EXHIBITS
Step back in time to experience early life in Arkansas County.
LUTHERAN CHURCH
The Prairie Church is a duplicate of the first Emanuel Lutheran Church that Reverend Buerkle started. It is a two thirds, to scale replica of the original. The first church was completed in 1886, after 18 years of church services being held in Rev. Buerkle's home, and was used until 1950. The Prairie Church was built in 1982, with funds from the General Federated Women's Club, the AMICI Club. It is reproduced with the same colors, stained glass windows, similar carpet and specially ordered beaded siding. The pews, the organ, baptismal font, altar linens and paraments are all from the first church. The pulpit is designed in typical European fashion with the Shal-decal to project the pastor's voice. Services were conducted in German until 1918, then only on the first Sunday of each month through the 1930s.
WATERFOWL WING
The Waterfowl Wing Premiered November 1986. It was added with help from a grant made possible by the Arkansas Museum Services, Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism. Experience the sounds of a duck hunt, guided by Charlie Hammans. This exhibit features mounted examples of three species of geese, a coot and 21 different species of ducks. The sounds made by 12 kinds of ducks, the coot and all three varieties geese can be heard and are courtesy of Cornell University. It houses examples of indigenous art in the form of duck effigy pots, created in Arkansas around 1100 A.D. during the Temple Mound Building Period. It includes Chick Major's actual lathe, Butch Richenback's actual lathe, Billy Starks story, a cypress bottom boat, and duck blind encircle the room as it connects to the David Perdue collection of decoys and a very significant collection of duck calls. The room is enveloped in a mural by renown wildlife artist, Don Edwards, of bottom land, hardwood flooded timber and a field of geese.
FARM EQUIPMENT
This 1940 model, International, one-row, pull type combine is one of several pieces of farm equipment used on the Grand Prairie. The collection includes ten tractors with models ranging from 1915 through 1952, several walk-behind implements as well as a hay baler and 1830 hay press. A 1917, one cylinder Bessemer engine and a 1920, two cylinder, one cycle Fairbanks Morse engine are on the museum grounds along with a windmill, steam engine and water pump. A wide variety of tools and agricultural instruments and three antique cars are also on view.