Road Trip: Arkansas (Old Washington State Park)

May 12- Along with our Crater of Diamonds and visit to the boyhood home of Bill Clinton, we fit in a visit to Old Washington State Park. My family is pretty active in the civil war reenactment and Old Washington is one place they visit quite frequently. The town is modern day living, but has kept the theme of the old pioneer days. The employees dress in pioneer days-type apparel and keep the theme going for visitors year-round. It's a great feeling to be able to walk the same grounds as pioneers did at one time. Some of the buildings are still intact as they were back then.

The county courthouse is now the visitor center. It was home to the second courthouse and trials and convictions were actually sought inside the building. As you can see from the sign above, the courthouse is dated 1847 and was part of Hempstead County of Arkansas.

I just love old studies, especially ones that have a history. 

My brother, Will, acting out the role of a Union solider-General Grant, to be exact.

The original courthouse was the first building on these grounds to receive state funds in 1929.

The Old Washington Jail Bed and Breakfast. 

Purdom House.

Block-Catts House.

Royston Log House.

The Mauney House was seen on our way to Old Washington, but I couldn't help but throw it into the history here. (There were two plots of land across the main diamond-bearing formation. The Millard M. Mauney family owned forty acres. At left is a picture of the Mauney house as it stands today along the road between Murfreesboro and the Crater. It was built by Isaac White before Arkansas entered the union. The home was rebuilt by Walter J. Mauney in 1911, just after the diamond strike. The walls are painted with murals depicting, among other things, Huddleston finding the first diamond. An unfinished oak tree trunk stands as a central column from the ground to the ceiling of the first story. It's an eccentric little place, unfortunately not open for public tours. You can, however, peek in the first floor windows at the murals on the opposite walls.)-Source

 Planted in 1839, it is the largest Magnolia Tree in Arkansas.  

Pioneer Cemetery. My brother told me that during their civil war reenactments they would group up in their civil war clothing and walk to the cemetery with period lanterns and give honor to those that have passed away.

This building was home to Washington High School up until 1914. The school was restored to its previous glory and it was dedicated in 2003.

The original blacksmith shop still on the grounds.

Goodlett Cotton Gin.

Candle Shop.

Old Washington Post Office.

Washington Fire Station.

I fell in love with this payphone and  bench. Pretty sure they didn't have either one of these back in the heyday of Washington, Arkansas, but I still loved seeing them along the main street of Old Washington.

Uniform History Museum.

Morrison Tavern.

Sander's House and Farmstead.

Old shack on the grounds.

Old Washington State Park is a wonderful place to go back in history. It's located in Washington, Arkansas, near Hope. It has a lot of great events happening throughout the year and offers a glimpse at what it was like to live like a pioneer or solider. 

Road Trip: Arkansas (Crater of Diamonds and Birthplace of William Jefferson Clinton)

Road Trip: Arkansas (Lake Fort Smith and Train Ride)

Road Trip: Arkansas (Fort Smith and Trolley Museum)

Road Trip: Arkansas (Out and about in Little Rock)
Road Trip: Arkansas (Mother's Day and Vista Trail)
Road Trip: Arkansas (Birthday Surprise)

What happened this time last year?