Back in December, I wrote about some of the exciting things going on in Wilson, Arkansas including plans for relocating the Hampson Archeological Museum. My post appeared on First Security Bank’s blog, Only in Arkansas. If you live in Arkansas (or you wish you lived in Arkansas or simply appreciate The Natural State), you should be readingย www.onlyinarkansas.com. Take it from someone who worked in banking for years, a bank blog devoted toย food and hometown happenings and sports and festivals specific toย the state is a special and rare thing. Now on to news of the groundbreaking.
This is a follow-up to let you know theย Hampson Archeological Museumย groundbreaking happened last weekend. This is a big deal. According to Wilson Mayor Becton Bell, this groundbreakingย marks the first new construction on the Wilson town square in 57 years.
First new constructionย in my lifetime.
If you aren’t fromย Northeast Arkansas, you may sayย you aren’t interested in the goings on ofย a smallย southern town in the Mississippi River Delta. Big deal, right? There are new buildings sprouting like weedsย in Dallas as 10,000 people move into the Metroplex each month. Northwest Arkansas is growing like crazy, too. Whataburger is coming to Fayetteville. #CanIGetAnAmen?
But everyone should take note. While manyย small towns are fading, Wilson is doing it right.
And what a beautiful day for a groundbreaking.
An impressive crowd turned out to hear town leaders and visionariesย speak.
The new state of the art facility will match the existing Tudor style architecture of other buildings along the square. It will be much larger than the current museum and include outdoor, interactive exhibits. The current buildingย is crampedย and houses onlyย 10% – 20% of the artifactsย fromย the nearby 15-acre Nodena site of Late Mississippian Period Native Americans (A.D. 1400 โ 1650).ย Think of all that history in storage just waiting for us!ย
That’s rich Delta soil there, folks.
Times, they are a’changing.
I think Mr. Wilsonย and Mr. Hampsonย are both very pleased.
Grace Grits and Gardening
Farm. Food. Garden. Life.
[tweetthis]Times they are a changin’. Wilson Arkansas is doing it right. @FSBank @Artourism #Delta #HampsonMuseum[/tweetthis]
Come gather ’round people wherever you roam and admit that the waters around you have grown…If your time to youย is worth savin’, then you better start swimming’ or you’ll sink like a stone. For the times they are a-changin’. – Bob Dylan
Musicial Pairing:
Bob Dylan, The Times They are a Changin’
Bravo! Our own small city opened a fine art museum in July and it is amazing. I wish the same for you. Visit the Filley Art Museum in Pratt, Kansas if you are close, and keep us advised of your progress.
Thanks Lyn! Will do!