by Sonja J. Keith

Travelers in the 501 looking for a destination with a purpose will want to check out the Winthrop Rockefeller Institute atop Petit Jean Mountain in Conway County.

In addition to offering a full-service conference facility with first-class lodging for small to large groups, the WRI provides opportunity aplenty – including some for children – to learn about topics ranging from culinary arts to archaeology. (Please go to www. uawri.org for a complete list of upcoming programs).

In particular, the WRI serves to preserve and promote the legacy of its namesake, giving travelers a chance to learn more about one of the state’s most prominent “movers and shakers” – Gov. Winthrop Rockefeller – in the beautiful surroundings that he loved to call home.

Rockefeller chose Petit Jean Mountain as the location for his home and cattle farm. After his death in 1973, Winrock International was created to increase economic opportunity, sustain natural resources and protect the environment. Three decades later, Winrock relocated and in 2005 the University of Arkansas System in partnership with the Winthrop Rockefeller Charitable Trust created the WRI – an educational conference center with ongoing learning opportunities. The new facilities – located on 188 acres – were completed in 2007.

“We do a lot of different things here,” said Joe Foster, WRI program coordinator, explaining that the eight program areas at the institute – the arts, heritage, culinary arts, public affairs, language instruction, the environment, archeology, and health and wellness – reflect Rockefeller’s interests. The institute offers a variety of workshops, seminars, public lectures, conferences and special events.

Institute visitors can learn about Rockefeller’s life in Arkansas by touring the Legacy Gallery at the WRI. The permanent exhibit tells the story of the remarkable man who, in making Arkansas his home, transformed the state’s politics, economy, culture and education for the better through his leadership and philanthropy.

Based on a search of 10,000 photos at the Rockefeller Archives at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, over 300 restored and enlarged photographs are incorporated into 180 murals and interpretative panels with the exhibit spanning approximately 3,000 square feet.
In the Legacy Theater, visitors can choose from several video clips focusing on different aspects of Rockefeller’s life and legacy. The presentations – each approximately 15 minutes – are excerpted from longer films developed for various purposes.

Outside the theater and gallery is a gift shop, which features the complete interior from a drug store in Stamps.  When the store closed in 1967, the interior was transported to Winrock Farms as a 11th wedding anniversary gift to Rockefeller from his wife.

In addition to the fine catering services provided for meeting and conference attendees, the WRI offers dining at the River Rock Grill. Currently open for lunch and dinner Thursday through Saturday, visitors are encouraged to call ahead or check the website for hours and more information. Reservations are recommended, and required for parties of eight or more. When looking out the windows of the restaurant, guests can see the River Rock water feature, a 310-foot representation of how the Arkansas River and its tributary, the Petit Jean River, flow around Petit Jean Mountain.

With outstanding conference/meeting spaces, first-class lodging and dining, educational opportunities and historical significance, no other facility in the state quite compares, according to Foster. “I think we’d be hard pressed to find anything else like it.”

Typically, the WRI hosts two to three groups each week in its conference facility. “We have a diverse listing of clients,” Foster said, from businesses and professional associations to church groups. The WRI is also available for weddings and receptions.

Guests to the WRI – whether those staying overnight for a meeting as well as those just interested in visiting the gallery or other attractions – should check in at the front desk located in the entry marked by the twin silos.

While not designed for guests looking for a leisure or resort type of experience, Foster explained, WRI has a lot to offer travelers looking to learn in a beautiful setting. “I see this becoming a regional destination,” he said. “It’s an experience waiting to happen.”