Charles Cunningham: A Life of Service
By Cody Berry Years ago, now, I met Charles Cunningham at a meeting in which the fate of the Palace Theater was being discussed before it was renovated. If only I had known more about him at the time. At some point I was asked to put an entry together on Benton’s Ralph Bunche Community, … Continued
Benton’s Ralph Bunche Community
By Cody Berry Saline County’s African American community has longstanding history. Since the county was founded in 1835, there have been people of color living here who were member of both free and enslaved families. In 1838, there were 416 slaves and two free black citizens living in Saline County. By 1860, there were 749 … Continued
The Gann Museum’s First Exhibits and Renovations
By Cody Berry This week’s story is focused on some of the renovations that the Gann Museum’s first board of directors undertook to convert the former library into a museum and its first exhibits. On May 22, 1980, someone known only as “B.F” wrote in the Benton Courier that the very first renovation the Gann … Continued
A Bell Tower for Dr. Gann, Jr.
By Cody Berry Did you know that the Angelus Bell and its tower at Benton’s Our Lady of Fatima church were donated in memory of Dr. Gann, Jr? In my research on the Gann Museum and all its contents I came across an article on Our Lady of Fatima’s website called “Our Bell Rings Again!” … Continued
The County’s First Bilingual Newspaper?
By Cody Berry Did you know Bauxite had a bilingual newspaper over a century ago? It did! While the history of the town of Bauxite, Arkansas goes back to the late nineteenth century, its editorial history began with the publication of the Bauxite News in 1920. It ran from June 1920 to January 1921 when … Continued
Dr. James Wyatt Walton and Dr. T.E. Buffington
By Cody Berry Saline County has a long and colorful history. And it’s certainly had its share of great doctors and I’m not just talking about Dr. Gann, Sr. and his son. In our “Only the Names Have Changed” exhibit, we’ve featured the homes of two other Saline County physicians; Dr. James Wyatt Walton and … Continued
Niloak Pottery’s Centennial Anniversary!
By Cody Berry When we started going through the Gann Museum’s collections, we found an old box of items left behind by Arlene Hyten Rainey, the daughter of Niloak inventor Charles Hyten. The box contained her father’s bible, a sample of hair from a Civil War hero, Mr. Hyten’s formula books, and a patent certificate … Continued
The Courthouse at Christmas
The Courthouse at Christmas By Cody Berry Pictured above: the courthouse in present day (December 2024) lit up with Christmas lights for the holidays. Growing up here the lighting of the Courthouse was always a favorite holiday tradition of mine. As a boy, I thought our beautiful Romanesque Courthouse was a castle, or perhaps even … Continued
Frequently Asked Questions: How was Niloak Pottery made?
By Cody Berry One of the things that the Gann Museum is known for is its collection of Niloak Pottery. We keep it on permanent display in Dr. Gann’s old exam room. When I give tours of the museum people usually comment on how pretty the pottery is. They also want to know how it’s … Continued
Native Saline County
By Cody Berry Since November is Native American Heritage Month, I thought I’d highlight some of Saline County’s first residents. Arkansas has a rich and colorful history, but it didn’t start with the first Europeans settling here. When Hernando De Soto and his conquistadors crossed the Mississippi River on June 28, 1541, they met several … Continued