Lake Village, AR – Contributed – The Lakeport Plantation Museum (LPM), located in Lake Village, is hosting its first Mississippi River symposium this fall.  The event, “The Mississippi in American Memory,” will be held on Friday, Oct. 9.  

“Presentations may be on a wide range of topics related to the Mississippi River, from Indigenous peoples to steamboats to the modern era, in recognition of America 250,” said Ruth O’Loughlin, director of LPM.  

She said presentations should be no more than 20 minutes in length, with audiovisual elements strongly encouraged. 

“We have been wanting to do a symposium based on the Mississippi River at Lakeport for a while because there is so much interest in the history of the river,” O’Loughlin added. “Many of our visitors ask about the Mississippi and the levee system, so we thought having the opportunity for individuals to put together presentations and for anyone interested in learning about the river to hear on a variety of topics would be a great learning opportunity at Lakeport.” 

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The Lakeport Plantation house was built facing the Mississippi River in 1859 with the profits of enslaved labor and is the only surviving plantation house built facing the Mississippi River in Arkansas. 

“With this broad topic, we are hoping for a variety of presentations to tell more of the mighty Mississippi’s history beyond flooding and river transport,” she continued.  

The house was placed on the National Historic Register in 1974. It was designated as an official project with the Save America’s Treasures program as part of the National Park Service and the National Trust for Historic Preservation.  

“The museum tells the story of those who were enslaved on the plantation and of the sharecropping that took place later in the area along the river,” O’Loughlin added.  

A-State operates the site as a museum and educational center. The house serves as a primary artifact.  

“We hope anyone interested in the history of the region and in the Mississippi River will make plans to attend,” O’Loughlin added.

Presentations will be accepted through Tuesday, June 30. The symposium will be free and open to the public. One may submit a proposal here or by emailing O’Loughlin at roloughlin@AState.edu.  

For additional information, one may contact Lakeport Plantation Museum at 870-265-6031.  

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