Conway in Faulkner County, Arkansas — The American South (West South Central)

The Hendrix Bell at Altus

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, July 20, 2023

1. The Hendrix Bell at Altus Marker

Inscription. In 1883 a bell was installed in the tower of the new three-story brick building at Altus, Arkansas, which housed Central Collegiate Institute (later Hendrix College). It is believed this is the bell which hung in the tower until the building burned in 1909. The steel alloy bell, manufactured by C.S. Bell Company of Hillsboro, Ohio, is 36 inches in diameter and weighs 605 pounds. It was acquired through the efforts of Bob Burrow of Ozark, great-grandson of the Rev. I.L. Burrow (the founder of CCI in 1876), and donated to Hendrix by R.W. Meriwether, retired professor, in 1993. The display of this bell was made possible by gifts from members of the Class of 1994.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Communications • Education. A significant historical year for this entry is 1883.

Location. 35° 5.994′ N, 92° 26.471′ W. Marker is in Conway, Arkansas, in Faulkner County. Marker can be reached from the intersection of Harkrider Street (Business U.S. 65) and Markham Street, on the right when traveling south. The marker is located at Couch Circle, near the center of the Hendrix College Campus, about 1/10 mile northwest of Markham Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1600 Washington Avenue, Conway AR 72032, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 6 miles of this marker, measured

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as the crow flies. Simon Park (approx. 0.7 miles away); Faulkner County (approx. 0.8 miles away); Faulkner County Veterans Memorial (approx. 0.8 miles away); Conway Confederate Monument (approx. 0.8 miles away); Robins House (approx. one mile away); Faulkner County in the Civil War (approx. 1.6 miles away); 450th Commemoration De Soto Expedition (approx. 5.8 miles away); Lt. Joseph W. Harris, U.S.A. (approx. 5.9 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Conway.

Also see . . . History of Hendrix College. Excerpt:

In 1876 Central Institute, which was to become Hendrix College, was established in Altus, Arkansas, by the Rev. Isham L. Burrow. Burrow was serving as a minister in the Methodist Episcopal Church, South (now a part of the United Methodist Church) at the time. The school became Central Collegiate Institute in 1881 with the addition of secondary and collegiate departments. The institute was purchased in 1884 by conferences of the Southern Methodist Church in Arkansas and was renamed Hendrix College in honor of Bishop Eugene R. Hendrix in 1889. The following year the college moved to Conway, Arkansas. By the mid-1930s Hendrix had firmly established its role as a small, coeducational, undergraduate, residential, liberal arts,
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, July 20, 2023

2. The Hendrix Bell at Altus
The marker is mounted on the base of the bell stand, between the piers.
church-related institution. From the mid-1950s Hendrix gradually increased student enrollment until it stabilized at just under 1,000 in the 1970s. Through the end of the 20th century, Hendrix added more than 15 buildings, developed a new master plan for growth of the campus, and revised and enhanced its curriculum and added faculty in key areas.

(Submitted on December 2, 2023, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

The Hendrix Bell image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, July 20, 2023

3. The Hendrix Bell

The Altus Bell Stand Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, July 20, 2023

4. The Altus Bell Stand Marker

(mounted near the base of the bell stand)
The Altus Bell Stand
was made possible by gifts from
members of the Class of 2001 and
the Quasquicentennial Committee
in celebration of the College’s
125th Anniversary.

Credits. This page was last revised on December 2, 2023. It was originally submitted on December 2, 2023, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 84 times since then and 42 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on December 2, 2023, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.