13th Annual Red River Heritage Symposium on July 27

The 13^th Annual Red River Heritage Symposium will take place on Saturday, July 27, at Historic Washington State Park.

The conference topics will focus around the bicentennial of the formation of Arkansas Territory in 1819 and its impact on the Great Bend Region of the Red River. The event will take place at the 1914 Schoolhouse Auditorium of Historic Washington State Park from 1PM to 8PM.

Specific topics and speakers include: “Trammel’s Trace” by Gary Pinkerton of Houston, Texas; “The Red River Raft” by Robin Cole-Jett of Denison, Texas; “Old Miller County” by Skipper Steely of Paris, Texas; “Gulf Coastal Plain Landscape” by Dr. Don Bragg of the U.S. Forest Service; and “Plotting and Surveying the New Territory” by Dr. John Dennis of the University of Arkansas at Monticello.

An all day Friday and Saturday morning workshop for teachers on resources related to the theme in the Red River Region will take place. Lunch is included both days. A total of twelve credit hours will be available for teachers to earn by attending both days of the symposium. Cost for attending the workshop will be $40. Workshop presenters will include Historic Washington State Park staff, and staff members from the Arkansas State Archives and Arkansas Historic Preservation who will do sessions on incorporating timber and natural resource history topics into curriculum standards for the classroom.

On Saturday morning beginning at 9AM, a tour will be provided to early territorial sites in Miller County. For others interested in the tour the cost will be $15 per person, which includes lunch. Seating is limited, so call the Park Visitor Center to reserve your spot on the tour.

Cost for attendance to the symposium is $30 with an evening meal included.  A discount price of $60 will be offered to teachers who wish to attend both the workshop and symposium. Teachers attending both the workshop and symposium will be eligible for twelve credit hours. Check in will begin in the morning at 8AM at the 1874 Hempstead County Courthouse Visitor Center. Registration must be made by July 24. Please call, 870-983-2684 to register.

For more information visit HistoricWashingtonStatePark.com