Historic Washington State Park to host 20th Annual Red River Heritage Symposium

This year’s theme is ‘Threads Along the Red River: 250 Years at One of America’s Crossroads”

(WASHINGTON, Ark.) – Historic Washington State Park will host the 20th Annual Red River Heritage Symposium on Saturday, July 25, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. This year’s theme is “Threads Along the Red River: 250 Years at One of America’s Crossroads” and will focus on the significant American events that took place in the Great Bend Region of the Red River in the 19th century.

Topics and speakers will include:

• “Hunter and Dunbar Expedition and Exploration in southwest Arkansas” by Pam Beasley of Historic Washington State Park.

• “Documenting Trammel’s Trace” by local historian and author Gary Pinkerton of Houston, Texas.

  

• “Methodist Influence and Circuit Riders” by local historian Keenan Williams of Hope, Arkansas.

• “Civil War Battle of Prairie D’Ane Archeology” by Dr. Carl Drexler of the Arkansas Archeological Survey.

  As part of the symposium, an all-day Friday and Saturday workshop for teachers and researchers will take place on July 24 and 25, beginning at 9 a.m. Lunch is included both days. Teachers can earn a total of 12 credit hours by attending both days. The Saturday morning workshop will include a bus tour to sites in southwest Arkansas and northeast Texas related to the route of Trammel’s Trace. The tour is sponsored by the Arkansas State Archives. Research workshop presenters will include staff from Historic Washington State Park, Arkansas State Archives, Southwest Arkansas Regional Archives. Sessions will incorporate Washington, Arkansas, and 19th-century-related topics into curriculum standards for the classroom. Topics covered will include: how to document veterans of the American Revolution, free African-American communities in antebellum southwest Arkansas, Arkansas “America 250” resources, African-American highlights of southwest Arkansas, Understanding and deciphering 19th century handwriting, and law and order in the courtroom of 19^th century southwest Arkansas.

  

  The cost of attendance at the workshop and symposium is as follows:

  • Friday Research Workshop                        $25

  • Saturday Morning Bus Tour                        $15

  • Saturday Symposium                                  $20

  • All Events                                                          $50

   

  Check-in will begin at 8 a.m. at the 1874 Hempstead County Courthouse Visitor Center. Registration must be made by July 22; contact 870-983-2684 to register.