Cane Hill History Lesson Shared With Decatur Students

DECATUR — It is very important for children and adults to know at least a little about history — whether it be world, country or state — but it is also important to learn about local history within the communities where they live. For one husband and wife duo, traveling across Arkansas and singing about the history of a very small community in Northwest Arkansas that has nearly been forgotten is their unique way of telling the story.

Donna and Kelly Mulhollan made an appearance at Decatur Middle School earlier this month, presenting their traveling show, “Still on the Hill — Cane Hill” during an assembly of fifth through eighth-graders.

In 2018 the singing duo was commissioned by the Historic Cane Hill Museum to compose 12 songs as a way of telling the story of a community that was once a rich cultural center of Northwest Arkansas during the early 1830s. The town even boasted of having the first school of higher education, Cane Hill College, which began in 1834 and was one of the first colleges in the region (37 years before the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville campus).

Unfortunately, by the mid-20th century, the town nearly died away, along with its rich history. Today the Cane Hill Museum carries on the legacy of the town through exhibits and the Still on the Hill project.

The Mulhollans travel around Arkansas sharing their unique brand of music and telling the story of the little town that almost disappeared.

For the students at Decatur Middle School, it was a chance to listen to a different kind of music while learning about history in the process. The “Still in the Hill” project blends folk music using traditional instruments such as the banjo, guitar, fiddle, bass drum and a mountain dulcimer and unique lyrics to keep the young students enthralled throughout the hour-long presentation. The journey into history also included the use of a few interesting props and images of some of the historic figures, places and events of Cane Hill.

One song entitled “The Bell,” composed by Donna Mulhollan, tells the story of the Cane Hill bell that once graced the college’s bell tower. The song tells the story of the bell’s journey from a steamboat to Cane Hill where it rests in the museum today. Donna used a unique twist in telling this story. The lyrics were written with the bell telling its own story.

Two members of the classes, Milo Moore and Sara Lydon, got the chance to perform with the Mulhollans on one of the songs. The pair played a dancing cow and chicken during the performance with their classmates stomping and clapping along with the lively song.

All in all, the students and teachers alike enjoyed Donna and Kelly Mulhollan’s “Still on the Hill” performance and learned a little about Arkansas history, even a little Decatur history along the way.

For more information on Cane Hill go to historiccane hill.wixsite.com or the “Still on the Hill” project at www. stillonthehill.com

MIKE ECKELS WESTSIDE EAGLE OBSERVER Donna Mulhollan (left) plays a mountain dulcimer while husband Kelly Mulhollan accompanies on the guitar during the “Still on the Hill — Cane Hill” concert at Decatur Middle School gym. The pair was in Decatur on a mission to teach Arkansas students the history of Cane Hill.