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. >> AT THE MUSEUM OF NATIVE
AMERICAN OF HISTORY IN BENTONVILLE YOU CAN VIEW RELICS
DATING BACK 14,000 YEARS COVERING 5 DIFFERENT TIME
PERIODS. IN SHORT YOU WILL BE AMAZED WHAT YOU CAN FIND HERE.
THE COLLECTION HERE AT THE MUSEUM OF NATIVE AMERICAN
HISTORY IS 1 THAT BASICALLY OUT GREW OWNER DAVID BOGLE'S
PRIVATE RESIDENCE.
>> INITIALLY IT WAS LARGELY MY COLLECTION, BUT IT'S BEEN
EXPANDED NOW. NOW, WE HAVE PIECES FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF
ARKANSAS. WE HAVE PIECES FROM OTHER COLLECTORS AROUND THE
COUNTRY THAT HAVE LOANED SO PEOPLE CAN ENJOY AND LEARN FROM
THEM AND WE CONTINUE TO GROW EVERY YEAR.
>> AND IT GOES FROM 5 TIME PERIODS AND OF COURSE WE START
OVER THERE. >> WE START OVER HERE. IT'S
IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE A HISTORY MUSEUM. WE
HAVE A SPECIFIC GOAL IN THAT WE ARE
HERE TO DISPEL THAT MIDDLE CONCEPT THAT PEOPLE HAVE WHAT A
NATIVE AMERICAN LOOKS LIKE. WE HAVE THIS IDEA THAT THEY ALL
LOOK LIKE A SIOUX INDIAN WITH A LONG HEAD DRESS SITTING ON A
SPOTTED PONY ON THE GLASS LANDS OF NEBRASKA BUT THAT'S NOT
TRUE. WE HAD OVER A THOUSAND TRIBES
SPREAD ALL OVER NORTH AND SOUTH AMERICA SO WE'RE HERE TO SHOW
THE RANGE OF NATIVE AMERICANS THAT LIVE HERE.
>> I FOUND FASCINATING YOU HAVE THE ILLUSTRATION HERE ON THIS
WALL IS THE -- WHAT THEY HAD AS HELP IN THROWING A SPEAR.
>> IT IS. THIS IS CALLED AN ATLADLE AND WAS A SPEAR
THROWER. THIS WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT
INVENTION BEFORE POWDER AND HERE THEY WENT
AFTER THE GREAT BEAST OF THE ICE
AGE AND WHEN THE ICE AGE ENDED WE WENT INTO WHAT WE CALL THE
ARCHAIC TIME PERIOD, AND THE GIANT BEAST WENT EXTIRCHT AND
EARLY MAN HAD TO ADAPT, HAD TO LEARN TO HUNT SMALLER AND
FASTER GAME, THE BISON, THE BEAR, THE
DEER, ELK, ROOST AND MUCH FASTER. HE COULD NO LONGER
HUNT WITH A SPEAR AND THIS WAS A
STICK ABOUT 18 INCHES LONG. IT HAD A HANDLE MADE FROM BONE.
IT HAD A HOOK ON THE END OF IT,
AND IT HAD A WEIGHT, SO IF YOU CAN
IMAGINE LIKE A TENNIS RACKET, AND SO THIS AT LEVEL WOULD
EXTEND YOUR ARM 18-INCHES AND ALLOW YOU TO THROW A SPEAR.
THERE ARE CONTESTS EVERY WEEKEND
AROUND THE COUNTRY, AND WHERE WITH JUST A SPEAR YOU'VE GOT TO
-- MAYBE YOU COULD THROW IT 20 OR 30-YARDS WITH ENOUGH POWER,
BUT WITH AN ATLADLE AND THEY'RE GOING AT 6-FOOT TARGET AND 3
FOOTBALL FIELDS AND THIS ALLOWED
EARLY MAN TO BE ABLE TO HUNT THOSE FASTER AND SMALLER GAME.
>> DAVID, IN THESE CASES IS REALLY FASCINATING. YOU START
OFF -- IT'S GOING BACK NOT JUST IN THE CENTRAL AMERICA OR THE
48 STATES, BUT YOU HAVE OTHER
REGIONS. >> YES. HERE AT THE MUSEUM WE
NOT ONLY DISPLAY NATIVE AMERICAN
ARTIFACTS FROM NORTH AMERICA, BUT WE DO PRE-COLUMBIA, WHICH
IS ANY CIVILIZATION SOUTH OF THE
PRESENT DAY BORDER SO WE HAVE THE MAYAN AND THE AZTEC AND 1
OF MY FAVORITES COMES FROM WESTERN
PART OF MEXICO AND THAT IS TODAY
WHERE PUTERO VALARTA IS AND THEY
MADE THESE WONDERFUL JARS AND 19 HAVE LIVED
HUNDREDS OF YEARS AND WE ARE HAPPY TO HAVE THIS ON DISPLAY
RIGHT NOW. >> NATIVE AMERICAN HEAD DRESSES
DAVID ARE ALWAYS FASCINATING. TELL US EXACTLY WHAT THE
PURPOSE WAS?
>> THIS WAS 1 OF OUR NEWEST DISPLAYS. THE PURPOSE WERE
ACTS OF BRAVERY, AND THESE WERE
GIVEN TO INDIVIDUALS, TO BRAVES, FOR
THEIR DIFFERENT ACTS OF VALOR, AND IT WOULD BECOME A SIGN OF
POWER. THE LARGER THE HEAD DRESS THE MORE THAT YOU HAD
BEEN INVOLVED IN ACTS OF SPECIAL
IMPORTANCE. >> LIKE THE CHIEFS?
>> EXACTLY, EXACTLY. >> MANY VISITORS WHO HAVE SEEN
THE EXHIBIT SAY IT EVEN RIVALS THE 1 AT THE SMITHSONIAN
BECAUSE OF THE BROAD SPECTRUM OF THE
COLLECTION. >> IT'S A REALLY INTERESTING
COLLECTION IN THAT IT HAS EXAMPLES FROM ALL OVER THE
AMERICAS, FROM FAR NORTH TO FAR SOUTH, AND DIFFERENT GROUPS AND
DIFFERENT CULTURES ALL IN 1 PLACE. IT'S PRETTY
INTERESTING. 1 OF THE THINGS I ENJOY SEEING
IS THE PHOTOGRAPHS. I'M A PHOTOGRAPHER, SO IT WAS
STRIKING AND INTERESTING TO SEE THOSE
PHOTOS. >> ALONG WITH THE SPEARS AND
THE BEAU
BOW AND ARROWS AND SOMETHING ELSE WE'RE HOLDING IS AND NOT
ASSOCIATED WITH NATIVE AMERICANS.
>> YOU'RE RIGHT AND WHEN WE THINK OF THE SOUTH AND WE HAVE
THEM HERE AND ESPECIALLY ON THE EAST COAST. THESE PARTICULAR
ONES ARE CHEROKEE. THEY'RE FROM
NORTH CAROLINA. WHAT MAKES THESE BLOW GUNS UNUSUAL THEY
WERE NOT MADE FROM CANE. THEY WERE MADE FROM A SACKLING SO
THE PERSON THAT MADE THIS WOULD
HAVE CHOSEN A VERY STRAIGHT PIECE OF
WOOD TO WORK WITH, AND THEN HAD WORKED IT DOWN TO JUST THE SIZE
THEY WANTED, AND THEN WHAT THEY
DID IS TOOK IT AND SPLIT IT AND THEN THEY HALLOWED OUT THE
INSIDE, AND THEN PUT IT BACK TOGETHER, GLUED IT BACK
TOGETHER AND DECORATED IT. THEY PAINTED
IT, BUT WHAT THAT ALLOWS YOU GET
A VERY SMOOTH CORE AND SO YOU DON'T HAVE ENOUGH FRICTION
ASSOCIATED WITH CANE, AND SO WE HAVE A VENT EVENT HERE AT THE
MUSEUM WHERE WE USE THESE IN CONTESTS
AND IT'S AMAZING TO SEE, EVEN LITTLE SMALL KIDS, 6 OR 7 YEARS
OLD, CAN TAKE THIS BLOW GUN AND SHOOT IT WITH ENOUGH POWER TO
SHOOT A DART TO THE TARGET. >> ALSO LOOKING AT THE WIDE
VARIETY OF BOWS FOR I GUESS EACH
OF THE CAMANSY, THE SIOUX, ALL OF THE BOWS.
>> THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE IN BOWS IS THE LENGTH SO WE SEE
THAT THE WOODLAND TRIBES WOULD HAVE LONG BOWS BECAUSE THEY'RE
HUNTING ON FOOT, AND THEN THE SHORT BOWS ARE THE PLAINS
TRIBEOS HORSEBACK AND NEEDED SOMETHING SHORT AND EASY TO BE
ABLE TO HUNT AND RIDE AT THE SAME TIME.
>> A LOT OF THESE -- A LOT OF THE WOOD THAT IS EVEN IN
ARKANSAS THE O SAGE ORANGE. >> EXACTLY. IT'S THE MOST
POPULAR. >> THE MAYANS ALWAYS A
FASCINATION WITH EVERYBODY. >> THE MAYANS WELL WONDERFUL
PIECES OF POTTERY, AND THEY WOULD DO GOLD PENDANTS, BUT MY
FAVORITE ARE THESE ECCENTRICS AND NO 1 KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT
THESE WERE MADE FOR OR HOW THEY WERE USED, BUT YOU COULD SEE
THEY'RE IN THE SHAPES OF SCORPIONS AND MONKEYS AND
CIRCLES AND ALL THESE STRANGE SHAPES, AND THEY WOULD MAKE
THEM OUT OF SPECIAL PLANTS THAT WHEN
HELD TO THE LIGHT WOULD BE TRANSLUCENT, BUT TODAY WE'RE
STILL NOT SURE WHAT THEY WERE MADE FOR.
>> SO ENJOY A UNIQUE EXPERIENCE FOR YOURSELF AT THE MUSEUM OF
NATIVE AMERICAN HISTORY IN BENTONVILLE.
>> YOU DON'T HEAR TOO MUCH ANYMORE ABOUT THE WHITE RIVER
MONITOR NEAR NEW PORT AND NEAR THE 70'S THERE WERE REPORTED
SIGHTINGS OF SOME CREATURE IN THE RIVER AND
15 FEET OR LONGER. WELL, DID HE
VANISH OR IS HE STILL AROUND? WE DECIDED TO COME HERE AND
CHECK IT OUT. >> ALLEGEDLY THE STORY OF THE
RIVER RONSTER GOES BACK TO A LEGEND OF A YOUNG BRAVE IN A
CANOE AND GOT BUMPED AND TIPPED OVER AND THAT WAS THE BEGINNING
OF THE RIVER MONSTER AND IN 1937
A FARMER SOUTH OF NEW PORT. HE WAS ON THE FARM AND HAD SHARE
CROPPERS THERE AND THEY WERE FISHING AND SOMETHING WAS
DISTURBING THE FISHING AND THEY WANTED TO FIND OUT WHAT IT WAS.
THEY SAID FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS
THEY SAW A GRAYISH MASS IN THE RIVER AND CONNECTED THE
AUTHORITIES AND WANTED TO KNOW IF HE COULD BLOW IT UP WITH
DYNAMITE AND THEY ASSURED HIM THAT WASN'T THE RIGHT COURSE OF
ACTION SO THEY CAME OUT AND THE SHOULD HAVE'S DEPUTY SAW A
CREATURE AND SIMILAR TO A LARGE CATFISH IN THE RIVER AND THAT
THE EXTENT OF THE ACTUAL SIGHTINGS AT THE TIME. IN THE
COMMUNITY THEY HAD A DIVER COME IN FROM MEMPHIS AND HE CAME AND
DOVE IN THE RIVER AND OBVIOUSLY DIDN'T FIND ANYTHING OF
SUBSTANCE BECAUSE THE WATER LITERALLY WAS ABOUT 2 FEET IN
VISIBILITY SO THERE WEREN'T ANY CLEAR PICTURE THERE IS, AND
THEN ***, AS AFFECTIONATELY KNOWN
AROUND HERE, AND WAS ABSENT FOR YEARS AND A FEW MORE SIGHTINGS
AND 5 OR 6, A LOT OF FISHERMAN, LOCALS OVER THE YEARS CLAIM TO
SEE *** IN EVIDENCE, BUT NOTHING OF SUBSTANCE CAME OF
THOSE SIGHTINGS, AND THEN WE GO ON AND THE CITY COUNCIL WOULD
GET WIND OF THIS AND WELL JUST IN CASE THERE IS AN ANIMAL
AROUND WE SHOULD PROTECT THIS ANIMAL SO THEY VOTED FOR THIS
AREA AS THE NATIONAL SANCTUARY FOR THE WHITE RIVER MONSTER. I
GUESS STATE WIDE THEN. THEN THE
ARKANSAS STATE LEGISLATURE ACTUALLY GOT WIND OF THAT AND
THEY PASSED LEGISLATION YOU'RE IN THE WHITE RIVER MONSTER
ANIMAL WHILE LIFE SAIRCHT AREA.
IT'S ILLEGAL TO TRAMPLE OR HARM OR IMPEDE THE WHITE RIVER
MONSTER IN THIS AREA. >> WE CERTAINLY DON'T WANT TO
DO THAT, AND SOME PEOPLE MAYBE
HAVE SAID IT'S LIKE AT PICTURE OF
YOU HAVE OF THIS ALLIGATOR GUARD
AND MAYBE IT WAS THAT.
>> ABSOLUTELY. THERE IS A LOT OF SPECULATION AMONG SCHOLARS
AND PEOPLE THAT WOULD CONSIDER THEMSELVES SCALARS TO WHAT THE
ACTUAL IDENTITY OF THE MONSTER MIGHT BE AND
PROBABLY A CATFISH OR OTHER FISH
THAT ARE IN THIS AREA AND WILDIER SPECULATION, THE
MANTEES AND SHARKS AND ALLIGATORS.
NONE OF THOSE SEEM LIKELY WHEN YOU
COMPARE TO THE SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE WHAT COULD SURVIVE AND
THRIVE IN THIS AREA. >> THERE WAS EVEN SPECULATION
THAT THE MONSTER MIGHT HAVE BEEN
A LARGE ELEPHANT SEAL THAT WANDERED UP THE MISSISSIPPI
RIVER AND INTO THE WHITE RIVER AND WEIGHING 5,000 POUNDS AN
ELEPHANT SEAL HAS THESE CHARACTERISTICS AND THE ONLY
PHOTOGRAPH WAS TAKEN IN 1971 WHICH SHOWS A MASS ON THE RIGHT
SIDE, SUPPOSEDLY THE CHEEMP'S SIDE, AND RIGIDS TO THE LEFT
SIDE AND SPLASHY WATER IS CAUSED BY THE
TAIL. THERE IS 1 OTHER THEORY AND THAT THE WHITE RIVER
MONSTER WAS MAN-MADE.
>> THERE ARE STORIES THAT MR. BATEMAN HIMSELF WAS TRYING
TO PROTECT HIS MUSSELS AND USE AND FIND. ALSO A FISHERMAN IN
LATER HES HE INFLATED THE BOAT TO SCARE PEOPLE AWAY FROM HIS
FISHING SPOT SO A LOT OF SPECULATION ABOUT THE WHITE
RIVER MONSTER. >> AND OLD *** WILL PROBABLY
CONTINUE TO BE A MYSTERY FOR MANY MORE YEARS TO COME.
>> NORTH OF LAKE OUACHITA THERE IS THE POSSUM KINGDOM TRAIL AND
AVAILABLE FOR MOUNTAIN BIKING AND HORSEBACK RIDING AND TRAILS
AND IT TRAVERSES ACROSS DIRT ROADS AND PAVED ROADS. THE
POSSUM KINGDOM TRAIL SYSTEM IS LOCATED OFF HIGHWAY 298, 12 AND
A HALF MILES WEST OF HIGHWAY 7 AT THE SIGN TURN SOUTH ON TO
HARPER'S GROCERY ROAD AND CONTINUE UNTIL YOU COME TO 1 OF
THE FOREST SERVICE ROADS WHICH IS THE BEGINNING OF THE TRAIL
LOOP SYSTEM. MOST OF THE 14 OR SO MILES OF THE TRAIL SYSTEM IS
EITHER PRIMITIVE OR DIRT ROAD. ONLY ABOUT 1 AND A HALF MILES
IS PAVED. TO TRAVERSE THE ENTIRE
LENGTH PLAN ON ABOUT 3 TO 4 HOURS. NOW, IF YOU HAPPEN TO
LOSE YOUR BEARINGS THERE IS NO WAY TO GET LOST OUT HERE
BECAUSE SOONER OR LATER YOU WILL BE ON
A DIRT OR PAVED ROAD LIKE THIS 1.
FOR THE MOST PART THE RIDE IS
LEVEL AND A GOOD CHOICE FOR A FAMILY TYPE BIKE RIDE AND IT'S
EXCEPTIONALLY PLEASANT IN FALL AND SPRING. THERE IS NO
DRINKI WATER OF ANY TIME SO YOU HAVE TO BRING YOUR OWN
TO STAY HYDRATED IN THE SUMMER.
SOUTH ABOUT A HALF A MILE OR SO IS THE LENA LANDING RECREATION
AREA AND YOU WILL FIND A IF YOU SERVICE MARINA AREA AND CABINS
IF YOU SPEND THE NIGHT AND RV SITES ARE AVAILABLE TOO AND
GIVE THE POSSUM KINGDOM TRAIL A TRIAL NEAR THE OUACHITA IN
NATIONAL FOREST.
>> IT'S CALLED THE COOLEST TOWN IN ARKANSAS FOR A COUPLE
DIFFERENT REASONS WHICH WE WILL EXPLAIN LATER. GILBERT JUST A
STONE'S THROW AWAY FROM THE BANKS OF THE BUFFALO NATIONAL
RIVER. THE TOWN SWRAIRCHGER SINCE 1901 HAS BEEN THE GILBERT
GENERAL STORE. THE ENTIRE SETTING IS STRAIGHT OUT OF THE
WALTONS. THE TOWN'S NAMESAKE GOES BACK TO THE RAILROAD DAYS
OF THE EARLY 1900'S WHEN A CONSTRUCTION CAMP FOR THE
MISSOURI AND ARKANSAS RAILROAD WAS BUILT AND IN HONOR OF
GILBERT HEAD OF THE ALLEGHENY SUPPLY COMPANY AND NOW THE RAIL
BED IS A HIKING TRAIL ALONG THE BUFFALO RIVER. THE GILBERT
GENERAL STORE ALSO SERVED AS THE
TOWN'S POST OFFICE UNTIL 1997. THE OLD BOXES ARE STILL IN THE
STORE. THE ENTIRE STORE IS ACTUALLY A WORKING MUSEUM.
THERE IS A OLD JOHN BOAT ON DISPLAY THAT THE OWNER
UNEARTHED NEAR THE RIVER AND HOW BEN
BECAME THE EVENTUAL OWNER OF THE
STORE IS A STORY IN ITSELF. >> BASICALLY MY BUDDIES IN THE
AIR FORCE FOR HIS LIFETIME. WE FLOATED INTO GILBERT IN THE
SUMMER OF 70 AND FELL IN LOVE AND WALKED
UP THE RIVER AND FELL IN LOVE AND MY DAD SAID "TAKE A
PICTURE" AND I SAID I DON'T HAVE A
CAMERA" AND HE SAID "TAKE A MENTAL SHOT". COMING UP THERE
IN THE SUMMERTIME I KNEW WHERE I
WANTED TO BE. IT'S A BEAUTIFUL STATE. THE ARKANSAS FOLKS ARE
WONDERFUL. I REALLY ENJOY IT. WE DIDN'T ACQUIRE THE STORE AT
THAT TIME BUT MY FATHER DID BUY PROPERTY HERE AND WE WERE
GRANDFATHERED IN AS A CANOE CONCESSION IN 72 WHEN IT GOT
NATIONAL STATUS AND THAT'S WHEN I WAS COMING UP HERE AND HAVING
FUN. I MET MY WIFE CINDY UP HERE. THE STORE CAME UP FOR
SALE 88. MY FATHER SAID BIG FISH LITTLE POND AND LITTLE
FISH BIG POND AND WHAT IS IT GOING
TO BE? WE BOUGHT IT ALL TOGETHER
AND HAVE BEEN HERE EVER SINCE SO
TO SPEAK. GILBERT HAS CHANGED BUT IT HASN'T. IT'S KIND OF
BITTERSWEET BECAUSE I CAN GO BACK IN TIME AND SEE A LOT OF
THINGS FROM THAT ERA IN THE 70'S
THAT LOOK EXACTLY THE SAME, AND I CAN SEE A LOT OF CHANGE ALSO,
BUT IN RETROSPECT THIS IS A PART
OF ARKANSAS THAT REALLY HASN'T CHANGED A GREAT DEAL WHICH IS
REALLY NICE. ALONG WITH THE PARK SERVICE WE BORDER LAND ON
THE SOUTH SIDE AND THE WEST SIDE
AND THE EAST SIDE OF GILBERT WHICH I KNOW WILL NEVER CHANGE
WHICH IS WONDERFUL. RIGHT NOW TITLE POPULATION IN GILBERT IS
13 AND EVERYBODY KNOWS WHAT EVERYBODY IS DOING SO YOU HAVE
TO BE ON YOUR BEST BEHAVIOR SO TO SPEAK. SOMETIMES THAT
DOESN'T HELP EITHER. IT'S A RELAXED ENVIRONMENT. IT'S A
GREAT PLACE FOR ME TO MAKE A LIVING AND I HAVE ENJOYED
THOROUGHLY DEALING WITH THE GENERAL PUBLIC AND ALSO BEING A
TEMPORARY CARETAKER OF THE STORE
BECAUSE I KNOW THERE WILL BE SOMEBODY BEHIND ME TAKING CARE
OF IT WHEN I AM LONG GONE BUT IT'S A NICE ENVIRONMENT, A
GREAT WAY TO MAKE A LIVING. IF YOU
THINK YOU WILL GET RICH IT WON'T
HAPPEN BUT YOU JUSTIFY THE SURROUNDINGS FOR THE REST.
>> OKAY. COOLEST TOWN IN ARKANSAS I GUESS FOR A COUPLE
OF DIFFERENT REASONS.
>> FIRST OFF THAT HAPPENED -- YOU HAVE TO FORGIVE ME. I
MISPLACED MY FILES UPSTAIRS BUT WHEN I WAS A CITY COUNCIL MAN
IN THE 80'S OUR COUNCIL WAS A
TOTAL OF LOT OF MATURE ADULTS IN
THEIR 70'S AND I THOUGHT LET'S GET A
SIGN OUT THERE AND IT'S GOT SOME
COOL PEOPLE AND IT WAS NAMED THE
COOLEST NAME IN ARKANSAS. WELL,
THAT GOT POO POOED AND THEY DIDN'T LIKE THAT AND IT'S THE
COOLEST PLACE ON STATE AND MAYBE
I CAN GET MY HALF AND ANOTHER HALF AND THE CITY COUNCIL
ENJOYED THAT AND SAID THIS IS A GOOD IDEA AND HENCE THE COOLEST
TOWN IN ARKANSAS, SO I HAVE TO SAY MY LITTLE SAYING GOT US
GOING, BUT THAT'S HOW THAT STARTED BUT IT TOOK A TIME TO
GET IT GOING BUT IT'S STILL THE COOLEST TOWN IN ARKANSAS I HAVE
TO ADMIT.
>> SO FOR THOSE OF YOU NEVER EXPERIENCE GILBERT I ENCOURAGE
YOU TO DO SO AND FOR MORE ON THIS DESTINATION PLUS MANY OF
OUR OTHERS OR TO GET A D.V.D OF AN EPISODE VISIT OUR NEW
WEBSITE AND WE WILL SEE YOU AGAIN NEXT
TIME FOR ANOTHER EXCITING ADVENTURE ON "EXPLORING
ARKANSAS".