In the heights of the Cossatot River State Park-Natural Area in southwest Arkansas, a new visitor center is giving visitors a lofty look at the rugged beauty of the region and an introduction to the park’s spectacular namesake river, one of the wildest in mid-America.

The impressive $2.7-million visitor center, located in the park near the town of Wickes, opened last summer to provide environmental education, river preservation and outdoor recreation. The focus of the center is the Cossatot River, a National Wild and Scenic River that is the premier whitewater float stream for kayakers and canoeists in Arkansas.

One of the highlights of the center is the wildlife observation area where visitors stand treetop high looking into the canopy of the forest’s north slope. Oak, gum, dogwood, hickory, pine and other trees host a variety of birds and mammals, and visitors are at eye-level with them.

In addition, a huge gallery contains exhibits that interpret the river, as well as the region’s wildlife, plants and the history of its human inhabitants. Touch-screen kiosks provide details about the trails, camping, animals and river lore of the park. Plus, a film tells the story of the formation of the Ouachita Mountains and the Cossatot River.

Within the park, which stretches along 14 miles of the river, visitors also will find rugged wooded slopes, outstanding geological features and the cascading clear water of the river. There are picnic sites, nature trails, primitive camp sites and a pedestrian walkway above the river.

The river forms the Cossatot Falls area, a rocky canyon with ledges where the river drops 33 feet in elevation within one-third of a mile. Late winter to early spring is peak paddling season here. However, with challenging Class IV and V rapids, the river is for experienced paddlers only.

For more details about the park, call (870) 385-2201, or click on the Web site www.arkansas stateparks.com.

This year marks the 200th anniversary of the magnificent Laura Plantation in Vacherie, La., but the home nearly didn’t make it to this momentous anniversary.

Built in 1805, the home suffered a devastating fire several months ago during which 70 percent of the main house was damanged. Yet despite the fire, which occurred on Aug. 9, tours were still held the next day and have continued unabated.

As caretakers will tell you, the tour at Laura Plantation has never been about the “Big House” and the furniture. They simply served as a stage for the stories of the people who made this farm their home.

Combining elements from the “Creole Family Tour” and the “Slavery in Creole Louisiana Tour,” real-life stories of the plantation’s men, women, children, slaves and workers transport guests into the fascinating world of Louisiana’s Creole culture. The tour begins in front of the fire-damaged Big House, where discussion centers on the origins of Creole, the history and architecture of the house and the plantation’s founders.

Visitors are then escorted to the 1840s slave cabins where more stories examine the Creole culture.

As of press time, visitors were not allowed in the Big House, but once an assessment is done regarding the stability of the building, tours will go through parts of the house and guests will experience the restoration process.

Tours begin daily at 9:30 a.m. and continue every 20 minutes until 4 p.m. Vacherie is located about midway between New Orleans and Baton Rouge on State Highway 18.

For more information, call (225) 265-7690, or visit online at www.lauraplantation.com.

Two “old” sites in Baton Rouge, La., offer a new look at Louisiana’s most famous governor, Huey P. Long.

The Old State Capitol and the Old Governor’s Mansion both offer insight into Long, who was governor from 1928–1930. With a new exhibit in the Old State Capitol and a noteworthy anni-versary in the Old Governor’s Mansion, it’s the perfect time to re-examine Long’s storied life.

Built in 1930, this year marks the 75th anniversary of the Old Governor’s Mansion, which closely resembles the White House. Legend has it that Long wanted to be familiar with the White House when he became president, so he had it duplicated in Baton Rouge, though some dispute this story.

The Mansion has undergone at least three renovations, the most recent of which was completed in 1999, substantially returning the house to its original glory. One of the highlights is a beautiful curving marble staircase.

Another architectural masterpiece in town is the Old State Capitol. Completed in 1850, it is a great example of Gothic Revival architecture with towers, gables and exterior stained glass windows that give it the appearance of a 15th-century Gothic Cathedral.

While at the Old Capitol, be sure to catch the newest exhibit, “Huey Long Live! The Kingfish Speaks.” Coinciding with Long’s 111th birthday, this highly realistic, life-size animatronic gives visitors the opportunity to see and hear Long as he truly was, down to the finest detail.

The exhibit complements another display that investigates Long’s assassination in 1935.

For more details about the Old Governor’s Mansion, call (225) 387-2464, or visit online at www.oldgovernorsmansion.org. For details about the Old State Capitol, call (225) 342-0500 or 1-800-488-2968, or visit www.sec. state.la.us/museums/osc/osc/osc-index.htm.

Touted as the first permanent exhibit of its kind in the United States, “The Struggle for Equal Rights” exhibit at the Old Capitol Museum in Jackson, Miss., offers visitors a detailed examination of the Civil Rights movement in Mississippi between 1954–1970.

The exhibit explores the issue by using such graphic artifacts as a charred wooden cross, glass fragments from bombed churches, and prison-issued sandals worn by Freedom Riders. Also incorporated into the exhibit are political posters of the era, newsfilm footage, photographs and artifacts from such events as James Meredith’s enrollment at Ole Miss, the assassination of Medgar Evers, voter registration and sit-ins.

The exhibit is located on the first floor of the museum in the 20th-Century Room, which covers the entire gamut of the past century, from the growth of railroads and industry to the birth of the blues. Farm machinery that forever changed the agricultural landscape is also exhibited here, and the “Rise of the Rednecks” is illustrated with the red necktie of populist Gov. Theodore Bilbo.

The Old Capitol Museum is located in downtown Jackson. Museum hours are 8 a.m.–5 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. on Saturday and 12:30–4:30 p.m. on Sunday. For more details, call (601) 576-6920, or click on http://www.mdah. state.ms.us/museum/index.html online.

Garden enthusiasts who are eagerly anticipating spring can get an early dose at the annual Arkansas Flower and Garden Show in Little Rock this February.

Held at the Statehouse Convention Center in downtown Little Rock, the annual show gives novice and expert gardeners plenty of ideas for their gardens and landscaping projects. The theme for this year’s event, which will be Feb. 25–27, is “Springtime in Arkansas.”

As gardeners wander around the show, they’ll see several landscaped gardens, complete with arbors, plantings, statues, stone retaining walls, benches and flowers. The settings provide inspiration for gardeners to use around their homes.

Plus, there will be dozens of booths with retailers selling all sorts of plants and garden-related merchandise. Also, speakers will offer seminars on a variety of garden topics.

The show is held from 9 a.m.–6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and from 10 a.m.–5 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is $5 for adults, $4 for seniors and $1 for children 6–12. For details, call (501) 821-4000, or click on www.arflowerand gardenshow.org.