SEARCY — Pioneer Village wouldn’t be considered a thriving “town” by any means, but on Saturday and Sunday, it will be filled with “residents” and visitors.
The White County Historical Museum, the official title of the village, is situated in a townlike setting that includes a schoolhouse, depot, store, jail, log home, dog-trot house and windmill. Twice a year, the White County Historical Society holds an open house at the village. The fall open house is set for 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday and from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday.
Members of the historical society rescued the 19th-century structures from demolition. The buildings were moved to 1166 Higginson Road in Searcy. They now make up the museum or, as the locals call it, Pioneer Village.
The newest attraction at the village is a 1903 mail hack that has been refurbished to its original condition. The mail hack, which is a buggy, was brightly colored so people could see the postman coming from a distance.
Elizabeth Heard, Friends of the Pioneer Village chairwoman, said she hopes the number of visitors exceeds last year’s 1,500. She said the first year the village was open only about 300 visitors came through during the open house in the spring of 2009.
Costumed guides will offer tours of the village, and the village also has its own sheriff and deputy.
This year, Heard said, the cotton display has been improved over previous years.
“It gives children a hands-on experience,” she said. “Theycan see the plant, touch the cotton and see how it becomes clothing.”
She said Rick Brooks, a beekeeper from Searcy, will be at the open house, too.
“He will explain where honey comes from and how it is harvested,” she said. “There will also be activities where[kids] can make things and take them home with them.”
Around the schoolhouse, children can also play pioneer games, such as jump rope, Red Rover and drop the handkerchief.
“White County was also the strawberry capital of the world,” Heard said. “They were shippedby railroad car all over the world up until the ’60s.”
She said there is a shed at the village that is similar to the ones in the field where the strawberry pickers would take their berries to be weighed and packaged. There is also a field of heirloom Blackmore strawberries at the village.
A working blacksmith shop, as well as farm equipment and other outbuildings associated with a pioneer farm, are alsopart of the village. Flower gardens are maintained by the White County Master Gardeners.
Other displays will feature sorghum making, and local honey and sorghum will be for sale, as well as handmade aprons and quilts, dish towels, bonnets, coonskin caps, train whistles and other items from pioneer time. The White County Historical Society will sell cookbooks.
Kettle corn, food, ice cream and drinks will also be available.
Pioneer Village is open for people to walk through on selfguided tours, but the buildings are only open during events, such as the open house.
For more information or to volunteer at Pioneer Village, call Heard at (501) 580-6633.
Staff writer Jeanni Brosius can be reached at (501) 244-4307 or jbrosius@arkansasonline.com.
Three Rivers, Pages 125 on 10/30/2011