The “Walks through History” tour series features historic sites or districts around Arkansas each month. The tours are free and open to the public. Tours begin at 11:00 a.m., unless otherwise indicated, and last between one and two hours. An AHPP historian delivers a lecture about the properties while leading guests on a walking tour.

Pine Bluff was so named because it was the first bluff above the mouth of the Arkansas River and was covered with pine trees. The Jefferson County seat prospered as a steamboat port and later because of the railroads. The Cotton Belt Railroad built its shops and a car-making facility in Pine Bluff, quickly making it the largest employer in the city. Railroads enabled residents to ship the area’s valuable cotton and timber resources to larger markets. During World War II, the U.S. Army constructed the Pine Bluff Arsenal north of town to produce munitions and chemical agents. Today Pine Bluff is the largest city in southeast Arkansas and is home to the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff. The buildings in the historic district reflect Pine Bluff’s status as a regional commercial hub during the 19th and 20th centuries. Co-sponsored by the Pine Bluff Historic District Commission and the Pine Bluff/Jefferson County Historical Museum. Meet at the Jefferson County Courthouse at Main & Barraque streets.

Time: 11 A.M. – 1 P.M.

Date:  August 10, 2013

Event Start/End: 

Begin: Jefferson County Courthouse at Main & Barraque

Host: Rachel Silva, Arkansas Historic Preservation Program

Theme: Walking

Registration: No, all are welcome

Accessibility: This event is accessible and open to Seniors, Children