Sunday, February 12, 2012 Program

Mosaic Templars of America:

Early Provider of Health Care to African Americans in LR

PRESENTED BY:

Bryan McDade

Curator of Collections

Mosaic Templars Cultural Center

Mosaic Templars Cultural Center

501 W. Ninth St.

Little Rock, Arkansas1

Sunday, April 22, 2012 Program

Ashley-Alexander House

PRESENTED BY:

Rachel Silva

Preservation Outreach Coordinator

Arkansas Historic Preservation Program

3514 Walkers Corner Road in Scott

 Refreshments: 2:00 PM - Meeting Begins @ 2:30 PM

The Ashley-Alexander House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976 for its association with the Ashley and Alexander families and for its Colonial Revival-style architecture. Chester Ashley, one of early Little Rock’s most prominent and prosperous residents, owned a sizeable amount of land about 10 miles southeast of Little Rock and in 1835 built a portion of the Ashley-Alexander House to serve as his plantation manager’s home. It was originally occupied by Chester Ashley’s brother, Elisha Pomeroy. Ashley constructed a gristmill and sawmill near the house, and the area was known as Ashley’s Mills. However, the community later became Scott. In September 1863 there was a skirmish at Ashley’s Mills as Union troops advanced toward Little Rock, and historical records suggest that Confederate troops camped near the Ashley-Alexander House. The house remained in the Ashley family until 1868 when it was sold at auction to settle estate debts. From 1868 to 1879 the land was owned by Henry Page, and then by R. L. Dodge. In 1893 the land was sold to Watt Worthen, and in December 1898, Arthur Lee Alexander and his wife, Otelia George Alexander, purchased the property for $35,000. The Alexander family operated a cypress mill, grew cotton, and raised livestock. In 1910 a fire in the detached kitchen prompted a remodeling of the house, resulting in its current Colonial Revival-style appearance and larger size. Bitsy Davis, granddaughter of Arthur and Otelia Alexander, currently owns the house, which serves as her private residence and a rentable venue for weddings, receptions, parties, and other events.

Rachel Silva is a native of Farmington, Arkansas, and holds a Bachelor of Arts in History/Political Science from Arkansas Tech University as well as a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of Arkansas. Rachel is the Preservation Outreach Coordinator for the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program (AHPP) in Little Rock, one of seven agencies in the Department of Arkansas Heritage. She has been in this position since February 2008. Rachel organizes and leads the AHPP’s monthly Sandwiching in History and Walks through History tours, develops and delivers various programs on historic preservation, writes articles for publication in local and state-wide journals, and writes nominations for the National Register of Historic Places. Rachel also serves on the Pulaski County Historical Society Board of Directors.

Saturday, August 11, 2012 Program

Frenchman Mountain

Methodist Episcopal Church, South

and Cemetery in Cato

Frenchman Mountain Rd. west of its intersection with Cato Rd.

 Refreshments: 2:00 PM - Tour Begins @ 2:30 PM

The congregation of the Frenchman Mountain Methodist Episcopal Church, South was organized in 1872 in the Cato community, which straddles the Faulkner-Pulaski county line. In 1880 a two-story, wood-frame church was constructed to replace an earlier log building that burned. The upper floor served as a meeting place for the local Masonic Lodge, Odd Fellows, and Woodmen of the World, and the church met downstairs. In 1944 the upper story of the church was removed and the steeple and front porches were added, giving the building a Craftsman-style design. The church had an active membership until 1940, when Camp Robinson acquired the land immediately south and west of the church property, displacing many families and cutting off the most direct route to North Little Rock. In 1962 the Cato United Methodist Church, as it was then known, stopped holding regular services. A board of trustees maintains the church and associated cemetery and organizes the annual Homecoming and Christmas programs at the church. Co-sponsored by the Faulkner County Museum and the Pulaski County Historical Society.

The Arkansas Historic Preservation Program’s monthly Walks through History tours highlight historic structures and sites around the state. Tours are free and open to the public and take place on Saturdays at 11:00 a.m. For the full 2012 tour schedule, go to:

 http://www.arkansaspreservation.com/tours-events-workshops/walk-through-schedule/