If Walls Could Talk: 125 Years Of History At The Tovey House
Tours & Day Trips | Available (Membership Required)
Step into history at the Tovey House and uncover the legacy of Henry Doughty Tovey—musician, educator, and creator of the University of Arkansas’s “Alma Mater” and “Arkansas Fight Song.” Explore this 1900 home through a guided tour that brings to life Fayetteville’s cultural roots and the people who helped shape them. You’ll enjoy live music honoring Tovey’s work, light refreshments, and stories that connect the past to the present. This experience offers expert insight, interactive learning, and a deeper appreciation of Arkansas history.
After the tour, join an optional walking tour of the historic West Lafayette neighborhood with amateur historian Susan Tonymon, featuring landmarks listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Discover why Fayetteville is called the “Athens of the Ozarks”—where music, heritage, and community come together.
(Open to current OLLI Members ONLY)
This program will meet in person at the Tovey House at the Hill, located at 614 W Lafayette St, Fayetteville, AR 72701. Please read your class reminder email for the exact room location.
Class changes occasionally happen; please watch for (and read) announcements or emails from OLLI regarding your class.
Click on the link below for a Google map shot of our location:
Tovey House
Susan Tonymon
Susan Tonymon, a senior clinical therapist at UAMS Northwest, has a passion for “fixer-upper” projects—having completed over a dozen in the past decade. In 2020, she and her husband, Ken, purchased and renovated the historic Tovey House on West Lafayette Street, just a block from Old Main on the University of Arkansas campus. Susan’s dedication to uncovering the history of the Tovey House stems from her desire to preserve its unique character and honor the legacy of Henry Doughty Tovey, while also highlighting the West Lafayette neighborhood’s enduring contributions to Fayetteville’s rich history and cultural identity.