and other sites central to urban legends in Arkansas. Our goal is not to prove or disprove the paranormal, but rather to explore its importance in local culture and history.  The Natural State has a rich tradition of hauntings and folklore. The Crescent Hotel in Eureka Springs bills itself "America's Most Haunted Hotel." Tales of monsters in the White River and Fouke, Arkansas have captivated people for decades. In recent years, ghost stories and urban legends have become popular in the media. Television shows centered around the paranormal are on the rise; famous examples include, SyFy’s Ghost Hunters, Travel Channel’s Ghost Adventures, and Discovery’s A Haunting series. Dramas, like CW’s Supernatural, also have large followings.  Clearly, tales of the paranormal have become ingrained in the popular culture, and Arkansas has not been left out of this trend. While Arkansas often seems to be overlooked in national media, the Natural State has been featured in several of these programs. Ghost Hunters has visited both Eureka Springs and Little Rock (most recently in June 2013 at Little Rock’s Cornish House). The Winchester brothers from Supernatural also made an appearance in Little Rock.

Popular culture has brought many paranormal stories and urban legends into the limelight. We would like to personally visit as many locations within Arkansas as possible between now and the end of April.We are interested in exploring the cultural and historical significance of the places we visit. Perhaps through firsthand experiences, we can learn more about Arkansas and its people. This brings us back to this blog. We will use Blogger to record our visits, post pictures, and offer our analyses of the locations and stories we come across. In other words, the "A Haunting in Arkansas" blog will serve as our public e-journal where our thoughts can be recorded and people can follow our journeys. 

Follow up posts will list some of the places we intend to visit, our travel logs, and analysis. Stay tuned!