SILOAM SPRINGS — One recent afternoon, I decided to stop in for a visit to the nearby Siloam Springs museum.
This museum was established in 1969. Since that time, organizers have gone about the task of collecting and displaying bits of the past that tell the story of the town and the surrounding area.
Don Warden has served as the director of the museum for almost two decades and obviously has a passion for preserving and sharing the town’s history. As I listened to him explain the significance of each exhibit, the idea that towns are like people came to mind. Each one has a unique story of where it started and the journey that brought it to where it is today. Often these details go untold until someonewith an interest steps forward to preserve the story to be shared with others. That is what has occurred here at this museum.
Patrons are provided with a chance to learn more about the town’s history, which in turn supports better understanding of the present and may even cause us to be more interested in things we ordinarily take for granted.
Siloam Springs Museum first opened in 1971, in the depot-waiting area of the town’s Kansas City Southern train station after passenger trains were discontinued a couple of years earlier. Space filled up quickly and the museum began looking for more room. Following the purchase of a building from the local Church of Christ, it moved in 1972to its present location at 112 North Maxwell Street.
The museum features a few rotating exhibits that may include some nonlocal collections. The permanent exhibits, however, include only matters of local history. These displays relate the happenings of the area from pre-town days through more current events.
Since the area was utilized as a hunting ground by the Osage Indians long before the town’s establishment, the museum includes information related to Indian culture.
Other exhibits tell of the first white settlers - Simon Sager and his family - coming to area in the late 1830s. Other early influential residents are also mentioned.
Siloam Springs was platted by Hico merchant John Hargrove in 1880. Hico was an adjoining town located just to the north and was later annexed into its newer, faster-growing neighboring town when Siloam Springs began to developas a summer health resort. Visitors converged on the area because of its beautiful setting along Sager Creek and to take advantage of the reputed healing benefits of its spring water.
One museum exhibit displays photos of the springs and information about each one, including a brochure directing visitors on a self-guided tour of the eight springs once considered medicinal.
In 1881, Siloam Springs was incorporated as a town with a population of over 2,000 residents. For a while, the number of residents decreased before seeing new growth in industry, population and tourism following the building of the railroad which came to the area in 1893.
John Brown University - first named Southwestern Collegiate Institute - was established in 1919, constituting another significant milestone in the town’s growth and history.
The museum documents other developments of the era with exhibits of photographs and historical records. One example is the memorabilia of the town’s participation as a yearly performance stop on the Chautauqua circuit. These productions could last several days and provide ticket buyers with performances relating to political, social and cultural interests of the day.
Another display I found interesting chronicled changes in the local schools over the years, including pictures of previous school buildings and class group photographs. A case in a side room exhibits the contents of a time capsule found when a 1907 public school building was torn down some years ago.
There are a couple of hands-on exhibits and a “whatcha-ma-call-it?” activity that encourages visitors to test their knowledge by attempting to name the primitive items on display. The museum also has a small gift shop area that contains books related to localhistory.
For those of you who are interested in the happenings of the past and have a few minutes to spare, a stop by the small and informative museum is well worthwhile. A visit provides ample opportunity to learn some interesting things about the area.
Mr. Warden or another knowledgeable museum staff person will be glad to answer any questions you might have.
The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Guided tours are available upon request. There is no admission charge, but donations to support the museum are welcome. More information is available at www.siloamspringsmuseum .com or at www. EncyclopediaOfArkansas .net.
Annette Rowe is a freelance writer and a speechlanguage pathologist at Siloam Springs High School. She may be reached by e-mail at [email protected].
Opinion, Pages 5 on 03/31/2010