160 years ago, Highway 23 between Ozark and Booneville was just a horse trail.

And on a hill above the horse trail, Dr. Stephen Chism built a new home for his bride.

 

For 1845, it was considered much nicer than the average dwelling.       

 

 

"We're going to totally disassemble it, "Paul Glidewell is heading up an effort to save the historic home.

 

 

They've shored up the walls and taken the tension off the corners with chains and rigging. Te goal is to take it apart piece by piece, and carefully and accurately put it back together again.

 

 

Glidewell says, "It's always been a passion of mine. You know I've driven by this for years and years and always wished that something would be done with it. And fortunately I was invited in on this to be a part of it. And I feel really blessed for that."

 

 

"I remember the 4H meetings there. And I remember it was a voting precinct. They voted in the area there in the front of that building, "Kenny Corley is helping with the restoration.

 

 

He hopes the Chism home will eventually become a tourist attraction

 

 

Corley says, "I'm real anxious to see it fixed back up. You know it's a monument that there's not too many around anywhere."

 

 

Glidewell says it was not unusual for the homeowner to spend time each fall re-sealing the gaps and holes between the layers of logs, "It didn't cost much to brew up. And they could patch a place where it had fallen out or crumbled."

 

 

The next step is to take apart the stone chimney and fireplace. The old stones will likely have to be replaced when the house is re-assembled

 

Care will be taken to re-create both the hearth on the first floor and the smaller one that warmed the second floor, just another feature that would have been considered a luxury of the time.

 

 

Glidewell isn't sure when the re-construction will be complete. His priority is accuracy.

 

Soon, he hopes the home will be one of the few remaining windows on life in Arkansas back before the Civil War.