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Helena Museum
of
Phillips County, Arkansas
Our museum serves as a cultural resource that preserves the region's history while connecting us to our ancestors and our past for generations to come. Phillips County is steeped in important history, and memories of those times have been preserved and exhibited through impressive collections for all to experience. The museum is located in a charming historic building and listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
While this website is a good place to learn about the Museum and our local area, it is no substitute for a visit to explore the wonderful exhibits on display and to lose yourself in nostalgia of long ago. Awaiting you are artifacts of Native American Indians, the Civil War, Thomas Edison, Mark Twain, fine/decorative arts, military uniforms, documents and so much more. Admission is free so visit us soon!
Free Admission
New Hours of Operation
Effective September 1st
Wednesday - Friday
10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Special Tours May Be Arranged by Contacting the Museum
Welcome to nostalgia
presented by the
This site was last updated May 22, 2013
Did you know.....
In 1888 the women of a literary group named the Pacaha Club, the
Indian word for Helena, began working toward a permanent library.
At a public meeting on February 29, the forty ladies in attendance
chose their name, the Women's Library Association, and adopted a
charter modeled after the Ladies' Library Association of Kalamazoo,
Michigan. The Grand Opera House was used to house a collection
of 821 books above the vaudeville stage as a subscription library
and free reading room.
People used to use urine to tan animal skins, so families used to
all pee in a pot and then once a day it was taken and sold to the
tannery. If you had to do this to survive you were "Piss Poor". But
worse than that were the really poor folk who couldn't even afford
to buy a pot, they "didn't have a pot to piss in" and were the lowest
of the low.
Read A History Lesson for more tidbits of true, interesting facts.
Historical Helena statistics from a 1924 business directory Read more........
Click here for more interesting facts.......
Click on picture to view closer.
"Helena occupies
one of the prettiest
situations on the
Mississippi."
Mark Twain 1896
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What's New
Interesting Facts
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NOTICE: No one is authorized to use our information or photographs without prior written permission. All inquiries should be sent to the Helena Museum, 623 Pecan Street, Helena, AR 72342
No museum is complete without their very own ghost!
Click image
to read her story.
Now Showing
Interesting Artifact
Click image to open.
The steam engine 726 pulled train cars on and off the Pelican, a train ferry, and rode across the river with its train. The Pelican was built in 1902 and was moved to Helena in 1930. It transported both freight and passenger trains across the Mississippi River from Helena, AR to Lula, MS.
To commemorate the 150th Anniversary of the Battle of Helena we hope you enjoy our presentation of the Battle of Helena depicted in the diorama on display at the museum. History buffs can learn more about the Battle of Helena here.
Also, plan to attend Battle of Helena 150 – Reenactment of the Battle of Helena May 24-26, which will feature approximately 300 living history participants. This event is an Arkansas Sesquicentennial Commission 2013 sanctioned event. Click here to download the event flyer.
Click images to open.
In Remembrance of the Fallen
The last Monday of May is a federal holiday observing fallen soldiers of war. Also known as Decoration Day, it originated after the American Civil War to honor fallen Union soldiers. Ladies from the south had their own organizations to honor and remember Confederate soldiers. Memorial Day was extended to include all Americans who died in all wars by the 20th century.
The holiday is considered by many as the beginning of summer which ends on Labor Day weekend.
Memorial Day has become more general over the years as people visit loved ones even if they had not served in the military. Many families fire up the grill when they gather to celebrate the holiday with bar-b-ques, fireworks, swimming parties and other community events.
Have a safe holiday!
