WELCOME!
The Washington County Historical Society is a nonprofit organization founded in 1951 with the mission to discover, preserve, and celebrate the history of Washington County, Arkansas, and to share that heritage with others.
To carry out this mission, the Society manages and maintains historic properties and sponsors activities such as the annual Battle of Fayetteville observance, Heritage School, walking tours of historic Fayetteville, Statehood Day, and Diverse Settlers programs. It also collaborates with other local and state organizations to identify and maintain historic sites.
The WCHS manages several significant historical properties including the Headquarters House Museum, the Law Office of Gov. Archibald Yell, and the Ridge House. Surrounding Headquarters House are gardens established by the Tebbetts family who built the house before the Civil War. All Society properties are open to the public during limited hours.Tours for both groups and individuals are easily scheduled.
WCHS Annual Meeting - October 4, 2026
The Washington County Historical Society will hold its Annual Meeting on Sunday, October 4, 2026, from 1 to 3PM. The location will again be the Bailey Center at Mount Sequoyah, 150 North Skyline Drive in Fayetteville. Following lunch, the highlight of the program will be recognition of the Distinguished Citizens for 2026 Jan Leflar, Lindsley Armstrong Smith, and Stephen A. Smith. The program will include a short business meeting to approve officers for the coming year. All WCHS members and guests are welcome. Ticket prices will be available soon and tickets can be purchased online at Annual Meeting Tickets.
Yesterdays guide now available
A popular walking tour guide for the Washington-Willow Historic District in Fayetteville is now available for sale - and sales have been brisk! Yesterdays: A Walk Through the Washington-Willow Historic District was first published in 1983 by the WCHS. Researched and written by Carolyn Lewis Newbern, the book included sketches by the late Helen Finger Leflar. Gary Coover of Rollston Press is publishing the updated book, with the help of Newbern, who has rigorously researched changes in the district over the past 43 years. The Leflar family has generously shared more illustrations by Helen Leflar.
The new version covers more than 90 historic properties in 140 pages with photographs and brief histories of each property. It will be available both as a paperback book and in Kindle format. A map keyed to each property serves as a guide to a walking tour of the district. Copies are available through the WCHS Bookstore for $10 plus shipping.
54th Annual ice cream social
Despite the late August heat, an ice-cream-loving crowd came out for the 2026 Ice Cream Social on August 15.
Tours
Group and Individual
The historic Headquarters House and Gardens are open to the public. Both group and individual tours can easily be scheduled. Call the WCHS office at (479) 521-2970 to make tour arrangements.
Membership
Join Today
Become a member of the Washington County Historical Society today! For the Member Application form, go to "Join" in the menu bar of this website.
You can upgrade your WCHS membership to Explorer Level or above ($100 or more) and receive free access to 1,380 Museums & Cultural Institutions across North America. Visit North American Reciprocal Museum Association (NARM) at www.narmassociation.org for other museums you can access for FREE or stop by the WCHS Office at 118 E. Dickson and ask for a brochure.
recognizing the enslaved people of headquarters house
The enslaved people owned by Jonas and Matilda Tebbetts will now be recognized in Headquarters House. A framed poster with brief biographies of Amy, Tom, Harris, "Unknown Male," and Betty was presented to those attending the Statehood Day Lecture on June 14. The backgrounds of the five individuals were researched by Dr. Georgena Duncan, retired history professor and dean of liberal and fine arts at Arkansas Tech University. WCHS board member Peggy Chenault proposed the poster and oversaw its production.
