New Acquisition: Civil War Minie Balls
By Cody Berry This time we are taking a break from the mines of Bauxite and the upcoming exhibit about WWII to announce that the Gann Museum has recently acquired something very special. Saline County resident Don Lucy came to see me on June 5 to donate a set of 18 Civil War era Minie … Continued
Our Summer Reading Challenge is for Adults, too!
While we have some awesome opportunities for your little ones to participate in our Summer Reading Challenge, we also have some fun events for adults as well! Whether you enjoy a spooky time or want to experience a fun night of arts and crafts – we have it all! Take a look at our handy … Continued
Gann Museum Day
By Cody Berry Did you know that former Benton Mayor Lynn Moore and former County Judge Lanny Fite issued proclamations naming May 18, 1999, as “Gann Museum Day?” I didn’t either until I started looking through our many, many scrapbooks at the Gann Museum this week. At that time, the Gann Museum’s executive director was … Continued
Bauxite’s Reaction to Pearl Harbor
By Cody Berry On December 7, 1941, the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, which propelled the United States into WWII. The Arkansas Democrat’s top headline that day read “Japanese Declare War,” above pictures of a battleship on fire and planes flying over the island. That day the Japanese bombed Manila, Honolulu, Pearl Harbor, and … Continued
Library Board Vacancy
At the May 12, 2025 Saline County Library Board of Trustees meeting, a call was made for applications for the trustee position that will become vacant July 1, 2025. Interested applicants are asked to submit a current resume as well as a cover letter outlining their desire to serve and how their skills and experience … Continued
WWII in Bauxite, Arkansas
By Cody Berry In recognition of the 80th anniversary of VE Day on May 8, 2025, I wanted to write about what life was like in Bauxite during the Second World War. Legislation passed during the Great Depression allowed workers to organize, bargain collectively, and to have more control over their employment. Union activity began … Continued
From Alumina to Aluminum: The Hall-Heroult Process
By Cody Berry Last time we covered the Bayer Process which takes the alumina out of raw bauxite ore. This week we will cover the next step in the aluminum making process. In 1880, a 20-year-old first year student at Oberlin College in Ohio named Charles Martin Hall started his research into the production of … Continued
How Bauxite Built a Town
By Cody Berry We at the Gann Museum are pleased to announce that the museum has reopened after a very cold winter. Our new exhibit “How Bauxite Built A Town: 1896-1984″ pays tribute to the people who labored in and around the bauxite mines of Saline County during that time. The town of Bauxite holds … Continued
East End’s First Birthday!
🥳Our youngest branch, the East End Branch, was opened on April 1st last year, 2024. So this year, we’re celebrating!!! 🥳 On April 1st, 2025 from 4:00 to 6:00 PM, we’ll have crafts, activities, and treats at the East End Branch to celebrate one year of awesome library-ing! So, some of our stats for the … Continued
Bruce “Sunpie” Barnes
Photography above provided courtesy of Bruce “Sunpie” Barnes. By Cody Berry Way back when I was writing entries for the CALS Encyclopedia of Arkansas, its editor Dr. Guy Lancaster, sent me an Arkansas Times article about Bruce “Sunpie” Barnes by David Ramsey. Dr. Lancaster asked if I was interested in writing an entry on Barnes … Continued