Scott Plantation Settlement: A Glimpse into Arkansas's Plantation Past

The Scott Plantation Settlement offers a captivating journey into Arkansas's past, depicting early farming life from statehood through the mechanization era. Located in Scott, on the Pulaski-Lonoke county line, approximately twelve miles east of Little Rock, the settlement rests on eight acres of the Illallee Plantation.The settlement features over 25 exhibits, including original plantation structures moved from the surrounding area. Visitors can explore a hand-hewn cypress corncrib, an 1840s dogtrot log cabin (believed to be the second oldest still existing in the state), a blacksmith shop, a one-room schoolhouse, tenant houses, and a railroad depot. Demonstrations of heritage skills like sorghum grinding, blacksmithing, and butter making provide an interactive experience.The settlement's origins trace back to Chester Ashley, a U.S. Senator and early investor in the area. The land was donated by Virginia Alexander, with her daughter Joan Dietz playing a key role in organizing the settlement. Today, the Scott Plantation Settlement preserves and disseminates the history of plantation and farm life in the Scott area, offering educational programs, events, and a glimpse into a bygone era. Ashley's Bayou borders the settlement, where Union troops gathered before advancing on Little Rock in 1863; a historical marker commemorates this event.