ARE WE THERE YET?

Fordyce museum bears testament to city's claims to fame

A polar bear killed in the Russian Arctic is on exhibit at Dallas County Museum in Fordyce.
A polar bear killed in the Russian Arctic is on exhibit at Dallas County Museum in Fordyce.

FORDYCE -- A ferocious-looking polar bear, mouth open to brandish killer teeth, greets visitors in the lobby of the Dallas County Museum in downtown Fordyce.

A magnificent example of taxidermy, the bear was killed some years ago in the Russian Arctic by a county resident who donated it to the volunteer-operated facility. Among Arkansas' best county museums, the two-story property expanded by opening a nearby sports annex last year. The addition focuses on legendary football coach Paul "Bear" Bryant, an alumnus of Fordyce High School, where he played for the state-champion Redbugs.

Upstairs in the main museum, an exhibit recounts an event that put Fordyce briefly in global headlines on July 5, 1975. That day, Rolling Stones Keith Richards and Ron Wood stopped for lunch at the 4-Dice Restaurant while driving from Memphis to Dallas during a 28-city concert tour.

Richards was at the wheel a few miles outside town when he was pulled over for reckless driving. He passed a sobriety test but was cited for carrying an illegal weapon -- a hunting knife. Not jailed, he spent several hours at City Hall with Wood before posting bond of $162.50, which he later forfeited. On display is a copy of the 2006 letter from Gov. Mike Huckabee officially pardoning the rock star.

The July 5 scene, according to a museum sign, was at least mildly madcap: "The culprits were unperturbed. They were friendly, signed autographs, ate ice cream, drank Cokes and rode confiscated children's bikes down the corridors of City Hall." When the Stones moved on, "Fordyce was left with a cherished memory."

Another musical legend, Elvis Presley, plays a tangential role in the extensive exhibit of vintage telephone equipment on the second floor. A plaque in a wooden telephone booth notes that it came from a drugstore in Tupelo, Miss., near the teenage Presley's home: "It is believed that Elvis used this phone booth since there was no phone in his home."

The telephone display reflects the enthusiasm of Bill Ladd, a retired technician who is sometimes at the museum to give visitors a lively tour of the switchboards and other fascinating gadgetry he has collected. He has several old-fashioned phones wired for conversation, providing amusement for youngsters -- and young-at-heart adults.

Other exhibits span a host of topics, among them American Indian archaeology, the Civil War, railroading, timber, pottery, schools, textiles, dentistry, newspapering, music, toys, fashion and more. A treasure is the nearly 25,000 negatives from the former Alexander Photography Studio picturing Dallas County residents in the 1930s through '60s.

Fordyce, 70 miles south of Little Rock, prospered in the early 20th century as a stop on the old Cotton Belt railroad. That legacy is celebrated here each April with the Fordyce on the Cotton Belt Festival. On display outside the former Cotton Belt depot is a handsomely maintained steam locomotive. The depot now houses the Round Table cafe, which serves first-rate cheeseburgers and fries.

Dallas County Museum, 221 N. Main St., Fordyce, is open 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday. Admission is free, with donations welcome. The Bill Mays Sports Annex across the street is open 1-4 p.m. Friday or by prior arrangement. For details, visit dallascountymuseum.org or call (870) 352-7202.

Weekend on 12/22/2016

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