Hope Tourism Hosts Planning Session on Depot Musem

The Hope Tourism Commission held a planning session for the Visitors Information Center. The public was invited to attend.   Ken Hubbell of Little Rock was on hand to help determine the vision and goals for the future are on the museum.

After lunch was served, a history of the number of visits was compiled. During the Clinton presidency there were tens of thousands of visits a year. His presidency brought many visitors including a group from Okinawa that built a replica of the birthplace home in their country.

Being a National Park, the Birthplace Home gets a lot more publicity and visitors than the Visitor Center.

A variety of factors have contributed to the decline.  These include President Clinton leaving office, 9/11, the Presidential Library opening, and Covid.

Visitation at Historic Washington State Park has grown as it has been more developed. Washington has unique places and events which draw people.

A brainstorming session was held and general visions for the downtown were discussed.  Various ideas were suggested such as more promotion of the black history of the area among others.

This is the start of the planning process. Hubbell is expected to come up will a plan based upon the information he received during this meeting.