I. INTERPRETING THE COLBERT RAID

A. Background

In 1970 members of the Daughters of the American Revolution contacted Management Assistant Frank Hastings about ways to commemorate the engagement at Arkansas Post between British partisans led by Capt. James L. Colbert and the Spanish garrison. They hoped to do something meaningful at Arkansas Post as part of the American Revolution Bicentennial. Management Assistant Hastings was agreeable, and in September he advised the Master Plan Team, headed by James Killian, of his conversations with the DAR.

The ladies informed the Master Plan Team that they would like the National Park Service to suggest to them various ways of interpreting the Colbert raid on site, and the cost of the resulting exhibit and audio visual facilities. The DAR would then determine which of the designs they liked best, and would conduct a state wide drive to raise necessary funds to implement the project.

Apprised of what the DAR wished to do at Arkansas Post, Mark Sagan and Dr. Allan Kent of the Harpers Ferry Center outlined three alternatives for exhibits commemorating the Colbert Raid. These alternatives were considered by the Arkansas Society, Daughters of the American Revolution, and one adopted. Money was raised by the Daughters throughout the state to fund the Arkansas Post Bicentennial Project, which was headed by Mrs. J. S. Pollard of Stuttgart.

Frank Hastings had been reassigned, and D. L. Huggins became superintendent of Arkansas Post National Memorial. Like Frank I Hastings, Huggins maintained close liaison with the DAR as plans developed.

By the last week of February 1974, the DAR had raised $15,000. At a Bicentennial ceremony held at Arkansas Post on February 28, the ladies presented the check to Regional Director Joseph C. Rumburg, Jr., of the Southwest Region, National Park Service. The money was to be “used solely for the purpose of planning and constructing a stockade-type exhibit to be located at the approximate site of the American Revolution battle of Arkansas Post in 1783, such battle sometimes referred to as the ‘Colbert Incident.’”

The exhibit was “to be an enclosed structure providing a 20 person (standing) capacity and is to be built from rough-hewn lumber, with a painting depicting the battle and an audio describing it to be located in the structure.”

The donation was subject to certain conditions:

“1. This organization [ DAR] to be furnished a review of the progress of the planning in two stages (1) after the completion of the historical research on the project and (2) after the completion of the conceptual plans for the model. Final approval of the plans to rest with the Southwest Regional Director, National Park Service. Should this Society wish not to accept either the research or the conceptual plans for the project, it will not be obligated to fund the project and the unused portion of the donation will be refunded.

2. Should future research reveal a more accurate site of the Revolutionary battle, the National Park Service may relocate the exhibit to such site, if within the confines of the Arkansas Post National Memorial grounds, if without the confines of the National Memorial grounds, then the donor reserves the right to reconsider the making of the donation.

3. There will be no obligation on the part of the Society for upkeep and maintenance of the project.

4. The Superintendent of the Arkansas Post National Memorial is to consult with and obtain agreement of the Society before any dedication or publicity related to this project is undertaken. Any expenditures related to such dedication and publicity will not be a part of the donated money.

5. In accordance with its standards, the National Park Service is to affix a metal placque on the structure acknowledging the donation of the Arkansas Society, Daughters of the American Revolution.

6. A report showing the status of the donated funds to be furnished the Society every six months, and any balance remaining after completion of the project is to be returned to the donor.

7. Completion date for this project will be no later than December 31, l975.” [1]