Hello and welcome to the first article of the Shoppach House’s very own blog. My name is Alana Dunn, and I am a sitting board member of the SCAL, otherwise known as the Saline County Art League. Our organization is tasked with the upkeep, preservation, and engagement of the Historic Shoppach House. However you have found yourself on this page, I would like to offer a thanks from myself and the rest of the board; your engagement means everything. If you are not already familiar with the Shoppach House and our mission, allow me to catch you up on what we’ve been doing recently.
Have you ever wondered what life would be like living in 19th-century Benton? I know I’m not the only one to have pictured horse-drawn carriages trotting down Main Street or women in one too many petticoats chatting on the stairs of the courthouse. The Shoppach House provides a unique opportunity to experience what everyday life might have felt like to the ordinary family back then, such as the man himself, John W. Shoppach, who found his way to Saline County from Hesse-Cassel, Germany, to eventually settle and construct his home in 1853, right where it stands today. According to family lore, his journey across the pond involved stowing away in a potato barrel, but that is just one of many stories the house’s history has to offer. From the moment you set foot on the property, which is also home to the equally important Pilgrim Rest Church and DeTonti Post Office, it is sure to make you feel taken aback. From the bricks of the house fired on site to the curated collection of objects, tools, and records, the Shoppach House remains frozen in time amongst the ever-expanding and changing city of Benton. The furnishing and arrangement inside the home is an assortment of Shoppach family items and gracious donations. They all contribute to the museum-goer’s ability to picture what might have changed between then and now. The things about life that are different, and most surprisingly, the things that are not. Irrefutably, the SCAL, since its establishment in 1962, and our supporters amongst the people of Benton are the reason such an irreplaceable piece of history is still standing to this day.
This year, the board aims to expand our reach through social media, regular blog posts, as well as free open houses and tours to the public. I had the pleasure of advertising downtown at the recent Third Thursday street festival during one such open house, and I was delighted by the interest and curiosity of the people I spoke to. In this day and age, every like, every share, and every time a new person visits our website increases our outreach, and there is just that much more hope that we will continue to remain open to the public for many years to come. Facebook and Instagram (@theshoppachhouse). Stay connected and stay tuned. You are actively preserving The Shoppach House and Benton’s history.
Justin Reddin is the Marketing Director and Advisor to the Board for the Historic Shoppach House. A graduate of Benton High School and current graphic design student at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, he owns Justin Reddin Design, where he helps businesses and organizations grow through branding, graphic design, and marketing. Justin is passionate about preserving local history and connecting the community with the stories of the Shoppach House.