The North Little Rock Chamber of Commerce's June 30 Business After Hours networking event had guests scrambling for shade -- and air conditioning -- which were difficult to find on a late summer afternoon at the Arkansas Inland Maritime Museum, 120 Riverfront Park Drive.
As it turns out, a business card makes a lousy fan, but plenty tried it to no avail as the temperature hovered in the 90s under a cloudless sky. Cold beer and smoothies helped. Pizza and other finger foods also made the heat more bearable for the 300 or so who attended.
Niceties were exchanged under smallish tents in the museum's parking lot. Then the crowd migrated down to the museum and dock, where retired Maj. Gen. Don Morrow, board president, said a few words about the significance of the submarine USS Razorback (SS-394) and the tugboat USS Hoga (YT-146).
"This is the only spot in the continental United States where you can find the bookends to WWII," Morrow said of the dissimilar vessels. The chamber made a $50,000 loan to the museum, which Morrow, representing the board, finished paying off during his remarks.
Since the Arkansas Inland Maritime Museum opened May 31, 2005, more than 300,000 from all 50 states and 81 countries have visited. In addition to the Razorback and Hoga, the museum is home to exhibits about the battleship USS Arkansas (BB-33) and the missile cruiser USS Arkansas (CGN-41). The museum also has an Arkansas River Historical Society collection featuring the history of the Arkansas River.
With more than 1,600 members, the North Little Rock Chamber of Commerce is the state's third largest chamber.
-- Story and photos by Cyd King
High Profile on 07/17/2016