Last year, the Arkansas History Commission and
State Archives celebrated its 110th birthday. Founded in 1905, the
History Commission was the brainchild of J.H. Reynolds, a history professor who
taught at both the University of Arkansas and Hendrix College during his career
in education.
Some of the collective history of the agency’s earliest
years, including Reynolds involvement, is held in the archives’ vault.
Recently, however, a collection of previously unknown correspondence connected
to J.H. Reynolds’ and the agency’s earliest years was discovered.
On Jan. 6, Doyle Walker donated two folders of material
directly related to the founding of the History Commission. Walker had
recently purchased a house in Conway. After buying the home and exploring its
attic, he discovered numerous boxes, pieces of furniture and even two antique
gumball machines. Amongst the boxes were loose folders containing what
looked like old correspondence.
After reading through them, Mr. Walker quickly realized the
folders’ value. “The material is clearly connected to J.H. Reynolds and
the History Commission,” he said.
How the material ended up in the attic of the house in
Conway isn’t known, but the home had originally been owned by Grover and
Georgia Hulen, both of whom had worked at Hendrix, like J.H. Reynolds. In
fact, Georgia had been a longtime and very beloved dietician on campus.
“I’m not sure what the connection is between J.H. Reynolds
and Hulen,” Mr. Walker shared. “The house was built in 1953, but I think Mrs.
Hulen had been with Hendrix long before then. There’s even a building on campus
named for her.”
Regardless of how the material ended up in the Hulen house,
the History Commission is thrilled with the donation.
“It’s not every day that someone walks in with hundred-year
old records documenting the very earliest work of your organization,” said
Director Lisa K. Speer. “This donation not only contains letters from
John Hugh Reynolds, but from some of the early major players in creating and
growing the state archives, including first Director Dallas Herndon and
long-time commissioner Clara B. Eno.” Among the most interesting letters
in the donation is Herndon’s original letter dated Aug. 26, 1911, accepting the
position as director, and a Nov. 11, 1910 letter from Thomas M. Owen, the first
archivist of the State of Alabama, advising John Hugh Reynolds on how to set up
a properly functioning state archives for Arkansas.
Mr. Walker says he hasn’t gone through the rest of the boxes
yet, but is looking forward to see what else he finds. “It will be
interesting to see what else is up there.”
