About Us:
Built in 1893, the office of Dr. Dewell Gann, Sr., is the only known bauxite building in existence making the building is an architectural landmark. The building was constructed by patients who could not afford to pay for services he had rendered to them. The soft stone was dug from a farm nearby, sawn into blocks with a handsaw and allowed to harden for six weeks. On an inside wall is an imprint of Dr. Gann’s foot, made from the time he spent sitting waiting for patients in a rocker with his foot propped against the wall. The building served as the Gann Medical Office until 1946 when it was given to Dr. Dewell Gann, Jr., to the City of Benton to be used as a library and later a museum.
Located next to the museum is the Gann residence.
The Gann Museum has an extensive collection of Niloak and other pottery, Indian Artifacts, memorabilia and history of Saline County, as well as artifacts and memorabilia of Dr. Gann Sr. and Jr. The Gann Museum also plays an important role in Saline County by creating a physical link to its heritage. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975, the 138thbuilding in the state so recognized.
