Many Reasons Listed To Be Proud Of Arkansas

Rib And Chicken Dinner Set For Saturday

This is another part of the list of reasons why we are proud of our state of Arkansas — many “firsts,” an “only” or two and many interesting facts.

We were reminded with the first minting of the Parks and Recreation quarters that Hot Springs National Park was the first, thus the oldest such park in the United States. So it was the first park on the quarter series.

Winslow was the first town in America to elect a female mayor, Maude Duncan, in 1925.

Hattie Caraway of Jonesboro was the first woman elected to a seat in the U.S. Senate in 1932. She also was the first woman to conduct a senate hearing, to conduct a senate committee and the first woman to preside over the Senate.

The Lindbergh Monument in Lake Village commemorates the first night flight made by Charles Lindbergh in 1923. He was forced to land at a golf course in the southeast Arkansas town after his plane had engine trouble.

Jim Bowie’s famous Bowie knife was designed by blacksmith James Black in Wash- ington, Ark., in 1830. The fate of the original Bowie knife is unknown, but a knife bearing the engraving, “Bowie No. 1” is in the Historic Arkansas Museum.

Arkansas’ Maurice “Footsie” Britt, Jr. was the first soldier to win the nation’s three highest honors: the Congressional Medal of Honor, Distinguished Service Cross and the Silver Star.

John Butterfield, once an Arkansas resident, pioneered the historic Butterfield Overland Trail, a portion of which runs through Benton, Washington, Crawford and Sebastian counties.

The only diamond field in the United States is at Murfreesboro. A diamond from there is in the Smithsonian in Washington, District of Columbia.

I will list more Arkansas facts in a later article.

Happy birthday greetings to Nicole Evans, Allen Caswell, Brad Crudup, Orrin Hacker, Payton Power, Stephanie Reed, Mindy Rush, Alex James, Tommy Reed and Louie Guess. Happy years, all. Today’s advice: Do all you can and trust God to do what you cannot.

As I am writing the column today, it seems like it must be Monday morning rather than Friday morning. The deadline has been changed to Friday at noon and, of course, will be published next Wednesday.

So I have had to change my way of thinking and plans for today.

Just checked and there is no news of the birth of Katherine and Jeremiah Thacker’s baby yet. Evidently the little one wasn’t ready to appear last Tuesday (the projected due date), so we will just wait a while longer for word.

The April meeting of the Viney Grove EHC was held on April 10 with nine members present.

Plans were finalized for our May meeting and entertaining the Bethel Grove ladies.

The program was given by Kristi Davis, sales manager for Air Evac, giving the history and growth of the company.

Lunch was enjoyed and hostess gifts were won by Helen, Granny, and Libby.

Mark May 5 on your calendar as it is the date for the second annual rib and chicken dinner held at the community center to benefit the center.

The Gospel Echoes will be our entertainment during the 5 to 7 p.m. party. And there will be a pie auction also. Cost is $10 per person.

Come and enjoy evening with friends neighbors.

Have a good week. the and