The 1836 House of Representative is the only room in the Old State House interpreted as an antebellum space |
The Old State House's original House of Representatives chamber is one of the most historic rooms in Arkansas. It was here that all of Arkansas's constitutions, except the first, were enacted. The room also served as the scene of the fabled 1837 knife fight where Speaker of the House John Wilson killed Representative J. J. Anthony. It was also the site of the second (and final) vote to secede from the Union during the Civil War.
In 1885, the north façade of the State House was extended 60 feet toward the Arkansas River to create a larger House Chamber; the original House Chamber then served as the Senate Chamber until 1911. During the 1885 renovation, efforts were made to modernize interior spaces along Victorian lines.
When the State House became a museum in the early 1950s, every effort was made to restore it to its 1885 Victorian appearance. As a result, there have been no antebellum spaces in the interior for more than 100 years. When the site underwent restoration in the late 1990s, the original House of Representatives Chamber was returned to its likely appearance during the 1840s. The room contains wooden desks, chairs and spittoons. The gallery is further interpreted by a video of some of the famous political scenes and events that occurred during the 75 years that the Old State House served as Arkansas's seat of government.
View the scripts for the 1836 House video presentations.
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