Sites of Interest near OWHSP • Area Festivals & Special Events • Lodging & Dining

Williams' Tavern Restaurant

Historic Washington State Park is a heritage tourism site to experience for visitors of all ages. Begin your tour at the park visitor center, located in the restored 1874 Hempstead County Courthouse.

Teachers, educators, and groups planning a trip to Historic Washington should Download our comprehensive guide ON THE TRAIL: A Group Leader's Guide to Historic Washington Historic State Park (PDF document). This handy guide answers frequently asked questions and will help you get the most out of your trip to the park.

The itineraries below offer you an example of a visit to Historic Washington State Park, and a trip in this area. Other activities, lodging, and dining opportunities are also listed here.

Sample Itinerary for a general tour at Historic Washington State Park (average tour for individual or small family: 2 hours; for a group: 2 to 4 hours). NOTE: Different buildings are open each day depending upon the day's interpretive theme.

Park hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

1874 Hempstead County Courthouse

• This is the park visitor center. Here you'll find information on park tours, programs and the historic buildings.
• Visit the gift shop located here.

Trimble House

• Visit a historic home dedicated to one family.
• See furnishings from several generations of the Trimble family.

The Weapon’s Museum houses a remarkable collection of knives, swords and guns             Weapons on display total over 700

Simon T. Sanders Urban Farmstead

• See the historic home of a county official of Washington.
• Learn about daily life in Washington.

B.W. Edwards Weapons Museum

• See a remarkable collection of over 700 guns, knives and swords.

Williams' Tavern Restaurant

• Eat a hearty lunch of Southern country fare featuring traditional regional specialties at this quaint original tavern.

Print Museum

• Visit this printing museum and learn about the Washington Telegraph, the only newspaper in Arkansas to print uninterrupted throughout the Civil War.
• See printing equipment from both the 19th and 20th centuries.

1836 Hempstead County Courthouse

• See the building that housed the Confederate State Capitol from 1863 to 1865.
• Learn about the Southwest Trail.

Blacksmith Shop

• Experience the history of the famous Bowie knife.
• Learn about the frontier blacksmith James Black.

Sample Itinerary for a visit to sites in southwest Arkansas

• Visit the Clinton Birthplace Foundation-Hope, Arkansas
• Camp at Millwood Lake State Park-near Ashdown, Arkansas
• Visit Millwood Lake
• Visit Rick Evans Grandview Prairie Wildlife Management area-near Columbus, Arkansas
• Visit Nashville, Arkansas
• Visit the Crater of Diamonds State Park-Murfreesboro, Arkansas
• Visit DeGray Lake Resort State Park
• Spend the night at DeGray Lake Resort State Park Lodge
• Historic Driving Tour of Arkadelphia
• Civil War Driving Tour of Arkadelphia
• Captain Henderson Bed and Breakfast at Henderson State University, Arkadelphia, Arkansas.
• Bill Moran School of Bladesmithing
• Nevada County Depot Museum, Prescott, Arkansas
• Hunter-Coulter House Museum, Ashdown, Arkansas

Sites of Interest near Historic Washington State Park:

Make plans to visit southwest Arkansas. There are many things to see and do here. There are more Arkansas state parks and a wide variety of other travel attractions and outdoor experiences to enjoy in this region.

Southwest Arkansas Regional Archives
Washington, AR 71862
Phone: (870) 983-2633
Historical and Genealogical Research

Rick Evans Grandview Prairie Wildlife Management Area
2 miles north of Columbus, AR off of Hwy 73
Phone: 1-877-777-5580
Grandview Prairie represents the largest, contiguous tract of blackland prairie in public ownership in the nation. The area consists of improved pasture, woodlands, wooded draws, bottomland habitats, and native grasslands comprised of blackland prairie communities. Deer, small game, and furbearers can be hunted. The area is known for its whitetail deer population. See current regulations for seasons and permit requirements. Excellent fishing opportunities are found on the two area lakes. Outdoor recreational opportunities include hiking, wildflower walks, bird watching, and wildlife viewing.
Located approximately 10 miles from Washington.

Clinton Birthplace Foundation, Inc.
Hope, Arkansas 71801
Phone: (870) 777-4455
Located approximately 10 miles from Washington.

Texarkana Museums System
Museum of Regional History & Wilbur Smith Research Library
Discovery Place Children's Museum
Ace of Clubs House
Texarkana, TX 75504-2343
Phone: (903) 793-4831
Located approximately 40 miles from Washington.

Texarkana Regional Arts and Humanities Council
Regional Arts Center
Perot Theatre
Texarkana, TX 75504
Phone: (903) 792-4992
Located approximately 40 miles from Washington.

Millwood State Park
Ashdown, AR 71822
E-mail: millwood@arkansas.com
Phone: (870) 898-2800
Located approximately 25-30 miles from Washington.

Crater of Diamonds State Park
Murfreesboro, AR 71958
E-mail: craterofdiamonds@arkansas.com
Phone: (870) 285-3113
Located approximately 40 miles from Washington.

White Oak Lake State Park
Bluff City, AR 71722
E-mail: whiteoaklake@arkansas.com
Phone: (870) 685-2748
Located approximately 45 miles from Washington.

DeGray Lake Resort State Park
Bismarck, AR 71929
E-mail: degraylakeresort@arkansas.com
Phone: (501) 865-2801
Located approximately 52 miles from Washington.

Daisy State Park
Kirby, AR 71950-9061
E-mail: daisy@arkansas.com
Phone: (870) 398-4487
Located approximately 60 miles from Washington.

Cossatot River State Park-Natural Area
Wickes, AR 71973
E-mail: cossatotriver@arkansas.com
Phone: (870) 385-2201
Located approximately 85 miles from Washington.

Queen Wilhelmina State Park
Mena, AR 71953
E-mail: queenwilhelmina@arkansas.com
Phone: (479) 394-2863
Located approximately 100 miles from Washington.

Area festivals and special events

Lodging & Dining

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Homepage • Tour The Town • Calendar of Events • Groups & Meetings Plan a Trip • Maps & Directions • Privacy Policy • Hours of Operation • HOMEPAGE Historic Washington State Park P.O. Box 129 Washington, AR 71862 Phone: (870) 983-2684 Fax: (870) 983-2736 E-mail: historicwashington@arkansas.com Visit Our Other Arkansas State Parks & Tourism Websites ©2003 All Rights Reserved       Web Services by Aristotle Web Design.