Rich in history, the communities of Rogers and Lowell have been home to settlers since the 1800s. With the arrival of the first Frisco train in 1881, the city of Rogers was named in honor of a railroad executive, C.W. Rogers. The rail line provided transportation and links to important markets for the area’s crops of apples and peaches, allowing the small community to grow and prosper. An older transportation hub in the early 1800s, Lowell served as a popular resting place for travelers heading west. Known as Bloomington at the time, the community was located approximately one mile east of its current site, and was a stop on the Butterfield Stagecoach route. A variety of museums and historical markers are located throughout the Northwest Arkansas region.
Northwest Arkansas and the Ozark Mountains have experienced many years of military strife and glory, creating a region rich in unique military history preserved in museums, memorials and reenactments. Military history buffs will enjoy visiting two Civil War battlefields and contemporary veterans’ memorials from Pea Ridge to Fayetteville.
ROGERS HISTORICAL MUSEUM & 1895 HAWKINS HOUSE
The award-winning Rogers Historical Museum and 1895 Hawkins House showcase the history of the Rogers area through permanent and traveling exhibits and programs. The Hawkins House presents a glimpse of life in the average Victorian home in Rogers around the turn of the century. Many of the Museum’s exhibits are kid-friendly and interactive. “The Attic” is a hands-on, “please touch” area modeled after the top floor of a Victorian home, and First Street brings to life three early Rogers businesses in the downtown of yesteryear.
Just two blocks from the museum, the mid-1900s Frisco Caboose located in Centennial Park serves as a reminder of the town’s railroad history and complements the park’s depot-style pavilion. The caboose is open to the public during regular museum hours, May 1 through Oct. 31. Visit their website for more information.
LOWELL HISTORICAL MUSEUM
Conveniently located in downtown Lowell, the Lowell Historical Museum features memorabilia, antiques and photos from the city’s colorful past. Museum hours vary. 304 Jackson Place, Lowell. Admission is free. Visit their website for more information.
DAISY AIRGUN MUSEUM
Daisy Manufacturing Company called Rogers home since 1958, when the company moved to Arkansas from Plymouth, Michigan. The Rogers Daisy Airgun Museum located in Historic Downtown Rogers is home to the world’s largest collection of antique airguns, BB guns and commemorative rifles. Open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday. 202 W. Walnut St., Rogers. Visit their website for more information.
ARKANSAS AIR MUSEUM
From world-famous racing planes of the 1920s and 1930s to an early airliner, the planes housed in the Arkansas Air Museum are maintained in flying condition. Displays include artifacts and aviation memorabilia. Drake Field, 4290 S. School St. (U.S. Hwy. 71B), Fayetteville. Open Monday-Friday from 11 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m., and Sunday from 11-4:30 p.m. Visit their website for more information.
PEA RIDGE NATIONAL MILITARY PARK
Visit the site of the instrumental 1862 battle that saved Missouri for the Union in one of the largest Civil War battles west of the Mississippi River. The 1862 battle stopped the Confederate drive to take Missouri. The 4,300 acre park is located ten miles northeast of Rogers on Scenic Highway 62. Pea Ridge is one of the most well-preserved Civil War battlefields in the United States featuring a seven-mile, 10-stop tour road in addition to hiking and horse trails. Inside the Visitor Center is a theater, bookstore and museum. Civil War re-enactments conducted regularly at the park. Open year-round 8 a.m.-5 p.m. daily, closed some holidays. 15930 E. Highway 62, Garfield. Visit their website for more information.
VETERANS MEMORIAL AT ROGERS MUNICIPAL AIRPORT
Located at the entrance to Rogers Municipal Airport at #3 Airport Drive, Highway 62 East on the north side of Rogers, a veterans’ memorial including military aircraft is a striking tribute to Vietnam veterans. Visit their website for more information.
VETERANS WALL OF HONOR
Situated off Highway 71 in Bella Vista, the Veterans Wall of Honor monument was created by the Veterans Council of Northwest Arkansas. It is located in a setting where visitors can be reminded of the sacrifices made by so many to create and preserve the freedoms we enjoy today. Visit their website for more information.
PRAIRIE GROVE BATTLEFIELD STATE PARK
Recognized nationally as one of America’s most intact Civil War battlefields, Prairie Grove Battlefield features a one-mile walking Battlefield Trail, a five-mile driving tour, a 15-point geocache tour, and Battlefield Museum. The park hosts a re-enactment every even-numbered year on the first weekend in December depicting the 1862 Battle of Prairie Grove, when Confederate and Union Armies clashed in a day of fierce fighting resulting in 2,700 casualties. Located on U.S. 62 in Prairie Grove. Open daily 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Visit their website for more information.
FAYETTEVILLE CONFEDERATE CEMETERY AND FAYETTEVILLE NATIONAL CEMETERY
The Fayetteville Confederate Cemetery at Rock and Willow streets atop East Mountain in Fayetteville was started in 1872 by the Southern Memorial Association of Washington County, which paid to have the remains of Confederate casualties at Pea Ridge and Prairie Grove, as well as from less-storied combats, removed and re-interred in what remains a picturesque and moving site.
Fayetteville National Cemetery at 700 Government Avenue in Fayetteville was established in 1867 and its original interments were remains removed from the battlefields at Pea Ridge, Prairie Grove, Cane Hill and other places in the area. The cemetery features a carillion, Revolutionary War Soldier Memorial, 1st Marine Division Memorial, and a Purple Heart Memorial. 700 Government Avenue, Fayetteville. Visitation hours are daily from sunrise to sunset. Visit their website for more information.