A Pictorial History of Arkansas's Old State House: Celebrating 175 Years

by Mary L. Kwas

Overview

Arkansas's Old State House, arguably the most famous building in the state, was conceived during the territorial period and has served through statehood. A History of Arkansas's Old State House traces the history of the architecture and purposes of the remarkable building. The history begins with Gov. John Pope's ideas for a symbolic state house for Arkansas and continues through the construction years and an expansion in 1885. After years of deterioration, the building was abandoned by the state government, and the Old State House then became a medical school and office building. Kwas traces the subsequent fight for the building's preservation on to its use today as a popular museum of Arkansas history and culture. Brief biographies of secretaries of state, preservationists, caretakers, and others are included, and the book is generously illustrated with early and seldom-seen photographs, drawings, and memorabilia.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781610751865
Publisher:	University of Arkansas Press
Publication date:	11/01/2010
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	255
File size:	104 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Mary L. Kwas is a research associate for the Arkansas Archeological Survey and is the author of Digging for History at Old Washington.

Table of Contents

Contents List Of Illustrations Foreword Acknowledgments Introduction 1. Governor Pope’s Lofty Ideas 2. Gideon Shryock, Architect 3. Seeking Shryock’s Vision 4. The Construction Years: 1833 – 1842 5. The Early Years: 1842 – 1885 6. The Expansion: 1885 – 1886 7. The Middle Years: 1886 – 1911 8. Reuse and Transformation: 1911 – 1951 9. Rebirth as a Museum: 1950s – 1980s 10. Archeology and the Final Restoration: Late 1980s – 1990s 11. A Living Legacy Biographical Sketches From the Collection of the Old State House Museum References Index

Editorial Reviews

"This book rises far beyond a mere souvenir item into a detailed account of how the building has stood at the very center of the state's political life... surely it must rank as one of the most beautiful and essential books in the canon of Arkansas history." —Michael B. Dougan, Arkansas Historical Quarterly

From the Publisher