Few have made as big of an impression on the tiny, tight-knit community of Monette, Arkansas, as Nan Harrell Snider. Although born in Little Rock during World War II, Mrs. Snider was raised in Buffalo Island, where she has spent her life documenting, preserving, and celebrating the history and stories of her hometown and surrounding areas.
Snider spent her adolescence in the Macey community, where she grew up in the historic home built by her family, the Harrells, in 1870. Her family’s eight generations lived in this house that Snider still owns today. Snider reflected on her experiences growing up in her family’s homestead, saying,“We picked cotton by hand. We didn’t have running water and bathrooms in the house and all of those things, but we knew how to carry a washtub and take a bath in it. We had pumps and we had outhouses.”
From her personal experiences in that early life in Macey, she was nurtured to gain a deep appreciation of family history, storytelling, and community – a passion that has been perpetuated through decades of her work as a journalist, author, and historian.
Snider developed an early love for writing. A small girl sewing paper together on her mother’s sewing machine to make diaries, she soon learned to write in code in order to safeguard her inner life. At a relatively young age, Snider was considered a chronicler for her school and community. Throughout high school she was president or secretary of nearly every organization that would elect her and wrote for the school newspaper and yearbook staff. This passion followed her into adulthood, where she would continue to write many articles, books, and historical accounts of Monette and Buffalo Island.
Snider married her husband, Alvis Snider, at the age of 18 and stayed happily married until his unfortunate passing in November of 2023. Together they raised two daughters, Allison and Stephanie.
After raising her two daughters, Snider pursued a degree in Journalism and Business that launched her into a career spanning more than 40 years. She has covered everything from city council meeting reports to some highly engaging stories about her community while having worked for local newspapers and also freelancing for the Jonesboro Sun and various magazines.
No one has done as much to save the history of Monette and Buffalo Island as Snider. She has recorded local veterans, farmers, and pioneer family stories so their stories would not be lost. From keeping high school annuals from the 1930s to coordinating reunions for several schools, Snider has made it her personal mission to remember the community’s history. She has crafted her home into a treasure trove of historic documents and possessions.
Some of her most outstanding contributions are the work she has done on the Monette Museum, where artifacts such as a dugout canoe from the 1927 flood and other local treasures are displayed. She has also written extensively about Monette’s schools, churches, and early settlements, shedding light on the lives of those who built the community.
Snider’s involvement in the community extends beyond her writing. She has served on countless committees, helped organize reunions, and documented major events in Monette’s history. Her deep connection to the people of Monette shines through in her interviews and articles. Whether writing about veterans, farmers, or small town pastors, Snider treats every story with respect and care, often uncovering remarkable connections and intersections between people’s lives. “You could probably see a story when you’re out shopping, you see two people talking and you think, there is a story there. I’m like that. I’m story driven,” said Snider.
Her humor and humility are an important quality that allows her to connect with the people she documents. Take, for example, her most-prized possession – a movie prop outhouse from the Hallmark Hall of Fame film A Painted House that now stands in her front yard as a tourist attraction. The movie prop holds a special significance to Snider as it was donated to her after she wrote a book about the filming of A Painted House entitled Lepanto Goes Hollywood in 2004. This unique lawn decor serves as a running joke for Snider, who quips “We have a nice house, but we have an outhouse out front. We try not to be uppity.”
Snider credits her father as her greatest inspiration. A community-minded man, he inspired in her a love of storytelling, a respect for history, and a commitment to serving others. “He was super talented. He went through the Great Depression and would tell me about all of those stories,”said Snider.
She continued his legacy of community service by volunteering for countless roles in the Buffalo Island area, often to the dismay of her husband. “My husband used to go with me to community meetings, and he’d say, ‘If you raise your hand and volunteer for one more thing, I’m going to throw a fit right here,’ joked Snider.
She has carried those values throughout her life, becoming a role model for younger generations in Monette. Nan Snider’s work ensures that the voices of Monette’s past and present will continue to shine for generations to come. Through her writing, community service, and personal connections, Nan Snider has become a true idol of her community, a storyteller, historian, and inspiration to all who know her.
Mrs. Snider has just completed her 30th book titled Buffalo Island Central School “Celebrating 40-Year Homecoming” in which she reflects on the 40 year history of Buffalo Island School District. She has no plans to stop writing or documenting the rich history of our rural community.
“I always try to stay writing,” said Snider. “I figure if I can keep my sanity, I will write until I’m in my 100s.”
