The community is invited to a book signing and lecture scheduled for 2 p.m. March 22 at The Depot Museum, 403 W. 1st Street S., in historic downtown Prescott, Arkansas. In his book, So Great Was the Slaughter: Market Hunters, Sportsmen, and Wildlife Conservation in Arkansas, author Buckley T. Foster explains the rise of sportsmen and other Arkansas conservation pioneers who successfully rallied to end market hunting and create a sustainable legal framework for managing wildlife, including creating the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission.

“By 1925, hunters had harvested almost every deer, bear, turkey, and quail population in Arkansas,” says Dr. Foster, “bison, the prairie chicken, and the passenger pigeon had already been eradicated in the state. The national demand for meat and the ability to transport meat to cities like Memphis, Chicago, New Orleans, and St. Louis had driven many wild species near or to extinction.”

The program begins at 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 22 followed by a book signing with the author. Copies of the book can be purchased at the program or online through Amazon. This is a free event, but seating is limited, so reservations are recommended. For details or to RSVP, visit TheDepotMuseum.org/Events, call 870-887-5821, or email TheDepotMuseum@gmail.com. 

The Nevada County Depot Museum is a 501(c)3 non-profit humanities organization dedicated to preserving and sharing regional history. The museum is in the 1912 Missouri Pacific Depot in historic Prescott, Arkansas. The Depot is open for tours and programs Thursdays through Saturdays, all year long. For more information on this or upcoming events, email us at  TheDepotMuseum@gmail.com, visit TheDepotMuseum.org/Events or find us on Facebook.