The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture

The Encyclopedia of Arkansas is a free, authoritative source of information about the rich history, geography, and culture of Arkansas. It is updated regularly to ensure the people of Arkansas have an accurate and accessible resource to explore our heritage. It will also benefit people outside the state who are seeking information about Arkansas. We invite you to browse our text entries and media galleries to learn more about the people, places, events, legends, and lore of the 25th state. This site is a work in progress. We are continually adding new entries, photographs, maps, videos, and audio files, so check back frequently to see what’s new.

Don't know where to start? Check out the Arkansas Overview entry.

The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture is a project of the Butler Center for Arkansas Studies at the Central Arkansas Library System.

Please consider making a tax-deductable gift in honor of seven great years. Mail donations to: CALS/EOA, 100 Rock St., Little Rock, AR 72201 (checks payable to CALS Foundation, with EOA on the memo line) or CLICK HERE to make a credit card donation through the CALS website. Please note that you must choose Encyclopedia of Arkansas from the drop-down menu under Please select an Endowment.

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· May 20, 1980 ·

Twenty-one refugees who had escaped Cuba seeking political asylum and were among the more than 19,000 who had been sent to Fort Chaffee near Barling and Fort Smith (Sebastian County) had left the camp by this date. Although they were not prisoners, those housed there were not supposed to leave the fort. Persistent rumors that the Cuban government had forced thousands of criminals and insane people to join those fleeing the regime were disturbing to the citizens of Barling (Sebastian County). The impact of the handling of the situation is believed to have influenced Governor Bill Clinton's defeat in his campaign for reelection against Frank White. (more)

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Click any date to view that day in Arkansas history. Use the « » arrows to move between months.

EOA Goes Mobile

The new mobile version of the EOA website for smart phones and other mobile devices is now online. Mobile devices will access the new version of the site automatically, but readers can also see this version on their regular computers by going to EOA Mobile Site. David Stricklin, head of the Butler Center, said, "Anyone exploring Arkansas can use a mobile device to read the EOA entry on a specific town, its county, a Civil War skirmish near there, and lots of other items about the area. Suddenly, the picture of the town has become more three-dimensional. We want everyone to have that kind of deep experience and engagement with Arkansas." The mobile site was made possible by a grant from the Arkansas Humanities Council, which was an original supporter of the Butler Center's EOA project. In addition to the mobile website, the grant also funded the development of more locally oriented EOA content, especially entries on many of the smaller communities across the state.

This weathered headstone located in the City Cemetery in Bentonville (Benton County) marks the burial site of prominent politician Alfred Greenwood. After moving to Arkansas in 1838, Greenwood enjoyed an active career in local and state politics. During his career, he served as a state representative, prosecuting attorney, circuit judge, U.S. congressman, and state tax collector for the Confederacy. The city of Greenwood, one of the dual seats of Sebastian County, is named in his honor.

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	Major funding provided by the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation.
	Special thanks to the Department of Arkansas Heritage.
	Additional support provided by the Arkansas Humanities Council.