In a cover story for last Sunday s Perspective section, I wrote about Ed Cromwell, a Princeton graduate who came to Arkansas as an architect for the federal Resettlement Administration and stayed here until his death in 2001. Cromwell, as talented an architect as this state has ever known, was famous for his historic preservation work.
Those of us who are members of the Historic Arkansas Museum Commission tend to occupy the same seats for monthly meetings. When I sit down at the museum in downtown Little Rock, I look across the conference room at a painting of Ed Cromwell, whose work helped change the face of Arkansas. I like to think that having him watch over us keeps the board focused.
Museum curators obtain objects by purchase, contract, gift, bequest, exchange, field collecting, and other means. Sounds like a routine, by-the-book process, doesn t it? Think again.