Elkhorn Tavern

There are a couple theories on the date of the tavern’s construction. There is evidence to support the construction of the tavern back in 1840 or 1841, according to John W. Bond in his journal article, “History of Elkhorn Tavern.” His other theory is that Elkhorn was constructed in 1833. There is more evidence to support the construction in 1833. In the Encyclopedia of Arkansas, it discusses that the Cherokee passed by the tavern during Indian Removal in the winter of 1838-1839. This would become known as the Trail of Tears.

The house, along with 313 acres, was purchased in 1858 by Jesse and Polly Cox for $3,600. They say that the family received elk horns as a gift, and the family mounted the horns at the top of the tavern giving the tavern its name for years to come. The tavern served many purposes before the start of the war. The National Park Service writes about how the house was the stop for the Overland Stage, a stage couch route. The National Park Service writes that many people admired the tavern and its location, describing it as “of abundant good cheer.” Bond also writes that the tavern was also a place of worship for the Benton County Baptist Society.

Unfortunately for the Cox family, the war would come a lot closer to home than they would have preferred. The house would become an extremely significant location on the battlefield and would bear witness to many monstrosities. According to Bond, it became very apparent that there would be a battle in the area during February of 1862 and would later become known to the Cox family that they would be the center of all this destruction on March 7-8 of that year. Elkhorn Tavern was not in the best location to ride out the battle. It was caught between both sides of artillery fire and was not able to make it through the battle unscathed as cannon balls flew over the house repeatedly along with gunfire. However, the tavern was able to make it through the couple days of fighting still standing. A New York Herald correspondent who was with the Union Commander Samuel Ryan Curtis during the battle wrote of the events from the front lawn of the tavern saying “shells which were thrown too high for effect upon Colonel Vandever’s brigade were just the elevation for the Elkhorn… a solid shot struck the house and passed completely through, injuring no one, as the family had taken shelter in the cellar.” This testimony shows the vulnerability of the house and the family were throughout the battle.

The tavern was originally being held as the headquarters of Provost Marshal Major Eli Weston, as stated by the Encyclopedia of Arkansas. The outbuildings on the property were also used as a prisoner-of-war camp. Colonel Carr was later forced to give up Elkhorn to the Confederates, allowing them to then turn the tavern into their field hospital. The family downstairs would have suffered terribly listening to the many operations on the wounded upstairs. The tide of the battle eventually changed when the Confederate Army began to run low on ammunition and provision on March 8. Bond writes, “by 10:00am Van Dorn has realized the futility of further resistance without adequate ammunition and ordered his troops to withdraw.” This resulted in the Union victory and the solidification of Missouri allegiance to the Union.

The story of the Elkhorn Tavern continued long after the Civil War. In 1863, Confederate guerrillas burned the house down. Joseph Cox eventually rebuilt the house on the original foundation, but he waited until 1865 when the war had come to an end. The Cox family would run the tavern as a sort of museum for many years following the war. March 7, 1960, Elkhorn Tavern was transferred to the National Park Service where it was restored to its original wartime appearance.

Elkhorn Tavern reveals the many different stories and sacrifices of the Battle of Pea Ridge. Its resilience throughout the battle provided a secure place for medical operations along with secure military headquarters. It stands today as a reminder of the events of March 7-8, 1862 and stands as a symbol of the Battle of Pea Ridge.

Bond, John W. "The History of Elkhorn Tavern." The Arkansas Historical Quarterly 21, no. 1 (1962): 3-15. Accessed November 12, 2020. doi:10.2307/40026389.

“Stop 8: Elkhorn Tavern.” National Parks Service. U.S. Department of the Interior. Accessed November 12, 2020. https://www.nps.gov/peri/planyourvisit/stop-7-elkhorn-tavern.htm.

Jones, Kerry King. “Elkhorn Tavern.” Encyclopedia of Arkansas, September 30, 2020. https://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/entries/elkhorn-tavern-2873/.