MORRILTON -- A chiropractor and his wife who operate a winery in a former movie theater are adding a fresh flavor to the historical allures of Morrilton.
The seat of Conway County and a gateway to Petit Jean State Park, Morrilton boasts two districts on the National Register of Historic Places.
That's a lot of noteworthy architecture for a community of just under 7,000 residents, whose history is mapped out at the cozy Morrilton Depot Museum in the century-old train station.
Listed on the National Register in 2003, Morrilton Commercial Historic District encompasses 95 buildings that have served as the town's heart since its founding in 1873.
Moose Addition Neighborhood Historic District, listed two years ago, contains 31 houses in what was Morrilton's first residential area in the late 19th century. The properties date as far back as the G.L. Cunningham House, built in 1881 at 300 S. Moose St.
It turns out that Morrilton could just as easily have been called Mooseton. Two local founding families were headed by Edward Morril and James Moose. History records that a toss of the coin to decide the name came up in Morril's favor.
A striking structure in the Commercial District is Conway County Courthouse, designed in 1929 by the prolific Frank W. Gibb. The two-story structure blends Greek, Roman and Italian Renaissance styles. Its sturdy three-dimensional details and half-round Doric columns bring to mind a fortress.
Also in the district is one of Arkansas' two remaining so-called Carnegie libraries, funded for the public in the early 20th century by steel magnate and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. Now serving as Conway County Library, at 101 W. Church St., it has been on the National Register since 1978.
Movie House Winery, 112 E. Commerce St., opened two years ago in a 1930s building that once housed Petit Jean Movie Theater.
The winery is located in the same building as the chiropractic office of longtime Morrilton resident Ken Sowers. He and wife Sherrie whimsically named the dual-purpose location Wine & Spine.
They also applied cinematic whimsy in naming some of their wines, made on the premises from grapes and other fruit grown elsewhere in Arkansas.
For example, semisweets include Sideways, a black cherry pinot noir; Rio Bravo, a blackberry merlot; and Baby Face, a peach chardonnay.
Tours of the compact winery are given, with tastings available for $3 per person. If your wine palate runs to dry rather than semisweet, a couple of possibilities are On Golden Pond chardonnay and My Fair Lady sauvignon blanc.
Information on attractions in and around Morrilton is available from Morrilton Area Chamber of Commerce, 120 N. Division St. Call (501) 354-2393 or visit morrilton.com.
The Morrilton Depot Museum, 101 E. Railroad Ave., is open 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Friday-Saturday. Admission is free with donations welcome. Call (501) 354-4347.
Movie House Winery, 112 E. Commerce St., Morrilton, is open 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Saturday. Call (501) 215-4899 or visit moviehousewinery.com.
Weekend on 04/02/2015