UAFS Drennen-Scott Historic Site
150 years of History in a Working Laboratory
Overlooking the Arkansas River, the commanding Drennen-Scott House was initially the home of the Revolutionary War descendant John Drennen and his family. It is now a âworking laboratoryâ for University of Arkansas â Fort Smith students as they recreate the century-and-a-half-old home. The site is linked to the Trail of Tears, the Underground Railroad, and the Civil War. Built in 1838, the home was continuously occupied by the Drennen family until the property was acquired by the university in 2005. This sprawling single-story home and its contents are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The interior of the home serves as a beautiful backdrop to the antebellum furniture, which has been restored to museum standards. Highlights include a frieze that was displayed at the Arkansas House in the 1893 Chicago Worldâs Fair, a grandfather clock dating to the 1740âs, and a Steinway piano manufactured in 1860. Visitors to Van Buren will not want to miss the UAFS Drennen-Scott Historic Site; truly a treasure worth exploring!
Call 479-262-2750 for more information or visit the Facebook page.
Address
Phone
Hours of Operation
April â November
Opening Date of April 27, 2022. Wednesday, Friday, And Saturdays from 10:00 am till 4:30 pm
Free Admission
UAFS Wilhauf House
Preservation through Restoration
The Wilhauf House is a historic house at 109 North 3rd Street in Van Buren, Arkansas. Built in 1838 and restyled in 1847, it is one of the oldest surviving buildings in the state. It is a single story log dog trot structure, consisting of two log pens originally joined by a breezeway (now closed in). The house is sheathed in weatherboard, and has a modest Greek Revival gabled portico. The 1847 alterations included the extension of the gable roof to accommodate additional rooms in the rear, which have been furthered extended by a modern addition. The house was built by Leonard Wilhauf on land he purchased from John Drennan, Van Buren’s first proprietor.
The Wilhauf House in Van Buren was honored with the Excellence in Preservation through Restoration award at the annual Arkansas Preservation Awards hosted by Preserve Arkansas. The ceremony took place on January 26, 2024, at the Robinson Center, located at 426 W. Markham Street in Little Rock.
Tom Wing, Director of the Drennen-Scott House and Wilhauf House and Assistant Professor of the University of Arkansas â Fort Smith’s Department of History, Social Sciences, and Philosophy, expressed his gratitude for the recognition. “We were honored by Preserve Arkansas at the Robinson Center, named for one of my favorite Arkansawyers, Joe T. Robinson, for our work to preserve and restore the Wilhauf House, and in a room full of friends and colleagues spanning my whole career, we had a wonderful time.âÂ
The Wilhauf House’s restoration was made possible by a 2020 grant from the Arkansas Natural and Cultural Resources Council (ANCRC.) The $678,461 gift empowered Phase V of the Drennen-Scott site project.Â