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Salt Manufacturing: One Of County's Earliest Industries, Wendy Bradley Richter

Articles

Salt manufacturing has long been a source of curiosity for many interested in southwest Arkansas' earliest days. It is not known precisely when Indians first began extracting the mineral from the earth near the Ouachita River in Clark County, but it was certainly prior to the arrival of the first European explorers. Because of its lengthy historical significance, one site, Bayou Sel, was added to the National Register of Historical Places in 1974.

Car Stories Piled Up With Introduction To County, Wendy Bradley Richter

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One hundred years ago, the automobile was becoming increasingly popular. As of 1903, some 50 Arkansans owned vehicles. In fact, a Hot Springs man drove to Arkadelphia that year "on his automobile," creating quite a stir here. It was the first car that most Arkadelphians had ever seen. C.C Henderson of the city purchased an automobile in 1908, and the local paper remarked that "now our horses will have to take lesson in acrobatic performance."

Burrow Gang In Clark County (Or Famous Outlaw Has Ties To Clark County), Wendy Bradley Richter

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Clark County has seen its share of crime in the years since it became a part of Arkansas Territory in 1819. One of the Territory’s five original counties, the county covered a large geographical area in the earliest years. And, the Military Road (later called the Southwest Trail) passed through the heart of the area, carrying people of all sorts on their way to the West and Southwest. Later, the railroad crossed the county, too, somewhat paralleling the road.

Caddo Indians To Be Topic Of Meeting, Wendy Bradley Richter

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For thousands of years, the land that is now known as Arkansas has been inhabited by native peoples. For much of that time, the Ouachita River valley and much of southwest Arkansas was home to the Caddo Indians and their ancestors. Because of the significance of this pre-history to southwest Arkansas area, the Clark County Historical Association will host a special presentation featuring Caddo Indian sites along the Ouachita River, the Caddo people, and their artifacts, at noon on Tuesday, Sept. 6, at Western Sizzlin in Arkadelphia.

Baseball A Hit In Clark County For Over A Century, Wendy Bradley Richter

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Baseball is among the nation's most popular sports, and Arkadelphia's history of the sport goes back almost 150 years. According to local legend, baseball was introduced in Clark County by a young man named Charley Murta in 1874.

One Of County's 'Most Notorious Murders' Remembered, Wendy Bradley Richter

Articles

About a year ago, the Clark County Historical Association published a small booklet entitled "Wanted: Crooks, Scoundrels, Notorious Characters, and Other Legendary Figures in Clark County, Arkansas." Among the characters featured in the volume were the nationally-known outlaws Jesse James and Rube Burrow, who both have Clark County ties. However, another lesser known criminal committed what some have termed "one of the most notorious murders in Clark County," and perhaps the only murder remembered with a place name---Clyburn's Leap. Originally researched by local historian Grace Benton Nelson, Clyburn's story is featured in the "Wanted" book.

Thousands Watch As Plane Lands In Arkadelphia, Wendy Bradley Richter

Articles

On Saturday, May 25, 1918, a major "first" occurred in Clark County--- it was the first time an airplane landed at Arkadelphia. Several thousand people gathered to watch the event. The plane arrived from Eberts Training Field near Lonoke. To the amazement of those seeing an airplane for the first time, the pilots, who were being trained for military service, performed many stunts that might be used in combat situations.

Local Funeral Home Established In 1905, Wendy Bradley Richter

Articles

The Murry Funeral Home was established by C.B. Murry and his wife, Fairy Lee, in 1905. It began as just one portion of a multi-faceted business which also sold hardware and furniture, in addition to its undertaking services. Located on Main Street, the original operation was called, McDaniel, Murry & Lee. Its slogan was, "We serve you from the cradle to the grave."

Arkadelphia's Sky-Vue Drive-In Movie Theater, Wendy Bradley Richter

Articles

Many long-time Clark County residents can recall going to a movie at Arkadelphia's SkyVue Drive-In outdoor movie theater. The drive-in was located about a mile north of downtown Arkadelphia on Highway 7/67. When owner Cecil Cupp opened the new facility in the fall of 1950, it was believed to be one of Arkansas' finest, with state-of-the-art equipment and modern conveniences.

Smith's Accounts Give Look Into Clark County's Early History, Wendy Bradley Richter

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One of Clark County's pioneer citizens was Willis S. Smith - a sheriff, teacher, doctor, farmer, and writer. Arriving in the county in 1833, Smith witnessed the area's transformation from frontier wilderness to a typical, rural Arkansas region. And, significantly for us today, his accounts of those early days offer glimpses into the past not available elsewhere. We owe much of our knowledge about Clark County's beginnings to Smith.

Rose Hill Cemetery Dates Back To 1870s, Wendy Richter

Articles

Historic Rose Hill Cemetery on Main Street in Arkadelphia has served the city as a principal burial place for decades. In that capacity, it is now the final resting place for some of Clark County's most well-known citizens Its historical significance has been recognized nationally, being added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1999.

Okolona Settled In 1830s, Grew For Decades, Wendy Bradley Richter

Articles

The town of Okolona was first settled by Americans in the early 1830s when settlers began arriving by covered wagons from Okolona, Mississippi. These first residents built their homes on low ground nothwest of where the railroad depot later stood. After a few years of mud, the small settlement moved to the town's current location on higher ground. The pioneers included the Shackelford, Ethridge, Buchanan, Tarpley, Anderson and McGuire families. Among others who came were Pettus, Cargile, East, Ross, Park, Bell, Hays, Hardin, Weir, Harris, Cloud, McGill, Bonner, Logan and Wingfield.

New Book Recounts History In Dallas, Clark Counties, Wendy Bradley Richter

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The Dallas County Museum in Fordyce and Turtlehull Publishing have recently made available a new book that contains information about Clark County, Ouachita College and south Arkansas region."'My Own Precious One': A Year of Courtship in Letters from 1889-1890 between Princeton, Arkansas, and Pittsboro, Mississippi," edited by Sandra Parham Turner, Melrose Smith Bagwell and Doris Smith Beeson Faulkner, is a real treasure.

Manchester Once Included Most Of Dallas County, Wendy Bradley Richter

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The Manchester community of Clark County traces its history back to the county's earliest days. When locals speak of "Manchester" today, they are usually referring to a general area in Clark County south and east of the Ouachita River. Manchester Township was first established in 1838, and at the time, it included practically all of present day Dallas County, plus an area northeast of the Saline River, less an almost equal part south and west of the Saline. Manchester appeared as a town on an 1860 map in the northeastern part of Township 8 South and Range 18 West. Today …

Beirne Had Sawmill, Grist Mill In 1880, Wendy Bradley Richter

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The town of Beirne was founded in 1880 by James Lewis Beirne from Grafton, Illinois. Beirne established a sawmill as well as a Methodist church, at which he served as the first minister. By the end of that year, a railroad depot had been completed, and Beirne's sawmill and grist mill became operational. People of the surrounding area considered Beirne to be among the rail's best shipping points.

Legend: Gurdon Named For Railroad Surveyor, Wendy Bradley Richter

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The town of Gurdon had its true beginnings as a railroad town. After the Calm and Fulton Railroad decided to establish a stop at the location, the place needed a name. According to local legend, the community was named "Gurdon" for one of the surveyors of the railroad's right-of-way, Gurdon Cunningham.

Joan 'Named' By 1950s Road Sign, Wendy Bradley Richter

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The community of Joan (pronounced Joe-Ann) across the Ouachita River from Arkadelphia has also been called Bethlehem by locals. The origin of its name has long been a source of speculation.

Curtis Founded As Fuel Stop For Trains, Wendy Bradley Richter

Articles

The community of Curtis, south of Arkadelphia on U.S. Highway 67, was first established in the 1870s along the route of the Cairo & Fulton Railroad (later St. Louis, Iron Mountain, & Southern Railroad). Railroad officials chose the location as a fuel stop along the rail line, about halfway between Arkadelphia and Gurdon. At first, trains picked up wood there, and later, they stopped for coal.

The first train to receive supplies at the Curtis fuel chute arrived on June 30, 1873. A group of area residents celebrated the even, but realized the place had no name. According to local …

Graysonia Once A Thriving Community, Wendy Bradley Richter

Articles

The town of Graysonia in western Clark County once boasted of a population of about 1,000 people, but today, can no longer be found on area maps. The story of its rise and fall parallels that of many southern timber company towns which no longer exist.

Graysonia was established soon after William Grayson and Nelson McLeod became the principal stockholders in the Arkadelphia Lumber Company and renamed the company Grayson- McLeod Lumber Company. The company operated the sawmilling community of Daleville, located across the Ouachita River from Arkadelphia. By 1907, the company had depleted the timber supply in the Daleville …

Arkadelphia Man Elected Confederate Governor Of State, Wendy Bradley Richter

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During the Civil War, citizens of Arkansas elected an Arkadelphia man to serve as leader of the state’s Confederate government. Harris Flanagin became Arkansas governor in 1862 and held that office during some of the most tumultuous years in American history.

Flanagin was born in New Jersey in 1817. He moved first to Pennsylvania and then to Illinois before settling in Greenville in 1839, then the county seat of Clark County, where he began practicing law. In 1841, he became a deputy sheriff, and in 1842, was elected state representative and served one term. In 1848, he was elected to …

Okolona, Elkins' Ferry Hosted Civil War Battles, Wendy Richter

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One hundred fifty-two years ago, in April 1864, thousands of Union and Confederate troops were in Clark County. The Clark County Historical Association recently unveiled a new marker describing the military events in the southwestern portion of the county during the spring of 1864. The official ceremony included remarks by Historical Association president Bob Thompson, Okolona Mayor Sara Cox, museum coordinator Laverne Todd and editor and local historian Joe May. The marker, sponsored by the Historical Association and funded with a grant from the Arkansas Civil War Sesquicentennial Commission, now stands in Okolona and tells the story of what happened …

Hignight Known As Bear, Buffalo Hunter, Wendy Bradley Richter

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Among Clark County’s earliest settlers was a man named Abner Hignight, who moved to the area shortly after the beginning of the nineteenth century. According to family legend, Hignight traveled southwest from Missouri into Arkansas, riding a buffalo along the primitive path that was later called the Southwest Trail or Military Road. Hignight eventually settled along that road, about two miles west of Hollywood. In 1823, after the U.S. land office opened in Washington, Arkansas, he acquired land on the east side of the Terre Noir Creek where the road from Hollywood to Antoine crosses the stream today. It is …

Gardening Has Been Part Of Area For Decades, Wendy Richter

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Spring has officially begun, and some area residents are beginning to plant gardens, flowers, and other items in their yards and fields. Years ago, a good bit of agriculture-related news appeared in front-page stories of the local newspaper. Indeed, in 1915, Arkadelphia's "Southern Standard" addressed issues connected to planting, and told of many of the growing season's firsts as the year progressed. Legends and lore, as well as factual information, were all included in the paper's stories.

Bozeman House, A Reminder Of Successful Farming Operation, To Receive Historical Marker Dedication, Wendy Bradley Richter

Articles

About four miles west of Arkadelphia, the historic Bozeman House stands as a reminder of a bygone era. The frame, Greek-Revival structure was built in the mid-1840s for early settler Michael Bozeman. Bozeman owned one of the most successful farming operations in pre-Civil War Clark County, amassing holdings of more than 9,000 acres.

Michael Bozeman was born in Georgia in 1808. His family moved to Alabama in 1819, and later, he moved further west to Clark County, Arkansas, in 1835. As he stated in later life, one of his goals in coming to Arkansas was to “prove that cotton could …

Rebecca Davis Barkman Has Fascinating Story, Wendy Bradley Richter

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Jacob and Rebecca Barkman were among Clark County’s earliest residents, arriving about 1811 and constructing a cabin near the Caddo River on land acquired from the Indians. Jacob Barkman is quite well-known in the annals of Clark County history, and many have even called him the “Father of Clark County.” However, his wife’s life story is equally fascinating.

Some of the earliest descriptions of Arkansas’s pioneer settlers came from travelers. One visitor whose work was widely read was geologist George William Featherstonhaugh (pronounced fan-shaw), who came to Arkansas and Clark County in the 1830s. His book about the trip, “Excursion …

Fires Destroy Theater, Gum Springs School, Wendy Bradley Richter

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The 2015 edition of the Clark County Historical Journal includes articles on a wide range of topics. One of the articles, as its title suggests, “100 Years Ago: Front-Page Stories from the Southern Standard” features items found in the 1915 local newspaper. Among the newsworthy subjects were events that were much too commonplace at the time---fires.

Telephone One Of Top Stories Of 1915, Wendy Richter

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The 2015 edition of the Clark County Historical Journal was recently relased by the Clark County Historical Association. The volume includes articles on a wide range of topics. One of the articles, as its title suggests, "100 Years Ago: Front-Page Stories from the Southern Standard," features items found in the 1915 local newspaper. Among the newsworthy subjects was a new means of communication -- the telephone.

Clark County Historical Association Organized In 1972, Wendy Bradley Richter

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Since 1972 the Clark County Historical Association has pursued its mission to “discover, preserve, and disseminate” information about Clark County and its people. To achieve these goals, the organization’s activities range from the operation of a Museum in a historic structure to publication of historical information to placement of historical markers to production of living history events.

The Clark County Historical Association held its official organizational meeting at a local restaurant on October 30, 1972, with 127 in attendance. Interested parties from all walks of life attended that first meeting, organized primarily by educator Amy Jean Greene. Their common objective …

Horse Theft Recalled In Clark County Historical Association Book, Wendy Richter

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From 1895 to 1897, reminiscences of an early citizen of Dallas and Clark counties were published intermeittently in Arkadelphia's Southern Standard newspaper. Signing himself "Pioneer" or "Old Pioneer," the writer is not identified. Pioneer's writings include a reminiscence about a Clark County crime, and that story is among those found in the Clark County Historical Association's book, "Wanted: Crooks, Scoundrels, Notorious Characters and Other Legendary Figures in Clark County, Arkansas."

Richardson's Work Remains A Star, Wendy Richter

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Through the years, Clark County has seen its share of talented individuals. In fact, the work of one of Arkadelphia's early 20th century artists continues to be highly sought-after today. Charles Richardson's well-known and very recognizable landscapes featuring river scenes and beech trees have become prized possessions for many.