III. THE SITE IN THE TWENTIETH CENTURY

D. Park Development, 1931
1. Money is Voted and Plans Made
a. The Commission Secures the Services of a Landscape Architect
The Act creating the Arkansas Post Park Commission had not carried an appropriation. Expectations that the Commission would be able to develop the area with donated funds were quickly dashed, when fund-raising projects foundered. Organizations and individuals were unwilling to contribute money until land was acquired and a master plan for development prepared.

By December 1930 the Quandt tract had been accepted by the Commission, and President Burnett contacted P. C. Howson, a Pine Bluff landscape architect. On December 29 Burnett, Howson, and Quertermous visited the site and located boundary lines of the Quandt donation. Burnett asked Howson to prepare a site plan and estimates for development of the area for presentation to the Commission at the January 10, 1931, meeting to be held in Little Rock. As the Commission had no funds, Howson's work would have to be gratis until an appropriation was secured. Howson was agreeable.[23]

b. The Arkansas General Assembly appropriates $5,000
At the meeting of the commissioners at Mrs. J. F. Weinman's home in Little Rock, on January 10, Howson submitted his plans and estimates. Ways and means of financing the project were discussed, and it was agreed to have Representative Ballard Deane introduced legislation calling for an appropriation of $5,000 to beautify Arkansas Post State Park. Deane, the father of the Park, was agreeable.

On Friday, February 20, 1931, the Arkansas Senate voted favorably on Representative Deane's bill, previously passed by the House, appropriating $5,000 for development of Arkansas Post State Park. Even before Governor Parnell signed Dean's bill into law, work was commenced on the park, in the first week of March, when 35 men who had been receiving relief from the Red Cross at Gillett and DeWitt reported to Chairman Burnett. Working under direction of Landscape Architect Howson, the men were turned to clearing the Quandt tract of underbrush and old fences. Care was exercised to insure that no native shrubs or trees were disturbed.[24]

c. Mrs. Lowe Makes an Announcement
When contacted by the press, Mrs. W. W. Lowe of Gillett, a member of the Commission, stated that one of the first improvements scheduled would be construction of a custodian's lodge of "native timbers of rugged type." She also reported that the United Daughters of the Confederacy planned to erect a memorial in the park to honor Confederate soldiers who fought at Arkansas Post in January 1863, while the Commission planned a "gradual improvement program, including driveways, lawns, markers, and memorials.” The county court would be urged to improve the road connecting Gillett with the Park.[25]

2. The April 7, 1931, Meeting of the Commission
On April 7 the Commission met in Little Rock and made a number of important development decisions, which it hoped would transform Arkansas Post within a few years into a "mecca" for tourists from all parts of the nation. A committee of five Commission members, all residents of Arkansas County, was designated a Building Committee and would be in charge of this activity.[26]

County Surveyor Quertermous reported that he had completed his survey of the Quandt tract, and there were a number of jagged lines cutting into the state land. It was determined by the Commission to make an effort to "acquire land by gift or purchase to straighten out the lines and make the park a triangle, with the old river as the base.” To do this, it was agreed to allocate $150 to purchase not more than 15 acres at a price not to exceed $10 per acre.[27]

Landscape Architect Howson told the Commission of his proposal for an oval driveway, within which would be positioned historical markers locating the first territorial capitol, the Bank of Arkansas, and the site where Woodruff published the first edition of the Arkansas Gazette. Outside the oval, De Tonty's post was to be restored--with a log palisade enclosing log cabins sheltering the caretaker's house, etc. Provision would also be made for picnic grounds. An effort would be made to acquire the Scull Cemetery one mile north of the Post, in which Henry Conway was presumed to be buried. The cemetery would be "improved and the graves” landscaped.[28]

3. The April 15 and 29 Meetings of the Building Committee
At the April 15 meeting of the Building Committee, held in DeWitt, Landscape Architect Howson signed his contract to supervise construction at the site, and was authorized to commence work as soon as practicable. Bids for fencing materials having been authorized, the contract on April 29 was awarded to the low bidder, Central Hardware of Gillett.[29]

4. Construction in 1931
During the period from May 11, 1931, when work was begun until October 31, 1931, when Landscape Architect Howson, the $5,000 appropriation exhausted, discontinued work and laid off his crew, a number of projects were undertaken and completed.

a. Land Acquisition
The Commission purchased from Mr. and Mrs. J. G. Place of Gillett a 11.25-acre tract, while L. C. Jones of Arkansas Post donated 9.75 acres. With the Place and Jones tracts, the area of the Park was increased to about 40 acres. On the Jones tract was a majestic grove of oaks.[30]

b. Fencing
Howson, after clearing a right-of-way, enclosed the Park with a fence. Steel posts, set in concrete, were erected, and a 48-inch woven wire fence with two strands of barbed wire on top, strung.(31)

c. Caretaker's Lodge
By the last week of June, the Commission reported that considerable progress had been made on the caretaker's lodge. The structure, which consisted of two 18 x 18-foot rooms, a 12 x 18-foot breeze way, and two 12 x 18-foot porches, was constructed of logs salvaged from the Refeld-Hindman House. Workmen had to hew a number of logs to replace those that had rotted. The structure was roofed with cypress shingles, chinked, and daubed. Floors were laid, doors, windows, and ceiling put in, and chimneys built. In September a crew was turned to whitewashing the lodge, inside and out, oiling the porch floors, and painting the window sashes, doors, and casing.

The relocation and restoration of the Refeld-Hindman House struck a responsive chord with the community, as the lodge was representative of buildings which "formed so important a part in the history of the region." It was the Commission's desire to preserve "a historical memorial the style of architecture that these buildings represented to be suggestive also of the romance of the early history of the state."[32]

d. Pot Hunting and Salvage at the Arkansas State Bank
Workmen partially excavated the site of the Arkansas State Bank, where they uncovered a number of objects to be placed in the Park museum. A number of the best bricks salvaged were cleaned and earmarked for use in building two pillars at the north entrance to the Park. Others were utilized in construction of walkways and an outdoor oven.[33]

e. Restoration of Cistern and Well
In July 1931 a brick mason was put to work restoring the historic cistern and well. Brickbats salvaged from the Arkansas State Bank were used. Shed-like shelters were erected to protect these historic structures from the elements.[34]

f. Picnic Facilities
Construction of camping facilities progressed rapidly. Seven concrete tables were poured; a well drilled; a pump installed; a concrete well platform laid; and a rustic bridge and restrooms built. The Business Men's League of Gillett donated 25 benches to the Park. Two outdoor ovens for campers were constructed.[35]

g. Dam and Pond
In July, Howson put a crew to work removing trees and stumps from the ravines that criss-crossed the Park between the site of the Arkansas State Bank and the Caretaker's Lodge. A survey showed that 1,649 cubic yards of earth were needed to dam the gully into which the ravines drained. The dam and concrete spillway were completed in August and sodded with Bermuda. When filled, the pond, which was stocked with game fish, covered seven acres. Peninsulas extending out into the pond were landscaped.[36]

h. The "Lady of the Lake"
The statue of justice which had formerly stood atop the cupola of the Arkansas County Courthouse in DeWitt was positioned on a concrete base, near the northeastern edge of the pond. At the same time, the memorial stone was set.[37]

i. Roads
Howson in July surveyed and staked out the road system to be established in the Park, and in August they were rough graded. Cedar pilings were put in across the dam spillway to be bridged by the road. Next a concrete curb was staked, located, and poured around the "historical circle."[38]

j. Plantings
The Conservation Chairman had made arrangements with the state to secure many perennials to be set out under Landscape Architect Howson's direction in the autumn. With these he would be able to make the Park a "real floral treat.” These would enhance the many "magnificent trees, vines, and shrubs" that had "lived uncared for all these years." In the period November 25-December 6, Howson and several helpers set out a number of evergreens, shrubs, and trees.[39]

k. County-Wide Community Sing
On Sunday, August 16, about 500 local people converged on the Park, for a county-wide community sing, sponsored by the Gillett Home Demonstration Club. The program was well arranged and "consisted of the state song, a group of three each of patriotic, sacred, southern, and popular songs." At 5 p.m. a basket supper was served.[40]

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