Calico Rock Museum & Visitor Center Gearing up to Welcome 2017 Tourists (Posted by Ginger Smith)
Calico Rock Museum & Visitor Center Gearing up to Welcome 2017 Tourists
The Calico Rock Museum & Visitor Center in gearing up to welcome tourists back to town. We will officially kick off the 2017 tourism season with our annual Bootlegger Daze event on Saturday, March 11. The event commemorates The Bootleggers, the 1974 motion picture filmed in Calico Rock starring Jaclyn Smith in her first starring role.
We are very excited to dedicate the framework for the jail that was featured in the film during our event. This piece of Calico Rock history is being donated by the Long family and will be located next the railroad tracks where it sat during the movie.
Many people have been answering our call for items that were bought or sold in businesses along Main Street from the 1940’s-1960’s. We plan to have that new window display completed in time for Bootlegger Daze weekend.
We recently received a hand pump that was used to supply White River divers with oxygen when they dove for mussels and pearls in the river. It will be a wonderful addition to our River exhibit.
Work is progressing on our new Art & Science Center. The drywall on the main floor is completely installed and carpentry work is nearly complete on the Loft. We will install the drywall on the Loft, complete some general repairs on the main floor, and install new service exit doors next week. We hope to begin electrical upgrades next week and then prepare for painting.
Within a few weeks, we will be ready to pack up our art gallery and board room which will be relocated to the Art & Science Center. This will free up space in the basement of the Heritage Center for an expanded Homestead exhibit and a new exhibit on farming and machinery. It will also free up the Murphy Gallery which will be converted into a very nice historical exhibit, temporary exhibit space, and meeting room.
Along Main Street, the stairs leading to upper Main Street have been rebuilt and new handrails are being constructed. Damage that was done a time ago behind the museum in the Community Garden is being repaired.
The 20/20 group has done a great job of preparing the planting beds for Spring and sprucing up Main Street.
We’re looking forward to a great 2017 season. Remember to keep up with everything that is happening at your Calico Rock Museum & Visitor Center by visiting our website:
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Calico Rock Museum Foundation
104 Main Street
Calico Rock, Arkansas 72519
870-297-6100
www.calicorockmuseum.co
