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The Bishop Building was built in 1908, it has been many things and it now holds the Two Rivers Museum. Opened in 2005 by the Little River Historical Society and is one of the three museums in Little River County.

Storefront.

Storefront.

Bishop Bros. Sept. 1908 This plaque is located on the East corner of the building.

Bishop Bros.
Sept. 1908
This plaque is located on the East corner of the building.

This plaque is located on the west corner of the building.

This plaque is located on the west corner of the building.

Please Register. This is now located above the sign in book.

Please Register. This is now located above the sign in book.

Bridal Shoes.

Bridal Shoes.

Antique Wedding Dress.

Antique Wedding Dress.

Walter Matthews display. Famous MLB player from Ashdown, AR.

Walter Matthews display. Famous MLB player from Ashdown, AR.

K.C.S Railroad Station

K.C.S Railroad Station

Railroad bagging rates.

Railroad bagging rates.

Water Jug used by KCS section crew in the 1940s. A.L. Lewis Station Master.

Water Jug used by KCS section crew in the 1940s. A.L. Lewis Station Master.

-circa 1910-

-circa 1910-

-circa 1906-

-circa 1906-

Switch Tower & inc Blacking Plant of Frisco & K.C.S. -circa Dec. 1, 1905-

Switch Tower & inc
Blacking Plant of Frisco & K.C.S.
-circa Dec. 1, 1905-

Frisco Train Depot -circa 1903-

Frisco Train Depot
-circa 1903-

Frisco Engine #1037 on Trestle #6323

Frisco Engine #1037 on Trestle #6323

We called it "The Dinky Train," A diesel engine, one baggage car, and one passenger car. It is right on time, twice a day, with newspapers, mail, and folks riding a short line.

We called it "The Dinky Train," A diesel engine, one baggage car, and one passenger car. It is right on time, twice a day, with newspapers, mail, and folks riding a short line.

Kansas City Southern Railroad Depot, Ashdown.

Kansas City Southern Railroad Depot, Ashdown.

1928 Flood. Front Street, Ashdown-Morgan Home in the background.

1928 Flood. Front Street, Ashdown-Morgan Home in the background.

1928 Flood. Commerce & Keller Streets, Ashdown

1928 Flood. Commerce & Keller Streets, Ashdown

1928 Flood. Front Street, Ashdown-Hymee Dupree on left.

1928 Flood. Front Street, Ashdown-Hymee Dupree on left.

Flood Commerce & Hwy 71 -circa 1920s-

Flood Commerce & Hwy 71 -circa 1920s-

1928 Flood. Corner of 2nd & Commerce Streets, Ashdown. (Note corner of Christian Church)

1928 Flood. Corner of 2nd & Commerce Streets, Ashdown. (Note corner of Christian Church)

Horse-drawn hearse story and picture in action

Horse-drawn hearse story and picture in action

Embalming tools.

Embalming tools.

Embalming tools.

Embalming  tools.

Horse-drawn Hearse. Glass side to view the inside

Horse-drawn Hearse. Glass side to view the inside

Front View of Horse Drawn Hearse

Front View of Horse Drawn Hearse

Classic toy car collection.

Classic toy car collection.

Edison Mercury Shaver

Edison Mercury Shaver

The Story of the Government that Almost Didn't Happen.

The Story of the Government that Almost Didn't Happen.

Machine Gun 1915 Era, Banned during the '30's. It is illegal to posses, confiscated by law enforcement. Permanently Disabled. Donated by the Little River County Sheriff's Office December 31, 2012.

Machine Gun 1915 Era, Banned during the '30's. It is illegal to posses, confiscated by law enforcement. Permanently Disabled. Donated by the Little River County Sheriff's Office December 31, 2012.

Mailboxes

Mailboxes

Mailboxes and Ogden Post Office

Mailboxes and Ogden Post Office

(Don't) Post Office Structure

(Don't) Post Office Structure

Guns

Guns

Porcelain Doll Collection

Porcelain Doll Collection

Misc.

Misc.

Misc.

Misc.

Little River County Bank Stock.

Little River County Bank Stock.

Toland Store sold everything from dry goods to groceries.

Toland Store sold everything from dry goods to groceries.

1928 Census.

1928 Census.

Ashdown Returns to Normal After Battle: Many Interesting Sidelights.

Ashdown Returns to Normal After Battle: Many Interesting Sidelights.

Personal Planner.

Personal Planner.

Supreme Court Case, A. Goldsmith vs First National Bank of Ashdown, Arkansas.

Supreme Court Case, A. Goldsmith vs First National Bank of Ashdown, Arkansas.

Statement of Condition from First National Bank.

Statement of Condition from First National Bank.

First National Bank Keller & Main Street. circa 1920.

First National Bank Keller & Main Street. circa 1920.

Street Scene Ashdown, AR

Street Scene Ashdown, AR

A Look at the Past

A Look at the Past

Eaton's Grocery Store

Eaton's Grocery Store

Ogden Post Office

Ogden Post Office

Wooden Mail Boxes used in first post office in Ashdown.

Wooden Mail Boxes used in first post office in Ashdown.

Wooden Maiboxes

Wooden Maiboxes

Stamp Catalouge

Stamp Catalouge

Outline of Little River County

Outline of Little River County

2 centuries of frontier history at Arkansas Post. Treasured Memories of Ashdown's Past

2 centuries of frontier history at Arkansas Post. Treasured Memories of Ashdown's Past

Southern Seedsmen's Association

Southern Seedsmen's Association

The Two Rivers Museum is located on the corner of Constitution Avenue and Main Street, in Ashdown, Arkansas. It was opened in 2005 by the Little River Historical Society, to help preserve the history if the surrounding area and the building it’s located in. It got its name from being in-between the Little River and Red River. The museum is running completely by volunteers, who sign up for certain days a week and they must volunteer at least 3 hours a month. All of the exhibit or display items have all been donated by surrounding business, local people, schools, and churches. Everything in the museum was donated by someone.

Before it was converted into the museum, it went through a few different owners to be different stores. “The Two Rivers Museum is located in the Bishop building in the Ashdown Commercial Historic District. The building is a renovated hundred-year-old storefront that was once a pharmacy and, more recently, an antique store. The Bishop building, built in 1908, is a two-story brick structure with a flat roof and a parapet. The structure was part of the American movement commercial style A cornerstone is on the east façade. While the building has had multiple owners, it has maintained its original brickwork and frame. On May 20, 2008, the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places as a part of the Ashdown Commercial Historic District.”1

There are many exhibits and displays inside, you will find time will fly by as you start to take a look around. They have added new displays in the past few years and some of them are listed next. Some of the displays are Porcelain doll collection, Walter Ray Matthews, a horse-drawn hearse, and many other things. This mentions more of the thing you’ll see inside. “The museum has an extensive collection of artifacts, most of which are associated with the history and people of Ashdown, and more broadly with Little River County. Exhibits about individuals involved in the military, Kaufman Seeds, and other primary industries in the area tell the story of the development of Ashdown. The various exhibits display the history of early residents of Ashdown, including the stories of farmers, lawyers, doctors, and railroad workers. Significant portions of the museum are dedicated to war. The military display is titled “Freedom’s Heroes.” Military artifacts emphasize World War I and World War II; uniforms, medals, and guns from citizens of the area are on display. Another exhibit honors the late Henry Kaufman, an immigrant of German-Jewish descent who founded Kaufman Seeds in Ashdown. Some of the large pieces available for viewing include a large Black hearse, a wooden embalming table, and an old wooden post office.”1 They also have the annual Christmas at the Museum Land of Trees. This is where different organizations around the county decorate a small Christmas tree that is displayed at the museum.

Little River County’s Two Rivers museum was created to preserve the history of the county. There are displays from events that happened before the museum was opened. The Ashdown Telephone Exchange, the wooden post office, a Black horse-drawn hearse, Walt Matthews, and many others. These are the reasons that it was opened, it could display these items from them and others after there over, closed, or retired.

There were many displays when the museum hadn’t been open very long and has been adding displays ever since. The displays range from Civil War era items to famous people who lived or went to school in the county. It’s located in a storefront that has held many different stores and is well over a hundred years old on the corner of Main Street and 

1.     Eric Nicholson, “Kaufman Seeds, 68-year Fixture in Ashdown, Closing,” Captialpress.com, December 13, 2018, Accessed March 14, 2019, https://www.capitalpress.com/ag_sectors/kaufman-seeds--year-fixture-in-ashdown-closing/article_b52ec3ed-4170-5372-9060-bc98ebfc1854.html.

2.   Hannah Wahls, “Two Rivers Museum,” Osage - Encyclopedia of Arkansas, June 16, 2017, Accessed February 22, 2019, http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=5838.