10.    1885 House of Representatives Chamber

Then...
In 1842, the Arkansas Senate occupied this space and the House of Representatives occupied the space across the hall. By 1885, however, the original House Chamber was too small to accommodate the growing number of representatives. Thus the north end of the Main Building was removed and the building extended an additional 70 feet toward the river.
During the Medical School era, this large space was divided to create several laboratories. In 1951, museum director Agnes Loewer attempted to restore it as a legislative chamber, employing a carpenter to make exact reproductions of a senate desk from 1911. This restoration was undercut, however, by the historically inappropriate inclusion of plush red carpets and red velvet drapes.

The balconies in the two chambers were used by visitors and guests to view the proceedings of the Arkansas General Assembly. It has a very interesting, although morbid, claim to fame. During the Medical School era, it housed the incinerator where the remnants of cadavers were cremated.

Now…
The 1885 House of Representatives Chamber houses the exhibit On the Stump: Arkansas Politics, 1819-1919. Due to safety concerns, the balconies are off limits to museum visitors.