Arkansas Historic Wine Museum Expands The Arkansas Historic Wine Museum officers announced the creation of another museum to exhibit and display information and items of wine history in Arkansas. This museum will be located in Hot Springs at 1503 Central Avenue, in the Winery of Hot Springs building. Housed in the museum will be 14 exhibits to tell the story of wine and its relationship to the life of the people of Arkansas. The general public may visit the museum during the regular hours of the winery store. This state has had a long history of wine production. The first settlers of the state used wild fruit and berries to produce wine. Most of them brought this knowledge with them from their native country. Wine to these people was a food to be enjoyed with a meal or in a social environment. In 1938 and 1939 there were over 800 permits issued by the state for the manufacture of wine for home use and/or for sale. These permits were issued in many counties that are now dry. The first permit was issued to a person in Magazine, Arkansas in the southern part of Logan County. Most native persons of the state can recall that a relative made wine for home use. Today the number of home wine makers in this state is far greater than anyone would think. Some of the exhibits of the museum are: How wine is made, Why wine was and is important, Professor Joseph Bachman of Hot Springs, Current wineries of Arkansas, Home wine making, Wine regions of Arkansas, Featured winery, Questions & answers, and Vineyards. This rich history is your state's history, whether you were born in Arkansas, or you have moved to Arkansas. This is a family museum that educates persons about the ethnic, social, and art of wine and people who made wine. It is a lesson in history. The museum will be dedicated Sunday, March 26, 2006 at 1:00pm. The dedication is open to the public. Dr. John Ferguson, the retired Arkansas State Historian, well dedicated the new museum. A short program will be presented followed by tours of the new museum. Refreshments will be served. There is no charge for attending. People are also invited to visit the main museum three miles West of Paris, Arkansas on Highway 22 West. The museum is always interested in receiving information or artifacts relating to the production of wine and the people who practiced this art. Please contact the Arkansas Historic Wine Museum if you have any information on this subject at 479-963-3990 or email the museum at cowie@cswnet.com