|
Little Rock, Fort Smith, North Little Rock, Hot Springs National Park, Fayetteville, Jonesboro, Pine Bluff, Russellville, Springdale, Arkadelphia, Benton, Conway, Monticello, Rogers, Searcy, Batesville, Bella Vista, Bentonville, Bryant, Camden, Cherokee Village, El Dorado, Eureka Springs, Hampton, Harrison, Heber Springs, Hot Springs Village, Jacksonville, Magnolia, Mc Crory
|
|
Geographically
located north of Louisiana and flanked on the east by the
Mississippi River's west bank, the development of the state
of Arkansas spanned three centuries. Long before
frontiersmen from the newly formed United States crossed the
Blue Ridge Mountains and attempted settlement along the Ohio
and Mississippi rivers, Spanish and French explorers came
upon the native peoples living in what is now Arkansas. From
evidence left in mounds and bluffs, including pottery and
stone implements, we know that people have been living in
the region that is now Arkansas for thousands of years. The
ancestors of the Indians were first to inhabit the region.
The abundant wildlife and fertile soil made the area a
wonderful home for these people, who gradually developed
from primitive hunter-gatherers living in caves to much more
sophisticated farmers living in large permanent villages. As
the eastern lands were settled, more Indians moved to
sparsely inhabited Arkansas. The Indians who lived here
included the Folsom people, Bluff Dwellers, Mound Builders,
Caddos, Quapaws, Osage, Choctaw and Cherokee.
In 1541, the
Spanish explorer Hernando De Soto was the first European to
set foot in Arkansas. He led an unsuccessful, yearlong
expedition for gold. One hundred and thirty-one years later,
two Frenchmen named Marquette and Joliet visited Arkansas
briefly. In 1682, at the mouth of the Mississippi, LaSalle
claimed the Mississippi Valley for France, but was later
assassinated by two of his companions. In 1686, Henri De
Tonti set out from Fort St. Louis on the Illinois River to
meet LaSalle at the mouth of the Mississippi. After he
failed to locate LaSalle, De Tonti, the "Father of
Arkansas", established the first European settlement in
Arkansas, called Arkansas Post, with six residents.
Over the next
hundred years, development of the region was sluggish as the
number of settlers slowly increased. In 1762, the entire
Louisiana Territory was ceded to Spain, and Spanish
governors offered free land and no taxes to encourage
settlers to inhabit the area. In 1799, there were
approximately 386 white people living in Arkansas. In 1803,
the Louisiana Purchase was acquired by the United States,
and, in 1819, Arkansas was organized as a territory. Its
northern, eastern and southern borders were the same as they
are now, but to the west, some of what is now Oklahoma was
included. In the same year the "Arkansas Gazette", once
considered the oldest newspaper west of the Mississippi, was
founded by William E. Woodruff. Two years later, in 1821,
the territorial capital was moved from Arkansas Post to
Little Rock.
By 1836, the
Arkansas Territory had the 60,000 residents required to
become a state, and after writing an acceptable
constitution, was declared the 25th state in the United
States. The new state enjoyed a thirty year period of
prosperity, and by 1860 had a population of 435,000, 25
percent of whom were slaves. The majority of the residents
were planters who lived in the rich bottomlands of the east
and southeastern portion of the state and farmers who lived
in the central and northern hills. A much smaller number of
residents were lawyers, doctors, merchants, missionaries and
teachers.
Arkansas was
drawn into the Civil War in May, 1861, by its decision to
secede from the Union. Troops were mustered and civilians
devoted their energy and resources to providing food,
clothing, weapons, and horses for the soldiers. Two major
battles, Pea Ridge and Prairie Grove, were fought in
Arkansas. In 1863, the Confederate government moved to
Washington in the southwestern corner of our state; and, in
1864, the Union government was established in Little Rock.
After the Civil War ended in 1865, the era called
Reconstruction began, during which dramatic changes were
made in the South. The Democrats returned to power in 1874,
the same year our present constitution was adopted.
The next 25
years were a time of growth and recovery. New inventions,
such as the telephone, electricity, residential running
water, and city sewer systems made life easier and more
comfortable for Arkansans, affording them more leisure time
for social and literary pursuits. Lumber mills, farms,
factories and cities around the state were linked by 5,000
miles of railroad. Many public schools were developed, and
numerous colleges, including the University of Arkansas at
Fayetteville, Hendrix, Arkansas College, Henderson-Brown,
Philander Smith, Shorter and Ouachita were founded. Even as
early as 1875, Arkansas was billed as the "Land of
Opportunity" when an active campaign was launched outside
the state to attract new residents to Arkansas. By 1900, the
population had more than doubled to 1.3 million.
The 20th
century has seen even more change in Arkansas. Airplanes,
radios, talking movies, and eventually television has
enhanced our life-style. Automobiles grew in popularity, and
in 1921, the first auto, gas, and oil taxes were levied to
finance construction of paved roads and highways. The
discovery of oil and natural gas reserves in the state
provided cheap and plentiful energy for years. The growing
use of farm and machinery led to the consolidation of many
family-run farms into larger farming corporations. Arkansans
learned in 1904 that rice could successfully be grown here,
and it is now one of our most profitable crops. The
livestock and dairy industries have also gained prominence
in the last 90 years. A post World War II drive to
industrialize the state was successful in effecting a more
favorable balance of industrial and agricultural production.
Firms in Arkansas now manufacture a wide range of items,
including aluminum products, aircraft components,
communications equipment, cosmetics, clothing, and pulp and
paper products.
In 500 years,
Arkansas has grown from vast wilderness to a thriving state
with a population of 2.5 million. Advancements in farming,
lumbering, manufacturing, tourism and government have gained
Arkansas a viable place in the international market.
|
