WASHINGTON – Historic Washington State Park will host the 20th Annual Red River Heritage Symposium on Saturday, July 25, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. This year’s theme is “Threads Along the Red River: 250 Years at One of America’s Crossroads” and will focus on the significant American events that took place in the Great Bend Region of the Red River in the 19th century. Event sponsored by Historic Washington State Park and the Arkansas State Archives. Admission is $20 per person.
Dr. Carl Drexler will speak on the recent archeological discoveries at the Prairie D’Ane Civil War Battlefield site in Prescott. He is the Station Director at the Arkansas Archeological Survey Station at Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia. He received a Ph.D. degree from the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia with his dissertation on the Civil War entrenchments at Dooley’s Ferry, Arkansas on the Red River. He has published papers on archeological studies at the Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield, Missouri and the Pea Ridge National Battlefield,, Arkansas and has been involved with digs of several Civil War encampments and historic sites.
Call the park visitor center at 870-983-2684 to register.
Topics and speakers will include:
“Exploring the Southern Sections of the Louisiana Purchase” by Pam Beasley of Historic Washington State Park.
“Documenting Trammel’s Trace” by local historian and author Gary Pinkerton of Houston, Texas.
“Methodist Influence and Circuit Riders” by local historian Keenan Williams of Hope, Arkansas.
“Civil War Battle of Prairie D’Ane Archeology” by Dr. Carl Drexler of the Arkansas Archeological Survey.