In South Arkansas, we are used to unpredictable weather. It is cold and raining one day, and the next day, the temperature reaches 70 degrees. But as an old local account reveals, the winters of the mid-19th century brought rare visuals to the local populace.

Before the current 1874 courthouse was constructed, the lot was a simple depression in the ground. When a heavy freeze hit, it became a makeshift public skating rink.

While most locals had never seen skates, quite a few owned pairs; some young men who had moved to Washington from the north brought their equipment with them, and both put on exhibitions for the crowd.

The winter of 1846 was even more exhilarating and delightful when residents got creative in constructing sleighs. They used hickory saplings that were bent upwards, dry goods boxes to act as the sleigh body, and with these makeshift sleighs, they extracted more enjoyment from these rides due to their rarity than from any other northern city.

Next time you walk through the doors of the 1874 Courthouse, take a moment to look at the ground. It is easy to think that history is an abstract detail, lifeless and still. But these stories remind us that the people who built this town were like us, waiting on a snow day, looking for a thrill, and making the most out of a cold winter’s day.

Walk the town of Washington and stand on the site of the old skating pond. And while you’re here, buy yourself, a loved one, or a friend a gift from our Gift Shop. History is waiting for you, right under your feet.