http://www.helenamuseum.com/partners daily 0.75 2021-07-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1571967512979-EYZZ5KWUIO134M2J2WQ9/arkansas-the-natural-state-logo-vector.png Partners - Helena-West Helena Welcome Center https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1571967512979-EYZZ5KWUIO134M2J2WQ9/arkansas-the-natural-state-logo-vector.png Partners - Helena-West Helena Welcome Center https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1571964462597-H033IV0W13NE11TGHLBM/delta-cultural-center-delta-sounds.png Partners - Delta Cultural Center The Delta Cultural Center is a museum dedicated to the history of the Arkansas Delta. The museum interprets the heritage of the 27 county Delta region through exhibits, educational programs, annual events, and guided tours. Admission is free; come and experience what the Delta has to offer! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1625690242563-HQ374TG6OWXUOWYGO1PO/H%26M+Logo.jpg Partners - Home Hardware Center of West Helena Originally Hornor & Morris Lumber Company, they have been helping to repair the museum for over the past half century. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1571965346104-P35V4R2LZPRH4EUQ5S1M/ADB+Logo.jpg Partners - Arkansas Delta Byways As you explore our 15-county Arkansas Delta Byways tourism region, you will discover friendly people; changing crops with their own unique beauty; a diverse music heritage rooted in the fields and churches; a pristine natural environment for bird watching, hunting and fishing; charming small towns; and a strong African American heritage -- sometimes proud, sometimes painful -- which makes for a “real” story. As you travel the byways of this unique region, take time to get off the beaten path and discover for yourself some of the many hidden treasures of the Arkansas Delta. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1571965981035-WRQT81MD8AXAQUKEZWGP/MSH+Logo.jpg Partners - Main Street Helena Founded in 1984 as one of the original Main Street Arkansas communities, Main Street Helena continues to make great strides in revitalizing our historic downtown. Through the support of government, businesses, and individuals, Main Street Helena works to restore buildings, improve streetscapes, and sponsor special events. Our goal is to preserve the rich heritage that is Historic Downtown Helena. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1571965563496-6MIMSH7GBPN2GI0UBP0P/T2rnVN2s.jpg Partners - Arkansas Historic Preservation Program The Arkansas Historic Preservation Program was created by the Arkansas General Assembly in 1969. The AHPP’s mission is to fulfill the objectives of the National Historic Preservation Act through the identification, preservation, and protections of cultural heritage if the State of Arkansas. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1571966871381-NOEHOHJOWRQP0T8BPAX3/Pass-the-biscuits.jpg Partners - King Biscuit Blues Festival King Biscuit Blues Festival attracts hundreds of thousands of people from all over the world to the banks of the Mississippi River in Helena, Arkansas. Featuring blues legends and up-and-coming acts, this iconic festival, held the weekend before Columbus Day each October, continues to preserve and promote the music of the Delta. Taking its name from “King Biscuit Time,” the longest-running radio show in history, the festival brings people together who appreciate blues culture. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1571964723659-7JORQGTFIVU8DHTHC03K/Visit+Helena+Logo.jpg Partners - Helena Advertising & Promotion Commission The Advertising and Promotion Commission was created in 2006 by Ordinance 5 pursuant to the provisions of A.C.A 26-75-605, by the City Council to administer the Advertising and Promotion Fund. Two percent of all revenues generated by the local Hotel, Motel, and Restaurant (HMR) Tax are credited to the A&P Fund and made available for purposes determined by the A&P Commission. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1571964185699-1L4YLFD35J5AC6CHYC4M/Great+River+Road+Logo.png Partners - Great River Road The Great River Road National Scenic Byway follows the course of the Mississippi River for 3,000 miles from northern Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico. The scenic route passes through 10 states and hundreds of river towns. The Great River Road is arguably the longest and most important scenic byway in America. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1575148624734-LDTPA1T2T55AZF3PC7HX/A2H%2BLogo%2B-%2BRGB.jpg Partners - A2H A2H is a collaborative planning and design firm of architects, engineers, landscape architects, interior designers, and land surveyors founded in 1986. The firm provides a diverse range of consulting services for both public and private clients, with over 10,000 completed projects spanning 48 states and offices located across Tennessee and Mississippi. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1572965712728-GOK53DS4E3VMHJ3CSJOL/PHILLIPS+Stacked+Color.png Partners - Arkansas Community Foundation Phillips County Established in 1991 as an affiliate of Arkansas Community Foundation, Phillips County Community Foundation works to build philanthropy throughout our county. Our board of directors and executive director work together to establish endowment funds, build assets and award grants to help meet community needs. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1571963912296-ELRLTUKTPI16OK3SI6O5/AMA+Logo.png Partners - Arkansas Museum Assoication The Arkansas Museums Association is an organization of museums and museum personnel dedicated to the promotion of professional standards in Arkansas museums, the encouragement of interaction between members and the development of public support for and interest in Arkansas Museums. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1571965056811-WU2FKFK4MXXTNXR4ROF6/Phillips+County+Library.jpg Partners - Phillips County Library https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1571966696638-0GF4IB8NHDOC4DZ4VA19/society.jpg Partners - Tri-County Genealogical Society The Tri-County Genealogical Society was organized in Marvell, Arkansas in 1985 as a non-profit society to: unite people interested in genealogy and family history, encourage preservation of historical and genealogical records, publish records relating to Eastern Arkansas, and provide educational programs in genealogy. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1572536520460-VNZRWXK8VRXYQDNIKQAR/EdisonCEF__1_.jpg Partners - Charles Edison Fund The Charles Edison Fund was established in 1948 to maintain the legacy of Charles’ father, Thomas Edison, and to meet his own philanthropic goals in good and bad economic times for the benefit of science education in America. The Charles Edison Fund also engages in licensing the Edison Intellectual property, including the name, image, quotes and artifacts of Thomas Edison. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1581438236416-SKVWZA1ZU840I8JI8N54/Kress.jpg Partners - Samuel H. Kress Foundation The Samuel H. Kress Foundation devotes its resources to advancing the history, conservation, and enjoyment of the vast heritage of European art, architecture, and archaeology from antiquity to the early 19th century. http://www.helenamuseum.com/donate daily 0.75 2020-06-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1576865572547-BM6D8UTMSDI564BWZMZ8/scan0013.jpg Donate https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1572028608597-OHPY41MICXHKRK6ZDW4O/402+CHERRY+-+INTERIOR+FIRST+NATIONAL+BANK.jpg Donate http://www.helenamuseum.com/history-1 daily 0.75 2020-11-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1571949392419-7BCIJSM78VH0ITBRS715/OPERA+HOUSE+N.E+CORNER+WALNUT+%26+PORTER.jpg Museum History - Early Beginnings On Feburary 29, 1888, members of the Pacaha Club, a local literary society, met at the home of Sally Sanders with 40 other prominent women of Helena to address the recently closed city library on Perry street. Under the direction of Pacaha Club President Louis McGowan Stephenson, the ladies organized into the Women’s Library Association with the express purpose of operating a public library for the betterment of the citizens of Helena. By March, they had taken control of the former Helena Library’s books and were operating a reading room on the second floor of the Grand Opera House on Porter street. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1571952274609-WC2ICF1S4P7QS8PRZE03/IMG_0033.JPG Museum History - A Place to Preserve The Past Today, the Helena Museum of Phillips County works with other cultural institutions in the Arkansas Delta to ensure that the past of the Arkansas Delta is not forgotten, but saved for future generations. We will always strive to be a place to share our culture and history in the coming century, as we did in the last. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1571949747015-85XDEN1DXN1DIN7A0HMH/HELENA%2BMUSEUM%2BEXTERIOR%2B1891.jpg Museum History - On Pecan Street In September of 1891, the WLA opened Library Hall. A stately 2 1/2 story French Mansard building, it served as both the city library and civic center for many years. The library and reading room as well as an events hall were on the first floor and a theater on the second. Nine local fraternal groups (The Royal Arcanum, American Legion of Honor, B’Nai Brith, Masonic (possibly Scottish or York Rite Masons), Golden Rule, Knights of Honor, Knights and Ladies of Honor, Reynold Lodge No. 7, Knights of Pythias, Junior Lodge No. 15, Ancient Order of United Workmen) rented the theater for their meetings to help pay for construction costs. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1571950120182-VEQYPDZ1FKIZPYPR79WT/LIBRARY+1900S.jpg Museum History - A New Fundraiser Every Week Though the WLA now had a building to house their books, the library and reading room only made up a small part of the building’s activiites. From opening day on September 11, 1891 to early 1914, there was a new fundraiding event in the main hall of the building every week. Anything the WLA could conseive of was put on. Concerts, poetry readings, charity baazars, cake walks, they even turned the main hall into a skating rink for a few days. In 1914, the WLA fufilled its longtime dream by ceasing the majority of its fundraising and moving the library and reading room into the main hall. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1571950301221-Q70GHQIWL0GF6UKLGKLQ/HELENA+MUSEUM+EXTERIOR+1930S.jpg Museum History - A Place for Culture The WLA had been receiving artwork and historical artifacts since their first meeting in 1888, and they had been doing their best to display the items in the main hall. However, by 1916, the WLA, now called the Helena Public Library Board, realized that they needed a dedicated space to display their collection. Initially they operated a small art gallery in the building, but they had bigger plans in mind. In February 1930, they completed construction on a 1 1/2 story addition to house the Phillips County Museum. This was the first purpose built museum in the state of Arkansas. Andrew Coolidge was the building architect and John Highberger was the landscape architect. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1571952088222-OGXQHSVOMNDREOQWCGAA/IMG_4304.JPG Museum History - Growing Pains In 1948, the Helena Library founded the Phillips County Library, with branches in West Helena, Lexa, Marvell, Lake View, and Elaine. Shortly after, the Helena Public Library Board ceased operating its lending library to focus soley on operating the county museum. In 2010, after the Phillips County Library moved into more modern facilities on Columbia Street, a tornado swept through Helena and ripped the roof off the building. This allowed water to poor into the building and threatened to destroy the artifacts inside. Thanks to the efforts of the Helena fire and police departments and other citizens, lasting harm was prevented. However, it took major grant funding from the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program and many months of work to open the museum to the public again. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1567813137523-SW153AH90IIRQJ5EY1D6/LIBRARY%2BINTERIOR%2BPRE-1928%2BSOUTHWEST%2BCORNER.jpg Museum History http://www.helenamuseum.com/welcome-1 daily 1.0 2025-06-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1550943841141-A120YODMHATSLD2RTC03/IMG_0243.JPG Welcome to The Helena Museum of Phillips County https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1550943483405-BS09RHQASH1VY0TE3YJC/IMG_1993.JPG Welcome to The Helena Museum of Phillips County - TEST Test https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1551826996414-GTP4NUW4F7BCKAO0H9GO/scan.jpg Welcome to The Helena Museum of Phillips County 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Phillips County https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1594492517742-SCF3DB1FIQFCTTY0CJ0O/IMG_20190418_094315.jpg Welcome to The Helena Museum of Phillips County https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1550943797491-LZO5836N57SIYC89E8PN/IMG_0173.JPG Welcome to The Helena Museum of Phillips County https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1550954436195-WRGUVAHLNST7E3TYR2L3/HELENA+MUSEUM+EXTERIOR+1891.jpg Welcome to The Helena Museum of Phillips County https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1550954251952-ATWZ536PL5RAVJJC5Z7F/10405567_10204016166033826_2869003522489727428_n.jpg Welcome to The Helena Museum of Phillips County https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1551827070719-DYIKMBBB96ULDH1YZNJJ/scan0017.jpg Welcome to The Helena Museum of Phillips County https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1550954612589-O2P620ER2716PP4D8VAJ/IMG_3874.JPG Welcome to The Helena Museum of Phillips County https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1551827022364-DMDZNG57WOJG2EE1XX0Y/scan0003.jpg Welcome to The Helena Museum of Phillips County https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1594492349132-ASE8D7Y62QT23N8BFLB8/IMG_20200304_201020.jpg Welcome to The Helena Museum of Phillips County https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1551827013790-0KOM7T2NHTZOYPOU0DLN/scan0009.jpg Welcome to The Helena Museum of Phillips County https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1574715418305-Z6GHVP6SOLX0A44ZT14J/MVIMG_20191019_125513.jpg Welcome to The Helena Museum of Phillips County https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1550943923783-7HAUT1SMTLYE1UNJ4O9I/IMG_8554.JPG Welcome to The Helena Museum of Phillips County https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1551827032022-04CHAQ0T8TYXSYQ10XL7/scan0010.jpg Welcome to The Helena Museum of Phillips County https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1574715304231-RD6RBLJG82BNJX4W430D/IMG_20191119_101314.jpg Welcome to The Helena Museum of Phillips County https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1594492528430-UPCBE9994YKTFHZURDMV/Helena+Group+Photo.jpg Welcome to The Helena Museum of Phillips County https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1625689602353-GS2D89J71LATLA7KVYLH/Museum+Annex+Interior+1938+vs+2021.jpg Welcome to The Helena Museum of Phillips County http://www.helenamuseum.com/exhibits-1 daily 0.75 2021-07-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1575581093230-GWR8WVZVZVOL6U74OWHZ/HELENA+MUSEUM+EXTERIOR+1891.jpg Local History - Women’s Library Association The Women’s Library Association was founded in 1888 as a means to have a proper library in the city of Helena. This group went on to found our museum in 1929. This exhibit showcases their history and achevements. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1550267798601-HS4UZXGZDQY4EAXFO7UX/IMG_20190215_154607.jpg Local History - Local Businesses Mini-Exhibits Phillips County has been a major commercial driver for the state of Arkansas. For many years, Helena’s motto was “Arkansas’ only Seaport.” The museum hosts many displays on the bussinesses that operated in our county. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1550266878634-K7L4ARYBP6JFMW0IQMHI/IMG_20190215_153723.jpg Local History - Phillips County Lumber Industry At one point in the 1920’s, West Helena was considered a major contender for hardwood lumber capitol of the country. Dozens of major lumber companies lined the streets and produced wood for everything from barrel staves to woodie panels. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1575581452396-9IKJF1BE61I5NZ4PZLO6/scan0012.jpg Local History - Phillips County Education As early as 1856, there has been a scholastic presence in Phillips County. Phillips County has seen everything from small, one-room schoolhouses to multi-story public schools that served hundreds of students. The museum hosts many displays that highlight these schools and the students that studied in them. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1576598759641-HE60O686GHUOTNJ3W3CE/IMG_0092.JPG Local History - Native American Pottery The Helena Museum is pleased to exhibit pottery excavated from the Arkansas Delta as well as a few items from central Arkansas. These artifacts are related to the Menard- Hodges archeological site in Arkansas County. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1593101768194-SB21H0ICMUVBWMD70LLD/scan0056.jpg Local History - Local Church Exhibits Phillips County has hosted many different Christian denominations since the 1820’s, and Helena is believed to have been the site of the first Catholic Mass west of the Mississippi River in 1541. Additionally, Phillips County has historically hosted a vibrant Jewish Community. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1551828229006-S4QR4G6D1RD5RJI1VVWK/scan0017.jpg Local History http://www.helenamuseum.com/visit daily 0.75 2021-07-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1571867499891-AQY1TSCZCF8R7A57JHC9/image-asset+helena+map.gif Visit Us https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1598457716563-QXTS80AIZZO5LHDCAF39/Helena+Museum+Gallery+Guide+Map.jpg Visit Us https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1594497088415-UV29GU4V1KMMQHB0M629/scan0006.jpg Visit Us http://www.helenamuseum.com/sponsors-1 daily 0.75 2020-07-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1404145548104-WR068ZNL0JU8UEQLNBUP/divider_long_rev.png Our Partners https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1567806776468-4X1LHN5M63U5VMBDJT10/scan0018%2B-%2BCopy%2B-%2BCopy.jpg Our Partners http://www.helenamuseum.com/become-a-volunteer-1 daily 0.75 2020-07-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1571866663459-0W207BGSYMMG58ZTS9HW/IMG_20190924_085404.jpg Become A Volunteer http://www.helenamuseum.com/contact-us daily 0.75 2019-11-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1572028666437-YA7ASO5YPHDKMIQ36EAQ/POST+OFFICE+CHERRY+%26+PORTER.jpg Contact Us http://www.helenamuseum.com/maybell-thatcher daily 0.75 2019-11-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1572540031891-4PQLRLL81M3LMJ68OCC8/IMG_20191025_163141.jpg Maybell Thatcher - Maybelle Thatcher Helena Museum Resident Ghost and Board Member Emeritus https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1572539896103-URNBD2ZH7BI0CYNCBE53/MVIMG_20191025_164201.jpg Maybell Thatcher http://www.helenamuseum.com/collection-donations daily 0.75 2020-07-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1594494706724-5W3D7GKJ4BT967C4AQNM/scan0104.jpg Collection Donations https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1576605521540-6CST18U30QJA2RW1KYD5/IMG_1538.JPG Collection Donations http://www.helenamuseum.com/military-history daily 0.75 2020-12-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1575582425525-THXHWU4ZFLCOHRT12X40/DSC_7891+%282%29.jpg Military History - Phillips Guards Battle Flag This exhibit features The Phillips Guards Battle Flag, one of only a handful of Civil War battle flags on display in the state. The exhibit also examines the Seizure of the Little Rock Arsenal, which the Phillips Guards took part in. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1575583535341-R2CHOAGGUPRQO7NJN7EB/Pillow-gideon-by-wb-cooper.jpg Military History - Mexican American War Exhibit This exhibit focuses on the early history of the Phillips County Militia in Arkansas Territory and their involvement in the Mexican American War as well as the military careers of Daniel Mooney and John Preston Jr. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1575583669333-3L1CESD0A4R4AUTZT5YB/scan.jpg Military History - Daughters of the American Revolution This exhibit highlights the James Bates Chapter of the DAR and their work. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1575581931521-5H3AQ5S9H0VUKAKIC7WI/001+%282%29.jpg Military History - World War 1 Exhibit This exhibit focuses on the history of the Arkansas State Guard in Phillips County and their involvement in World War 1 as well as the military career of Susie Almer. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1575583380942-NYA030QLCWLOIHNIEMPM/IMG_4109.JPG Military History - World War 2 Exhibit This exhibit focuses on the history of the Arkansas National Guard in Phillips County and their involvement in World War 2 as well as the military career Marjorie Gradus. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1575582696386-LI5WPA7BI21A7YM0PDNB/Cleburne.jpg Military History - The Seven Generals of Helena The city of Helena “provided” seven generals to the Confederate Army: Patrick Cleburne, Lucius Polk, Archibald Dobbins, Thomas Hindman, James Tappan, Daniel Govan, and Charles Adams. In truth, these men did not all live in Helena but conducted business there. Plus, “Seven Generals” rolls off the tongue nicely. This exhibit examines their lives and connections to the local area. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1575582067590-TXXLKMRS4OUKL1C9FXBR/Bankes+photo+of+former+slaves+on+Cherry+Street.jpg Military History - The Battle Of Helena This exhibit examines The Battle of Helena, an important part of the Siege of Vicksburg and one of the last Confederate attacks that took place in Arkansas near the end of the Civil War. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1593101062225-ELVPPVN6D2A9U1FUX3J5/Raleigh_%28Cruiser_8%29._Starboard_bow%2C_ca._1900_-_NARA_-_512958.jpg Military History - Spanish American War Exhibit This exhibit focuses of the history of the Phillips County Militia and their involvement in the Spanish American War as well as the military careers of Benjamin Tappan and John Hanks Alexander. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1575584094045-XFLZ4M17ON3FQE0AX52R/HINDMAN+HOME+1860S.jpg Military History http://www.helenamuseum.com/temporary-exhibits daily 0.75 2019-12-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1576016557223-5BX4WN2BTR2NX2FC26QA/IMG_7162T.jpg Temporary Exhibits - Thomas Edison Exhibit Thanks to the work of Aruelius Hornor, a friend and employee of Edison, the Helena Museum was able to start displaying this exhibit on Edison’s work. http://www.helenamuseum.com/decorative-arts daily 0.75 2021-04-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1576598514273-0FBJTZYKE5FFVINYP1FE/IMG_4105.JPG Decorative Arts - Furniture The Helena Museum displays furniture collected from local residents, with many different types and styles on display. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1576598103849-8MW7DGQV4TZ7G0G5MY13/IMG_2105+%281%29.JPG Decorative Arts - Portraits and Paintings The Helena Museum has an extensive collection of paintings on display, with a wide variety of paintings from world renowned artists like Madame Dube and Dewitt Jordan, who also happen to be Phillips County natives. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1576598375253-UKC381J53IZWBFMOO780/IMG_4104.JPG Decorative Arts - China, Glass, and other Tableware The museum displays a varied collection of tableware and flatware, showcasing a dining experience long gone from the American dinner table, like salt cellars, celery holders, and pickle casters. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1594496954084-3WXU7WPVWDUP6OCW4F6U/IMG_20200711_144638.jpg Decorative Arts - Antique Toys The Helena Museum has a respectable collection of children’s toys from the past century. We are especially proud of our Keystone rideable toy train. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1576599215614-7EWHP0EGHRGFGK27RLH3/IMG_4108.JPG Decorative Arts http://www.helenamuseum.com/pre-history daily 0.75 2020-11-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1593097775760-7AP3HUPV31SVG0M751IL/Helena+Fire+Station+1910.jpg Pre History - Out of the Ashes The first recorded lending library was in the game room of the Hook and Ladder Company on Perry Street, created in 1875. This small library consisted of 500 books in a few locked bookcases in the firefighters game room. Interestingly, the game room was off limits to women, so husbands and brothers had to check out books for their wives and sister. This rule was not very popular, especially considering that the game room was only open to the public at certain times of the week. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1593099404883-AP1AAJRC07IJQMAKW0X8/IMG_20200625_084343.jpg Pre History - Legends of Pacaha It was at this point that a local women’s literary society, the Pacaha Club, became fed up with the many issues required to procure books for their meetings. The club was initially founded in January of 1889 by Louis Stephenson and Margaret Redford. On February 29, 1889 (two months after the club was started) the Pacaha Club members met with other ladies of Helena in the home of local teacher, Sally Alexander Sanders, and worked out a plan to form their own library association. Thus begins the Women’s Library Association. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1593098957575-WWZPT4SSP42NYMTZJEFV/iiif-service_gmd_gmd400m_g4004m_g4004hm_g002651892_00265_1892-0002-full-pct_25-0-default+%281%29.jpg Pre History - A Faulty Start By the 1880’s the Hook and Ladder Company agreed to allow their book collection to be moved to a separate building so the public could have better access. A small, wooden two room building was constructed on the northeast corner of Perry and Ohio Street, one block east of the Hook and Ladder Company’s building. The Helena Library Association was created to oversee the new library, with S.A. Coolidge acting as association chairman and Mrs. W.S. White serving as the librarian. This library was only in operation for a few years. Its open hours were never consistent, and the leadership, according to contemporary sources, was “lacking”. By the late 1880’s the Helena Library was closed for good. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1593099538743-3LS2KCX6S4S9KGXSG34T/HELENA+EARLY+1900S.jpg Pre History http://www.helenamuseum.com/communities-of-phillips-county daily 0.75 2020-12-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1593709488831-SAUBVR11TDBVMAPLLMXF/postalmapofphillipsleecounties Communities of Phillips County https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1593795747837-AFUHZ2M6XDIZRTY0FJMY/Avenue%2C+Arkansas+Article+1897.jpg Communities of Phillips County - Avenue, Arkansas Avenue, Arkansas is a community in southern Phillips County, southeast of Elaine. While its early history is unknown, the post office was established in 1894. Until (at least) the 1910's, Avenue was an important riverboat stop on the Mississippi River. Scan of Helena Daily World article, March 24, 1897. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1593796157632-LBS24TSQTIBYFI9T7SZB/Barton%2C+Arkansas+circa+1913+Refugee+camp.jpg Communities of Phillips County - Barton, Arkansas Barton, Arkansas is a community in central Phillips County, west of West Helena. The community was named after Bart Green, an early settler who came to the area in 1847. The post office was established in 1873, but it was not until 1905 (when a group of Italian families came to Barton) that the community started to see major growth. Photo of a flood victim refugee camp at Barton, Arkansas, circa 1917. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1594133135077-W8QCLBNSVBEBP95EAAJM/Bottle+Neck%2C+Arkansas+1930%27s+Church+of+Christ.jpg Communities of Phillips County - Bottle Neck, Arkansas Bottle Neck, Arkansas is a community in western Phillips County, southwest of Marvell. It was originally centered around the Scaife plantation in the late 1860's, after the Civil War had ended. Photo of the Church of Christ at Bottle Neck, Arkansas, circa 1930's. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1594133213467-9K666F5IN9J93MU6NYHP/Central+Baptist+Church+Central%2C+Arkansas.jpg Communities of Phillips County - Central, Arkansas Central, Arkansas was a small community in northern Phillips County, centered around the Central Baptist Church and Cemetery. The church was constructed in 1879, west of Lexa, Arkansas and torn down by 1970. Drawing of the Central Baptist Church by H.W. Cook. Drawing courtesy of Phillips County Historical Society. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1594133285054-MR92YDTTDXR4PZ5RUOSO/J.+Porter+Store+at+Connells+Point%2C+Arkansas%2C+1960%27s.jpg Communities of Phillips County - Creigh, Arkansas Creigh, Arkansas is a community in western Phillips County located southwest of Marvell. Creigh is the name given to the post office (established in 1918) but the area actually contains two seperate communities, Connell's Point and Crisp's Crossing. Connell's Point was founded in 1829 when Robert Smith Connell built a cabin at the meeting point of Big Creek and Cyprus Bayou. Crisp's Crossing was founded in 1840 when Alvin Crisp built a log bridge across Cyprus Bayou, giving the first proper connection between Indian Bay, Trenton, and Helena. This area was also the birthplace of author Lily Peter. Photo of J. Peter Store at Connell's Point (Creigh, Arkansas), circa 1960's. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1594133441375-T78A6QVHY2P180H9BZ0K/Countiss%2C+Arkansas+1916.jpg Communities of Phillips County - Countiss, Arkansas Countiss, Arkansas is a community in southern Phillips County, located directly southwest of Elaine. Named after J.M. Countiss, a local plantation owner, it's early history is unknown but the post office was established there in 1907. Photo of an unknown house in Countiss, Arkansas, circa 1917. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1594133372708-SDSM4G93NZ3KOFTSJGE1/County+Line%2C+Arkansas+1938+Unknown+Church.jpg Communities of Phillips County - County Line, Arkansas County Line, Arkansas is a community in northern Phillips County, located on Highway 243 on the dividing line between Phillips and Lee Counties. It is unknown when this community was founded. Photo of unknown church at County Line, Arkansas in Phillips County, circa 1938. Photo Courtesy of the Tri-County Genealogy Society. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1594133547049-3AJM763IWGTPU37MXDIJ/John+L.+Turner+Home+Cypert%2C+Arkansas+1890%27s.jpg Communities of Phillips County - Cypert, Arkansas Cypert, Arkansas is a community in western Phillips County, located southwest of Marvell. A formal founding date is not known, but the earliest settlers came to the area in 1842 and the post office was established in 1884. Originally, the community was known as Coffee Creek, a name which arose due to a local tale of a coffee shipment that was lost in a nearby creek, which resulted in coffee beans coming out of the ground every time it rained for many years. The community changed its name to Cypert in honor of Judge J.N. Cypert of Searcy, Arkansas. Photo of Turner House in Cypert, Arkansas, circa 1902. Photo courtesy of Martha Turner. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1594133633472-BZ8MVMAMFJFVAPY7KF25/Fair+Landing%2C+Arkansas+Business+Advert.jpg Communities of Phillips County - Fair Landing, Arkansas Fair Landing, Arkansas is a community in southern Phillips County, located on the Mississippi River south of Elaine. The community is also sometimes called Fair. Its early history is unknown, but the post office was established in 1903. From 1905 to 1908, the American Washboard Company operated a factory in the community. This is considered one of the earliest factories in Phillips County to take advantage of the areas' large amount of natrual hardwood trees. Scan of an advertisement from Barrel and Box and Packages, Volume 12, By Edgar Harvey Defebaugh. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1594135529630-BODID9IYDIFL3XVHI20K/scan0181.jpg Communities of Phillips County - Elaine, Arkansas Elaine, Arkansas is a city in southern Phillips County. As early as 1892, Harry Kelly and other investors began buying land in the area with the puropse of making a profit from farming it. The town was originally named Kelly, but changed to Elaine (after one of his daughters). In 1906, the St. Louis, Iron Mountain, & Southern constructed a depot in the town, and a post office was established the next year. The city is most known as the location of the Elaine massacre of September 30–October 1, 1919, which was recorded as one of the worst incidents of racial and labor violence in American history. Elaine is the hometown of Country Musician John Hughey, Blues Singers Eb Davis and Jimmy McCracklin, and Mattie Woodridge, who is credited for the creation of National Teacher Appreciation Week. Photo of Elaine, Arkansas in the 1920’s, photographer unknown. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1594133708683-75LRS0XYQULK1YX2R2TD/Ferguson%2C+Arkansas+1902+article.jpg Communities of Phillips County - Ferguson, Arkansas Ferguson, Arkansas is a community in southern Phillips County located south of Elaine. In fact, Ferrguson is the southern most community in the county. The early history of Ferguson is unknown, but the post office was established in 1899 and Joe Ferguson, the first postmaster, was the community’s namesake. Originally, this community was known as Ferguson's Landing, and was a well used river landing on the Mississippi River. Scan of an article from the Helena Weekly World, September 3, 1902. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1611085375017-LLGKW65YCH5PEA5KG0V5/Fitzhugh+Landing%2C+circa+1897.jpg Communities of Phillips County - Fitzhugh Landing, Arkansas Fitzhugh Landing, Arkansas Fitzhugh Landing was a community in Phillips County, Arkansas, located on the Mississippi River directly south of Helena and almost directly east of Lake View. Not much is known about this community, other than it suffered heavily during the Flood of 1897. Etching of the Fitzhugh family home at Fitzhugh Landing, Arkansas, courtesy the New York Herald, circa 1897. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1594134331347-B0UW4GZH0J8QJRDOHV3V/071.JPG Communities of Phillips County - Helena, Arkansas Helena, Arkansas is a city in northwestern Phillips County. Founded in 1833 by Nicholas Rightor, this city has historically been one of Arkansas most prosperous riverports. During the American Civil War, the town was occupied by the U.S. Army and played an important role in Grant’s seige of Vicksburg, Mississippi. The residents of Helena have suffered from flooding since the town was founded, and one of the earlier attempts to abate this was raising the street level twice in the 1880’s and 1890’s. Cherry street in downtown Helena currently sits four feet higher than when it was first platted in 1833. From the 1910’s, Helena has been a cultural center for blues music in the Mississippi Delta. Helena is the hometown of Blues Singers Ellis Cedell Davis and Robert Nighthawk, Country Singer Conway Twitty, State Senator Dorathy Allen, and John Hanks Alexander, the first black man to hold a regular command position in the U.S. Army. Photo of downtown Helena, Arkansas, circa 1940’s. Photo by Wyatt & Yarbrough. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1594133790393-WR9RZX78BR2C95VMSSYB/Helena+Crossing%2C+Arkansas+Borrow+Pit+Map.jpg Communities of Phillips County - Helena Crossing, Arkansas Helena Crossing is a community in northwest Phillips County, directly west of Helena. The community was situated on the intersection between Highway 20, the Missouri Pacific Railroad, and the Missouri & North Arkansas Railroad. This community is also the site of multiple burial mounds for the Hopewell Native Americans. Map of burial mounds near Helena Crossing, Arkansas. Map from Hopewell Culture Burial Mounds Near Helena, Arkansas by James Ford. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1594134765376-WSH1N2ZA5EN0UZ7J8AGU/Hicks%2C+Arkansas+United+Church+of+Christ.jpg Communities of Phillips County - Hicks, Arkansas Hicks, Arkansas is a community in northwest Phillips County, located west of Marvell. The community was originally settled by Swiss immigrants in 1897. The community was originally called Waldhiem, then changed to Hicksville, and then later shortened to Hicks. Photo of the Hicks United Church of Christ, date unknown. Photo courtesy of Tri-County Geneology Society. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1593795687825-LMYFQTM2VWFQ20P8M7FM/Kingtown%2C+Arkansas+1910%27s+Elizabeth+Primative+Baptist+Church.jpg Communities of Phillips County - Kingtown, Arkansas Kingtown, Arkansas is a community located in central Phillips County, on Little Rock Road south of Marvell. It is named after the King family, who settled in the area in 1875. Photo of the Elizabeth Primative Baptist Church in Kingtown, Arkansas in Phillips County, circa 1900's. Photo Courtesy of the Tri-County Genealogy Society. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1594483284396-CT73LVTKIFNXGAPCSZYG/Map+of+Lakeview.jpg Communities of Phillips County - Lake View, Arkansas Lake View, Arkansas is a town in central Phillips County. It was established in 1937 as a resettlement community for black farmers by the Farm Security Administration. Consisting of 5,600 acres on the north side of Old Town Lake, the town was divided into ninety-five farms of forty-four acres, each with a farmhouse and barns. Photo of the original plat map of Lake View, Arkansas in Phillips County, Circa 1937. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1594483596489-MXE6HMKBU3I89670HJWG/Lambrook%2C+Arkansas+1923.jpg Communities of Phillips County - Lambrook, Arkansas Lambrook, Arkansas is a community in southwestern Phillips County, west of Elaine. It was founded in 1913, but the post office was not established until five years later. One of the early landowners of this community was Gerard B. Lambert, president of the Lambert Pharmacal Company of St. Louis, makers of Listerine. The communitites name is a combination of the names of Labert and his business partner, Harry Halbrook. Photo of the Lambrook community, date unknown. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1615673527161-QHSOVGQAYHS41F9TAFXA/Latour%2C+Arkansas+MoPac+Employee+House+and+Kitchen.png Communities of Phillips County - Latour, Arkansas Latour is a communtiy northern Phillips County, south of Lexa. The post office was started in 1881, and was a stop on the Missouri Pacific Railroad line, which was originally costructed through the community in 1902 by the Memphis, Helena, and Louisiana Railroad. Photo of MoPac employee houseing at Latour in 1917. Courtesy Missouri Pacific Historical Society. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1593795028800-7QKXCVGLF0S31SJV5XRR/Lexa%2C+Arkansas+Depot.jpg Communities of Phillips County - Lexa, Arkansas Lexa, Arkansas is a town in northern Phillips County. It was established in 1880 as Lexington when a post office was built on Nathaniel Graves property, after he sold land to the St. Louis, Iron Mountain & Southern Railroad for a track right-of-way. In 1907, the Memphis, Helena, & Louisiana Railroad (under the Missouri Pacific Railroad) constructed a large shop complex in Lexa, including a 14-stall roundhouse, and the town prospered for many years. However, the Great Depression, combined with improved locomotives, saw the closure of the Lexa shops and the town has shrunk over the years. Lexa is the birthplace of noted transplant surgeon Samuel Kountz, baseball pitcher Gene Bearden, and artist Alonzo Ford. Photo of the Lexa train depot, circa 1917. Photo courtesy of the Missouri Pacific Historical Society Archives Collection. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1599926770667-5RL48AN38IC2WMCDUEKS/Lundell%2C+Arkansas+Unknown+Hotel+1933.jpg Communities of Phillips County - Lundell, Arkansas Lundell, Arkansas is a community in Phillips County south of Elaine. The community was first established in the early 1910's with a railroad stop, and the post office was opened in 1914. The Lundell Plantation was the major employer, which (in addition to harvesting the usuall crops) supplied hardwood to the Lundell Furniture Company of Rockford, Illinois. During World War 2, a German POW farm was set up in the community. It eventually housed 1,400 German Prisoners of War. Photo of the building that served as the Plantation Managers’ house and a boarding house in Lundell. Photo courtesy of Bill Brandon. Photographer unknown, circa 1933. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1598639506823-L73773PGJU82VFAC7NL2/scan0184.jpg Communities of Phillips County - Marvell, Arkansas Marvell, Arkansas is a town in northwestern Phillips County. The area was first settled in 1835 by J.C. Swan of Kentucky. The community slowly grew until it was made a railroad stop for the Arkansas Central Railroad in 1871. The post office was established in 1873 and the town was formally incorporated in 1876. Marvell was named after Marvell Carruth, who was the owner of the land before the railroad was constructed. Marvell is the hometown of Samuel Carr, drummer for The Jelly Roll Kings, and Levon Helm, durmmer for The Band. Photo of West Main Street in Marvell, Arkansas, circa early 1910’s. Photo courtesy of Tri-County Geneology Society. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1593794825129-LOOTAAFR3Q895GITHS4J/Mellwood%2C+Arkansas+1930%27s+Cash+Store.jpg Communities of Phillips County - Mellwood, Arkansas Mellwood, Arkansas is a community in southern Phillips County, south of Elaine. The origin of the name Mellwood is unknown, however, it is worth noting that Mellwood is the name of a famous brand of whiskey from Kentucky. It is unknown when the community was founded, but the post office in Mellwood was established in 1906. Photo of the Mellwood Cash Store, circa 1927. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1594483638259-04X38MG6K2AWWIUO17ZA/Midway%2C+Arkansas+Map.jpg Communities of Phillips County - Midway, Arkansas Midway, Arkansas is a community in northern Phillips County, northeast of Marvell. Its founding date is not known, however, the Presbyterian Church (a log cabin) was constructed in Midway in 1856. Map of Midway, Arkansas in Phillips County in 1917. Photo courtesy of Phillips County Historical Society. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1594487241366-Y25G4INKJBPV0VIOY1LN/Modoc%2C+Arkansas+1920%27s+Cox+Store.jpg Communities of Phillips County - Modoc, Arkansas Modoc, Arkansas is a community in southern Phillips County, located east of Elaine. The post office was established in 1875, and is best known for being the site of the main levee break for the 1917 flood. The commmunity is also mentioned in the song "Caledonia Mission", on the 1968 album Music from Big Pink by The Band. Photo of the Cox Store in Modoc, Arkansas, circa 1922. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1594483738840-0JMI5XVDNFYO4HE9U729/North+Creek%2C+Arkansas+School.jpg Communities of Phillips County - North Creek, Arkansas North Creek, Arkansas is a community in northern Phillips County, located west of Lexa. The North Creek post office was established in 1848, but there are records of people living there much earlier. In fact, North Creek is believed to be one of the oldest inland, non-river communities in Phillips County. Photo of the North Creek School, circa 1969, by Marian Newkirk. Photo courtesy of the Phillips County Historical Society. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1594483843808-YW8W2TR3B90ZZUGFCFZI/Old+Town%2C+Arkansas+1922+Levee+break.jpg Communities of Phillips County - Old Town, Arkansas Old Town, Arkansas (also known as Old Town Landing) is a community in southern Phillips County, located east of Elaine. Originally on the Mississippi River, what remains of the community is now located on an oxbow lake. The post office was established in 1838 and in the 1860’s a plantation owned by the Hanks family was located in this area. During the 1922 flood there was a major break in the levee at Old Town that required "1000 men" to fill in. Photo of levee break at Old Town, Arkansas, cirica 1922. Photo courtesy of Phillips County Historical Society. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1607015283895-BZ6GGSQH5MO1XUX4S764/Oneida%2C+Arkansas+Rosenwald+School+circa+1910%27s.jpg Communities of Phillips County - Oneida, Arkansas Onieda, Arkansas is a community in central Phillips county, almost directly north of Lake View. The communities’s history is mostly unknown, but the post office was established in 1907. It also served as a railway stop for the Memphis, Helena, and Louisianna Railroad (later the St. Louis, Iron Mountain, and Southern Railroad). Oneida is the hometown of Blues singer and songwriter Rose Marie McCoy. Photo of the Rosenwald School in Oneida, Arkansas, circa 1910’s. Photo Courtesy of Fisk University, John Hope and Aurelia E. Franklin Library, Julius Rosenwald Collection https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1594485469927-GBBII071MQDC1GC1CR6S/Phillips+Bayou+Ferry+Crossing+1895.jpg Communities of Phillips County - Phillips Bayou, Arkansas Phillips Bayou, Arkansas is a pioneer community located on the St. Francis River that was originally settled in the early 1800's, with a post office being established in 1868. It's name is believed to have come from one of the early residents, Sylvanus Phillips. This small communtiy boasted the first movie theater in the county in the early 1900's aboard a riverboat parked in the river. When Lee County was formed in 1873, Phillips Bayou was incorporated into that county. Photo of the ferry crossing at Phillips Bayou, circa 1927. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1594485665807-8T0ZQNZAHAISI5QCNEG9/School+at+Postelle%2C+Arkansas+1900.jpg Communities of Phillips County - Postelle, Arkansas Postelle, Arkansas is a community in northwestern Phillips County, located west of Marvell. Originally named Hicksville when the post office was established in 1893, the name was later changed to Postella, the name of a local girl. At an unknown point the name was changed again to its current moniker. Photo of the Postelle School, circa 1900. Photo courtesy of the Tri-County Geneology Society https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1594487006200-9IGN8ZMFFX5BA2KFUSB4/Poplar+Grove%2C+Arkansas+1910+Depot.jpg Communities of Phillips County - Poplar Grove, Arkansas Poplar Grove, Arkansas is a community in central Phillips County, located west of West Helena. The town was laid out in 1872, with the first businesses and post office opening up the next year. By the 1890's, Poplar Grove was an important stop on the Arkansas Midland Railroad and the 2nd largest town in Phillips County, with multiple store, mills, and two hotels. Photo of the St. Louis, Iron Mountain, and Southern Railroad Depot in Poplar Grove, Arkansas, Circa 1910. Photo courtesy the Tri-County Genealogical Society https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1594485548878-EUDA8ZWCL0S2GG8LM8NJ/Planters%2C+Arkansas+Letter.jpg Communities of Phillips County - Planters, Arkansas Planters, Arkansas is a community in central Phillips County, located west of Helena on the Little Rock Road. The community was centered around the post office, which was established in 1849. The name is believed to come from the large amount of plantations in the area. Grace Episcopal, an adjuct of St. John’s Episcopal of Helena, was established there in 1860. Scan of a 1911 envelope addressed to F.E. Goodwin in Planters, Arkansas. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1594487443326-WUPEDL451D9S6GQ1BTE2/Ratio%2C+Arkansas+1930%27s.jpg Communities of Phillips County - Ratio, Arkansas Ratio, Arkansas is a community in southern Phillips County, located southwest of Elaine. While the post office in Ratio was established in 1916, it is present on maps as early as 1910. The community was temporarily renamed to Radial, Arkansas for the day of November 13, 1973 by Governor Bumbers in honor of the nation’s first documented use of a radial farm tractor tire being used in this area. Photo of "Grandmaw Hall's house" in Ratio, Arkansas, circa 1927. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1594487538499-84MC45PC21MRA5DRHJVQ/Main+Hall%2C+Southland%2C+Arkansas.jpg Communities of Phillips County - Southland, Arkansas Southland, Arkansas is a community in northern Phillips County, located east of Lexa. Established in 1866 by Calvin and Adila Clark as a normal college for local black children and adults, Southland College is considered the first institution of higher learning for African Americans west of the Mississippi River. The school closed in 1925. Photo of the teachers' dormitory, circa 1960's. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1594489281503-AP96ZRYR0YGBUZK3Z88X/Sterling%2C+Arkansas.jpg Communities of Phillips County - Sterling, Arkansas Sterling, Arkansas was a town in northern Phillips County, located north of Helena on a peninsula at the confluence of the St. Francis and Mississippi Rivers. It is believed to have been founded by the Martin family in the 1830's. This was one of the earliest settlements in Phillips County, and at its height hosted a post office, numeorus stores, and a ferry landing. As Phillips County developed, the residents of Sterling moved south to the county seat of Helena, and by 1866 the post office closed. 200 years later, most of the land that made up Sterling, Arkansas has been claimed by the Mississippi River and what is left is uninhabitated. No buildings remain of the town. Unless you knew what to look for, you would just think you were in another part of the St. Francis National Forrest. Photo of the original plat map of Sterling, Arkansas in Phillips County, circa 1840. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1594489387053-2PX0OBQTRQ6W6EROM26P/Trenton%2C+Arkansas+Mt.+Vernon+Academy++circa+1860%27s.jpg Communities of Phillips County - Trenton, Arkansas Trenton, Arkansas is a community in central Phillips County, located on the Little Rock Road southeast of Marvell. The post office was established in 1830, but it is believed that the community was present there much earlier. Originally, the community was known as Big Creek, but the name was changed to Trenton in 1885 for unknown reasons. Photo of Mt. Vernon High School for girls in Big Creek (Trenton), circa late 1860's. Photo Courtesy of the Tri-County Genealogy Society. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1594489585012-HIXP3RNX4UT6NRGO9478/Turkey+Scratch%2C+Arkansas+1st+and+2nd+Stores.jpg Communities of Phillips County - Turkey Scratch, Arkansas Turkey Scratch, Arkansas is a community in northern Phillips County, located north of Marvell. Its early history is unknown, but by 1930 Arthur Thompson built a store on Highway 243 to "give Turkey Scratch a home." Thompson claimed that Turkey Scratch "was such a funny name, that no one wanted to admit to living there." The name itself is claimed to come from early efforts by locals to release flocks of wild turkeys for seasonal hunting, the endevor saw dubious results. Turkey Scratch is the birthplace of Levon Helm and Robert Lockwood Jr., both internationally famous muscians. Photo of 1st and 2nd stores at Turkey Scratch, circa 1960's. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1594489784358-PK1RWHXX2AZ31JKI8UD5/Turner%2C+Arkansas+1920%27s+Methodist+church.jpg Communities of Phillips County - Turner, Arkansas Turner, Arkansas is a community in western Phillips County, located southwest of Marvell. The post office was established in 1875. Photo of the Turner Methodist Church, circa 1920's. Photo courtesy of Wanda Ridge. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1594489922599-I9FOO8X2JHTWJVCRY91V/Map+of+Mouth+of+St.+Francis+River.jpg Communities of Phillips County - Utica, Arkansas Utica, Arkansas was a community in northern Phillips County, located somewhere north of Helena. It is considered to be one of the earliest settlements in Phillips County. Utica was first settled between 1803 and 1805, and surveyed and plotted in 1817 by Nicholas Rightor. This was said to be a very prosperous village with at least one church, a store, and a few bars. Utica's exact location is lost to history, but is believed to have been located on the south side of the St. Francis River, and believed to have been in the vicinity of Joseph Stillwell's property. By the 1830's, Utica was in decline as other towns in the Mississippi river like Sterling and Helena were starting to grow and prosper. Map of land ownership at the mouth of the St. Francis River, circa 1810's. Map Courtesy of Phillips County Historical Society. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1593791185087-VWF8STLLC2KM536Q1IIN/Wabash%2C+Arkansas+1920%27s+Howe+Lumber+Company.jpg Communities of Phillips County - Wabash, Arkansas Wabash, Arkansas is a community in southern Phillips County, located south of Lake View. Established in 1908 by the Howe family, this was a company town for the Howe Lumber Company. The name Wabash comes from the Howe's origins in Indiana. Photo of the Howe Lumber Company, circa 1920's. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1594490131507-TEX608IRRKTTIBXNOTO0/Batchelor+Store+Watkins+Corner%2C+Arkansas+1957.jpg Communities of Phillips County - Watkins Corner, Arkansas Watkins Corner, Arkansas is a community in western Phillips County, located southwest of Marvell. The post office was established in 1901. The community was named for J.F. Watkins, and was also sometimes called Good Luck. Photo of Batchelor Store in Watkins, Arkansas, date unknown. Photo Courtesy of the Tri-County Genealogy Society. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1594137122940-0HH6PLN6F75HISEU6XUN/West+Helena+1961.jpg Communities of Phillips County - West Helena, Arkansas West Helena, Arkansas is a city in northwestern Phillips County. Originally, this city was the site of the Clopton Plantation, which was started by John and Matilda Clopton in December 1851. The plantation house located at what is now the southwest corner of Plaza Street and 1st street, it burned in 1915. In 1907, planning began on a new suburb for Helena on the opposite side of Crowley’s Ridge, as any avaliable land directly north or south of the city was prone to constant flooding. By 1917, the city was laid out as a segregated company town, with a central factory district, white housing on the east side of town and black housing on the west. Interestlingly, the post office was not formally established until 1963. Originally there were no commercial services in West Helena. A resident had to take a trolley through Crowley’s Ridge to Helena if they wanted to shop or eat. In the 1920’s there were so many lumber mills in the city (at least 20+) that the city was a major contender for lumber capitol of the world. West Helena is the hometown of Blues Singers Odessa Harris and Lonnie Shields. Photo of West Helena, Arkansas, circa 1960’s. Photographer unknown. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1594490319051-FZ7UZVISVT28FU7WBM8T/Westover%2C+Arkansas+Fort+Pinney+Circa+1850%27s-1860%27s.jpg Communities of Phillips County - Westover, Arkansas Westover, Arkansas is a community in southern Phillips County, located east of Lake View on the Mississippi River. Originally, this settlement was known as Fort Pinney. It is not what known when the fort was constructed or for what purpose. All that is known is that the fort existed before 1860, and when General Curtis took Helena during the Civil War, he had men garrisoned at the fort. The post office was established in 1878, and by that time the community was known as Westover, after the Westover plantation in the area. Drawing of Fort Pinney by Alfred Waud, June 2, 1871. Courtesy of The Historic New Orleans Collection, 1977.137.9.11. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1593796105434-QW8KVXH9JJGHBITS5PFA/courthouse+side.jpg Communities of Phillips County http://www.helenamuseum.com/archives-reproductions daily 0.75 2021-05-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1603230354481-6NR4VPW4E2FUOEA0I47A/Sanborn%2BWest%2BHelena%2B1918.jpg Services http://www.helenamuseum.com/river-rail-transport daily 0.75 2022-01-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1642534478779-FMNYTH1IP5PTXSKH7PUT/PXL_20211202_214248686+%281%29.jpg River & Rail Transport - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1642534686314-KD84UQBC8NMZUJRX9491/PXL_20211202_214253420+%281%29.jpg River & Rail Transport https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/531e0b2ae4b0a09d95867e45/1626361929930-CBJMHSV246QG16TWZ4KH/Mississippi-Warrior+Service+Municipal+River+Terminal%2C+circa+1953.jpg River & Rail Transport