Johnny_s_House.jpg

Arkansas State University in Jonesboro has reached a deal to buy the historic boyhood home of music legend Johnny Cash near Dyess in Mississippi County. The purchase offer, which has been on the table since early last year, is reportedly $100,000.

Advertisement

Cash moved to the house with his family in 1935 when he was three years old. He was born in Kingsland, near Fordyce. The Dyess house was part of a 500-family farming colony set up by the U.S. Government in the depths of the Great Depression. ASU hopes to restore the house, along with several WPA-constructed buildings in Dyess, and turn the house into a museum. A fund-raising concert — the first of what supporters hope will be an annual Johnny Cash Music Festival — is planned for the ASU campus on Aug. 4, with appearances by several special guests, including George Jones, Roseanne Cash and John Carter Cash.

Here’s a little video of Cash’s return to his old home with his family around 1968. It sure looks a lot rougher these days. Let’s hope ASU can bring it back from the brink.

Advertisement

Be a part of something bigger

As a reader of the Arkansas Times, you know we’re dedicated to bringing you tough, determined, and feisty journalism that holds the powerful accountable. For 50 years, we've been fighting the good fight in Little Rock and beyond – with your support, we can do even more. By becoming a subscriber or donating as little as $1 to our efforts, you'll not only have access to all of our articles, but you'll also be helping us hire more writers to expand our coverage and continue to bring important stories to light. With over 63,000 Facebook followers, 58,000 Twitter followers, 35,000 Arkansas blog followers, and 70,000 daily email blasts, it's clear that our readers value our great journalism. Join us in the fight for truth.

Previous article Friday To-Do: British Sea Power Next article Partisan positioning on redistricting