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1919
-Washington
Hempstead
County, Arkansas |
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Washington, Arkansas
The town of Washington is 100 years old, the first permanent
residence having been erected here in March, 1819, on what is now
Conway street and about where the E.R. Timberlake residence now
stands. Pioneers from the states on the east side of the Mississippi
River found the location good, high and healthy, and soon a little
village built up. The water is the purest and best, and the lands on
every side fertile. The forests were filled with game of all kinds;
deer by thousands roamed over the hills, and large and small game of
every kind was abundant. The first courthouse was located on the old
John W. Williams place eat of Washington about ten miles, but later
the seat of justice was established at Washington, and a courthouse
built, which is still standing.
Many of the citizens of Washington have been prominent in the
affairs of the state and nation, among them A.H. Garland, governor
and attorney-general of the United States, Dan W. Jones,
attorney-general of the state and governor; James K. Jones, United
States senator; B.B. Battle and John R. Eakin of the Arkansas
supreme court; A.B. Williams, circuit judge and member of the Utah
Commission; G.D. Royston, president of the Constitutional Convention
of 1874; Joel D. Conway and C.E. Mitchell, judges of the circuit
court, and many others that we have not space to mention. The first
newspaper in the state south of Little Rock, the Washington
Telegraph, was established at Washington by W.H. Etter, in 1840, and
was the only newspaper in the state that did not suspend during the
Civil War. It is still being published.
Washington is on the road traveled by the pioneers who went to the
aid of Texas in the struggle with Mexico, and by the United States
soldiers on their way to the Mexican War. For a short period of
time, Washington was the capital of the state. This was in the
period following the capture of Little Rock by the federal troops
during the Civil War. A session of the legislature was held here in
the old courthouse. There are a number of buildings still standing
that are historic, among them the old Baptist Church used as a
military hospital during the Civil War; the A.H. Garland residence
and a number of others.
The town of Washington is located within a few hundred yards of the
exact geographical center of the county, on a sandy ridge. There are
about five square miles of this sandy soil surrounded on almost
every side by the deep, rich blacklands; in fact, there is only one
way to get out of Washington without going through any blackland,
and that is over the Arkadelphia road, known locally as the
"Watermelon" road, from the fact that the soil along this road is
especially adapted to the growing of the finest watermelons. The
town is on the old "Indian Trail," or military road used by the
United States troops during the Mexican War. It was doubtless
located where it is on account of the fine water an high, dry,
healthy location, with a spring at the foot of every hill. The land
is well watered and surprisingly fertile. The native forest trees,
pine, white oak, hickory, gum, and many others grew to an immense
size, and before the advent of the timber man with his axe and
cross-cut saw, the finest of timber covered the hills and valleys.
The sandy land will produce almost any crop that will grow in this
climate; all of the staple crops do exceedingly well. Truck of all
kinds grow to perfection, and all the fruits of this climate do
well. The county has an established reputation for growing the Rocky
Ford cantaloupe of the very best grade and Elberta peaches that
cannot be excelled in any part of the country. Cotton and corn do
well, and the blacklands surrounding Washington are celebrated over
the world for their long staple cotton that brings a premium on the
market. No other land in the United States produces it as well. The
soil of this blackland is of great depth and of almost inexhaustible
fertility. The Ozan bottom lands are the finest blacklands in the
world, and since drainage districts have been established hundreds
of acres have been put under the plough that were formerly unfit for
cultivation on account of the overflow - and they make grand homes
for those who want to invest in a good farm.
Washington is built on both sides of the valley through which runs a
brand of the Bols D' Arc creek, and up this valley the Arkansas &
Louisiana branch of the Missouri Pacific Railroad runs. On a hill on
the west side of the valley is the large brick high school building,
built on the site of the old John R. Eakin residence. On another
hill to the west is the old courthouse used as a capitol building
during the war. On a hill on the east stands the A.H. Garland
residence in a grove of handsome oaks. Saw mills, gins, grist mills,
planers, the Washington Truck - Growers' shipping sheds and cotton
seed houses fill the valley, and on the hill to the east of the
business part of the town is built. The Hempstead county courthouse
is on this side and in between the courthouse and the Iron Mountain
Station in the valley part of the town is built. There are a number
of modern business houses and all doing a fine business and ready to
welcome others to help handle the trade. There are several good
general stores, several exclusively grocery stores, one hardware and
furniture, two drug stores, blacksmith shops, automobile repair
shops, and many other enterprises. There is also a good cotton
market and market for cottonseed, with a number of wide-awake
buyers. Washington also has an electric light system with a constant
current, which is something few small towns have.
The residence portion of Washington is perhaps two miles square, is
rapidly spreading out over the country, and there is room for the
homeseeker who would make his home where he can get to a good school
in a good town and community.
The following firms and individuals will be pleased to furnish any
information to those who are interested in locating a good coming
town:
Washington State Bank
T.J. Garner
Washington Truck-Growers Association
Bates Bros. Drug Co.
Chas. A. Holt & Co.
Farmers Mercantile Co.
J.H. Gold
Washington Hardware & Furniture
W.J. Johnson & Co.
W.E. Schumacher
G.W. Ellis
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Hempstead County |
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