Historic Powhatan, Arkansas

Once the seat of Lawrence County, which covered most of the northern part of the state, Powhatan today is almost a ghost town.  A series of several stair steps leads down the rocky hill upon which the Powhatan Courthouse stands to Powhatan's original town site. It sits in the river bottom where the ferry crossing and busy river traffic once kept the city a beehive of acitvity.

Only two buildings remain of the many (both commercial and residential) which comprised the town in the mid to late 19th century. Visitors may also see a few old foundations and an old well. Historical markers on the grounds and brochures, available at the Visitor Center, explain some of the points and features of Powhatan's colorful past.

Built of logs Circa. 1933, the Ficklin-Imboden House is the oldest standing building in Lawrence County. It is said to be "a fine example blending of the 'Tidwater South' and 'Midland' building syles.


Visitors may tour the house, which is complete with period furnishings. There is a detatched kitchen to the rear of the house. It offers a glimpse into an earlier time on what was once the American frontier.

Powhatan Courthouse State Park, Arkansas

Powhatan, a tiny village of 50 people on the banks of the Black River, is one of the oldest towns in Arkansas. In the 19th century it was a busy river port. Today the town consists primarily of Powhatan Courthouse State Park, a church, and a few houses.

The area was occupied by Osage Indians until they were removed to a reservation in 1817. Settlers of European descent arrived shortly thereafter. A ferry was established across the Black River in 1820, and the first steamboat, the Laurel, arrived in 1829.

The town is named for Indian chief Powhatan, father of the Pocahontas. In the early 17th century, Powhatan's empire covered most of what is today the eastern part of the state of Virginia.

Powhatan is located in Lawrence County in the northeastern corner of Arkansas, on AR-25. The historic courthouse and other buildings preserved by the state park are very interesting and definitely worth a visit.

The old Powhatan Courthouse is the centerpiece of both the town of Powhatan and the state park. The first courthouse was built here in 1873, but burned in 1885. The current two-story courthouse was constructed on the same foundation with locally manufactured brick and was completed in 1888.

In 1863, voters decided to consolidate Powhatan with the county seat in Walnut Ridge and by 1966 the Powhatan courthouse stood empty. Shortly thereafter the old courthouse was restored and the Powhatan Courthouse State Park was established to preserve it.

Buffalo National River, Arkansas

The National Park Service of the United States oversees a very diverse collection of sites throughout the country. There are National Parks, National Monuments, National Historic Sites, National Seashores, National Recreation Areas, National Battlefields and much more. The Buffalo River in the Ozark Mountains of northern Arkansas is the first in the country to be designated a National River.

As a National River the Buffalo becomes a kind of 135-mile-long linear Park. Most of this very scenic and pristine free-flowing river is many miles from any road or human habitation. A few points along the the river are easily accessible, and contain historic sites, picnic shelters and camping areas. The stream itself is a magnet for canoeists, rafters, fishermen, and nature lovers of all types.

The Buffalo became a National River in 1972, on the centennial of the establishment of Yellowstone as our nation's first National Park. In so doing, the little-known river escaped years of proposed damming. Today, the Buffalo National River flows unhindered through 95,700 acres of rugged and remote wilderness. Along it's banks are more than more than 100 miles of hiking trails and 14 designated campgrounds containing more than 200 sites. With its clear cool sparkling waters, towering sandstone bluffs, and abundant wildlife, the Buffalo is no no doubt one of America's finest free-flowing rivers.

The beautiful point on the Buffalo River in this photo, near the highway crossing of U.S. 65, is Tyler Bend, perhaps the most visited point on the river. It is readily accessible, and also very beautiful, framed with towering limestone bluffs.

At Tyler Bend you will find several amenities including parking, a picnic area, restrooms and trailheads. There is also an excellent spot for taking canoes or rafts into or out of the river, and a shallow area with smooth stones and pebbles forming the river bottom. This can be a great place for getting wet and cooling down on a hot summer day.

Prairie Grove Battlefield State Park, Arkansas

One of the most intact battlefields from the War Between the States can be found in the northwest corner of Arkansas, not far from the Oklahoma state line, in Prairie Grove.

Prairie Grove provides the opportunity to explore a the site of a major Civil War battle much as it appeared to Union and Confederate troops December 7, 1862. In this last battle for the highland route to Missouri, the Confederate Army of the Trans-Mississippi clashed with the Union Army of the Frontier. The day of fierce fighting resulted in about 2,700 casualties.

Visitors to Prairie Grove may view interpretative exhibits and artifacts, or take a walking or driving tour of the battlefield. The park also features monthly events and a dramatic, bi-annual Civil War re-enactment - the largest of its kind in the state of Arkansas.

While passing through on a road trip, I stopped to stretch my legs by taking a walking tour of Prairie Grove. As is often the case in such settings, I could not help but reflect upon how peaceful the battlefield is today, when for one brief moment in time it was the scene such unspeakable tragedy.

Mountain Meadows Massacre Monument, Harrison, Arkansas

On the town square in front of the Boone County Courthouse stands this silent witness to the 140 men, women and children from the Harrison area who were victims of the Mountain Meadows Massacre, one of the most horrific atrocities in American history.

The massacred were emigrants on their way to California who departed from Caravan Spring, about 4 miles south of Harrison, Arkansas, around May 1, 1857. They traveled by wagon train and camped at Mountain Meadows, in Utah, in the late summer. There they were attacked by Indians who were directed by Mormon settlers.

The pioneers fought and fended off the Indians for several days until both their supply of ammunition and their bodies were exhausted. Then they were approached by a band of Mormons under a banner of truce. The emigrants dropped their rifles and cheered when they saw that it was white men who were approaching.

Then the Mormon outlaws turned on them and brutally murdered 120 men, women and older children. 17 small children were later found in Mormon homes, rescued by the United States Army.

John D. Lee, a Mormon Bishop who confessed guilt, was tried, convicted and executed for his complicity in the crime in 1877.

Beneath the inscription on the monument is this quote from the Bible: "Vengence is mine, I will repay saith the lord."