Marked Tree is located between the St. Francis and Little rivers in the area known as the “sunken lands,” which was created by the New Madrid Earthquakes of 1811-1812. The town supposedly acquired its name from an oak tree on the bank of the Little River that was marked with an “M” in the 1830s by John Murrell’s gang of outlaws. Marked Tree prospered after the completion in 1883 of the Kansas City, Fort Scott & Gulf Railroad (later the Frisco). By the 1890s, the timber industry dominated the local economy. The region was plagued by frequent flooding, and in response to the devastating Flood of 1927, the Corps of Engineers constructed the Marked Tree Lock & Siphons in the late 1930s to control flooding and provide transportation along the St. Francis River. Better flood control methods allowed farmers to grow more crops, including cotton, corn, soybeans and rice. Co-sponsored by the Marked Tree Chamber of Commerce. Meet at the Farmers and Merchants Bank and Trust Building (Poinsett County Drainage District No. 7 Office) at 11 Frisco St.

Time: 11 A.M. – 1 P.M.

Date: December 14, 2013

Event Start/End: 

Begin: 11 Fisco St. Marked Tree, Arkansas

Host: Rachel Silva, Arkansas Historic Preservation Program

Theme: Walking

Registration: No, all are welcome

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

Time: 11 A.M. – 1 P.M.

Date: October 12, 2013

Event Start/End: 

Judsonia United Methodist Church

NE Corner of Washington St. & Van Buren St.

Host: Rachel Silva, Arkansas Historic Preservation Program

Theme: Walking

Registration: No, all are welcome

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

Whittington Park Historic District in Hot Springs. Located northwest of Bathhouse Row in Hot Springs, the Whittington Park neighborhood contains good examples of Queen Anne, Craftsman and Ranch-style homes. The residential area developed around Whittington Lake Reserve Park, which was constructed in the 1890s by the U.S. Department of the Interior as part of an extensive building and landscaping program for the Hot Springs Reservation. In the early 20th century, an entertainment district was established west of the park, including an ostrich farm, alligator farm and an amusement park. As the bathing industry grew, more construction occurred around Whittington Park. The neighborhood was home to working-class residents, many of whom worked in nearby hotels, bathhouses and restaurants. Co-sponsored by the Whittington Valley Neighborhood Association and the Garland County Historical Society. Meet in front of the Dryden Ouachita Mountain Pottery Plant at 341 Whittington Ave.

Time: 11 A.M. – 1 P.M.

Date: September 14, 2013

Event Start/End: 

Begin: Dryden Ouachita Mountain Pottery Plant 341 Whittington Ave. Hot Springs

Host: Rachel Silva, Arkansas Historic Preservation Program

Theme: Walking

Registration: No, all are welcome

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

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

Walk through the history of downtown Leslie, Arkansas on July 20, 2013

Time: 11 AM-1 PM

Date: July 20, 2013

Event Start/End: 

Ozark Heritage Arts Center
410 Oak St.
Leslie, AR

Host: Rachel Silva, Arkansas Historic Preservation

Theme: Walking

Registration: No, all are welcome

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

We will be looking at our Historic Buildings in the downtown area, taking pictures of the features we like best about the buildings.

Time: 9:00 am – 11:00 am

Date: Saturday, May 4, 2013

Event Start/End: At the Broadway Park

Host: Karen Hofford, Morrilton Historic District Commission

Registration: No, all are welcome

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