GRAVETTE -- John Mitchael, chairman of the Gravette Historical Museum Commission, recently submitted the 2014 annual report of the museum's activities. Significant accomplishments for the year 2014 include a new roof for the Kindley house museum, approval for an addition to the annex building, donation of an 1880s printing press, furnishing the last room of the Kindley house and hosting several events for the public.
The city had a new roof installed to replace the wind damaged roof on the Kindley house. The Butterfield Chapter of the Bella Vista Questers organization furnished the last empty room in the house.
A representative of the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program of the state Heritage Department surveyed the Kindley facility early in 2014 and approved its condition. The AHPP has a conservation easement on the property as a part of the restoration grant given to the city. They subsequently approved the museum's proposal to construct an addition to the annex building to increase the display and work room space. Construction of the annex building addition has begun. The slab has been poured but work has been delayed because of bad weather.
The annex will house an 1880s printing press and copies of past issues of the Gravette News Herald donated to the museum when the local newspaper office was closed.
Several events were held, including the fourth annual "My Collections" exhibit, a visit by the Glenn Duffy second-grade students, a Dutch oven cook-off, a Chamber of Commerce after hours meeting and a visit by Bella Vista sorority members. These events attracted approximately 450 visitors and involved 282 volunteer hours.
The museum commission produced a DVD on Captain Field Kindley, air ace, in World War 1. Also, in cooperation with the library, the commission obtained a set of Gravette school annuals on DVD. The objective is to eventually show these on interactive displays.
General News on 04/01/2015