Dallas County Museum

The Dallas County Historical Museum is located at 221 South Main Street, POB 703, in downtown Fordyce. Amission is free and operating hours are Tuesday through Friday, 11 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. and Saturday, 11 -3. Special group tours may be arranged by calling the museum, 1-870-352-7202.

Dallas County is nestled in the thick, pine forests of South Arkansas --- on the first rise of ground above the coastal plains. The skies are clear, the wildlife prolific, the floweres profuse, and the quality of life is rich and fulfilling. The history of the county is varied. The Dallas County Museum traces the progression from early plantation life, which was the domination of the timber industry. Along the way, the museum tells the stories of the people --- striving to have a better life while struggling with the life they are living.

The Dallas County Museum is well-sited in a substantial 1907 building with 12,000 square feet of exhibition space. While the exterior of the building has been modified to suit the needs of the bank that occupied it unitl 1993, the interior still reflects the Craftsman style of the early 1900s. The ceilings are tall, the floors are heart of pine, the spaces generous, and, the recent addition of a grand, native oak staircase, invites the visitor to explore the second floor. An elevator makes the entire museum accessible to those with disabilities.

EXHIBITS:

1. Alexander Studio Files
   The crown jewel of the Dallas County Museum collection is the 1929-1964 accumulation of negatives from the files of the Alexander Studio. There are thousands of negatvies, primarily portraits, of inviduals and families who lived in and around the Fordyce area. Prints from these negaitives are available by ordering through the museum.
   
   
2. Indian relics
   
   
3. Wildlife display
   A collection of wildlife trophies including examples from Dallas County plus a rare, full body mounted Polar Bear from Siberia and reindeer, caribou, and moose antlers from Alaska.
   
   
4. Civil War
   Effects of the Civil War on Dallas County with details of the Battle of Marks Mill, a local confrontation that resulted in a victory for the Confederacy.
   
   
5. Paul "Bear" Bryant
   The "Winningest Coach in Football History." His boyhood days in Fordyce and the 1929 and 1930 State Championship Redbug football team that launced his successful football coaching career in Alabama.
   
   
6. The Fordyce Club
   A national organization formed in the 1940s by black Fordyce citizens who branched out to Detroit, Las Vegas, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Milwaukee seeking better opportunities. Sixty years later, this organization is still active and meets annually.
   
   
7. The Sparkman Sparklers
   The remarkable exploits of a small town girls basketball team that went on to prominence with a narrow loss for National Championship.
   
   
8. T.E. Rhine, M.D
   The remarkable saga of a local country doctor who opened his practice in Thorton, Arkansas in 1900 and worked continuously until his retirement in 1966.
   
   
9. Admiral Jack Thach
   A pioneer in naval aviation whose innovative aerial tactics (The Thach Weave) were instrumental in winning the Battle of Midway in World War II.
   
   
10. The War Room
    Artifacts and personal stories of local soldiers and their involvement in the Civil War. WWI, WWII.
    
    
11. Early agricultural years
    A glimpse of farm life at the turn of the century.
    
    
12. Geology Exhibit
    An educational exhibit featuring rocks, fossils, and minerals found locally and in the surrounding area.
    
    
13. Historic Barnes of Dallas County
    An pictoral exhibit by Amber Garrett of forty-four of Dallas County's endangered barns. A book of these pictures, "The Historic Barns of Dallas County" is available through the museum at $12.00 per copy.
    
    
14. "Kitchen Keepsakes"
    A museum cookbook featuring an extensive collection of favorite recipes from the area, available through the museum at $12.00 per copy plus $3.00.

For More Information

Dallas County Historical Museum
221 South Main Street
P.O. Box 703
Fordyce, AR
(870) 352-7202

The City of Fordyce
101 S. Main Street
Fordyce, AR 71742
(870) 352-2198
(870) 352-8610 ( fax)
E-mail: cityoffordyce@alltel.net