Last night, I attended Ballet Arkansas’ performance of American Images at the Grand Prairie Center for work. It’s the second year the company has traveled to Stuttgart.
The performance took audience members on a trip through U.S. history with six sections ranging from the American Civil War-based Times Torn to the American Dream to Nowhere/Now Here, which is based on everyday struggles.
The Arkansas Historic Preservation Program brought its “Walks through History” program to Stuttgart Saturday to highlight the community’s commercial historic district. The nearly 3-hour walk took us from the intersection of Third and Maple Streets to Sixth Street. From Sixth Street, we walked up and down Main Street learning about nearly every building.
The history included this undated picture, which shows the former Hotel Price (left) and Riceland Hotel in Stuttgart. Hotel Price was originally the Metropolitan Hotel and its northern half was demolished in 1921 to make room for the Riceland Hotel. Riceland Hotel is infamous in Stuttgart for its bad luck as well as its hayday when it was the place to see and be seen.
To the far right is the oldest brick building on Main Street (now Wilkerson’s), which was built just after an 1889 fire nearly destroyed the entire commercial district.
On April 23, 1952, three birders documented the first sighting of a cattle egret in North America. Today, the bird is a common sight in the fields, especially in Arkansas County. It’s a sight I took for granted until two days ago when an Arkansas park interpreter shared a 1953 story from Wild America discussing the “new find.”
It wasn’t too hard to spot this Red-Tailed Hawk as I headed to Casscoe. While gorgeous, doesn’t the hawk’s face look like a seal’s face in the above picture (or is it just me).
It’s been months since I last visited the White River National Wildlife Refuge. I finally decided to rectify this problem now that the weather has cooled off. Apparently, I was not the only one to decide to visit. There was plenty of wildlife there as well.
I previously worked as a news and sports photographer. Recently I have been enjoying wildlife photography. My approach toward bird photos is similar to sports photography. I attempt to capture mostly action and hopefully a unique perspective.