Five
 Rivers
 Historic
 Preservation

  
Inc.

Home
About
Our Projects
Already Lost
Contacts & Links
Donate

"Preserving Randolph County Hisory"

 


Noteworthy Randolph County "Firsts" in the State of Arkansas
 

  • First Grist Mill – Demun Mill
    on Mill Creek, before 1800.
  • First Ferry – Hix Ferry on Current River, 1802.
  • Arkansas' first planned town - Davidsonville, 1815
  • First Court – held at the home of Solomon Hewitt, west of Davidsonville, 1815.
  • First U. S. Post Office – Davidsonville, 1817.
  • First School – Ravenden Springs-1817.
  • First Methodist Circuit Rider - Eli Lindsey, 1817.
  • First Baptist Church – Columbia–1818.
  • First Courthouse - Davidsonville, 1820.
  • First U. S, Land Office - Davidsonville, 1820.
  • First Masonic Lodge – Brakebill, 1828.
  • First Circus Performance – Pitman, 1838.
 
More Than Home

Linda Bowlin was presented the 2008 'More Than Home' award at the Chamber of Commerce's annual banquet held October 20. The award is presented annually by Five Rivers Historic Preservation, Inc. to a Randolph County resident who has achieved significant accomplishments in the promotion and preservation of the heritage and history of Randolph County. Steve Shults was the 2007 winner.

Ms. Bowlin was honored for her activities and accomplishments over the past several years. She became President of Five Rivers Historic Preservation in 2005 and headed up the effort that produced the Pocahontas Sesquicentennial Celebration in 2006. Organizing and directing literally hundreds of local volunteers, a celebration of the City's history was presented over in a three-weekend celebration that is generally recognized as the biggest and most successful such effort in our history here.

Other projects that came out of that effort include creating the Randolph County Heritage Museum. Five Rivers obtained the building for the Museum the last week of August, 2006. We received the lighted cases for the Museum the first week of September. Yet we had set the date for the grand opening of the Museum for September 16. Ms. Bowlin took it upon herself to meet that deadline--drawing up the floor plan, setting up the cases, obtaining the artifacts to fill the cases, labeling the cases and artifacts, and ensuring that the Museum would be staffed for the opening weeks were among her accomplishments as well as organizing and directing the many others who helped in that effort. The 2006 deadline was met, and the Museum has continued to be an outstanding asset to the area for the past two years.

Working with others, Ms. Bowlin also created the Civil War River Walk Memorial Trail along the bank of the Black River in Overlook Park. The Memorial Trail is a paved walkway with six large historic markers that tell the story of Randolph County's important Civil War history in detail. A Civil War themed bench is located at each marker along the trail.

After the Sesquicentennial, Ms. Bowlin led Five Rivers to initiate some 11 other historic preservation projects that are now well underway to completion. After stepping down as the organization's President, Ms. Bowlin has headed up three other projects which will soon be completed. These include the Randolph County Quilt Trail, the Rock and Roll Highway 67 project honoring the county's significant contributions to the early history of Rock and Roll, and the upcoming Founder's Day Celebration to be held in spring 2009.

Five Rivers Historic Preservation, Inc. congratulates Linda Bowlin as our 2008 'More Than Home" award recipient honoring her many important contributions to the promotion and preservation of our local heritage and history.

See Videos of Our Fall 2008 Foliage and Historic Cemetery Tour:
PART I
PART II


"Eleven Point Sunset" written and performed by Randolph County native Robert Bowlin.

 

Randolph County, Arkansas, U.S.A.
Copyright © 2008 by Five Rivers Historic Preservation, Inc.. All rights reserved.
Web design by
Arkansoft.