Parkin Archaeology Schoolhouse
A Native American archaeological site and African American Schoolhouse
About a half hour west of Memphis, tucked up against the St Francis River is one of the most significant archaeological discoveries in the Midwest; indeed, very likely one of the most significant in the entire United States.
Parkin Archeological State Park in eastern Arkansas plays host to what many scholars believe to be the Native American village of Casqui, chronicled in the expedition of Hernando de Soto in 1541. Various European-made trade items from the era recovered at the site, along with descriptive text within the journals of Hernando de Soto appear to support the idea.
The Mississippian population flourished at the 17-acre site from as far back as 1000 AD, but met its demise shortly after the visit by Hernando de Soto. While the encounter stands as one of the few friendly contacts recorded between Europeans and natives, it is likely they succumbed to disease the Europeans had grown immune to, but still carried.
Implements recovered at the site indicate a once prosperous community, but a large platform style mound near the riverbank is all that remains today, along with the deep impression left by the moat excavated by the original inhabitants for protection and irrigation of their crops. We are lucky to have that much left though.
The St Francis River and nearby Tyronza River continued to meander long after the inhabitants vanished, but neither ever fully encroached on the site. When settlement in the area began in the late 1800s, cotton farmers were unable to cultivate across the moat, and the mound presented too much of an obstacle.
The Northern Ohio Cooperage and Lumber Company established a saw mill on the site around 1900, and mill workers developed a community there. Known as Sawdust Hill, headstones still litter the forest floor near another accidental archaeological discovery at the site, associated with the community.
Originally thought to be nothing more than an old hay barn, and later converted into a residence used through the 1990s, a unique piece of American history narrowly escaped obliteration. While dismantling interior portions of the structure in preparation for demolition, folks found the Northern Ohio School hiding behind the walls of the home. Immediately cancelling plans for demolition, research began, along with a plan for restoration, completed in 2006. The school now stands as it did, when last used in the 1940s.
Local citizens and elected officials from the nearby town of Parkin impressed upon the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville and the Arkansas Archaeological Society the need for preservation during the 1960s. Designated a National Historic Landmark in 1964, both organizations conducted various surveys shortly after to determine if there were enough intact archaeological deposits to warrant designation as a state park. A partnership developed, resulting in the establishment of a research station, and the site finally designated an Arkansas State Park in 1994.
Currently, the visitor center hosts an on-site research station, a collaborative effort between the two previously mentioned organizations, which continues work on artifacts excavated on the site during that time, as well as recent exploratory excavations. Folks can observe research in progress, view the displays of the results of the work done there, visit an interpretive exhibit area, and enjoy a short film about the park. Educational program, tours, and other special events also occur throughout various times of the year. Outside, an easy three-quarter mile paved trail guides folks through the various points of interest at the site; relatively painless to hike, unless the mosquitos are in full bloom. Access is free, at the time of this writing, excepting the guided walking tours.
