Drennen-Scott House

The Drennen-Scott House was the residence of Van Buren co-founder John Drennen and his descendants. This house is owned by the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith and used by the Historical Interpretation Program as a way to provide students with real-life experience in public history. As such, the house is open to the public and offers a visitor center.

The Drennen-Scott House was the home to Van Buren co-founder John Drennen, an Indian agent responsible for paying Cherokee Indians settlements for relocating. The home was owned by the family until 2005 when it was donated to the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith.

The land for the home was purchased in 1836, selected due to its location providing ease of visibility to the Arkansas River below. This area, called Phillips Landing, allowed Drennen and his brother-in-law David Thompson to see the arrival of their steamboats without having to worry about constant flooding. The home began as a one-room structure that grew as the family grew. Drennen’s daughter, Caroline, married Charles Scott, who would continue the family legacy. This is why the home is known as the Drennen-Scott House.

The house is now used by the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith Historical Interpretation Program, which welcomes visitors to explore the ground outside the house and the interior, which contains some of the original structure and furniture.

“Drennen Scott House.” University of Arkansas Fort Smith. https://class.uafs.edu/history/drennen-scott-house (accessed December 13, 2019).

Spears, Leita. “Drennen-Scott Historic Site.” Encyclopedia of Arkansas. https://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/entries/drennen-scott-historic-site-6945/ (accessed December 13, 2019).

“UAFS Drennen-Scott House:150 years of History in a Working Laboratory.” Van Buren, Arkansas. https://www.vanburen.org/uafs-drennen-scott-house/ (accessed December 13, 2019).