Experiences and Opportunities from our Community Partners and Friends
Take a tour with Siloam native and Chef Erin Rowe to learn about Northwest Arkansas food history and culture
Gifts and Great Deals from our Friends
Save 20% on any purchase from ModelLandmarks with the code SILOAM
Good Books
Hico: A Heritage
Siloam Springs History
by Maggie Aldridge Smith
This book is as important to the documented history of Siloam as any other that you could find, but finding this book is sometimes a challenge as well. If you don’t find copies available at this link, keep an eye out for Ebay auctions. If you ever see it for less than $40 then it’s a bargain find. Smith’s book is a detailed chronicle of Siloam history and is easily one of the most important sources in our local history canon.
Maggie Aldridge Smith was a descendant of Simon Sager and made important contributions to Siloam Springs’ historic record.
An Ozark Culinary History
by Chef Erin Rowe
For many years, if you googled, “Ozark food culture” you would mostly find references to barbeque and other Southern food traditions. Erin’s book is the most well researched and historically accurate account of Ozark food history and traditions that you will find anywhere. Food culture is part and parcel of our cultural identity, and as a result, this book has made an invaluable contribution to our community. Apple pie, pork belly, fried catfish, grits, cobblers, jellies, and pickles- this book covers recipes and the history behind all the foods we know and love.
Erin Rowe is a Siloam Springs native and chef, specializing in the food culture and heritage of Northwest Arkansas.
Images of America Siloam Springs
by Don Warden
This book is the most up to date account of our town history. It is a must-have for all residents, whether they are serious researchers, amateur historians, or just Siloam history-curious. The images provided bring history to life in our imaginations and in the spaces where we live around town everyday. Much credit is due to Don for inspiring our community and this organization to appreciate and preserve our local history with this book.
Don Warden is longtime Siloam Springs resident and curator of the Siloam Springs City Museum.
Benton County History
from the Benton County Heritage Commission
For the serious local history collectors, this hard to find book is an investment piece with valuable first-hand accounts of Benton County History. The often-overlooked importance of local history from the county perspective is answered in this book and provides a new view of the importance of Siloam Springs to the development of Benton County, reminding us that Siloam was the largest and most important municipality in Benton County through the early 20th century and why.
Digest of Ordinances of the City of Siloam Springs, January 1907
This is the published copy of Siloam Springs laws in January 1907, and has been kept in legal libraries as a reference for the development of municipal laws in American history. For our purposes, it offers a direct view of what life was like in Siloam Springs at that time, what social and economic problems the city was attempting to resolve, what streets, sidewalks, and houses may have been like. It also introduces important political leaders in the history of Siloam Springs, like the city founders, councilmen, mayors, and administrators.
Folk Histories, Songs, Stories, and other anthropological accounts of Northwest Arkansas by Vance Randolph
You may already be familiar with Vance Randolph, he was an early 20th century author who published 18 books on Ozark folk culture, including topics like folksongs, stories, and superstitions. Much of this history includes Northwest Arkansas and Siloam Springs, and for these contributions the University of Arkansas awarded him an honorary doctorate in 1951. The retelling of folk history gives a voice to the ordinary citizens who occupy our local history.
If you’d like all of your Amazon purchases to benefit the Siloam Springs Heritage Foundation, look for us on the smile.amazon.com page, where a percentage of all purchases benefit the non-profit organizations that you designate in your account.
Siloam Springs Heritage Foundation is registered as an Amazon Affiliate, so qualifying purchases from this site that use the Amazon platform will provide revenue support for our preservation projects.
Do you have suggestions for our gift list? Feel free to send your recommendations to rebecca@siloamspringsheritage.org
Siloam Springs Heritage Foundation 