MacArthur Park

In the middle of MacArthur Park is one of the oldest buildings in Little Rock - the old Arsenal Building, which was built way back in 1840. The building was part of a military installation that was placed at what was then the outskirts of the city. The Arsenal Building was actually constructed to store ammunition, and it has exterior walls that are three feet thick.

The military ceased using the building in 1892, and it was taken over by the city of Little Rock. In 1942, the building became a museum which would end up showcasing a random and eclectic mix of exhibits. I remember the museum being one of the most popular destinations for school field trips during the 1980s (back in the olden days when I was wee young lad). Probably the most popular artifacts there were a motley collection of shrunken heads, which all the school kids thought was really cool.

In 1997, the museum moved to the River Market and became the Museum of Discovery. The old Arsenal Building then switched gears and became a museum of Arkansas military history. Unfortunately there's no telling where the shrunken heads are now.