Gann Museum - Benton, Arkansas
Arkansas tourism gives you a wide selection of interesting sites to see when you visit the state and one of the most unique is the Gann Museum in Benton. This museum began its existence as a medical building built out of pink alumina block which comes from the ore of aluminum called bauxite. It is the only building in the world to be been constructed of this material.
The medical building was constructed by patients of Drs. Gann Sr. & Jr. in payment for services of the doctors that the patients couldn’t afford to pay for with cash. In order to pay off the debt, at a rate of ten cents an hour, the patients built the building. Both parties felt this was a fair trade.
When Dr. Gann donated the building to the city of Benton in 1946 it was with the understanding that it would be used as a library. For many years that is what it was but then in 1980 it was turned into a museum with furniture and artifacts reflecting local pioneer, Native American and church history to share with visitors from the area and world.
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