Mark your calendars for November 16! From 6 to 9 p.m., Jacksonport State Park will host Justice in Jacksonport 1889: Murder on the Little Rock Express
Mark your calendars for November 16! From 6 to 9 p.m., Jacksonport State Park will host Justice in Jacksonport 1889: Murder on the Little Rock Express. This trial is based on actual events that occurred in Newport, Arkansas and were tried in the courthouse at Jacksonport in 1889. The present-day trial is being held in the same room.
Railroad porter Andrew Crittenden is dead, shot by passenger David Whitfield. Was it murder or self-defense? Only you can decide. After enjoying a southern style supper, guests will take part in a living history drama, playing the roles of defendant, witnesses, lawyers, and jurors to determine the fate of the accused.
Admission is $25 per person. Advance registration is required for this event. The deadline to register is 3 p.m. Thursday, November 14th. This event is limited to a minimum of 30, and a maximum of 50 participants. This event has full accessibility for visitors with disabilities. Please call the park for more information about accessibility.
For more information, please contact the park staff at Jacksonport State Park, 111 Avenue Street, Newport, AR, 72112, telephone: (870) 523-2143 or email: Jacksonport@arkansas.com.
Cathy Drew is a lifelong resident of the region that she loves to promote. She was born in downtown Batesville in the late ’60s, located in one of the eight counties she now enjoys encouraging people to visit.
Drew became associated with the Ozark Gateway Region in 1990 while working at the ad agency (The Media Market Inc.). The agency handled marketing for the regional association, where she and her co-workers produced an annual tabloid publication. She began working as the Ozark Gateway Region director in June 2000.
After Drew became director, she took the region to the next level by helping the tourism organization create a new website and moved it from the old newspaper paper tabloid publication to a color magazine format. She helped open a visitor center for the Ozark Gateway, allowing visitors to pick up information from the entire state 24/7. Over the years, Drew has helped the organization meet new marketing goals, such as in- and out-of-state marketing, assuring that all 100,000 copies of their magazines are distributed each year.
In 2016, she assisted in creating the first Ozark Gateway Region Golf Classic. The tournament continues to grow each year, allowing the organization to expand its co-op program and helping each county have dedicated promotion. Drew stays busy at Ozark Gateway as the ad sales manager, magazine editor, day-to-day office operations, trade show representative, and magazine distribution representative, all while ensuring that the region is represented all over Arkansas and southern Missouri.
Drew was featured in several local and statewide publications over the years, as well as the 1997 cover of the Ozark Gateway Region tabloid, along with her then 4-year-old son, Jon. She has received several awards, such as the Batesville Rotarian of the Year in 2010 and a three-time Paul Harris Fellow.
She also has served as an Independence County election commissioner for several years. She now serves as their co-election coordinator, helping with behind-the-scenes management of voting equipment, day-to-day election deadlines, and poll worker training.
Drew serves on the Arkansas Travel Council Board of Directors, is Batesville Rotary Club Past President, and is the Rotary Clubs’ current publicity chair.
In March of 2018, Drew was honored with induction into the Arkansas Tourism Hall of Fame for her many years of dedicated service to the tourism industry.