GRAVETTE — The granddaughter of builders of the Kindley House, now the home of the Gravette Historical Museum, visited the museum and adjacent exhibit hall last Wednesday.

Joanne Banks Coffeen and husband Bob, who live in Leawood, Kans., stopped by the museumin route to their Kansas home after visiting with relatives in Texas.

Joanne is the granddaughter of Amos and Mary Elizabeth Kindley who built the imposing, two-story brick structure before 1900, just a few years after the founding of the town of Gravett.

While touring the home, Joanne remembers visiting her grandparents many times and sleeping in one of the upstairs bedrooms, which, incidentally, were not air conditioned.

While at the museum,the Coffeens also visited with cousin Gary Phipps of Gravette. He is a great-grandson of Amos and Mary Elizabeth Kindley.

The house is constructed of bricks which were made in a kiln not far from the property.

The structure was purchased by the City of Gravette in 1999 and was restored through grants, donations and volunteerism. It is on the National Register of Historic Homes and houses a growing collection of memorabilia from Gravette and the area.

News, Pages 8 on 07/04/2012