Arkansas: Go to the Arkansas Post Museum and National Memorial to Avoid Crowds

The Arkansas Post National Memorial in southeastern Arkansas doesn’t appear to get a flood of visitors, but it should because of its natural beauty and historical significance. The memorial commemorates the first European settlement in the lower Mississippi River Valley (in 1686) and was Arkansas’ first territorial capital. It’s also the site of the only Revolutionary War action in Arkansas, and a major Civil War battle took place there in January 1863. To supplement your visit to the memorial, you should drop in at the nearby Arkansas Post Museum, operated by Arkansas State Parks. Both the memorial and museum don’t charge an admission fee.

ARKANSAS POST NATIONAL MEMORIAL HIGHLIGHTS

The National Park Service manages the memorial and has done an outstanding job preserving the location and making it easy to learn about the events that happened there. Begin your tour at the visitor center and museum that includes exhibits covering 300 years of history. Walk the paved and unpaved trails. The scenery will dazzle you and the historic town site is especially interesting.

The Arkansas Post National Memorial provides a haven for wildlife such as armadillos.

Take the Post Bayou Nature Trail to walk through a hardwood forest and see the Post Bayou that borders the memorial. You also might catch a glimpse of the wildlife in the area—alligators, armadillos, deer, racoons and many species of birds. Fishing is allowed in all the waters in and around the park, but an Arkansas fishing license is required for individuals 16 years of age and older. Another attraction of the memorial is its large, scenic picnic area next to the Post Bayou.

At the Arkansas Post Museum, this cabin built in 1877 serves as an example of the homes when this part of the state was the frontier

ARKANSAS POST MUSEUM FEATURES

The Arkansas State Parks system includes the Arkansas Post Museum at 5530 Highway 165 South in Gillett. The Main House serves as the entrance to the complex. The house includes many exhibits such as documents, clothing and artifacts from the Colonial period.

Another building at the museum is the Refeld-Hinman Loghouse built in 1877. This dog-trot cabin is located within a half mile of its original location. The “dog-trot” classification comes from the breezeway between two cabins that share one roof. Typically, cooking would take place in one of the cabins while the other would be used for sleeping. The museum also features a pioneer kitchen, playhouse, memorabilia building, gallows (yes, for hanging people) and prairie grass restoration area.

Arla shares her concern with Linda about things that might be hiding under this bridge as they hike the Post Bayou Nature Trail.

ARLA’S SHOCKING MOMENT

I enjoyed our vigorous walk on the Bayou Post Nature Trail at the Arkansas Post National Memorial until we reached a spooky bridge over a dark stream. When pausing on the bridge, I looked down into the shadows under the bridge and my immediate impression was somebody could get surprised by a monster hiding under this bridge! Linda told me not to worry. She didn’t think encountering a troll or wolf was likely, but she did suggest moving on in case we were standing above cottonmouth snakes, venomous spiders or rowdy racoons. I replied, “Thanks for helping me NOT worry!” We quickly exited the bridge.

Linda stands on the back porch of the historic cabin. It’s where she encountered the feisty killdeer.

LINDA’S TAKEAWAY

We visited the Arkansas Post museum shortly before it closed due to unforeseen obstacles in route to the museum. So, Doug quickly started exploring the outdoor landmarks and taking photos. He left me sightseeing on my own, which led me to encounter a bird flapping one wing, chirping shrilly and staring at me with a threatening look on its face. I‘m accustomed to birds flying away when I am within 15 feet and grew concerned about this odd bird’s behavior. Doug calmed me down by educating me (as usual) that this bird (killdeer species) is protecting her eggs or newborn babies. He also explained the killdeer was pretending to be injured so I would keep my focus on her—not her nest. This killdeer shuffled around and continually made a loud, annoying noise. Check out Doug’s photo of the killdeer and look for the three eggs sitting underneath her.

A killdeer confronts Linda when she gets too close to its nest near the Arkansas Post Museum.

Even though I trusted Doug’s “Eagle Scout” knowledge of birds, I needed to research this bird further. First, I learned the breeding season occurs from March to August, which matched the timing of our visit. Second, killdeer get their name from the shrill, wailing “kill deer” call they often give. I read they’ve also been appropriately nicknamed chattering plover and the noisy plover.

My final research summarized EXACTLY what Doug told me about killdeer behavior. It stated, “These birds are well known for their famed crippled-bird or broken-wing acts, during which they pretend to be injured and an easy prey effectively luring any predators away from their nests. Once the intruder has been led away from the nest or their young, killdeers suddenly "heal" and fly away. Wow! Doug truly earned his Eagle Scout badge.

DOUG’S HISTORICAL HIGHLIGHT

From one of the outdoor exhibits at the memorial, I picked up the following historical summary of the site.

“Arkansas Post was not a single fort and trading center. From 1686 until 1863, there were no fewer than seven posts on the Arkansas River between here and the Mississippi. The flags of five nations flew over them.”

The five flags include the:

White and gold standard of the French House of Bourbon
Red and gold oriflamme of Castilian Spain
Tricolor of Republican France
American stars and stripes
Stars and bars of the Southern Confederacy

Arla’s Travel Tip

Your best chance to see an alligator at the Arkansas Post Memorial is to hike the Post Bayou Nature Trail from Park Lake by the visitor center to the point where the trail makes a sharp right turn at a body of water, which will be Alligator Slough (pronounced “slew”). You’ll walk along the slough passing over a bridge that parallels it and then come to a second bridge that crosses it. Standing on the bridge gives you a good view of the entire slough.

The Post Bend runs through the area at the Arkansas Post where a massive Civil War battle occurred on land and water in 1863.

Gee Whiz Facts

The establishment of the Arkansas Post in 1686 predates New Orleans by 32 years.
During the American Revolution, the Arkansas Post belonged to the Spanish allies of the American patriots. In 1873, British Partisans raided the Spanish village and fort here. It was one of the last engagements of the war, and the only one in Arkansas.
The Civil War battle at the Arkansas Post occurred in January 1863 and resulted in the destruction of the Confederacy’s Fort Hindman and the capture of 5,000 Confederate soldiers. The victory gave the Union army control of the Arkansas River and aided in the siege of Vicksburg that resulted in the Union controlling the Mississippi River.

Cannons on display commemorate the Civil War battle that took place here.

PARTING SHOTS: MORE PICS TO POST

Linda walks around Park Lake at the Arkansas Post National Memorial. This trail includes displays that explain the area’s history.

Bridges allow hikers to cross the streams cutting through the Post Bayou Nature Trail.

The Post Bayou Nature Trail delivers as advertised, providing a closeup view of the area’s diverse natural habitats.

The Arkansas Post Museum includes an exhibit that shows what might be found in a frontier kitchen.

The Arkansas Post Museum contains furniture and other artifacts to tell the history of people who farmed and lived in this part of the state in the 1800s.