Arts and Humanities Commons^™

Three Men And A Store, S. Ray Granade

Creative Works

Most accurately, we should probably call this “two men, a boy, and a store.” It features three generations of males from the same family—the father, his only son, and his first-born grandson. The store, Arkadelphia’s first “big box” discount store, Howard Brothers (colloquially known as Howard’s), sat atop the last northward hil l on Tenth Street (aka US Highway 67/AR Highway 7) and looked eastward and northeastward across its parking lot over the Caddo River and Ouachita River floodplains. The occasion arose when the father and his wife drove from Montgomery, Alabama over the course of about a dozen hours …

The Wiley Funeral Home Records At Ouachita Baptist University, Lisa K. Speer

Articles

In 2009, Ouachita Baptist University's Special Collections and Archives received a set of records from the Wiley Funeral Home (now Mitchell Funeral Home) of Arkadelphia, containing death certificates, burial transit permits, and funeral insurance records kept between 1941-1968. The records document the lives of several thousand African Americans who were either residents of Clark County or whose funerals were handled by Wiley Funeral Home.

100 Years Ago: Front-Page Stories From Arkadelphia's Southern Standard, Lisa K. Speer

Articles

The following news items were extracted from the front pages of Arkadelphia's Southern Standard weekly newspaper of 1919. The articles illustrate the variety of news published by the paper and offer glimpses into life in early 20th-century Clark County. The return to normalcy following the end of a world war; agricultural and economic development of the county; and moonshining were just a few of the themes that ran through the news that made the front pages of 1919.

First Airplane Lands In Arkadelphia One Century Ago, Wendy Richter

Articles

Many technological advancements occurred in the United States during the early twentieth century, bringing about change in many phases of life, including transportation. One new type of travel drew a lot of attention in Clark County on Saturday, May 25, 1918, when an airplane landed for the first time at Arkadelphia.

Automobiles Take Over Roadways A Century Ago, Wendy 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 by 1910, about twenty-five Arkadelphians owned cars.

Letters Sent, Letters And Orders Received, Endorsements Sent And Received: 1865-1868, Bureau Of Refugees, Freedmen, And Abandoned Lands

Freedmen's Bureau: Arkansas Field Office Records

No abstract provided.

Bozeman House One Of County's Oldest Structures, Wendy Richter

Articles

One of Clark County's oldest stuctures stands a few miles west of Arkadelphia alongside Highways 26 and 51. The historic Bozeman House endures as a reminder of a bygone era. The frame, Greek-Revival home was built in the mid-nineteenth century for early settler Michael Bozeman.

Daylight Saving Time Introduced A Century Ago, Wendy Richter

Articles

Last weekend marked the annual change from Standard Time to Daylight Saving Time. One hundred years ago Arkadelphia's Southern Standard newspaper reported on the then-new concept, implemented in the United States during World War I to give people more time to spend in their gardens after their workday was over.

Habicht-Cohn-Crow House One Of The Oldest In Town, Wendy Bradley Richter

Articles

One of Arkadelphia’s oldest homes sits at the corner of Eighth and Pine streets. Known as the Habicht-Cohn-Crow House, the building was constructed in 1870 for Captain Anthony E. Habicht, who came to the South during Reconstruction. Local legend says that Habicht patterned the house after one he had seen in Natchez, Mississippi, and its design was heavily influenced by the Greek Revival style.

Political Campaign Memorabilia, Wesley "Wes" Franklin

Guides and Finding Aids

Political campaigns generate many different types of artifacts, documents, and memorabilia. These items are widely distributed among the general population in order to generate support for a particular candidate or cause. The material in this collection was accumulated over the course of several decades and contributed by a variety of people.

This collection contains items and documents from Arkansas's past political campaigns.

Wayne Fowler Scrapbook, Archivists

Guides and Finding Aids

Wayne Fowler attended Arkadelphia High School and participated in the band, student government, plays, and the football team. He graduated in 1948.

This scrapbook contains snapshots, newsclippings, programs, and other memorabilia related to Wayne Fowler's time at Arkadelphia High School, with an emphasis on the band and football team. There are also 1948 graduation programs and announcements.

History Of Library Cannon, Wendy Bradley Richter

Articles

Today, relatively few Arkadelphians know the history behind the cannon that sits on the lawn of the Clark County Library on Caddo Street.

Manufactured by the Confederate Army at the foundry/arsenal here in Arkadelphia in the early 1860s, it never fired a shot at an opposing army. Interestingly, the weapon also served as a hitching post after the war, before being place on the library grounds.

1918: Bone-Chilling Temperatures Freeze River, Wendy Bradley Richter

Articles

With recent frigid temperatures in the area, it is difficult to imagine that the harsh cold weather does not come close to that which visited Arkadelphia 100 years ago.

Flanagin Law Office Constructed Prior To Civil War, Wendy Bradley Richter

Articles

Today, many visitors to the downtown Arkadelphia vicinity may not realize the historical significance of one of the buildings across the street from the Clark County Court House.

The structure known to some as the "Flanagin Law Office" was constructed prior to the Civil War and served as an office for a number of different attorneys, including Arkansas Governor Harris Flanagin of Arkadelphia. Flanagin became governor in 1862 and held the office during some of the most tumultuous year in American history.

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.

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, …

Steps Taken To Reduce Flooding, Wendy Richter

Articles

Development of drainage districts in the early twentieth century benefitted Arkansas's economy, but their construction could often be controversial. Without proper drainage, low-lying land was useless for farming: once cleared and drained, rich soil could be very productive. In Arkansas, the history of districts in the northeastern part of the state has been explored, but little attention has been given to south Arkansas.

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.

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.

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.

Patterson Emerges As One Of Arkadelphia's Early Businessmen, Wendy Bradley Richter

Articles

Among Arkadelphia's early businessmen was a man named John Wesley Patterson. For about two-thirds of his life Patterson operated a mercantile business in Arkadelphia. A man of habits and routines, he had relatively few interests outside of his stores, but actively supported both the town's high school and college teams.