Eighty-nine years of Harding history, complete from Morrilton to Searcy, are displayed in the History House, located next to Almost Anything on Lott Tucker Drive. The museum has been closed for the past year, but has opened again and will feature new exhibits every few months.
Debbie Howard took on the role of curator in August and said she has several ideas to make the History House more accessible and inviting to the Harding community.
“The History House is here for all of us to learn about Harding’s rich heritage, what it was and what it is going to be,” Howard said. “Every day there will be a different video playing that showcases a part of Harding’s history. Everyone is welcome to bring their lunch or grab a cup of coffee and come in to watch and browse the exhibits.”
The History House currently features an exhibit that focuses on the five first ladies of Harding. Howard said she contacted the families of Sally Benson, Louise Ganus, Leah Burks and Ann McLarty and asked them to share their family stories and photos, which she said would give the exhibit a more personal touch.
“My goal was to have more than just the dry facts,” Howard said. “I enjoyed doing research on all five first ladies and interviewing each of them and their families.”
Special items in the exhibit include the dress Ganus wore to the 1965 inauguration, the Bible she received from Armstrong at graduation and a dress Benson bought back from when she was doing mission work in China. The first ladies’ exhibit will be on display until December.
In addition to sharing Harding’s history, Howard plans to also feature distinguished alumni. The first will be Joe Aaron, who created the cartoon series “Doug.” The exhibit will include a signed copy of the first “Doug” script and a video of the first episode.
Howard said she is currently working on an international programs exhibit for the spring as well. She is collecting photos and stories from alumni about their time abroad and what international programs mean to them. If anyone has photos from their study abroad program, they can email them to historyhouse@harding.edu.
The History House is maintained by the Associated Women for Harding and its members volunteer to keep the house open. Sue Hixson, a member of AWH and a volunteer for the History House, said another plan AWH has for the History House is to put a paved patio in the backyard that has the original gates from Galloway College when Harding bought the campus in 1934. Hixson said the patio would be a great place for history classes to meet and for alumni groups to host reunions.
The History House is open on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 11 a.m.- 4 p.m. You can find them on Facebook at Harding University History House and can follow them on Twitter @HUHistoryHouse.
