The Information Kiosk at the Railroad Workers Memorial, Cotter, Arkansas: Trout Capital USA

The Kiosk

Cotter, Arkansas

The information kiosk, shown here being completed by Tom Dunn and Jerry Stude, consists of three panels.

The left panel gives a brief history of the first years of Cotter's existence, illustrated with vintage pictures of the area and some of the buildings.

The center panel consists of a history of the railroad in the Ozarks and the Cotter area from the beginning in 1901 through the present day. It includes maps of the railroad routes and photographs of some of the early trains.

The panel on the right tells the story of the building of the memorial and of the Cotter Care Crews, a non-profit, civic organization consisting of volunteers who were responsible for the cleanup that occurred in Cotter during the 1990s.

The group was formed in the early 1990s by a women's club, the Tennie Craig Guild. There are no dues and no membership list -- all residents of Cotter and those non-residents who love Cotter are considered to be members. The meetings are attended by a group of old-timers, new-comers, and come-backers (folks who once lived here or nearby and have now returned). Meeting dates are announced in the Trout Capital News, Cotter's monthly newsletter, and notices are posted at city hall and businesses in Cotter. The meetings are held quarterly, but the active members continue to work on ongoing projects all year 'round.

The Kiosk: | Cotter History | Railroad History | Memorial and Care Crew History