The city of Marshall has been recognized by Arkansas Business as one of eight 2021 community trendsetters in the Tourism Development/Creative Culture category.In a special publication, Trendsetter City 2021, Marshall is one of five cities recognized in the category with an honorable mention. The three winners in the category were Gravette, Helena and North Little Rock.
In the profile of the Searcy County county seat, the article notes Marshall has embraced the past in order to enhance its future.
The new Buffalo River Historic Jail and Museum that opened in December is a new tourist information center where visitors and new residents are able to learn about all the area has to offer.
The center is also designed to share the history of the land with the people that live in the Buffalo River watershed.
The first-of-its-kind project is a response to expressed community interest in promoting new business and opportunities for Marshall’s residents.
Photo: Rep. Jack Fortner of Yellville was the first person to sign the guest book during a guest preview of the opening of the new Searcy County Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Information Center in December
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The project is the brainchild of a Searcy County Chamber of Commerce member who went the extra mile for grants and in enlisting help to take the museum from the idea stage and make it a reality.
The two-story jail building features exhibits and galleries on the Civil War and post-Reconstruction, early 1900s business and cultural development, lawmen and the frontier spirit, a first people’s gallery and legacy gallery.
In 2020, the city opened Raccoon Springs Park, whose centerpiece is a fishing pond that has already attracted a number of derbies and events. The large pond is stocked with fish each fall, and the park also includes a walking track and several small pavilions that feature grills that visitors can use for picnics and get-togethers.
Photo: Work day at Raccoon Springs Park.
In June of 2021, Mayor Kevin Elliot accepted a check for $2,500 from the Buffalo Resource Committee which has contributed to the planting of 30 trees. According to Arkansas Business, there are plans to apply for an additional grant to be used to build playground equipment.
The park project has already paid dividends in terms of events held in Marshall.
The local senior center held a “Christmas in the Park” event in 2020, and highlights included carriage rides and vendors. There have also been fishing derbies in which kids and their families earned prizes for their angling efforts in various categories and enjoyed a served meal.
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