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 reading www.onlyinarkansas.com. Take it from someone who worked in banking for years, a bank blog devoted to food and hometown happenings and sports and festivals specific to the state is a special and rare thing. Now on to news of the groundbreaking.

This is a follow-up to let you know the Hampson Archeological Museum groundbreaking happened last weekend. This is a big deal. According to Wilson Mayor Becton Bell, this groundbreaking marks the first new construction on the Wilson town square in 57 years.

First new construction in my lifetime.

If you aren’t from Northeast Arkansas, you may say you aren’t interested in the goings on of a small southern town in the Mississippi River Delta. Big deal, right? There are new buildings sprouting like weeds 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 many 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 visionaries 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 building is cramped and houses only 10% – 20% of the artifacts from the nearby 15-acre Nodena site of Late Mississippian Period Native Americans (A.D. 1400 – 1650). Think of all that history in storage just waiting for us! 

That’s rich Delta soil there, folks.

Times, they are a’changing.

I think Mr. Wilson and Mr. Hampson 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 you 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’