MacArthur Museum

HISTORY:
In the year that Arkansas became a state, in 1836, it became necessary to build a military installation on this 36 acre lot to guard the populace from angry Indian attacks. Soldiers and officers' barracks, an armory and support structures, resulting in more than 30 buildings being constructed on this military post. In 1840, this well-built Arsenal Building was constructed to store munitions for the post.
In May of 1861, Arkansas joined the Confederate states and fought for the South. Arkansas troops took over the post, after a peaceful negotiation, and agreed compromise. Arkansas Confederate troops used this Arsenal Tower Building to repair their small arms and make gunpowder. On September 11, 1863, after a big battle with Union troops, who were led by General Frederick Steele, the city of Little Rock was re-taken, and the Union soldiers moved once again into this military installation. This Arsenal Building was also used to keep in custody a 17 year old youth, Confederate martyr, David Dodd, who was caught by soldiers with plans, telling where Union troop positions and arms were located in the city of Little Rock.
After the Civil War, in 1873, this military installation was renamed Little Rock Barracks, and the buildings were mostly used to house troops, until it was closed in 1890. As the arsenal storage was moved somewhere else, this large old Arsenal Building was transformed into housing for Arsenal Officers and their families. Parties and social events were held in the the largest ground floor room on the east side of the building.
In 1880, Captain Arthur MacArthur was stationed here for 6 months, long enough for his son, Douglas MacArthur, to be born in this building. Douglas MacArthur was destined to be General of the United States Army during WW 2 and most of the Korean War, before he was relieved of duty by President Truman.
In 1892, a land swap was agreed to between the Federal Government and the city of Little Rock. For 1000 acres north of Little Rock, the federal Government gave this 36 acre former military site to the city of Little Rock, with the stipulation that the land would be "forever exclusively devoted to the uses and purposes of a public park." A new military installation was built on these 1000 acres, Fort Roots.
All of the former barracks and support buildings were torn down, and the Old Arsenal Building was moth-balled, and left to slowly deteriorate for 50 years. Finally in 1930, money was found, and the building was rescued from a slow demise. It was renovated, made sound again, and became the home of the city's Museum of Natural History and Antiquities, when it opened again in 1942.
In 1997, the historic building once again was in need of a major face-lift. After a "more comprehensive renovation effort", this old Arsenal Building reopened in 2001, as the MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History. There are many interesting displays and historical artifacts from not only the fort years, but of the military hiThe story of soldiers from Arkansas and their service in all the 20th century wars, and a few from current actions.
HISTORY OF MANIFESTATIONS:
Like many other former military forts, this Old Arsenal Building and the land it sits on still seems to attract eternal career soldiers and people tied to these places, who perhaps met their end there. Accidents, suicide, disease, battles, execution or death by other unknown causes, have killed military soldiers & personnel, and civilians alike on other military/fort installations found on this web site (Fort Hayes, Columbus, Ohio * Fort Mackinac * Fort Delaware * Fort Leavenworth * Fort Lewis * Fort Vancouver * Dayton Air Force Museum * Fort Bridger)
Accidents: Munitions/cannonballs were known to blow up in arsenal storage facilities, killing soldiers. (Fort Hayes, Columbus, Ohio)
Duel deaths: A duel between two soldiers took place in the basement, under the stair area, probably in the early years of the Arsenal Building.
Civil War Battle: While the change of sides from Union to Confederate in 1861 at this Old Arsenal Installation happened because of a peaceful compromise, in 1863, the battle for the city of Little Rock was a fierce fight, resulting in casualties. Soldiers lost their lives defending this installation, and the city of Little Rock, as did Union soldiers.
The The story of Confederate patriot David Owen Dodd: Martyred through a botched execution. Having a torturous, brutal death often causes hauntings: (Wyoming Frontier Prison * Minneapolis City Hall * Whitley County Jailhouse * The USS Constellation)
3 months after the Union forces had taken Little Rock, this 17 year old was caught in a Union soldier check-point with sensitive military information about the Union forces, written in morse-code. Though offered a plea bargain if he revealed the names of those who gave him this information, David refused. In a military court, David was given a four day trial, and convicted of spying for the Confederacy, and given a death sentence by hanging. On January 8th, 1864, gallows were in place just east of the Old Arsenal building, guarded by a large group of soldiers, to stop any possible rescue effort. 6,000 citizens came to watch. David was brought to the gallows in a large wagon, and made to step off the tail gate with the noose around his neck. Because of the incompetence of the living, he didn't fall from a high enough stage or fast enough to snap his neck, because the tail gate was too low to the ground. David suffered a slow death by strangulation, to the horror of both the soldiers and the audience, despite an effort of a soldier to lift the rope up to try to speed up the execution. David was quickly and quietly buried at Mount Holly Cemetery. A memorial is dedicated to David Dodd, and a stained glass window was made in his honor, which now hangs in the museum.
Articles of clothing, artifacts from various military events, historical eras, owned and used by the people who participated in these historical moments have been known to draw spirits to the building where these items are on display. (The United States Air Force Museum * Wood County Infirmary * Speed Art Museum)
As this was the only original building left standing, after the land swap with the Federal government, some entities now call this place home, or still like to visit on occasion, perhaps reliving the good times they had while living in this building and on this military installation. They perhaps also enjoy seeing what fellow soldiers accomplished after them.
MANIFESTATIONS:
Disembodied voices, talking, music have been heard by the living who work in the building and who visit the displays.
In 1996, an employee was sitting in her office in the basement, when she heard the sounds of music, laughter and talking coming from the room above her,which was the largest room on the east side of the ground floor. She went up to see, and saw and heard nothing. when she returned to her office, the same sounds were present.
People has been given the full array of paranormal occurrences.
Solid apparitions: The second floor of the tower was turned into a theater. While closing up an employee saw a solid body of a man, dressed in a dark uniform, lying across the chairs. She ran down to get another person to help what she thought was a transient to get out of the building. When the second person tried to touch the body, which had turned around, it melted into the air, probably encouraging a hasty retreat!
See-through apparitions: On occasion, a see-through apparition has been seen walking down the staircase to the ground floor, going about his business.
A playful entity, perhaps that of David, likes to throw things at people, just missing them, during late afternoon, or stormy winter days. The unsuspecting person walks down the right hand staircase from the third floor to the second. If this person stops immediately looks over a shoulder, he or she will see a shadow of an object fly by, as if an unseen presence at the top of the stairs is throwing something for chuckles, enjoying the reactions of people.
Shadow people, and unexplained shadows on the wall have been noticed by many as well.
Two shadow people have been seen in the area under the grand staircase in the basement, still reliving their duel.
PSYCHIC RESEARCH:
On April 25th, 2005, The Spirit Seekers Paranormal Investigation Research & Intervention Team made another visit to the Old Arsenal: MacArthur Museum and had some interesting experiences.
Pictures taken indicate there are more spirits outside the museum than inside, though orbs were caught on camera inside as well.
Investigators came in contact with 3 spirit entities.
An investigator and a psychic met a friendly female presence, Katharine, who was the one who played the piano, making the piano music heard earlier on the second floor in the East Room.
Another investigator met a male presence near the jeep display; (probably attached to the jeep or one of the other vehicles.)
The psychic made contact with yet another male spirit, who told the psychic that he didn't normally hang out in this building, but wanted to come and see what the investigating team was doing there, (probably feeling protective of the museum - perhaps an ex MP?.)
STILL HAUNTED?
Yes Indeed!
The living are given the full paranormal treatment, from residual energy to solid apparitions, though pleasant in nature and not angry or resentful.