THREE RIVERS AREA — In a townlike setting, a collection of 19th century buildings, farm implements and other historical items make up the Pioneer Village in Searcy.

Situated at 1166 Higginson Road, a schoolhouse, depot, store, jail and windmill are maintained by the White County Historical Society.

The village will host an open house from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and from 1-4 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 8. Visitors may stroll on the walkways and enter the structures where guides dressed in period fashion will be there to talk with them and answer questions about the village and the historical society.

“It is on beautiful grounds the Master Gardeners take care of,” said Marilyn Sims, who is with the White County Historical Society. “The Master Gardeners work there every Tuesday and through the summer.” These structures were planned for demolition in 2002 when the historical society took chargeand had the buildings moved to Higginson Road.

The house is the old Gordon House that was moved from the Providence community. The jail is the old Pangburn jail from the early 1900s, and the schoolhouse and the store are from the Little Red community.

The village survives on donations and fundraising events. Proceeds from the sale of three different cookbooks go to help maintain the village.

“Each day, the city opens the gates and closes them in the evenings,” Sims said.

Sims hopes there will be enough interest that someone could open the village structures two to three days per week.

Normal hours of the village are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., but the structures are locked. Visitors may walk on the path and walk up to the structures, but not go inside.

The village also holds an open house in the spring.

- jbrosius@ arkansasonline.com

Three Rivers, Pages 121 on 11/01/2009