Historic Cane Hill: Crafting Culture, Preserving Place
Tours & Day Trips | Registration opens Sunday, August 16, 2026 2:00 PM
Participants explore the rich history of Cane Hill, once a thriving educational and agricultural center in Northwest Arkansas. As the first permanent European- American settlement in Washington County, Cane Hill played a formative role in the region, including establishing Arkansas’s first public library, an early four-year college, and the state’s first co-educational institution.
Led by representatives from Historic Cane Hill, the program begins with an engaging presentation on the site’s history and its preservation efforts over the past decade. Participants then take a guided walking tour of the campus, experiencing its historic structures and landscapes firsthand.
The visit concludes with time in the gallery, featuring a curated exhibition of artwork by high school students acrossº Arkansas, highlighting emerging talent and educational opportunity.
Activity Level: 2
This program will meet in person at Historic Cane Hill, located at 14219 College Rd, Canehill, AR 72717. 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:
Historic Cane Hill
Amanda Cothren
Amanda Cothren is the Programs and Events Coordinator at Historic Cane Hill, where she plans and executes educational and engaging programs. A native Arkansan on both sides, seven generations of her mother's family called Independence County home. Professionally, Amanda worked as a graphic designer for the University of Arkansas, as editor and creative director of Edible Ozarkansas magazine, and in leadership at Ozark Folkways. She lives atop Gaylor Mountain is a proud Winslow Squirrel.
Susan Young
Susan Young is a lifelong resident of Fayetteville and a fifth generation Ozarker. She worked as outreach coordinator for the Shiloh Museum of Ozark History for 27 years. Susan is a recipient of the Washington County Historical Society’s
Distinguished Citizen Award, the Washington County Women in History Award, and the Arkansas Historical Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award. Susan serves on the boards of Historic Cane Hill, Heritage Trail Partners, and the Butterfield National Historic Trail Association.