"Arkansas, Arriving" (Artifact, That is...)

The helm station from USS Arkansas (CGN-41), the last ship to be named for the state, is being prepared for public display.

The helm station, along with several other artifacts, were removed when Arkansas was decommissioned in 1998. One anchor, along with part of her anchor chain, has been on display outside our museum for several years, and her bell is inside our museum. (Another anchor is on display outside the Craighead County Courthouse in Jonesboro, AR, in the northeast part of the state.)

The helm station has been in storage for the last several years while we built an appropriate place for it to be displayed. It will be next to the stern plate, which was put on display earlier this year.