Historical Memory in Cane Hill, Arkansas

Summary

This is an abstract from the session entitled "Paper / Report Submission (General Sessions)", at the 2025 annual meeting of the Society for Historical Archaeology.

Historic Cane Hill is known for its Cumberland Presbyterian roots and history. Today, visitors learn about its past and the Cumberland Presbyterians’ many contributions, especially Cane Hill College. While the 1886 college building still stands, it is not in the same location as the original campus. Despite no visual or documentary evidence, the local historical memory is that Cane Hill College originally sat on the crest of the hill overlooking the community.

Cane Hill also had a Methodist congregation, one whose history has largely been forgotten, or remembered incorrectly, despite their former church still standing in its original location. In this presentation, I provide an overview of the archaeology conducted at the former Methodist church and the suspected location of the original Cane Hill College campus. The results support the historical memory of one site, while providing evidence that contradicts the way the other has been remembered.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Paper / Report Submission (General Sessions)   •
• Society for Historical Archaeology 2025

Keywords

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Nicole Haddow