Courtesy Photo
The Buffalo River was designated as America’s first national river in 1972 thanks to efforts by former congressman John Paul Hammerschmidt.
The late John Paul Hammerschimdt was instrumental in helping to save the Buffalo River when the Corps of Engineers wanted to build dams in several places.
On Sunday, May 24, at 2:00 p.m., a number of organizations, including the Ozark River Stewards, Buffalo River Watershed Alliance, Arkansas Canoe Club, Ozark Society and National Park Conservancy Association are coming together to host a memorial to the former congressman and his legacy.
The public is invited to attend, and the event will start at the pavilion at Ozark Campground, along the Buffalo River south of Harrison on Highway 7.
There will be a short and informal remembrance of Hammerschmidt followed by an update on the current threat facing the river. Refreshments will follow, and afterwards, attendees are invited to join in a two mile processional float down to Pruitt Landing.
Hammerschmidt passed away in early April. He was first elected to represent Arkansas’ 3rd district in 1966, making him the first Republican elected to office since Reconstruction.
For a while, there was controversial debate about whether or not to dam up the Buffalo River. Those in favor wanted dams for economic development, and others did not want government intrusion to interfere with their land rights.
Thanks to efforts led by Hammerschimdt, The Buffalo River was preserved and named the first national river. In the 1950s Congress passed a bill authorizing funding to dam the Buffalo. President Dwight Eisenhower vetoed the bill for economic reasons. Hammerschimdt, along with Arkansas Sens. J. William Fulbright and John L. McClellan introduced state park legislation for the river in 1967. The river became a national river in 1972, signed into law by President Richard Nixon along with Yellowstone National Park.
Today the Buffalo River hosts an estimated 1.2 million visitors per year, and known to be one of the best outdoor recreation spots in the country. It’s also one of the few major rivers in the country that is still considered unpolluted and unimpeded by dams.
