The Baxter County Historical & Genealogical Society was chartered in 1974, with the goal of Preserving the Past for the Future.

In 2000, we opened our first Museum in Gassville in the former Rollins Hospital, which was built in 1923 and was the only hospital in the area at that time. The building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2007.

In February 2008, Baxter County endured an historic tornado that tore its way through Gassville. In the wake of its destruction, the Museum suffered more loss than the Society could repair. Our Archives collection was transferred to the Baxter County Services Building in a space that was generously offered by the County and our artifacts were packed and placed into storage. The old Museum building at Gassville was sold in 2010.

In 2012, thanks to the generosity of one of our supporters, we were able to purchase a commercial building at 808 S. Baker Street, located in the Mountain Home Commercial Historic District, which had been added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2010. That building was originally “The Sweet Shop,” a pastry shop with a soda fountain. We operated at that location for 12 years. Due to limited space, we were only able to house the Archives and display a few of our museum items.

In May 2024, we sold the Baker Street property and purchased our current location at 300 Bomber Boulevard and named it the Baxter County Historical Museum. Our first open house was held in November of that year. Our new Museum has approximately 5,000 square feet with all of our objects on display, a research area, and office space for our staff and volunteers.

History is the foundation of identity, and our museum exists to honor the diverse cultures, events, and people who have shaped Baxter County. We provide a space for learning, discovery, and connection, allowing visitors to engage with the past in meaningful ways that inform the present and guide the future.

The Society operates the Baxter County Historical Museum, which houses the Archives and museum holdings of the Society, including documents, photographs, books, files, and physical objects pertaining to our history. Additional information about the Museum is located on the Museum page of this site.

The Society helps to maintain the historic Casey House, which was built in 1858, is the oldest existing house in Mountain Home, and is owned by Baxter County. It is a pioneer home built in the “dog-trot” style and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975. It is open to the public each year during the County Fair and for special occasions as determined by the Society.

We are funded by the generosity of others, including dues, donations, fund-raising events, and an annual grant from the Baxter County Quorum Court. Our organization is tax-exempt and donations made to the Society are tax deductible by the donor.

There are many ways that the Society could use your help, even if it is for only a couple of hours a month. Training will be provided where needed.

At the Museum: Docent and greeter; researcher; computer data input; scanning historic photos, documents, and books; donating artifacts, photographs, and documents.

Writing and graphic arts: Writing articles for the Quarterly; creating signage for the museum.

Public Relations: Greeting the public at our booth for community events (Cotter Trout Fest, Gassville in the Park, Baxter County Fair, etc.)

Fundraising Events: Creative ideas; assisting with sales, auctions, etc.

Grant Research and Proposals: Planning projects and applying for grants.

General tasks: Providing refreshments for monthly meetings; videorecording the guest speakers; photography at events; construction work, repairs, moving, cleaning.