Historical society tours U.S. Marshal Museum, Drennen-Scott home

The Sequoyah County Historical Society toured the U.S. Marshals Museum in Fort Smith and the Drennen-Scott home in Van Buren.

Each year in October, the Sequoyah County Historical Society goes on its annual historical tour. This year, on Oct. 17, the society went to Fort Smith to the U.S. Marshals Museum and to the Drennen-Scott home in Van Buren.

The group assembled at the historical society’s museum in Sallisaw at 8 a.m. Traveling by KATS bus and car caravan they arrived at the Marshals Museum at about 9:30 a.m.

For most, it was their first time to view this magnificent building and its exhibits. Everyone was free to roam through hundreds of exhibits featuring the history of the U.S. Marshals from its beginnings to the present. One room, called the Campfire, was lit by dramatic lighting and had animated mannequins dressed in 18th through 21st century marshal clothes seated around a campfire telling stories under the stars.

The special exhibits gallery displayed a history of the Cherokee Freedmen.

After everyone had finished viewing the exhibits, they were seated in the atrium where Harold Trisler, a society member, gave an interesting talk about the marshals.

Before we left the Marshals Museum, the group took group pictures. One picture was taken before a life sized statue done in bronze of a marshal on horseback created by Sequoyah County Historical Society member Daniel Horsechief of Sallisaw.

After lunch at the Golden Corral, the group went to the Drennen- Scott home in Van Buren. At the home, the society listened to Tom Wing, who gave an interesting talk about Mr. John Drennen, the founder of Van Buren and his connection to the Cherokee Nation. He then took everyone on a tour of the museum, describing its antebellum furnishings and pointed out the large collection of the Drennen-Scott family portraits. He also said the home was built in 1836 and owned by the same family until 2005, when it was acquired by the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith.

Situated on a high hill overlooking the Arkansas River, the Drennen-Scott home is a remarkable place and a must see for all who are interested in history.

Upon their return trip to Sallisaw, many of the group expressed what a wonderful day they had had.