Author Archives: Scott

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About Scott

A cultural thinker with a life long interest in the arts and humanities: theatre, music, architecture, photography, history, urban planning, etc.

Little Rock Look Back: J. G. Botsford, LR’s 29th Mayor

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Botsford GraveOn December 30, 1838, future Little Rock Mayor Jefferson George Botsford was born in Port Huron, Michigan.  He married Charlotte Adelia Henry on June 13, 1867.  She had been born in Massachusetts, but moved to Little Rock with her parents and grandparents.

The couple had seven children: Nellie, Charlotte, Harriett, James, Edward, George and Charles. Nellie, James and Charles died in childhood.

Botsford had served in the Union Army and fought in frontier battles against Indians.  Among his commercial involvements in Little Rock were serving as mail contractor between Little Rock and Baton Rouge, proprietor of Anthony House, organizer of Merchants National Bank and president of the White River Valley & Texas Railroad.

In 1868, Botsford was elected to the Little Rock City Council.  The City Council suspended Mayor A. K. Hartman in February 1870.  Elected in 1869, he was disliked by the aldermen, the press and a portion of the public.  A court order overturned the suspension in June 1870.  In January 1871, Mayor Hartman was again suspended by the Council.  This time, Botsford was declared Mayor.  However Hartman also still claimed the title of Mayor through the remainder of his term in November 1871.

After stepping down as Mayor with the election of Robert Catterson in November 1871, Botsford returned to private life.  He died on October 29, 1915 and is buried at Mount Holly Cemetery.

Today at noon, Mosaic Templar’s Cultural Center celebrates Kwanzaa

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mtccThe Mosaic Templar’s Cultural Center, in partnership with the Sue Cowan Williams library, Pyramid Art Books and Custom Framing, and other community partners, will celebrate Kwanzaa from noon to 1 p.m. on Tuesday, December 30.

MTCC’s Kwanzaa celebration is a citywide event that will celebrate the principle of Nia (nee-AH), which means “to make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness.”

Kwanzaa is an African American holiday celebration that focuses on family, community, and culture.

The Mosaic Templar’s Cultural Center is an agency of the Department of Arkansas Heritage.

 

Little Rock Look Back: Frederick Kramer, LR’s 31st and 33rd Mayor, first LR School Board President

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Mayor KramerOn December 29, 1829, future Little Rock Mayor Frederick G. Kramer was born in Halle, Prussia.  In 1848, he immigrated to the United States.  Kramer enlisted in the United States Army and served in the Seventh Infantry until his discharge at Fort Gibson, Indian Territory, in July 1857. After his discharge, Kramer settled in Little Rock, and became a citizen in 1859. He married Adaline Margaret Reichardt, an emigrant from Germany, in 1857. They had six children Louisa, Mattie, Emma, Charles, Fred, and Henry.

From 1869 to 1894, Kramer served on the Little Rock School Board.  He was the first School Board president.  Among his other civic activities were serving as president of the Masonic Mutual Relief Association, a founder of the Mount Holly Cemetery Commission, and a founder of Temple B’nai Israel.  In 1875 he and F. A. Sarasin opened a mercantile business. Kramer later became the president of the Bank of Commerce.

Frederick Kramer was elected Mayor of Little Rock in November 1873.  He served until April 1875, when a new Arkansas Constitution took effect.

From November 1869 through March 1875, the City Council President presided over City Council meetings and signed ordinances, performing many of the duties formerly ascribed to the Mayor.  As such, during his Mayoral tenure from 1873 to 1875, Kramer was the Chief Executive of the City but did not preside over Council Meeting.  When he had served on the City Council, however, Kramer had been elected President of the Council and had presided over Council meetings from October 1871 to May 1872

Kramer was returned to the Mayoralty in April 1881 and served three more terms leaving office in April 1887.  His tenure as an Alderman and as Mayor overlapped with his service on the school board.

A new Little Rock elementary school which opened in 1895 on Sherman Street was named the Fred Kramer Elementary School in his honor.  Though the building’s bell tower was removed in the 1950s, the structure still stands today.  It now houses loft apartments.

Frederick G. Kramer died on September 8, 1896, in Colorado Springs, Colorado.  A few months earlier, he had traveled there with his wife and daughter Emma to recuperate from an illness. He is buried in Oakland Cemetery.

Final week of Rep’s ELF. SRO Tickets available

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THEREP_ELF (no credits)-page-001The Arkansas Repertory Theatre production of Elf has been wildly popular, to say the least.  For over a week every performance has been sold out.

HOWEVER, there are 10 “standing room” tickets available for each performance.

Here’s how it works.  The tickets are $40 each. To get an SRO ticket, which actually includes a stool in the back of the orchestra level, be at the Box Office one hour before curtain time (6 p.m. for evening performances, 1 p.m. for matinees) to get a SRO voucher.

Performances this week are today at 2pm and 7pm; Tuesday, December 30 at 7pm; Wednesday, December 31 at 7pm; Thursday, January 1 at 7pm; Friday, January 2 at 7pm; Saturday, January 3 at 2pm and 7pm; and Sunday, January 4 at 2pm and 7pm.

Dinosaurs: Fossils Exposed at Museum of Discovery

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mod dinoDinosaurs have taken over the Museum of Discovery in the new exhibit, Dinosaurs: Fossils Exposed.

Dinosaurs: Fossils Exposed explores the bones and fossils belonging to the giant creatures that once roamed the Earth. Visitors can view and even touch six full dinosaur skeletal molds including a Triceratops, Tyrannosaurs Rex and Velociraptor. There are additional molds of skulls, arms, legs, eggs, footprints and a 6-foot-1 Apatosaurus femur. Visitors will also enjoy a dig box where they can use paleontology tools to unearth dinosaur bones.

Dinosaurs: Fossils Exposed was conceptualized by the Arkansas Discovery Network, a unique six-museum partnership, for which the Museum of Discovery serves as the statewide hub, and built by the Museum of Discovery exhibits team, led by Josh Annett.

“Often, with dinosaur exhibits, the crucial background information is overshadowed by the shear majesty of these massive animals,” said Kathleen Lawson, Arkansas Discovery Network Director. “But Dinosaurs: Fossils Exposedwill educate and excite visitors while dispelling common misconceptions and engage people of all ages with hands-on, interactive exhibits.”

Dinosaurs: Fossils Exposed will remain at the Museum of Discovery through April 26 then will make its way across the state to the partnering Arkansas Discovery Network museums including Amazeum in Bentonville, Arkansas Museum of Natural Resources in Smackover, Arkansas State University Museum in Jonesboro, Arts and Science Center for Southeast Arkansas in Pine Bluff and Mid-America Science Museum in Hot Springs.

Museum of Discovery’s mission is to ignite a passion for science, technology and math in a dynamic, interactive environment.

He’s made it “back to Little Rock” – Hendrix College alum Hayes Carll

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181891_C9_008Hendrix alum Hayes Carll makes a much welcome return to the River Market tonight. The initiated know what’s in store but for those who don’t, this is tell it like it is music for people who might not normally be into that sort of thing. Honest, at times humorous and certainly engaging, a Hayes Carll show is a show that you won’t want to miss!

His paean to Arkansas’ capitol city, “Little Rock,” has perhaps my favorite line about the city: “a piece of this earth for my peace of mind.”

An outstanding performer, he is also a phenomenal songwriter. He pens most of his own songs, but also writes for others.  NPR picked “Chances Are” one of its top picks for 2014.  They termed this song  (he wrote which was recorded by Lee Ann Womack) an instant classic.

Show time is 9:00 p.m. The opening back is Band of Heathens. Tickets are $20.

 

Little Rock Look Back: Actress Fay Templeton

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Fay_TempletonActress Fay Templeton was born in Little Rock, Arkansas, on December 25, 1865.  The daughter of vaudevillians, she grew up on stage touring throughout the country.  The family was in town for some performances when she was born.

Templeton made her “legitimate” Broadway debut in 1899’s Helter Skelter, although she had been appearing in New York theatres and opera houses since age 8.  She appeared with many of the leading performers of her day including Weber and Fields, who hired her for their repertory company.

In 1906, she appeared in George M. Cohan’s Forty-five Minutes from Broadway. His recruiting of her for the role was recreated in the musical George M!  She is also portrayed in the Cohan biopic Yankee Doodle Dandy and spoofed by Judy Garland in the movie Babes on Broadway.  Templeton herself did not appear in movies.

In the 1910s, she became the definitive Little Buttercup in New York City productions of HMS Pinafore.  Her final Broadway appearance was in 1933’s Roberta.

Templeton was married several times and lived with other men.  Throughout her career, she would “retire” from the stage but then return when she needed money.  At age 71, she was forced to stop working due to illness. She died at age 73 and is buried in New York.