Date: 9/2/25 3:53 am From: Joseph Neal <0000078cbd583d7c-dmarc-request...> Subject: NORTHWEST ARKANSAS AUDUBON SOCIETY ANNOUNCES REDEDICATION OF REBUILT MULHOLLAN WATERFOWL BLIND
Mulhollan Waterfowl Blind Rededication Ceremony, Sep 16
NORTHWEST ARKANSAS AUDUBON SOCIETY ANNOUNCES REDEDICATION OF REBUILT MULHOLLAN WATERFOWL BLIND
FAYETTEVILLE, AR (September 1, 2025) - The Northwest Arkansas Audubon Society (NWAAS) proudly announces the official rededication ceremony of the redesigned and rebuilt Mulhollan Waterfowl Blind at Lake Fayetteville on Tuesday, September 16th, 2025 at 4:00 PM.
The original blind, named in honor of Paige and Mary Bess Mulhollan, was tragically destroyed by fire on Monday, August 26th, 2024. The cause of the fire remains unknown. Following this loss, an NWAAS committee quickly mobilized to raise funds and develop plans for rebuilding this beloved community resource, located on the Southeast side of the lake near the Botanical Garden of the Ozarks.
The rededication ceremony will feature brief remarks from NWAAS President Robin Buff, a representative of the Nelms family (who provided major funding for the project), architectural designer Michael Cockram of Bowerbird Designs who created both the original and new blind designs, and Kelly Mulhollan representing his parents, Paige and Mary Bess Mulhollan.
The new design incorporates valuable feedback from the community to enhance safety and create a more welcoming environment for wildlife observation. Michael Cockram's thoughtful redesign maintains the aesthetic beauty and functionality that made the original blind so popular while implementing improvements based on years of community use.
Lake Fayetteville is one of the region's premier birding locations, with over 260 bird species documented since 1953. The blind provides an optimal viewing location that minimizes disturbance to waterfowl while offering excellent visibility for observers.
The Mulhollan Blind is free and open to the public, located off the Lake Fayetteville Nature Trail near the Botanical Garden of the Ozarks. It serves as an educational resource and recreation destination for birders, photographers, students, and nature enthusiasts.
About the Mulhollan Blind: The original blind was build in 2016 in honor of Paige and Mary Bess Mulhollan. Paige, a former history professor at UA-Fayetteville and early Director of the Botanical Garden of the Ozarks, was an avid birder who participated in many NWAAS activities. The blind was constructed with private donations and volunteer labor, with no public tax money used in its creation.
Contact: Robin Buff, Northwest Arkansas Audubon Society President
Email: <robinbuff...><mailto:<robinbuff...> Website: https://www.nwarkaudubon.org/mulhollanblind.htm Directions
The nearest trailhead parking lot is on the Southwest side of Lake Fayetteville at 4607 N Crossover Rd, Fayetteville, AR 72764<https://maps.app.goo.gl/PSJ7NqX9PeunvpTm6> (just South of the BGO parking lot). From the parking lot, you can walk across the open field to connect to the boardwalk trail, or follow the bike trail West and cut through the woods to the blind. The exact location of the blind is GPS 36.136538, -94.123705<https://maps.app.goo.gl/RSJE6kuAGhAb7gKH9>.
