What's Up - Your guide to what's happening in Fayetteville, AR this week!
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APRIL WALLACE NWA Democrat-Gazette W hen the staff of the Shiloh Museum of Ozark History considered the Buffalo River's 50th anniversary, they knew they wanted to commemorate it. But since so many other organizations were celebrating too, they thought carefully about what angle to approach it from to avoid much overlap, says Angie Albright, Shiloh Museum director. "With a lot of places honoring this anniversary of the Buffalo's federal designation, we thought 'How are we going to do it (unlike) everybody else?'" In the end, they selected a variety of photographs and artifacts surrounding Ken Smith, whose 1967 handbook "The Buffalo River Country" was instrumental in preserving the river and helping it earn its federal river designation in 1972. "Ken Smith's Buffalo River Country: A Special Exhibit" opened at Shiloh Museum this month and will continue through December. It includes 24 photographs, 22 of them taken by Smith, and a variety of artifacts including the tools, maps, camera and even the boots he used while collecting information. "He had a unique set of talents that were just the right thing in the right moment," Albright says. "He explored the watershed to document it. Like a historian, he wrote it all down and had a gift for photography and a love for nature." Smith was formerly a civil engineer for the National Park Service, so he was able to lend a technical perspective of the river as he surveyed the area and reflected it through metrics but also illustrated its strengths through images taken on his Leica camera and compelling prose he wrote. "His notes and documentation and things are remarkable," Albright says. "He's just a gifted writer and documented [it] in words and photos." Susan Young and Marie Demeroukas, two recently retired Shiloh Museum employees who are now working as volunteers, dug through hundreds of Smith's photos and curated a collection of about two dozen that represent the rest of the work. Some might be what you're expecting, Albright says, with beautiful vistas, waterfalls and a few photos that have people in them. A couple more have buildings and structures representative of vernacular architecture, some of which have stonework. 8 WHAT'S UP! FEBRUARY 27-MARCH 5, 2022 FAQ 'Ken Smith's Buffalo River Country' WHEN — Through December; museum hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Saturday WHERE — Shiloh Museum of Ozark History in Springdale COST — Free INFO — 750-8165 or shilohmu- seum.org FEATURE Arkansas' Wild Waterway Shiloh Museum remembers Buffalo River's anniversary "Ken Smith's Buffalo River Country" photo exhibit remains on show at the Shiloh Museum of Ozark History through Dec. 31. (Courtesy Photos/Shiloh Museum) Following his 1965 exploration of the Buffalo River, Smith produced several drafts of his manuscript on an Olympia portable typewriter (above), which is part of the exhibit "Ken Smith's Buffalo River Country," on display now at the Shiloh Museum of Ozark History. Smith used two Leica cameras (right) to shoot images of his 1965 Buffalo River trip. Shown here is the one Smith used for shooting color slide film. In front of the camera is Smith's Weston light meter.