capitol building west of the Mississippi River. It too has a quiet elegance about it along with the historical significance. It was here that President Bill Clinton's election night speeches and celebrations were held. As a museum, it now houses many of the Arkansas treasured memories.
Lastly, we visited bath house row in down town Hot Springs. There are still some bathhouses functioning and the National Park Service Visitor Center is located in the Fordyce Bathhouse, considered then, to be the best one. It was restored to it's original appearance. Did you know that the water emerging from the ground today is estimated to be 4,000 years old? The first people to recognize it's special qualities were the Indians in the early 1700s, followed by French traders and later it became part of the Louisiana purchase.
Arkansas State Capital Building
Central Arkansas
From Hot Springs we visited Little Rock, which is the State Capital. Arkansas is called the natural state, and the state where the West begins. Little Rock lacked the 'hustle and bussel' of most cities, and was relatively easy to drive around. The Clinton Library is located in the downtown area, in a beautiful glass building by the river. We think it is one of the better presidential libraries, the way it is
Old State House
Clinton Presidential Library
Hot Springs Visitor Center
laid out. The library was set up so you could view his term of office via a time line or study individual policy areas displayed in individual alcoves.
See center picture above
.
The Capital Building had a charm all it's own. It was not as fancy as some, but it had a comfortable feeling and was very spacious. It was completed in 1915 on the site of the old state penitentiary, using prison labor. The inside walls were decorated with portraits of past Governors and Supreme Court Justices. In front there were three shinney brass doors which stood out and were the only glitter to 19ÉT‚
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