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This Day in Arkansas History

September 19, 1980

The Titan II Launch Complex 374-7 in Southside (Van Buren County), just north of Damascus (Van Buren and Faulkner counties), became the site of the most highly publicized disaster in the history of the Titan II missile program when its missile exploded within the launch duct. An Air Force airman was killed, and the complex was destroyed. The Titan II Missile Launch Complex 374-7 Site was listed in the National Register of Historic Places on February 18, 2000. The explosion was the subject of the 2013 book Command and Control: Nuclear Weapons, the Damascus Accident, and the Illusion of Safety, written by investigative journalist Eric Schlossser; the book was later adapted into a documentary. The event was also dramatized for the 1988 television movie Disaster at Silo 7.

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Fort Smith National Historic Site

The old barracks building at the Fort Smith National Historic Site has changed considerably since its construction in the 1840s. In 1889, a new jail wing was added to the far end of the building. For several years, the building served as the courtroom of the famous Judge Isaac Parker. Completely renovated in 2000, it serves as the park service visitor center, with many exhibits detailing the long history of the fort and the area.

 

The old barracks building at the Fort Smith National Historic Site has changed considerably since its construction in the 1840s. In 1889, a new jail wing was added to the far end of the building. For several years, the building served as the courtroom of the famous Judge Isaac Parker. Completely renovated in 2000, it serves as the park service visitor center, with many exhibits detailing the long history of the fort and the area.

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Wooden sign held up by posts near road text "The Village @ Pickles Gap Shop Eat Relax" above smaller sign illustration of shaggy dog text "Doc's Coffee and Creamery" Pickles Gap Faulkner Promotional photograph of white man woman and 19 young and teen children standing together with white text Duggar Family Religious Figures, Television and Streaming White man at base of tree covered mound site in field Archaic Period Time Periods Icon of cannon next to text "The Camden Expedition Route" above old photo group of men with rifles on horseback next to large map marking various events along trail during military conflict Camden Expedition Timeline Civil War Exploded underground missile silo and debris as seen from above Titan II Missile Explosion Post Civil War White man wearing a hat and women in dresses picking cotton with long cotton sack stretching out behind her Great Depression White man with long beard in military uniform with horse and dog Prairie Grove Campaign Timeline Civil War A single bison standing at bottom of hill in grassy field trees and stump in background Bison Zoology Older African-American man smiling in suit and bow tie Joseph Walter Jackson Business Leaders busy city intersection with cars and people, view of state capitol in background Little Rock Pulaski Pile of sheet metal on construction site with multistory buildings in the background Interstate 30 Land Wooden electric chair with leather straps on display Capital Punishment Law Enforcement White adults and children pose with handcar outside wood frame "combs" train station St. Louis–San Francisco Railway Businesses, Land White man with glasses in white football uniform with red number 77 focusing on game in progress Brandon Burlsworth Football Silhouette of bare tree and roots Arkana Organizations and Journals Graphic showing different types of arrowheads and artifacts Pre-European Exploration, Prehistory through 1540 Time Period

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Wooden sign held up by posts near road text "The Village @ Pickles Gap Shop Eat Relax" above smaller sign illustration of shaggy dog text "Doc's Coffee and Creamery" Pickles Gap Faulkner One Black girl and two Black boys in work clothes, two without shoes, pose in dirt field with hoes Child Labor Labor, Poverty Edgar Gardner Murphy Nonfiction, Religious Figures Murder, He Says Films Six white cowboys in rodeo chute preparing for event Arthur Lee Hunnicutt Actors and Filmmakers Text "Arkansas A History Harry S. Ashmore" in front of bluff with trees overlooking river Arkansas: A Bicentennial History Text "Arkansas John Gould Fletcher" over outline of Arkansas state shape two illustrations people in field picking cotton under group of men with rifles and horse walking uphill overlooking settlement Arkansas [John Gould Fletcher Book] Nonfiction White man and woman formal dress laughing at party with two white people foreground Harry Scott Ashmore Editors and Publishers John “Poker Jack” McClure Judges Middle-aged white man posing in suit and tie John Gould Fletcher Poetry aerial view of downtown Hot Springs featuring the large somewhat triangular shaped Arlington hotel and various other tall buildings and boulevard with cars amid tree-covered hills Hot Springs Garland The White River Raft Fiction Typewriter font text "Stone Fish" above partially torn picture of single story wooden church building with text "An Avalon Mystery Olivia Ferrell" Stone Fish Fiction Text "The Girl Robbie Branscum" above illustration white girl with blunt bangs hair in ponytail wearing short sleeve button up shirt under overall shorts and sneakers sitting on grassy hill looking on The Girl Fiction Floating head poster from left to right white man with mustache and scruff wearing bowler hat bearded black man short hair with wound on forehead black man scruffy beard short hair looking to left and bearded white man wavy hair and beard above text "Ghosts of the Ozarks" above silhouette of creature in misty woodland area Ghosts of the Ozarks Films Four and a half star ratings next to quote "A film that is far more than entertainment. It's a piece of art. An absolute must see." above floating head image from left to right young white boy white man with mustache and goatee white man with mustache and old white man above silhouettes old white man and child walking through forest above text "Michael Ray Davis Thor Wahlestedt Come Morning Everything Will Change" Come Morning Films

About the Encyclopedia

The CALS 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. 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. We are continually adding new entries, photographs, maps, videos, quizzes, lesson plans, and more, so check back frequently to see what’s new.

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