Ongoing efforts to capture and commemorate the history of Scott County, Ark., received a boost earlier this year in the form of a $6,500 grant awarded by the Arvest Foundation.
Shelley Buckles, Deb Fuller and Keith Slater of Arvest Bank were on hand to present the check on behalf of the Arvest Foundation to Scott County Museum of History director Ty Richardson at the museum’s grand opening. The funds were used to help restore and preserve the Old Scott County Courthouse, the site of the museum.
“The generosity of this grant provided new window coverings for the Scott County Museum of History,” Richardson said. “We are excited to have this in our community and would like to thank the Arvest Foundation for helping bring this museum to Scott County.”
The Scott County Museum of History was incorporated as a 501c3 non-profit in 2021 following several years of planning and development. Gary Blythe, who owned and operated Blythe’s Museum, donated the majority of his collection to the Scott County Museum of History in June 2021. Blythe died in August 2021, but Richardson said the Scott County Museum of History will work to preserve his collection of artifacts, while also preserving additional items and the courthouse itself.
“On behalf of the Arvest Foundation, we were pleased to help the Scott County Museum of History preserve its artifacts by providing the funds for the new window coverings,” Buckles said. “We trust this donation shows how much the foundation is committed to the community and preserving its history.”