News

May042011May 4, 2011November 19, 20143Commentsby itswebteam

Mississippi River is Risin’ 2011

Posted in Mississippi River
Saturday, May 14, 2011 — Photo Courtesy Rusty Johnson of Lake Village, Ark.



Updated 5/19/2011 @ 12:20 am 5/16/2011 @ 10:50 am 5/14/2011 @ 11:25 am; 5/10/2011 @ 12:30 pm and @ 8:20 pm

Lakeport is on dry land, but over the levee, just 800 feet away, the flood waters are nearing their crest.  They are expected to reach their peak on Sunday, May 15th.  Revised to May 17. 16 and back to May 17 again to 64.5′.   The river has crested, see MS Levee Board News below:

MS Levee Board News 5-20-2011

The MS River has crested at Arkansas City and Greenville and is cresting at Vicksburg!
UPDATE – May 18, 2011
CURRENT GAGE READINGS
Arkansas City   52.7’
Greenville          64.0’
Vicksburg         57.1’
MS RIVER FORECAST
Arkansas City    Crested May 16th at 53.1’
Greenville          Crested May 16th at 64.2’
Vicksburg          Cresting at 57.1’
This highwater exceeded the 1973 highwater levels by 6’.
This highwater put us 3.2’ above the 100-year flood on the MS River.
The 100-year flood on the MS River is 61’ at Greenville and 54’ at Vicksburg.
MS Levee Board News 5-15-2011
The MS River is cresting at Arkansas City!

UPDATE – May 16, 2011
CURRENT GAGE READINGS
Arkansas City    53.1’
Greenville          64.2’
Vicksburg          56.5’

MS RIVER FORECAST
They lowered the Greenville crest by 6” to 64.5’ on May 17th:
Arkansas City    53.1’ cresting
Greenville          64.5’ crest on May 17th
Vicksburg          57.5’ crest on May 19th
This forecast will exceed the 1973 highwater levels by 6’.
This forecast will put us 3.5’ above the 100-year flood on the MS River.
The 100-year flood on the MS River is 61’ at Greenville and 54’ at Vicksburg.

The Corps of Engineers, at a meeting at the Chicot County Courthouse in Lake Village on 5/9/11 and 5/10/11 (the ones I attended), assured citizens that the levees are holding up and they are designed to withstand this historic flood.  These informational meetings will be held every day at the Chicot County Courthouse at 4 pm until further notice.

A few other points the Corps made:

  • Levee system is in good shape.
  • Fields are dry; a few inches of rain will not be a problem.
  • The rise has slowed this week; has crested, but will be a slow draw down.
  • We will have highwater into June. Our northern neighbors are holding a lot of water in their reservoirs that they will eventually have to release.
    • the slow drop in floodwaters prevents the levees from sloughing 
  • There is some seepage along levees, but this is normal and not a concern.
  • An older levee near Eudora was topped last week by the floodwaters; this levee is not part of the mainline levees.
  • No water is or can be pumped into Lake Chicot.  The pumping station at Lake Chicot is NOT designed to pump water into the lake–just out of it.
  • Levees perpendicular to each other (directly across the river) have the same elevation.
  • Sand boils are being monitored; they know where they are historically and none are considered a threat at this time.
    • boils that are moving clear water are not a threat. boils that are moving material/dirt/sand are.
      • it takes a lot of movement of material to consider them a threat.
  • Watch for wildlife that have been displaced from their habitat by the flood.
  • Gov. Beebe has activated the National Guard to help watch the levees in Desha and Chicot counties.
    • approximately 30  70 Guardsmen will be in the counties.
    • Good internet resources:
    • Media reports in Chicot County
      • KATV — Floodwaters Rising in southeast Arkansas, Mississippi (5/15/2011)
      • KATV — River cresting Sunday [not sure if that day is accurate] in Desha, Chicot Counties (5/15/2011)
      • Huffington Post (in Greenville, MS) — At Epicenter of Past River Flood, A Town On Edge (5/14/2011)
      • KATV –Chicot County Almost Out of The Water, Levee Holding  (5/13/2011)
      • Delta Farm Press — Anxiety rises with river levels on Mississippi (5/9/2011)
      • Southwest Times Record (Fort Smith) — Members Of 188th Assist With Flood Relief (5/14/2011)
      • THV — Arkansas National Guard heads to Chicot County for flood preps (5/13/2011)
    • The levees are fine.
    And while you are here:  Please vote for the Lakeport Plantation and 9 of your other favorite Arkansas places in the Department of Parks & Tourism’s Favorite Places in Arkansas Poll.  Lakeport is listed under “Attractions.”
    http://www.arkansas.com/175

    If you compare the photos from May 4, 10 and 16, you can see the water has continued to inch up along the levee. (Tip pause the slideshow and look for comparable photos).

    In the Spring of 2008 the Mississippi River also rose and neared the top of the levee.  The 2011 flood waters are expected to be 7.1 feet hight than 2008 (see Press Release below).

    April 5, 2008 — Lakeport can be seen to the Right.

    Levee reinforcements at Lakeport, April 1927 — House in background — Photo is Courtesy Library of Congress.

    Press Release from Chicot County Judge Mack Ball
    May 4, 2011

    Chicot County Judge Mack Ball reports that a flood warning for the Mississippi River remains in effect for Chicot County. The flood stage is 48.0 feet, with moderate flooding occurring and major flooding predicted. At 4:00 P.M. Monday, the river stage was 53.2 feet. The river will continue to rise to near 64.5 feet by Sunday, May 15th, exceeding the flood of 2008 by 7.1 feet.
    The County Judge met with the Eudora Mayor William Stanton and Lake Village Mayor JoAnne Bush in his office Monday afternoon to brief the Mayors of rising waters from the Mississippi River. Also in attendance was Mike Morgan, Chicot County Emergency Management, the Tony Booker, Chicot County Sheriff’s office, David Gillison of the Southeast Arkansas Levee Board and Sammy Angel with the Lake Village Fire Department.
    Judge Ball issued a flood disaster request to the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management on April 27, 2011 in order to obtain necessary supplies to prevent a breach in the Mississippi River Levee System. Barricades have been placed at all entrances to the levee system and driving on the levee is strictly prohibited and will be enforced. Sandbags are being filled by prisoners at the Delta Regional Detention Center in Dermott to be used at two sand boil sites in Chicot County. Authorities are constantly monitoring these two particular sites, but citizens are encourage to contact the Judge’s Office with any information concerning other suspected boils.
    The U.S. Army Corp of Engineers has personnel in place to monitor the levee system and all known historical sand boils in Chicot County. Also, the Southeast Arkansas Levee Board is constantly monitoring for sand boils and river seepage caused by the high water.
    As of May 2, 2011, no vehicles will be permitted to travel on the levee. The Chicot County Sheriff’s Department, Arkansas Game and Fish, Arkansas Department of Emergency Management and the National Guard will be authorized to issue tickets accordingly. This “zero tolerance” policy is in place to protect both the citizens and property in Chicot County. It is each resident’s responsibility to follow the laws and instructions from the Southeast Arkansas Levee Board, Arkansas Department of Emergency Management, National Guard, U.S. Corp of Engineers, Chicot County Sheriff’s Office and the Chicot County Judge’s office.
    All major decisions by the Corp of Engineers or any other state or federal agency will be reported to the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management and the Chicot County Judge. The County Judge will notify the Mayors of each city in Chicot County. The steps will then be in place to inform you as citizens.
    If a breach of the levee does occur, officials have developed a system of getting the word to you as a citizen by utilizing fire departments, law enforcement and the Arkansas National Guard. The authorities are simply asking for you to use all precautions and report any unusual developments.
    In the event conditions warrant an evacuation all available personnel will notify the citizens of Chicot County. It is at this point that, EVACUATION WILL BE MANDANTORY and your cooperation will be necessary in order to protect both life and property in Chicot County.
    At this time only precautionary measures have been issued from each of these entities. Please know that all authorities are working together for your protection. All state and national agencies are on alert for any additional changes in the present conditions of the Mississippi River.

    Mar232011March 23, 2011November 22, 2016by itswebteam

    Summer Teacher Workshops at ASU Heritage Sites

    Posted in Arkansas History, civil war, Teacher workshops
    The Arkansas Heritage Sites at Arkansas State University will be hosting a series of teacher workshops this summer.  Each workshop will provide six hours of inservice credit. All workshop themes and activities fit into the Arkansas Social Studies Curriculum Frameworks. These workshops are designed to feature the multi-topic and interdisciplinary educational opportunities available through three great and unique Arkansas Delta sites.  
    June 14, 2011:  Southern Tenant Farmers Museum, “World War II in the Delta.”                                                          
    This workshop will focus on the POW camps that were located in the Arkansas Delta, as well as the impact the war had on agricultural production in the state. http://stfm.astate.edu/

     June 16, 2011:  Hemingway-Pfeiffer Museum & Education Center, “The Hemingway Connection.”                                
    This workshop will focus on Ernest Hemingway’s connection to the Pfeiffer Family of Piggott and his contribution to Arkansas’s literary legacy. http://hemingway.astate.edu/     Canceled


    June 22, 2011: Lakeport Plantation, “The Sesquicentennial of the Civil War in Arkansas.”                                                  
    Lakeport is one of 23 official stamping sites for the Arkansas Civil War Sesquicentennial Passport Program. This workshop will focus on Lakeport’s and the surrounding area’s connection to the Civil War. https://lakeport.astate.edu/


    June 28, 2011: Southern Tenant Farmers Museum, “‘Roll the Union On’: The Music That Inspired a Movement.”            
    This workshop will focus on the protest songs written by John Handcox and how music was used to mobilize a labor movement of the mid-twentieth century. 

    Please feel free to forward this announcement onto anyone who would be interested in attending these workshops.  For those who are interested in registering for a workshop(s), registration is available through the Arkansas Heritage Sites on either the home page or the education page (the registration tool is located in the left hand side link menu): http://arkansasheritagesites.astate.edu/AHS/
    Interested folks can contact Rachel Miller directly: rachel.miller@smail.astate.edu 

    Mar102011March 10, 2011November 22, 2016by itswebteam

    Lakeport Plantation Joins Arkansas Civil War Sesquicentennial Passport Program

    Posted in civil war, Sesquicentennial, tourism
    For Immediate Release

    3/10/2011

    The Lakeport Plantation and Lake Chicot State Park are two of 23 stamping sites for the Arkansas Civil War Sesquicentennial Passport Program.  According to a press release from the Arkansas Civil War Sesquicentennial Commission:  Travelers in Arkansas can visit sites around the state to learn about Arkansas’s Civil War history while earning prizes through the Arkansas Civil War Sesquicentennial Passport Program, Arkansas Civil War Sesquicentennial Commission Chairman Tom Dupree announced today.
    “The Arkansas Civil War Sesquicentennial Commission welcomes everyone to visit the state’s many Civil War sites by participating in the Arkansas Civil War Sesquicentennial Passport Program,” Dupree said. “Visitors can get their passports stamped at 23 different places around Arkansas and can visit other Civil War-related properties while they are in the area. Once all 23 stamps are acquired, visitors can send in the back cover of their passport to receive an official Arkansas Civil War Sesquicentennial coin or patch.”
    Arkansas Civil War Sesquicentennial Passports can be acquired at any of Arkansas’s Welcome Centers, at the participating stamping sites, by writing Arkansas Civil War Sesquicentennial Commission, 1500 Tower Building, 323 Center Street, Little Rock, AR 72201, or by e-mailing acwsc@arkansasheritage.org.
    Other Stamping Sites in Southeast Arkansas include: Arkansas Post National Memorial (Gillette vic, Arkansas County), St. Charles Museum (St. Charles, Arkansas County), the Delta Cultural Center (Helena-West Helena, Phillips County), and the Phillips County Museum (Helena-West Helena, Phillips County).  Associated Sites in Southeast Arkansas include: Ditch Bayou Battlefield (Lake Village vic. Chicot County), Helena Confederate Cemetery (Phillips County), and the Drew County Historical Museum (Monticello, Drew County).   For more information on the Passport Program and a full list of stamping sites and associated sites visit http://www.arkansascivilwar150.com/civil-war-sites/passport/
    The Lakeport Plantation house is an Arkansas State University Heritage Site.  Built for Lycurgus and Lydia Johnson in 1859, the Greek Revival home is one of Arkansas’ premiere historic structures and is now the only remaining antebellum plantation home in Arkansas on the Mississippi River.  The Johnson family retained ownership of the house until 1927, when the Chicot County plantation was purchased by Sam Epstein.  The house was added to the National Register in 1974 and was gifted to Arkansas State University in 2001 by the Sam Epstein Angel Family.  Following a massive restoration effort, the home opened to the public on September 28, 2007.



    Mar022011March 2, 2011November 22, 2016by itswebteam

    Preservation & Tourism News for Lake Village & Chicot County

    Posted in News, Preservation, tourism

    The Arkansas Historic Preservation Program, in a press release, announced Lake Village’s downtown has been added to the National Register of Historic Places.  On Saturday, April 9th at 11 a.m., AHPP will hold its Walks through History program in downtown Lake Village.  Lakeport will also be open following the Walks through History program.

    DOWNTOWN LAKE VILLAGE LISTED ON NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES
           LITTLE ROCK—The Lake Village Commercial Historic District at Lake Village in Chicot County has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the country’s official list of historically significant properties, Arkansas Historic Preservation Program Director Frances McSwain announced today.
          The Lake Village Commercial Historic District – which is bounded by Lakeshore Drive, Jackson Street, Chicot Street and Church Street – features buildings dating to around 1906.
           “The district reflects the growth of Lake Village as a nucleus of commerce and trade in southeast Arkansas,” the National Register nomination says. “As the county seat, Lake Village is a center for local government and the Chicot County Courthouse is a cornerstone of the downtown commercial district. The Lake Village Commercial Historic District contains 38 buildings and one monument.”
           The AHPP is the Department of Arkansas Heritage agency responsible for identifying, evaluating, registering and preserving the state’s cultural resources. Other agencies are the Arkansas Arts Council, the Delta Cultural Center in Helena, the Old State House Museum, the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission, the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center and the Historic Arkansas Museum.
    On Friday, February 18th, the Delta Byways held their 11th Annual Delta Awards in Forrest City. Lake Villagers were dominated for two awards; Brianne Connelly of Lake Village was nominated for the Tourism Support Award and Lake Village Mayor JoAnne Bush was nominated and won Tourism Person of the Year.  
    Tourism Person of the Year Winner JoAnne Bush with family and supporters from Lake Village 

    Brianne Connelly, Tourism Support Nominee, with James Bacon  
      
    11th Annual Delta Awards for Tourism Achievement
                The 11th annual Delta Awards recognizing tourism achievements in Eastern Arkansas were presented during festivities Friday evening, February 18, at the Forrest City Civic Center in Forrest City, Arkansas.  The event was sponsored by Arkansas Delta Byways, with support from the St. Francis County Museum and the Forrest City A & P Commission.
               
    Finalists for the awards were as follows, with the winner designated by an asterisk:
                      1.      Media Support Award                       
              Cross County Historical Society Newsletter, Wynne
              *Delta Crossroads Magazine, Piggott, Rector, Manila and Trumann
              Rob Johnson, Forrest City Broadcasting
    2.         Hospitality Award                              
                Edwardian Inn, Helena
                *Lake Poinsett State Park, Harrisburg
                Paragould Community Center, Paragould
               
    3.         Entrepreneur Award                                                  
                            ASU Farmers’ Market, Jonesboro
                E. J. Miller, Colton’s Steak House, Marion
               *Periwinkle Place, McGehee
               
    4.         Tourism Support Award                     
                Brianne Connelly, Lake Village
               *Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas, Little Rock
               Scott Lane, Dermott
               
    5.         Festival/Event of the Year 
                            Blues on Broadway, West Memphis
                            Loose Caboose XXI, Paragould           
                           *Tour duh Sunken Lands Harvest Ride, Dyess, Lepanto, Marked Tree and Tyronza
               
    6.         Boot Strap Award                                                       
                            Dyess Days, Dyess
                           *Main Street Paragould’s Holiday Traditions, Paragould
                McGehee Historic Depot, McGehee


    7.         Promotional Award                
                Arkansas DeltaMade Artists – Betsy Brackin, Norwood Creech, Suzanne Churchill,
                     Edward Wade and Nancy LaFarra Wilson, All Counties
               *City Branding Programs, Blytheville, Helena, Paragould and West Memphis
               Bike Crowley’s Ridge, Mississippi River Trail
               
    8.         Outstanding Member Award
                            Linda Hinton, Tyronza
               *Sheilla Lampkin, Monticello
               Vicki Trimble, Lake Frierson State Park, Jonesboro
    9.         Cultural Heritage Award                   
                *Exploring the Arkansas Frontier, ASU Museum, Jonesboro
                Civil War Helena, Phillips Helena
                Parker Pioneer Homestead, Harrisburg        
               
    10.       Tourism Person of the Year Award   
               *JoAnne Bush, Lake Village
                Rosalind O’Neal, Marion
                Munnie Jordan, Helena

    Feb172011February 17, 2011November 22, 2016by itswebteam

    Lakeport Plantation Receives Donation of Original Furniture

    Posted in Catherine Verlinda Johnson, donation, furniture, Johnson, Linnie Johnson

    For immediate release:

    2/17/2011

    The Lakeport Plantation, on February 17, 2011,  received a donation of two pieces of Lakeport’s original furniture and a Johnson family doll.  The artifacts, an antebellum washstand, a carved chair, and a family doll that survived the 1927 flood in Greenville, Mississippi, are the gift of Glenn Smith of San Rafael, California in memory of his wife Verlinda Catherine Rose (Linnie).  Lakeport Planation Assistant Director, Blake Wintory, stated “We appreciate the Smith and Rose families for giving these important historical pieces back to Lakeport. These pieces have not been in the house for over 80 years; they are essential elements for telling the story of the plantation.”

    The artifacts have gone across the county from Lakeport to Greenville to Memphis, and then onto California and Washington as the Johnson family moved west.  Linnie Rose acquired the pieces from her mother,  Catherine Verlinda Johnson Rose, who received them from her father, Dr. Victor Johnson.  Victor, the youngest son of Lycurgus and Lydia Johnson, was the last Johnson to live at Lakeport.  He and his family moved to Greenville, Mississippi in 1917.  Ten years later, following the flood of 1927, the family moved to Memphis.   In 2008, Sharon Rose, Linnie’s sister, donated a washstand that is similar the washstand received today.  Underneath the gray marble top is a shipping label that reads, “L.J. Lakeport, Ark.”  Sharon remembers both wash stands being in her family’s home.  She stated “I’m so happy Glenn donated those items to Lakeport; it’s where they belong.”
    The Lakeport Plantation house is an Arkansas State University Heritage Site.   Built for Lycurgus and Lydia Johnson in 1859, the Greek Revival home is one of Arkansas’ premiere historic structures and is now the only remaining antebellum plantation home in Arkansas on the Mississippi River.  The Johnson family retained ownership of the house until 1927, when the Chicot County plantation was purchased by Sam Epstein.  The house was added to the National Register in 1974 and was gifted to Arkansas State University in 2001 by the Sam Epstein Angel Family.  Following a massive restoration effort, the home opened to the public on September 28, 2007.




    Feb172011February 17, 2011November 19, 20144Commentsby itswebteam

    Lakeport Special Delivery: What’s in the Box?

    Posted in Delivery

    Can you guess what came special delivery to Lakeport today? 
    Stay tuned.  

    The folks at Ship Smart are some amazing packers:


    Feb152011February 15, 2011November 22, 2016by itswebteam

    Highway 82 Bridge Demolition

    Posted in Benjamin G. Humphreys Bridge, Hwy 82

    The old Highway 82 bridge (Benjamin G. Humphreys Bridge) is no longer in one piece.  Last week the eastern part of the bridge was taken out through a small explosion (I almost fell out of my chair at Lakeport).  This morning the center part of the bridge is being lowered on to a barge(s).

    Lowering old bridge’s center


    Notice the missing section on the right (eastern portion of bridge)

    More evidence of bridge’s demolition

    Update (2/15/2011, 3:12 p.m.):

    Middle section has been lowered onto two barges





    Update II (2/16/2011):  Video implosion of eastern side of bridge — courtesy of  mcgee3394 on YouTube






    Link to last summer’s blog entry on the old bridge:

    Remembering the Old Bridge; Getting Ready for the New



    Feb082011February 8, 2011November 19, 2014by itswebteam

    Lakeport Plantation Presents:

    Posted in event, Mark Twain
    Twain on the Plantation
    Saturday 
    February 26, 2011
    2:00 – 3:00 p.m.

    Delta radio and television personality, David Lush, will present his Mark Twain at the Lakeport Plantation on Saturday, February 26, 2011.
      
    A tour of the Lakeport Plantation home will begin at 12:30 pm.  At 2 pm, Mark Twain will entertain guests of the Plantation with his tales (some tall; some short) of his adventures as a Mississippi riverboat pilot.  
    Seating is limited to the first 50 guests.   RSVP by Friday, Feb. 18th  (870) 265-6031  Free Admission  and refreshments.   

    “The doors will open at 12 o’clock, and the trouble will begin at 2.”




    Jan142011January 14, 2011November 19, 2014by itswebteam

    New Website for Arkansas State University’s Arkansas Heritage Sites

    Posted in Arkansas State University, Heritage Sites, webpage

    As many of you know, the Lakeport Plantation is part of Arkansas State University’s Arkansas Heritage Sites program.  There are now four Heritage Sites:  Lakeport, the Hemingway-Pfeiffer Museum in Piggott, the Southern Tenant Farmers Museum in Tyronza, and the most recent addition, the Historic Dyess Colony: Boyhood Home of Johnny Cash.  The program also includes the ASU Museum, as well as the Arkansas Delta Byways, which promotes tourism in the 15 county region.


    Now there is a single website for all of ASU’s Heritage Sites (thanks to the work of Rachel Miller, a graduate student in Heritage Studies program at ASU).  The website gives an overview of programs, with links to all of the individual Heritage Sites’ web pages. 


    Visit http://arkansasheritagesites.astate.edu to check out all the Sites, their programs, history, and how you can experience Arkansas’s history.



    Jan102011January 10, 2011November 19, 2014by itswebteam

    Snow Day

    Posted in snow, weather

    Lakeport is closed today (January 10, 2011) due to the inclement weather.