Meetings are the first Tuesday of every month at 2:00 pm at the Archives.

Services:

The Pike County Archives and History Society was founded in 1986 and is a 501 (c) 3 tax exempt, no-profit organization. The organization is dedicated to collecting and preserving material which brings together the unique history of Pike County.

The collection of material includes family histories, census records, micro-film, publications and other material for historical and genealogical research.

Business of the Month: September 2015

The Murfreesboro Chamber Business of the Month for September was The Pike County Archives and History Society. They had an Open House from 11:00 am until 1:00 pm on Wednesday September 23, 2015. They gave several copies of the book “Another Look at the Past” as door prizes. Winners were Christy Coccarilli, Sabrina Williams, Jane Fuggit and Tillie Terrell. There were more than 50 people that signed the register to enjoy the delectable goodies.

The Pike County Archives and History Society was founded and incorporated in 1986 and is a 501 (c)3 non profit organization. The organization was originally started to rescue and preserve the county documents. When the group started this endeavor the documents and books were in the basement of the courthouse on shelves and there was about a foot of water on the floor. All the books had to be taken outside and treated because they were moldy. They were then taken to a new location in the third floor of the courthouse or “the attic” as they called it. To get there you had to go behind the judge’s bench in the court room and climb a winding staircase. The documents and books are currently housed in a beautiful section of the Pike County Annex where they moved in March of 2002. The founding board was DeWayne Gray, Pres., Bobbie Hendrix, Vice-Pres. Jan McGalliard, Sec. and Linda Wilson Treas.

The group works with anyone who wants to know about the history of Pike County, as well as those working on family genealogy. The Archive has many many resources and they help anyone that comes in to discover who their ancestors are.

This organization is not just for Murfreesboro, but for all of Pike County, to preserve and promote an interest in the history of the county as well as house and preserve the original documents of the county government. They house over five hundred original Pike County Record books that date back to 1895 when the courthouse burned the last time. They also have microfilm of tax records of Pike County from the State of Arkansas for the time prior to 1895. There are numerous other resources they have salvaged or purchased over the years and all of these are available for public use.

They publish a quarterly newsletter called “The Gems”. Each issue focuses on a different part or town of Pike County. They write stories about that community and the families that were/are living there.

This facility is not just for old people or people working on their family genealogy, it is for all people to learn the history of this area. People of all ages should have an appreciation and an interest in our history. This is why for example DeWayne Gray got involved and help start The Pike County Archives and History Society when he was 18 years old. He had the privilege of knowing a Great Great Grandfather and Great Great Grandmother and this gave him an appreciation of the history of his family and he loved hearing the older people tell stories.

The reason to have this in a community, is summed up in the quote by George Santayana, “Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” So let’s learn from our past and not repeat the mistakes that were made.