Boone County: History, Murals, and Ozark Landscapes

The Harrison Courthouse Square Historic District encompasses more than the area immediately around the square: it includes the Seville, the west side of the 200 block of Main Street, buildings around the square, and several blocks along the side streets leading off it. The district was added to the National Register of Historic Places on May 6, 1999. The Boone County Courthouse was added to the register on July 21, 1976.

Historic Sites in Harrison

The Seville is part of the district; the Hotel Seville began operating on October 5, 1929. This historical date describes when it first opened for business. Another cultural site with its own history is the Lyric Theatre, built in 1929 as a movie theater for sound films.

The murals in Downtown Harrison also tell stories from the city’s history. Natural State Natural Art provides a Mural Tour Passport and an interactive map to help you see them. The Harrison Historic Walking Tours are self-guided tours of historic sites in Harrison. Check the materials and tour availability in advance.

The Boone County Heritage Museum focuses on the history of the Ozark Mountains and Harrison, from the earliest settlers onward. This includes the settlement of the Arkansas Ozarks by Harrison’s ancestors. Other exhibit topics include Harrison’s railroad history and the role of soldiers from Boone County and Arkansas in the Civil War, the two World Wars, and other conflicts.

Other historical topics include the Twelve Oaks estate and Rose Hill Cemetery. Twelve Oaks is listed on the National Register of Historic Places; by 1922, Bass had built a large home there influenced by the Craftsman style. Rose Hill Cemetery was the first public cemetery in Harrison. At the cultural landscape of the Rush Historic District, you can learn more about historic zinc mining and life in the mining community; it is open to the public.

Nature Areas and Trails

Baker Prairie is within Harrison’s city limits and borders Harrison High School and Harrison Middle School. Educational resources about Baker Prairie are available; check public access rules before visiting. The site comprises 71 undisturbed acres that remain from a 5,000-acre prairie ecosystem in northwest Arkansas. More than 250 animal and plant species are represented here, including rare prairie plants and four animal species of special concern. Species inventories may change as conservation surveys are updated.

The modern, paved Lake Harrison Walking Trail runs along Crooked Creek, Lake Harrison, the Lake Harrison dam, the children’s park, and the Anstaff Bank Soccer Complex. The trails at Lake Harrison are suitable for walking, jogging, and cycling. Harrison also offers cycling routes on secondary roads and highways in the Ozark Mountains. Difficulty levels range from easy for beginners to challenging and strenuous. This provides a range of trail types and difficulty levels to help you choose; check route and road conditions before setting out.

Another option for recreation and exercise is Harrison’s Creekside Community Center, which offers indoor pools, multi-purpose sports courts, esports, virtual golf, and more. The pools include an eight-lane competition pool, a lap pool, a children’s pool, and a diving board. Facility operations and public-use rules may change; check before your visit.

Regional Overview

The Buffalo River’s headquarters is in Harrison; however, the river itself does not run through Boone County. Activities in the vicinity of the Buffalo National River may include floating on the river, visiting historic homesteads and prehistoric sites, hiking, horseback riding, and camping. Check park activities and access conditions before your trip.

The Boone County Regional Airport is associated with commercial air service to Dallas, Texas, in tourism information. Since flight service depends on the schedule, check current routes before your trip. This lets you consider Harrison’s historic sites, nature offerings, and regional activities as separate focuses when planning your trip.

Discover more destinations: Harrison, Marion County, Poinsett County, Cleburne County, St. Francis County, Baxter County, Benton, Sharp County

For the broader travel overview: Arkansas.