The Arkansas Historic Preservation Program concludes the 2019 Walks Through History series with a tour of Calico Rock. The Saturday, November 9, tour is free and open to the public. To join, arrive by11 a.m. at the Calico Rock Museum at 104 Main Street. The museum is serving as co-host of the event. The tour should conclude by 1 p.m. Participants are encouraged to wear comfortable walking shoes and seasonally/weather appropriate clothing.
Named after the calico-colored bluffs on the north side of the White River, Calico Rock initially developed as a popular steamboat landing. Construction of the St. Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern Railroad through Calico Rock began in 1902, and the town incorporated in 1905. The local economy consisted of small cotton and livestock farms and timber-related industries. Downtown Calico Rock boasts many distinctive rough-cut stone commercial buildings. Today, Calico Rock is predominantly a destination for tourists and retirees with its close proximity to the White River, Norfork Lake, Blanchard Springs Caverns and the Buffalo National River.
The quarterly tours are presented by knowledgeable staff of the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program and include tours in communities across the state. The 2020 slate of Walks Through History tours will include:
March 21- Lockesburg, Sevier County
May 23- Van Buren, Crawford County
September 19- Paragould, Greene County
November 14- Star City, Lincoln County
Arkansas Historic Preservation Program (AHPP), the division of Arkansas Heritage responsible for identifying, evaluating, registering and preserving the state’s cultural resources. Other divisions are the Arkansas Arts Council, the Delta Cultural Center in Helena, the Old State House Museum, the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission, the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center, the Historic Arkansas Museum and the Arkansas State Archives. Arkansas Heritage is a division of the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism.
