Williams Hollow Farm and bordering stream (Copyright The Conservation Fund) |
A 140-acre
parcel that was the scene of Confederate troop movements and a hospital during
the March 1862 Battle of Pea Ridge in northwest Arkansas has been bought by a
coalition of conservation and historical groups, with plans to donate it to the
National Park Service.
The Williams
Hollow Farm is surrounded on three sides by Pea Ridge National Military Park;
the acquisition in effect fills in a missing puzzle piece.
The
Conservation Fund and the Northwest Arkansas Land Trust earlier this month
announced the purchase. Spokeswoman Ann Simonelli with The Conservation Fund
told the Picket the seller is an extended family that has owned the property
since the time of the battle.
Maj. Gen. Price |
“There is nothing on the land at the moment.
It is currently made up of forest and degraded field. The park service aims to
eventually do restoration of the field to manage it as vegetation from the 1862
time period,” Simonelli said.
While the groups did not disclose the purchase
amount, it is believed to be in the hundreds of thousands. The Pea Ridge National Military Park Foundation is helping with fund-raising to cover the purchase and
eventual donation of the property to the federal government.
Among
those efforts is NWA (Norwest Arkansas) Gives on April 2.
The
March 6-9, 1862, Battle of Pea Ridge (Elkhorn Tavern) has
been called by some historians “the Gettysburg of the West.” Forces under Union
Maj. Gen. Samuel Curtis defeated the men of Confederate Maj. Gen. Earl Van
Dorn, whose leadership has been faulted by historians. The Union won control of Missouri and weakened
the Confederate hold in Arkansas.
“It is no exaggeration to say that the Pea Ridge campaign
permanently altered the balance of power in the Trans-Mississippi. Few Civil
War operations had such an impact on the course of events,” according to the National Park Service.
Kurz & Allison's fanciful depiction of battle (Library of Congress) |
Jami Lockhart with the Arkansas Archeological Survey
performed research on the Williams Hollow Farm and surrounding areas that
played a part in the battle.
Confederate and Federal units clashed at Cross Timber Hollow
and the Tanyard area north of Elkhorn Tavern. Rebel troops likely traversed the
ground comprising the purchased property. Missouri State Guard troops under
Maj. General Sterling Price emerged from Williams Hollow on March 7 as part of
a drive on the Union right flank, according to histories.
The coalition cited other historical aspects of the area.
Lockhart wrote: “The historic Telegraph Road approaches to within 150 feet of
the conservation property, and runs roughly parallel with the property along
the entirety of its eastern boundary. Telegraph Road (also known as Old Wire Road) is integral to the history
of the region. This road formed a
portion of the route associated with the forced relocation of thousands of
Native Americans, and is commonly known as the Trail of Tears. It was the route of the Butterfield Overland
Mail and Stage line serving the area between St. Louis and San Francisco during
the period 1858 to 1861. Telegraph Road was also the primary transportation
artery in the area during the Civil War. Telegraph
Road is especially well-known for its central role in the Battle of Pea Ridge.”
Sunset at Pea Ridge National Military Park (NPS) |
During the night of March 7 into March 8, 1862, both armies
concentrated forces on Telegraph Road. A powerful Union bombardment and assault
on March 8 put Confederates into a retreat.
It’s not just
the Civil War aspect of Williams Hollow Farm that is important, the groups said in their
announcement.
“Once protected, the Williams Hollow Farm will secure the
view shed of the Pea Ridge National Military Park and conserve mature forest
habitat for migratory songbirds and rare bats, including the threatened
northern long-eared bat. Keeping the property undeveloped will also help
provide water quality protection of Sugar Creek within the Elk River
watershed.”
Pea Ridge National Military Park Superintendent Kevin Eads
told the Picket the acquisition would help protect and preserve cultural and
natural resources.
Jackie Crabtree, mayor of the town of Pea Ridge and head of
the Pea Ridge National Military Park Foundation, said during the time of
fundraising the Northwest Arkansas Land Trust will work with the park staff to keep
the property maintained. The tract currently has a large open field surrounded
by timber.
Rock formations at Williams Hollow Farm (Copyright The Conservation Fund) |
Crabtree said
the purchase was a rare opportunity to protect such property during a time of
rapid growth in the region.
Needless
to say, the Civil War is an important part of the town’s background and
tourism.
“There
are several families still in the area that were here during the battle,”
Crabtree told the Picket. “The thing that makes Pea Ridge unique however is the
naming of our streets. North/South streets are named for Union soldiers who
fought in the battle. East/West streets are named for Confederate soldiers.
This is set in city ordinance for developers.”
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