The Civil War (Almost) Started Here

                

                On April 12, 1861, the South Carolina Militia fired shots upon Fort Sumter, which marked the beginning of the Civil War. For the next five years, America experienced its great challenges as a nation, with more than 600,000 lives lost and millions of dollars in property damaged or destroyed. But what many people don’t know is that the Civil War almost began in Arkansas.

                Arkansas became the 25th state on June 15, 1836. Later that year, the federal government decided to build a new federal arsenal in Arkansas’ capital city, Little Rock. Gov. James Conway and U.S. Army Major Robert B. Lee chose a site on the outskirts of the city that was the former home to a racetrack once used by a local jockey club. Congress appropriated $14,000 for the arsenal, but the final cost of the building was nearly $30,000. 

                The arsenal was built using timbers from Pine Bluff and rock from the Big Rock Quarry on the north side of the Arkansas River. At the arsenal’s completion, the Arkansas Gazette declared it to be “a splendid specimen of masonry.” Its signature feature: a three-story tower building. Over the next several years, 30 buildings were added to the installation.

                In November 1860, U.S. Army Capt. James Totten was transferred from his previous post in Kansas to become the commander of the federal arsenal in Little Rock. Totten brought 65 troops with him, a move that caused much unrest across the state. On Jan. 28, 1861, Totten was informed by then-Gov. Henry Rector that neither reinforcements nor the removal of any weapons from the arsenal would be tolerated. Totten politely responded that he reported to the federal government and not the state of Arkansas. In the meantime, militias from all over the state began to arrive in Little Rock, prepared to halt any potential reinforcement of the arsenal. 

                The Little Rock City Council demanded that Rector immediately assume control of the militia groups to prevent a potential assault on the arsenal. Rector responded that he didn’t have authority over such groups. The city council then called upon the Capital Guards, a militia group headquartered in Little Rock. By Feb. 6, Rector persuaded Totten to surrender the arsenal to the Arkansas militia troops. In order to prevent a serious military conflict between southern militias and the federal government, Totten agreed. 

                A few days later, the Capitol Guards escorted Totten and his troops from the arsenal. Totten and his men boarded a ship to St. Louis four days later. While he waited to leave the city, Totten received a sword from the ladies of Little Rock in honor of his heroic conduct during the arsenal crisis. By avoiding conflict, Totten had earned the respect of many Little Rock citizens and his U.S. Army superiors — and possibly avoided starting a war. 

                In 1863, federal troops entered Little Rock and occupied the arsenal for the remainder of the war. From 1863 to its decommissioning in 1890, the arsenal became a housing complex, with weapons stores being replaced with rooms for soldiers and families. And it was under that circumstance that the arsenal became famous as the birthplace of an iconic American World War II general, Douglas MacArthur. MacArthur's father, Gen. Arthur MacArthur, was stationed in Little Rock in 1880 when Douglas was born. 

                Ultimately, the federal government gave the arsenal to the city of Little Rock. Its grounds were converted to a public park and all its buildings, except for the tower building, were demolished or sold.

                The tower building stood vacant until the late 1930s, when Little Rock began to renovate the historic building. In 1942, the Museum of Natural History and Antiquities opened in the tower building. The museum’s name changed in 1964, to the Museum of Science and Natural History, and again in 1983, to the Arkansas Museum of Science and History. In 1997, the museum moved to a new location in the River Market, where it is now called the Museum of Discovery.

                The arsenal was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in July 1970, and named a National Historic Landmark in April 1994. Today, it is the home of the MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History.

                If you get the opportunity, visit the tower building and take the self-guided tour around the old arsenal grounds. It's a beautiful park that, had one federal general not kept his cool, could have been ground zero for America’s bloodiest conflict.

A Pilgrim-age to Mayflower

 

                Years ago, when I commuted to college from Sherwood (Pulaski County) to Conway (Faulkner County), I would often times take Highway 365 which took me through the town of Mayflower. Being a history buff, I always wondered about the town’s unusual name and if it had a connection to the pilgrims who landed at Plymouth Rock in 1620.

                The beginning of what today is Mayflower can be traced back to the white settlers, known then as Tories, who moved west to flee the Revolutionary War. Such Tory families as the Flannagins and Massengills arrived in the Mayflower area about 1778, and settled near the mouth of Palarm Creek. 

                So, how did Mayflower get its name? Well, in 1871, the railroad used the settlement as a telegraph station from the construction superintendent’s car. According to legend, the superintendent used “Mayflower” as his telegraph call sign, thus the name became associated with the then-unnamed area. Why the name of Mayflower was used is not known.

                Like much of Arkansas, the land in and around Mayflower was mostly forested and logged until the end of the twentieth century. Several plantations were also built in the area to farm cotton. Cotton grew well there due to the area’s fertile soil. 

                The first post office in Mayflower opened on November 9, 1880. Worley E. Vanlandingham as served as the office’s first postmaster. The town of Mayflower was officially incorporated on March 6, 1928. Dr. J.R. Kitley was elected as its first mayor.

                During the Great Depression of the 1930s, a canning kitchen was set up in Mayflower to help farmers preserve food grown on their farms. Mrs. Gena Hathaway was the kitchen’s operator. A magnolia tree, which is approximately 100-years-old, stands at the corner of Center and Miller streets where the canning kitchen once stood.

                One of the most popular draws to Mayflower is Lake Conway. At 6,700-acres, Lake Conway is the largest lake created by a state agency and the first to be created by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AG&FC). Lake Conway was created in 1948 by damning Palarm Creek. The reservoir has been a habitat to several major sportfish such as bass, bluegill, crappie, and both blue and flathead catfish. The AG&FC began draining Lake Conway in Nov. 2023 for silt remediation and modification of its aging spillway gates. The lake is currently on track to be empty for approximately five years.

                On March 29, 2013, a massive oil spill took place near Mayflower when an Exxon/Mobil pipeline carrying heavy crude oil burst near the town causing thousands of barrels of oil to spill. This incident resulted in the evacuation of 22 homes and substantial damage to the area’s ecosystem.

                Another catastrophic event happened in Mayflower on April 27, 2014, as the town was hit by an EF4 tornado around 8 p.m. The tornado stayed on the ground for over an hour and traveled along a 40-mile path. Sixteen Arkansans lost their lives due to the tornado, while 193 others were seriously injured. The fatalities made this the deadliest severe weather event in Arkansas history since the F4 tornado that killed 35 in May 1968. 

                The Mayflower tornado was part of a widespread and deadly tornado outbreak, which terrorized the central and southern portions of the United States in April 2014. The massive severe weather event was responsible for producing several multiple long-track tornadoes. Seven of these tornadoes were deadly, causing known 36 fatalities and billions of dollars in damage to property.

                On May 13, 2014, then-president Barack Obama toured nearby Vilonia to survey the damage caused by the tornado and visited with the town’s residents (including a good friend whose house was destroyed by the tornado and was given a challenge coin by the president). Obama later flew over Mayflower for a look at the destruction from the sky. 

                As of the 2020 census, Mayflower has 1,984 residents, none of whom identify as pilgrims.

Find Romance in Arkansas

                

                This week, we celebrate Valentine’s Day, a day to express your love to that special someone in your life. And while people across the country commemorate this romantic holiday, here in “The Natural State,” we have romance all year long in a small community in northern Arkansas.

                With about 1,800 residents, Romance is an unincorporated community located about halfway between Rose Bud and El Paso in White County. As a child traveling with my family, I passed through Romance countless times on the way to spend weekends at Greers Ferry Lake. And I was always intrigued by the area’s unusual name.

                While there is no evidence, legend claims that a local teacher named the town, believing that the view from the bluffs on the community's eastern side was very romantic.

                And although we don’t know who exactly gave the community its name, there is no doubt that the name proved to be of the utmost importance in maintaining Romance's most visible business — a small U.S. Post Office branch. The local post office is one of several post offices across America that has gained significant attention because of its "love-themed" names. Others include Cupid, Iowa, Heart, Montana, and Lovers Leap, California. 

                In 1990, Romance was chosen as the first location to issue that year's stamp in the postal service’s Love Stamp series. The stamp changes each year, although the love theme is present in all its variations. Romance has been chosen again as the location for first-day issuance of the 2024 “Love” stamp.

                The Romance post office is especially busy for its special postmarks of cards for Valentine’s Day, as well as for wedding invitations. According to the U.S. Postal Service, the office receives, postmarks and mails about 7,500 valentines and wedding invitations yearly. It takes a lot to hand cancel — so much that one former postmaster got carpal tunnel syndrome from the repetition! 

                In the past few years, a small number of couples have held their weddings on the post office’s grounds. But this practice is not affiliated with the post office.

                If you wish to mail your own valentines or wedding invitations with the special Romance postmark, send your pre-addressed valentines or invitations in a USPS Priority Mail or Express Mail envelope or box to: Postmaster, Valentine Remailing, Romance, AR 72136-9998.

                While it does have a post office, Romance is not an incorporated city or town in Arkansas. As such, its local government is part of the jurisdiction of the White County judge, who serves as the county's chief executive. Residents of Romance are represented legislatively by the county's quorum court. Local law enforcement is provided by the White County Sheriff's Department, as well as constables for Kentucky and Marshall townships.

                There are few businesses in Romance, so most residents find themselves commuting to jobs in the surrounding area — places like Rose Bud, Searcy and Jacksonville. Many Romance residents farm grass and hay, raise livestock and operate meat processing businesses. Romance is also home to a couple of antique shops/homemade craft stores. The land in and around Romance is part of the Fayetteville Shale Play, an area for natural gas exploration in north Arkansas that started around 2005.

                A small southern portion of the Romance area is controlled by the U.S. Air Force for use as a parachute drop zone for Little Rock Air Force Base in Jacksonville, which is about 33 miles south of Romance. The drop zone was first established in 1982 and has been in constant use since.

                Let me close on this interesting tidbit about Romance. If for some reason you find yourself watching the 1988 movie “Homeboy,” starring Mickey Rourke, look closely at Rourke’s character, Johnny Walker. Walker, for some unexplained reason, wears a Romance, Arkansas, belt buckle throughout the film.

                Happy Valentine’s Day, Arkansas! 

Much Ado About Marshall

                

                On a recent weekend trip to Branson, my wife and I passed through Marshall, Arkansas. As many travelers along US Highway 65 do, we stopped at the beautiful overlook to take in the majestic view of the Ozark Mountains. And while those amazing views are arguably what Marshall is best known for, there’s much more to this charming city.

                Marshall is the Searcy County seat and its largest city, with a population of about 1,300. The city lies at the foot of the Boston Mountain range and is about 11 miles south of America's first national river, the Buffalo National River. As such, Marshall serves as a center for area tourism. Camping, floating and hiking are just a few of the recreational opportunities that the national river offers.

                The history of Marshall dates to the earliest known settlers in the region, the Paleo Indians. The Paleo lived in what is now Marshall around 15,000 years ago. Numerous Paleo artifacts have been found in the area, including pottery shards and spear points.

                 In 1804, after the Louisiana Purchase, the federal government began relocating Native Americans in the southeast U.S. to Indian Territory, now Oklahoma. The Cherokees who were brought through Arkansas on the Trail of Tears clashed with the Osage. The Osage were one of the three main tribes of what became our state. In 1817, the Treaty of the Cherokee Agency set aside land in northwest Arkansas. This land became the first Cherokee reservation west of the Mississippi River. And to help with the conflict between the two tribes, the Cherokees extended an invitation to the Shawnee to settle in the Buffalo River area.

                The Shawnee established a village southwest of present-day Marshall. The chief of the village is believed to be Chief Peter Cornstalk, the grandson and namesake of the great chief of the Shawnee during the Revolutionary War. 

                Chief Cornstalk married Mary Adams in the mid-1930s. She was the granddaughter of Robert Adams, who was one of the original white settlers in the area. By the late 1840s, all tribes had been moved to Indian Territory.

                The first white settlement was located at the foot of Devil’s Backbone Mountain in a community called Raccoon Springs. The county seat was moved from Lebanon to Raccoon Springs in 1856, and it was renamed Burrowville (spelled Burrowsville in some early records) after Napoleon Bonaparte Burrow, a Crawford County planter and Democratic politician.

                The Civil War era was a significant time of change for Marshall. The name of the town was changed, population declined for years, and after the war’s end, Arkansas became a two-party political system in what for many years was a one-party (Democratic) state. And sadly, much of the town had been burned, including the county courthouse and county records. Union-supporting residents pushed to change the town's name from Burrowville to Marshall after U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Marshall. The name change was approved by the state Legislature on March 18, 1867.

                By the 1950s Marshall had become an agricultural town and strawberries were its major crop. In fact, during this time, the town promoted itself as the “Strawberry Capital of the World.” Of course, this didn’t sit too well with Bald Knob (White County), who promoted itself as the same.

                But all good things must end, and by the late 1960s, the strawberry industry was moving to states out west such as California and Texas. General stores and mercantiles were closing and being replaced with national companies like Sears and Walmart. These conditions and several others caused the beginning of a major change in the economy of the small Searcy County town. 

                Today, Marshall’s economy is a mix of retail, general services and limited manufacturing, but tourism is its driving force.

Arkansas's Only Auto Manufacturer

 

                Perhaps you’ve driven by a large old green and white building located at 1823 East 17th Street in Little Rock which appears to be a warehouse or a a former factory. Hundreds of people drive past this structure every day not knowing that at one time it housed Arkansas’s only automobile manufacturer-- the Climber Motor Corporation.

                Climber produced both cars and trucks that were meant to better handle the state’s antiquated road system than previous modes of transportation. Three Little Rock businessmen, William Drake, Clarence Roth and Davis Hopson incorporated the Climber Motor Corporation in 1919. Their goal was to produce automobiles that would drive well on paved roads, as well as the primitive dirt and gravel roads once abundant in Arkansas. The men also wanted their vehicles to be able to climb (henceforth the name Climber) the steep roads in the Ozark Mountains as well as the flat long stretches of road found in Arkansas’s delta.

                The company’s first incarnation of its board of directors was made up of Drake as president, Roth as vice president and Hopson as secretary-treasurer. A company reorganization in October 1919 resulted in Henry Buhler, Climber’s general manager, being promoted to president. Lloyd Judd became treasurer and Richard Fletcher became secretary and plant manager. Roth remained on as vice president. Two of the three founders, Drake and Hopson, both left Climber to pursue other opportunities.

                For its first production facility, Climber Motor Corporation purchased a 20-acre site on East 17th Street in Little Rock. Its location was perfect, as it was both far from the city’s residential areas and located next to tracks operated by the Rock Island and Missouri Pacific railroads.

                Construction on Climber’s first factory began in January 1919, with the truck division being the first (and ultimately only) building built. According to blueprints located in the state archives, several other buildings were planned but never constructed. The truck factory was finished later that year. As construction began on Climber’s production facility, the board of directors began raising capital, finding skilled workers and obtaining the materials and parts needed to produce automobiles. 

                Unfortunately, Climber production got off to a rocky start. Its factory was constantly dealing with a parts shortage to the point Climber employees were forced to design and make their own. In October 1919, the company was reorganized again and William Drake retired as its president. Eventually, most all of Climber’s initial production problems were resolved by early 1920.

 

                In an effort to drum up excitement about their vehicles, Climber paraded 19 cars up Little Rock’s Main Street with Arkansas governor Charles Brough riding in the lead car. In another publicity effort, a Climber car was driven up the steps of Arkansas’s state capitol building. The thought  was that if a Climber car could climb up the capitol steps successfully, it could handle any terrain in the state.   

                Despite the board’s best efforts, a constant shortage of capital plagued the company from the start. And even with an initial $1 million stock offering and a massive marketing campaign, Climber was forced to file bankruptcy in February 1924. The Pulaski County Chancery Court placed Climber under the control of a receiver, attorney Xenophon O. Pindall. Pindall sold all of Climber’s holdings and the company closed its doors. At its end, the Climber Motor Corporation produced approximately 200 cars and about 75 trucks. Following its closure, Climber’s truck factory building was used to build light aircraft, and later, toilet paper.

                Out of the nearly 300 vehicles Climber manufactured, only two are known to have survived and both are part of the collection of the Museum of Automobiles atop Petit Jean Mountain near Morrilton (Conway County). 

                Today, the Climber Motor Corporation truck factory building is still standing and is currently in use. The historical significance of the building was recognized with it being listed on the National Register of Historic Places in June 2005. 

The de Soto Expedition of Arkansas

                

                One of the most famous people in Arkansas history also happens to be one of its most controversial and mysterious — Hernando de Soto. Perhaps you remember hearing the name from 8th grade Arkansas history or seeing his name and image on various monuments and markers across the Natural State.

                Hernando de Soto was a Spanish explorer who led an expedition through the southern United States. De Soto and his band of soldiers were the first Europeans to visit the land that eventually became Arkansas. 

                It is believed de Soto was born in Spain around 1500, but his exact birthdate is unknown. Hernando was the second son of Francisco Méndez de Soto and Leonor Arias (Tinoco) de Soto. Although the de Soto family was reportedly of noble heritage, Hernando himself was poor and forced to borrow money to travel to the new world in 1514.

                Once de Soto made it to central America, he became a soldier and fought in raids and battles in Nicaragua, Panama and Peru. In just a few years, de Soto had developed a reputation as mean but cunning. And during his time in military service, de Soto became wealthy from his involvement in the Indian slave trade.

                In November 1536, de Soto returned to Spain to marry Isabel de Bobadilla. He also petitioned Spain’s King Charles V for a governorship in central America. The Spanish king considered de Soto’s request and offered him the opportunity to explore and conquer the area known as Florida. As part of the deal, King Charles V made de Soto governor of Cuba, which served as a base for de Soto’s planned conquest of Florida. In 1537, de Soto began gathering supplies and hired an army to participate in his expedition to the new world.

                After a couple of years of preparation, de Soto and 600 men — along with horses, pigs and equipment— set out from Cuba in May 1539. His agreement with Charles V required de Soto to explore the region and establish settlements and forts in the name of Spain. After landing on the southwest coast of Florida, de Soto and crew traveled through the southeastern area of the eventual United States before crossing the Mississippi River into what is now Arkansas on June 28, 1541. 

                It is accepted by most Arkansas historians that Hernando de Soto and his men were the first Europeans to set foot in Arkansas. There are four known accounts of the expedition through the lands of Arkansas that describe the Indians the Spanish group encountered in the next two years. Historians and scholars have long been unsure of de Soto’s actual route, but throughout the years, archaeologists have discovered Spanish artifacts at a few archaeological sites named in the accounts — solid evidence of the de Soto expedition.

                Hernando de Soto and his group’s relations with most of the native Americans of Arkansas were for the most part friendly, but de Soto and his soldiers also had no qualms of torturing and savagely killing those who refused to cooperate.

                After traveling around the area for almost a year (reportedly through modern-day cities such as Benton, Helena and Hot Springs), de Soto led his party back to the Mississippi River, somewhere in southeast Arkansas. By that time, he and most of his entourage were disillusioned and tired of the difficult journey and the battles with Indians over the past three years. De Soto eventually fell ill with fever and died at Guachoya, which many experts believe is now the city of Lake Village (Chicot County) in May 1542.

                Fearing the vandalism of his body and the consequences if the natives confirmed de Soto’s death, his men dug up the body at night, weighted it down and dumped it into the Mississippi River. 

                De Soto’s expedition in Arkansas was largely considered a failure, as fame and fortune escaped him. When he arrived in Arkansas, he was a proud, resilient conqueror. But in the end, the future land of opportunity offered none to de Soto and his party.

The Hoo-Hoo of Gurdon

                If you’ve driven through the town of Gurdon (Clark County), you might have noticed an old log building adorned by a strange black cat with the words, “The International Concatenated Order of Hoo-Hoo.” And unless you’re a member or know your Arkansas history, you’ve wondered who or what the Hoo-Hoo are. 

                Recently, my wife and I found ourselves in a similar situation in the south Arkansas timber town. Having just visited a couple of nearby state parks, we both noticed the strange name and symbol just off Main Street. I knew I had to learn more.

                Turns out, the International Concatenated Order of Hoo-Hoo is an active fraternal society for male workers in the timber industry that was founded in Gurdon in January 1892.

                The story goes that while stuck in Gurdon waiting on a delayed train, Bolling A. Johnson, a writer for The Timberman trade newspaper based in Chicago, and George Smith, secretary for the Southern Lumber Manufacturers Association in St. Louis, discussed the possibility of forming a unified lumber fraternity. The two approached fellow lumbermen George Washington Schwartz, William Starr Mitchell, William Eddy Barns and Ludolph Strauss (who were all waiting on the same delayed train) with the idea. 

                From that discussion, a new fraternal order was created. The name first suggested for the new fraternity was "The Ancient Order of Camp Followers." But it was decided the name was “uninteresting” and a new name was chosen — “The International Concatenated Order of Hoo-Hoo.” The term “hoo-hoo” had become a nickname for a lumberman. Its emblem — a black cat with its tail curled into the shape of a figure nine — represents a cat’s nine lives. 

                Members of the Hoo-Hoo take an oath that says: “I promise that I will aid in every way possible, in the promotion of the welfare and interest of our country, and of our Order, and of the forest product industry. I will do all in my power, in the promotion of friendship, confidence and education, so that to others as well as myself, there may result health, happiness and long life.”

                The first regular gathering of the Hoo-Hoo was held Feb. 18, 1892, at the elegant St. Charles Hotel in New Orleans, when 35 of the leading lumbermen of the country were initiated.

                Initially, membership in the Hoo-Hoo was limited to white men ages 21 and older who were engaged in the lumber industry as lumbermen, newspapermen and railroad workers. Mrs. M.A. Smith of Smithton (Clark County) was initiated before the gender requirement was passed, so she was allowed to remain as the organization’s only female member. In the late 1890s, membership had grown to more than 5,000. By the early 1920s, it had grown to about 7,000, and by the 1950s, Hoo-Hoo boasted 15,000 active members.

                According to the official Hoo-Hoo website (hoohoo.org), membership today is limited to people 18 and older who are of “good moral character” and are “engaged in the forestry industry or genuinely interested in supporting the purpose and aims of our order.” The group has grown into an international organization, with more than 100,000 dues paying members in the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia and South Africa.

                The Hoo-Hoo International office and museum share a log cabin built by the Works Progress Administration (WPA) in the early 1930s at 207 Main St. in Gurdon, one block from the site where Hoo-Hoo was founded in 1892. The museum was dedicated on April 11, 1981.

                Now you know who the Hoo-Hoo are and so do I. Stay safe and warm this week, Arkansas!

The Battlefield of Poison Springs

                

                In last week’s column, I wrote about White Oak Lake and the state park alongside its shore. I mentioned that one of the park’s great amenities is its visitors’ center, which includes artifacts from nearby Poison Springs Battlefield State Park. These historic items, which include ammunition, belt buckles, buttons and other pieces, are located in the White Oak Lake State Park visitors’ center because there is no visitors’ center at Poison Springs. But there is a lot to see and do, especially if you love visiting Arkansas Civil War battle sites as much as I do.

 

                Poison Spring Battlefield State Park is located about 10 miles northwest of Camden. The park commemorates the Civil War battle fought on its grounds on April 18, 1864. 

 

                In March 1864, Union Gen. Frederick Steele led about 15,000 trained soldiers out of Little Rock to join in the Union’s Red River Campaign. The goal of the plan was to join Gen. Nathaniel Banks’ troops in northern Louisiana and eventually invade Texas. 

                Steele and his troops seized Camden on April 15 but did not continue onward to Louisiana. Instead, Steele sent troops to gather supplies from nearby farms. On April 17, Col. James M. Williams led roughly 600 federal troops, many of whom were former slaves, to forage the farms and forests west of Camden. When Williams and his men were returning to Camden the following day, they were attacked by Confederate forces led by generals John Marmaduke and Samuel Bell Maxey. 

                Union forces suffered more than 300 casualties while the Confederates lost only 114. This defeat, along with a similar loss to the rebels at Marks’ Mills on April 25, caused Steele and his troops to abandon the Camden area and return to Little Rock on May 3.

 

                Interestingly, no one seems to know why the battle and the park are called Poison Springs. The name Poison Spring was known to Camden-area residents at the time of the action and was used in battle reports, but its origins are uncertain. Years after the Civil War’s end, local tales claimed that the Union troops became sick after drinking the cold spring water, which the Confederates had poisoned. But there is no evidence to confirm the story.

 

                The 85-acre Poison Springs Battlefield State Park is located on both sides of Arkansas Highway 76. The highway was built along the road used by the Union supply train when it was roadblocked and attacked by the Confederate force during the battle of Poison Springs. But the battle covered a much larger area, estimated by historians to be as large as 9,000 acres. 

 

                    Act 182, passed by the Arkansas General Assembly in 1961, established Poison Spring Battleground State Park, and it is one of three state parks that commemorate the Camden Expedition (including Jenkins’ Ferry and Marks’ Mills). The day-use only park is operated by the state parks division of the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage & Tourism and features outdoor interpretive signage, trails and picnic sites. As there is no visitors’ center on site, there are no bathrooms or exhibits. For those, you will need to visit nearby White Oak Lake State Park. But for those of you participating in the Arkansas State Parks Club 52 passport program, there is a place where you can make a pencil rubbing of the stamp at the park.

 

                    Poison Springs Battlefield State Park was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1969, and along with eight other sites, is part of the Camden Expedition Sites National Historic Landmark. The park was declared part of the National Historic Landmark on April 19, 1994.

White Oak Lake and State Park

 

                Located in Nevada and Ouachita Counties in southwest Arkansas, White Oak Lake State Park near Bluff City sits alongside the lake from which it takes its name. The park offers access to fishing on White Oak Lake, as well as other activities such as camping, picnicking and hiking. The lake itself is a fisherman’s oasis, as it’s filled with bass, crappie, catfish and bream. And for those who love to see wildlife, the state park has an abundance of great blue herons, egrets, ospreys, green heronsand bald eagles.

                The land that is now under White Oak Lake was purchased by the federal government in the late-1930s as a result of the Bankhead-Jones Farm Tenant Act. This act of Congress was passed to assist farmers during the Great Depression making it possible for farmers to own their own land rather than staying in tenant arrangements. In 1957, the Arkansas state legislature acquired the land and specially designated it for conservation and recreational purposes. 

                In 1961, the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC) built White Oak Lake. The lake actually consists of two sections: a 1,031-acre upper lake south of Highway 387 and a 1,735-acre lower lake north of the highway. White Oak is the second largest lake created by the AGFC with the largest being Lake Conway in central Arkansas. 

                In Nov. 1964, the AGFC leased land for a state park on the lower section of White Oak Lake to the Arkansas Publicity and Parks Commission (now the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism). The 510-acre park opened to the publicon April 1, 1967. On March 7, 1969, the park received official legislative approval as a state park by Act 192.

                Since its opening in 1967, White Oak Lake State Park has experienced significant further development and expansion. Thanks to the state’s Amendment 75 conservation tax, which is a one-eighth-percent sales tax that was approved by voters in 1996, a complete renovation of the park’s camping facilities was completed in June 2000.

                Located on park grounds is a visitors’ center which not only features exhibits about the state park, but also nearby Poison Springs Battlefield State Park, where a Civil War battle took place in April 1864. Ammunition, belt buckles, buttons and other items found at the Poison Springs battlefield site are part of the display. White Oak Lake State Park is home to a marinaand store which rents fishing boats, party barges, canoes and other watercraft. The park also features a campground, bathhouse, boat launch ramp, a picnic area with pavilions and a playground. During summer months, park staff offer interesting interpretive programs. For more information on camping rates, rental fees and park programming contact the park office at 870-685-2748.

            Biking and hiking trails are also very popular at White Oak Lake State Park. In several places along the park’s three trails, snow white sand can be seen on the forest’s floor. This sand is a remnant of when the Gulf of Mexico covered much of what today is the southern United States approximately 40-60 million years ago. 

            Both White Oak Lake and the state park are quite popular with local residents. However, its location in a part of our state where few tourists visit keeps them from being crowded and burdened with traffic. It is estimated nearly 70,000 people visit the park each year.

            If you’re looking for a great place to fish and spot some wildlife, White Oak Lake and state park is a great place to go.Whether you go for just a day or camp a few nights, you will definitely enjoy this part of the Natural State that’s a bit off the beaten path.

            Happy new year, Arkansas!

The Center of Arkansas

                The bustling Saline County city of Bryant's story begins with the old stagecoach road that connected southeastern United States to the former Mexican territory of Texas. According to common local legend, the first white settlers along Hurricane Creek were traveling to Texas, but the high rushing waters of the flooded creek stopped them from continuing their journey. While waiting for the water to settle, the travelers decided to stay in the area, create their own settlement and forgo plans of moving to Texas.

                This settlement was originally known as Dogwood Springs. Around 1835, the community’s name was changed to Collegeville. There was a small engagement at Collegeville during the Civil War in October 1864. In this action, commonly known as the Skirmish at Hurricane Creek or the Skirmish at Hunter’s Crossing, federal forces scored an easy victory over the ragtag band of rebels. Union records show that 11 Union soldiers wounded and 28 killed in the action. 

                The dead were buried by local women in nearby Bryant Cemetery. The only known Confederate burial from the skirmish is that of William Anderson Penn of Company C, Second Texas Cavalry. A historical marker commemorating the Civil War action is located at the cemetery on South Reynolds Road near the new Bryant Junior High School.

                The town that became modern-day Bryant began to prosper after the end of the Civil War in 1865. The St. Louis and Iron Mountain Railroad connected Bryant with Little Rock in 1871. The Bryant Township was officially created in 1878. The township was officially incorporated as a town in 1892, and was later designated as a city of the first class in 1946. Bryant’s first mayor was Conway Ashley.

                Bryant and the railroad that ran through the city were successful during World War II, with trains carrying aluminum made in nearby Bauxite to the country’s aircraft plants. Interstate 30 was built through Bryant during the 1950s, which led to a new period of population growth that has continued today. Alcoa and Reynolds Roads — two main thoroughfares through the city — are a reminder of Saline County’s mining past.

                In the mid-1980s, Bryant’s population grew as people looked for homes outside the hustle and bustle of the metro. The Bryant School District with its high school, junior high, two middle schools and six elementary schools attracted new residents then and continues to do so today. 

                The school system is Bryant’s largest employer and a source of pride for the city. The Bryant High football team has won five state 7-A championships within the past six years. The annual Salt Bowl, between Bryant High and Benton High Schools, has been played at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock since fall 2000 and brings in thousands of football fans from not just Saline County but from across the state. The name was chosen in honor of Saline County’s nineteenth-century salt works.

                And if you happen to like photo-ops, you may wish to stand near the exact center of Arkansas. 

                While you can’t visit the exact spot, but you can come close. In 1936, the Arkansas Society Daughters of American Colonists placed a monument near the geographical center of Arkansas. The marker consists of a concrete base with a monument on top of the platform that bears a large embossed plate on its front. The marker rests fifteen miles from Little Rock alongside Pinecrest Memorial Park Cemetery in Bryant and near the unincorporated community of Collegeville.

                I hope all of you have a very merry Christmas and a happy holiday season!

The Bauxite Historical Museum

                

                Years ago, when I worked for Arkansas Parks & Tourism, we ran an ad campaign that featured the slogan, "Go play in your own backyard." 

                Today, I live in rural Saline County. But thanks to a new job, I spend a lot of time in Bryant. As a result, the city of Bauxite is my "backyard." But until recently, I’d never visited the small town. So, during my lunch break last week, I decided to take the short, five-minute drive to Bauxite and, in particular, the Bauxite Historical Museum. The museum, located in the former Bauxite Community House, is truly a hidden gem in the Natural State.

                The beginning of the Bauxite Historical Museum starts in 1887, when bauxite was first discovered in Saline County. Mostly made of aluminum hydroxide minerals, bauxite was desperately needed by the U.S. military in both World War I and II, and as a result, the small central Arkansas community became a boomtown. 

                In 1903, the Aluminum Company of America (later Alcoa) built an ore-drying plant in the Bauxite area. The company-owned town grew in population, and in 1926, Alcoa built the Bauxite Community House for community events. Alcoa employees funded the project, contributing 25 cents per paycheck until the company recouped the building's cost.

                The community house had a library, reading room, game room and full-service kitchen. It was also home to the town’s Masonic lodge. Clear Lake was built nearby to serve as a recreational area for Alcoa employees and their families.

                But with the end of World War II, Alcoa found it most cost-effective to mine bauxite ore overseas, and as a result, the company-owned and operated town of Bauxite nearly went from a boomtown to a ghost town. On June 19, 1967, Alcoa officially notified Bauxite residents that as of July 1, 1969, the company would no longer financially support the town. 

                Having been run by Alcoa, Bauxite never incorporated. But that changed on Jan. 16, 1973. And as of the 2020 Census, the town had 629 residents.

                The Bauxite Historical Museum is operated by the Bauxite Historical Association. The group began as the Alcoa Employees Descendants Association, which began in 1986 as a nonprofit organization charged with the maintenance and preservation of the Bauxite Community Hall and other properties deeded to the organization by Alcoa. 

                The museum features exhibits and artifacts about the history of bauxite mining and about the lives of those who worked in the mines. One artifact of particular note is made of woven aluminum fabric created by world-renowned Paris designer, Jean Desses. The $25,000 dress is only one of two known to exist, and it was worn by Miss Arkansas Barbara Banks at the Aluminum Bowl game at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock on Dec. 22, 1956. 

                There are also rooms in the museum dedicated to the history of the Bauxite school system, World Wars I and II, as well sports memorabilia from local athletes who went on to have collegiate and professional success. Those include Leon “Muscles” Campbell, a football standout at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville who played for the NFL’s Baltimore Colts and Chicago Bears.

                In early 2008, the H. Tyndall Dickinson Family commissioned a large bronze statue titled Unsung Heroes–Bauxite Miners to be placed on the museum’s grounds. The statue depicts a father, dressed in overalls, saying goodbye to his family as he goes to work in the mines. The sculpture was unveiled on the front lawn of the Bauxite Community Hall in October of that year.

                The Bauxite Historical Museum is open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.Wednesdays and from 1:30 to 4 p.m. Sundays. Admission is free, and donations are appreciated. The museum is located at 6706 Benton Road in Bauxite. For more information, call 501-557-9858.

Caddo Valley, Arkansas

            

            Located in northeastern Clark County, the town of Caddo Valley is just 4 miles north of Arkadelphia and is about the halfway point between Little Rock and Texarkana. The town is often referred to as “The Gateway to Lake DeGray,” with DeGray Dam and DeGray Lake Resort State Park within 5 miles of the area to the north.

            Before the Europeans settled in the area now known as Caddo Valley, Native Americans, particularly the Caddo (for whom the town is named), lived there. This part of the future state of Arkansas was known for its dense forests, abundance of fish and wildlife, fertile soil, springs, clear rivers and streams. Much archaeological work has been done in and around Caddo Valley. In fact, Henderson State University in Arkadelphia hosts one of the largest collections of Caddo artifacts in the world.

            The first known white settler, Jacob Barkman, arrived in the Caddo Valley area in 1811 and built a home on the south bank of the Caddo River. Caddo Valley proved to be a perfect location for commercial farming and, with the Ouachita River nearby, goods were easily shipped to market.

            Barkman’s house was used as Clark County’s courthouse in the early days of the Arkansas Territory. Eventually, a permanent county seat was established at Greenville, located to the southwest along Military Road. In 1842, Arkadelphia (once known as Blakelytown) became the county seat and has remained so ever since.

            Caddo Valley grew over the next century. In 1904, a school was built in the area. In 1968, the Arkansas Children’s Colony, Arkadelphia Unit — now the Arkadelphia Human Development Center — opened in Caddo Valley. After the town was officially incorporated on Sept. 11, 1974, the construction of a city hall soon began, as did the creation of a police department and fire station.

            Caddo Valley is a crossroads of sorts — both rivers and highways meet in town. The two rivers that cross in Caddo Valley are the Caddo River and the Ouachita River, and the town is located at the junction of Interstate 30, Highway 67 and Highway 7. As of the 2020 Census, the town’s population was 595.

            The small town attracts a great number of visitors to nearby DeGray Lake or those on their way to Texas thanks in part due to the strip of businesses (including numerous hotels, restaurants, craft stores and gas station) that line Highway 7. The 40-mile Caddo River starts in the Ouachita Mountains in southern Montgomery County and flows near the communities of Caddo Gap, Glenwood and Norman before being damned to create the ever-popular and beautiful DeGray Lake. 

            Above the lake, the Caddo River is considered an excellent family float stream. Local outfitters, quaint cabins and other lodging are available along the river. Below DeGray Dam, the Caddo continues some 5 miles before joining the Ouachita River north of Arkadelphia.

            Built and operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DeGray Lake is known for its beautiful clear water and is home to the DeGray Lake Resort State Park, which is operated by the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage & Tourism. Thousands of visitors use the lake and parks that surround it every year, pumping millions into Caddo Valley’s economy.

            Whether you’re someone looking to explore the Natural State’s beautiful outdoors, feast on local cuisine, or shop for unique gifts made by local artisans and crafters, the little town of Caddo Valley is definitely a place to spend some time in Arkansas.

All Around Arkansas: JFK in Arkansas

                

                Not only do we as Americans celebrate Thanksgiving this week, but on Nov. 22, we will observe the 60th anniversary of the assassination of President John Fitzgerald Kennedy. 

                I’ve always been fascinated by the young president, silenced in his prime. While I didn't grow up in the Kennedy era, my parents did, and they were devoted fans. I first heard about JFK from mom and dad, and my first political button (now part of a collection that numbers a thousand) was obtained by the local Kennedy for President headquarters by one of my grandfathers in 1960.

                As the nation remembers Kennedy this week, I wanted to take a look at the times he visited Arkansas both as a candidate and president.

                The first recorded visit by Kennedy to the Natural State was on Sept. 13, 1960, when, as the Democratic presidential nominee, he participated in the annual Four States Fair parade in Texarkana. 

                The young senator from Massachusetts rode in a Pontiac Bonneville convertible through the streets of Texarkana before making a brief campaign speech at the federal courthouse and post office on State Line Avenue. Kennedy would speak later that day at the fair. On stage with Kennedy were U.S. Sen. J. William Fulbright and U.S. Rep. Wilbur Mills, both of Arkansas; Speaker of the House Sam Rayburn; and U.S. Rep. Wright Patman of Texas.

                Kennedy won both Arkansas and Texas, which primarily voted Democrat at the time, and went on to narrowly defeat Republican Richard Nixon to become our nation’s 35th commander-in-chief.

                There's a marker in front of the federal courthouse and post office in Texarkana where Kennedy spoke in 1960. Inscribed on the granite monument is the iconic quote from Kennedy’s inaugural address: “Ask not what your country can do for you, but ask what you can do for your country.” The marker can be found not far behind “Photographers’ Island,” where millions have taken their picture standing in the two states at once.

                As president, Kennedy returned to Arkansas nearly three years after his first visit to dedicate Greers’ Ferry Dam near Heber Springs on Oct. 3, 1963. Again, he was accompanied by Fulbright and Mills, but also U.S. Sen. John McClellan of Arkansas and Arkansas’ controversial governor, Orval E. Faubus.

                Kennedy spoke about how the dam and lake would affect the local area and the states. He also predicted the project would bring positive financial change to the area, especially for the tourism industry. 

                The dedication of the dam and lake mark the only time a sitting president has ever visited Cleburne County. A bust of Kennedy stands near the site where he delivered his remarks overlooking Greers Ferry Dam. John F. Kennedy Park, located on the Little Red River just below the dam, is named in his honor.

            Kennedy, again accompanied by Faubus, Mills, Fulbright and McClellan, spoke later that afternoon at the Arkansas State Fair and Livestock Show in Little Rock.

            Kennedy’s speech hinted at the racial problems of the region and focused on the promises of an economically prosperous new South. 

            "The old South has its problems, and they are not yet over," Kennedy said, "nor are they over in the rest of the country, but there is rising every day, I believe, a new South.

            "This rising tide in this state and in the South and in the nation must continue," Kennedy said. "We must build those dams. We must use our resources. We must educate our children. We must provide jobs for our people. These are the great assignments, which this generation of Americans in the '60s has before it."

            On Nov. 22, just seven weeks after Kennedy’s visit to Arkansas, he was murdered while riding in a motorcade through the streets of downtown Dallas.

            Kennedy didn’t make many visits to Arkansas during his short life. But by all accounts, they were impactful and fondly remembered.