As you walk in, you will meet Margaret Smith, lifelong Hope resident and current curator of the center, who is responsible on her own for keeping it clean (and it is absolutely spic and span), welcoming visitors and describing the exhibits. She has worked for the city of Hope 23 years. She was quick to credit Gary Johnson, the current pastor of Calvary Baptist Church, for so many of the framed photos that grace the walls and wood panels that hang from chains from the ceiling.
Smith said that when former-president Bill Clinton last visited the former depot, there were pictures he lingered at: “All of these pictures of his father, mother and one of his uncle and his wife.”
Asked what her own favorite display might be, Smith said, “I like everything in here because I've been here a long time, and how can I not like it?”
The sheer volume of things to look at and read is impressive even to those of us who have had the chance to tour museums in Chicago, New York, Memphis and Nashville. The place teems in photos not published on the web or in any of the Clinton biographies or Hope historical works.
Perhaps the most memorable photo is of the circa 19teens to early 1920s panoramic view of Hope from what must have been a tall crane. The resolution you can see in the very long rectangle of the photo beats any book printing of this you might have seen.
There are at least two displays for fans of Mike Huckabee of photos from his early years in Hope as well as his career in the state capital. In at least one the future and current governor of Arkansas can be seen, too.
Even when you head to the bathroom, displays of articles written in contemporary media about Bill Clinton’s relatives as he ran for and took the office of the U.S. presidency can be seen.
Whether you’re a longtime Hope native or a first-time visitor, the Hope Visitor Center has material to educate, amuse and astonish about the town’s buildings, people and culture.
The center is operated by the Hope Parks and Recreation Department. Its hours are Monday through Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Sundays 1:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m.
Photos by Ethan Houk
