Arts and Humanities Commons^™

The Early Arkadelphia Post Office, Wendy Bradley Richter

Articles

At this time of year, many people begin to make preparations to send or receive packages by mail during the holiday season.

Today, practically all homes and businesses receive some sort of communication each day the United State Postal Service operates. But, many don't stop to think about the improvements that have take place in that service through the years.

Clark Remembered For Exploration Of Louisiana Purchase, Wendy Bradley Richter

Articles

In the early days of Arkansas history, counties were physically much larger, although much more sparsely settled.

Clark County was one of five counties in existence when Arkansas Territory was established in 1819. In fact, the county celebrates its 199th anniversary later this week.

Crow Becomes First To Work In Arkadelphia Real Estate, Wendy Bradley Richter

Articles

Through the years, many Clark Countians have enjoyed distinguished careers and have made significant contributions to the development of the area.

One such individual was businessman Austin M. Crow. While no one today has a living memory of Mr. Crow, his wide-ranging activities place him among the early leaders of the Arkadelphia community.

Wwi Impact Felt Locally, Wendy Bradley Richter

Articles

During the next year or so, much attention will be given to the centennial of World War I, which officially ended November 11, 1918, with the date becoming known as Armistice Day.

The conflict had a great impact on our nation as the first modern, global war. Approximately 65 million were mobilized, including over 70,000 soldiers from Arkansas. Many Clark Countians participated. In November of 1918, just after the war was over, Arkadelphia's Southern Standard newspaper reported these numbers: "Clark County has furnished 1064 men, divided among the several departments as follows: National Guard 71; Regular Army, 22; Enlisted Reserve, …

Exhibit Still Open To The Public, Wendy Bradley Richter

Articles

Time is running out for Clark County area citizens to enjoy a Smithsonian Museum exhibit here in Arkadelphia.

The Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service of the Museum on Main Street program and the Arkansas Humanities Council have partnered to bring "Hometown Teams: How Sports Shape America" to Ouachita Baptist University.

Clark County Civil Court Records, Archivists

Guides and Finding Aids

Clark County was established in 1818, and therefore became one of the five counties in existence at the time the area became known as Arkansas Territory in 1819. Court was held in various places in those early days, such as the home of pioneer settler Jacob Barkman, west of the Caddo River, near what is now Caddo Valley. Later, a county seat was established at Greenville, which was located to the southwest along the Military Road (also known as the Southwest Trail). In 1842 Arkadelphia (previously known as Blakelytown) became the permanent location of the county seat.

These numbered files …

Ouachita Riley-Hickingbotham Library's Special Collections Earns National Award, Trennis Henderson

Press Releases

The Arkansas Baptist History Collection of Ouachita Baptist University’s Riley-Hickingbotham Library Archives and Special Collections has been honored with the Baptist History and Heritage Society’s 2017 Davis C. Woolley Award for Outstanding Achievement in Assessing and Preserving Baptist History.

The national award honors the work of Dr. Wendy Richter, Ouachita professor and archivist, and her staff who coordinated the Special Collections project. The award was announced recently at the annual conference of the Baptist History and Heritage Society, hosted by First Baptist Church of Augusta, Ga., in partnership with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Georgia.

“It is indeed an honor …

Marker Highlights Significance Of Military Road, Wendy Bradley Richter

Articles

A historical marker standing near the Diamond Lakes Visitors Center in Caddo Valley highlights the significance of the Military Road as a major transportation artery during the Civil War and through Arkansas' early history. It also describes Arkadelphia's role as a Confederate manufacturing and supply center during the war: The "powder works" and "arsenal" were among this area's significant contributions to the Confederate war effort.

Flood Of 1927 Damages County, State, Wendy Bradley Richter

Articles

Ninety years ago, what was arguably the nation's greatest natural disaster wreaked havoc on Arkansas and the entire Mississippi River Valley. The Flood of 1927 brought tremendous destruction to the region, taking hundreds of lives and inundating over sixteen million acres of land. Water covered more than 13 percent of the state of Arkansas, damaging approximately 162,000 homes. About 700,000 people were displaced as water inundated the land to depths of up to thirty feet.

1914 Fire Destroys College Building, Wendy Bradley Richter

Articles

A little over 103 years ago, Arkadelphia's Southern Standard newspaper's front-page headlines screamed, "College Building Destroyed by Fire." Sadly, Henderson-Brown College's largest structure had burned. The February 5, 1914, issue of the newspaper observed that "One of the most destructive fires with which our city was ever visited occurred early Tuesday morning when Henderson-Brown College was almost entirely consumed by the angry flames."

Milling An Important Part Of County's Economy, Wendy Bradley Richter

Articles

In the early twentieth century, the Arkadelphia Milling Company was an important part of Clark County's economy. The company produced flour, meal, feed, and other products, and also supplied much of Arkadelphia's electrical power for many years. Among the Milling Company's best-known product lines were Dolly Dimple and Robin Red Breast, which were shipped to all parts of the world. Advertisements read, "Arkadelphia Milling Company Feeds the World." Other slogans painted on the sides of buildings included "The Heart of the Grain Plus the Art of the Brain," and "We Never Sleep."

Ucv Established To Preserve History, Wendy Bradley Richter

Articles

About 106 years ago, in April of 1911, a camp of the United Sons of Confederate Veterans was established in Arkadelphia. The group's founding came at a time of renewed interest in the Civil War---the fiftieth anniversary of the start of that conflict---as well as recognition of the fact that many veterans were passing away and living memory of that part of history would soon be lost.

History Of Okolona And Its Schools, Wendy Bradley Richter

Articles

The town of Okolona in southwestern Clark County 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 northwest of where the railroad depot later stood. After a few years of mud there, however, the small settlement moved to the town's current location on higher ground where the town continued to grow.

Voices Of The Great War, Wendy Bradley Richter

Presentations and Lectures

No abstract provided.

Farming Popular Occupation In Clark County, Wendy Bradley Richter

Articles

At this time of year, many people begin to plant vegetable gardens and hope for a successful growing season. In the first part of the twentieth century, when farming was the occupation of many in Clark County, a good bit of agriculture-related news appeared on the front-page of the local newspaper. Stories often pertained to first or early harvests, as well as large or unusual produce. Legends and lore, as well as factual information, were all included in the paper. From the articles, it is clear that a wide variety of items were raised in the Clark County area, and …

Bethlehem School Served Students East Of Arkadelphia, Wendy Bradley Richter

Articles

In August of 1912, Arkadelphia's Southern Standard newspaper announced an upcoming event during which the cornerstone for the new Bethlehem School building would be laid. A program featuring speeches by B.F. Condray, Farrar Newberry, and R.W. Huie, Jr., would highlight the occasion. The school was located about six miles east of Arkadelphia on Highway 51 at the junction of Highway 128 and a county road--in the heart of the Joan community.

Transportation Advancements Bring Regulation, Wendy Bradley Richter

Articles

In the early twentieth century, a transportation revolution was underway: automobiles were becoming commonplace on the roads. In 1903, a Hot Springs man drove to Arkadelphia "on his automobile," and just a few years later, by 1910, about twenty-five Arkadelphians owned cars.

Beirne Considered Best Shipping Point, Wendy Bradley Richter

Articles

The town of Beirne in southern Clark County 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. Postal service began in the community in that year as well, with the town's founder as postmaster. By the end of that year, a railroad depot had been completed, and Beirne's sawmill and grist mill became fully operational. People of the surrounding area considered Beirne to be among the best shipping points for the new railroad passing through the state. The small village …

Train Wreck Near Saline Bayou, Wendy Bradley Richter

Articles

The construction of the state's railroad system initiated major changes in transportation in this area and all of Arkansas, establishing new shipping and travel connections with the rest of the nation. In 1873, people came to Arkadelphia from as far away as fifty to sixty miles to watch for the Cairo and Fulton Railroad's first passenger train and to witness an event they would remember the rest of their lives. The Cairo and Fulton Railroad established Arkadelphia as a principal transportation hub in southwest Arkansas. The rail line later became a part of the St. Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern …

Arkadelphia Quarantined To Prevent Flu Outbreak, Wendy Bradley Richter

Articles

Flu runs rampant in many communities at this time of year, but thus far, this year's level of activity has not reached that of 1918. In that year, over 7000 Arkansans were known to have died from the flu after the illness swept across the United States and to the battlefields in Europe during World War I. North Little Rock's Camp Pike (later renamed Camp Robinson), a major army training center, suffered greatly, with the infirmary admitting up to 1000 men per day. Even Arkadelphia was quarantined in October of 1918 in an effort to prevent the spread of the …

Telephone Service Simple In Arkadelphia, Wendy Bradley Richter

Articles

As the nineteeth century came to a close, telephone service began to flourish in Clark County. In its infancy, Arkadelphia's first telephone service was indeed simple; it allowed communication between two places. For example, in 1878, a store on Johnston Street connected with a nearby warehouse. And, a phone line linked the Southern Standard newspaper office with a local store. Other lines ran between particular businesses and residences.

Arkadelphia Entrepreneurs Provide Lodging For Visitors, Wendy Bradley Richter

Articles

From Arkadelphia's earliest days, various entrepreneurs have engaged in hosting visitors, whether in the form of restaurants or hotels. Little is known about those earliest businesses, but local legends surrounding some of those enterprises offer some interesting insights into life during the 1800s.

Clark County Served As Training Site For Kansas City Blues, Wendy Bradley Richter

Articles

One hundred years ago, baseball fans in Arkadelphia were gearing up for a real treat: A front-page headline in the Southern Standard newspaper of January 4, 1917, proclaimed, "Kansas City Blues to Arrive March 12." It is a little known fact today that Clark County served as a spring training site for the team. A documentary produced in 2015 ("The First Boys of Spring" produced by Larry Foley of the University of Arkansas and narrated by Billy Bob Thornton) portrays Hot Springs as a popular place for baseball spring training, but Arkadelphia holds a place in the annals of the …

Evolution Of Arkadelphia's Firefighting Equipment, Wendy Bradley Richter

Articles

As with many other things in our world today, firefighting has changed during the last 150 years. With many improvements from the days of the "bucket brigade" using water from wells and cisterns, firefighters today employ new techniques and enjoy quicker response times in order to more effectively protect citizens and property from fire. Arkadelphia's transformation into the modern era of firefighting paralleled that in other cities and towns around the nation.

Blacksmithing An Essential Part Of Community, Wendy Bradley Richter

Articles

Relatively few young people today have witnessed a blacksmith at work. These men usually had great skill and knowledge of how to create and/ or repair many necessities of a bygone era-- things like nails, horseshoes, wheels, agricultural implements, weapons, and chains.

Arkadelphia Establishes Meat Market, Wendy Bradley Richter

Articles

Back in 1866, the city of Arkadelphia embarked upon an unusual enterprise--ownership and supervision of a meat market. The site for the operation was the south side of Clinton Street, at Seventh. The story of this City Market is revealed in the minutes of the Arkadelphia City Council beginning in 1866 into the early 1870s.

Bernes K. Selph Sermons And Papers, Archivists

Guides and Finding Aids

Bernes K. Selph was born November 3, 1911, in Brown Springs, Arkansas, to Robert K. and Loura Durham Selph. He earned degrees from Ouachita Baptist College and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Selph wrote several books and many articles for Baptist publications. Among his books are "The Christology of the Book of Hebrews" (1948); The Civil War in Saline County" (1961); and "My Autobiographical Diary" (1989). He also served on various Baptist associational, state, and national boards and agencies. Selph led many churches during his lifetime including the First Baptist Church of Hubbard, Texas; the First Baptist Church of Smackover, Arkansas; …