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Rockport United Methodist Church
Malvern, Hot Spring County, Arkansas
N34.23.194 W092.49.604
The main sign says 1809 but a memorial says 1836.
Rockport Methodist Church
Built 1836
One of the oldest churches west of
the Mississippi River. The present structure still
has the original log
frame work. On June 10, 1936, President and Mrs. Franklin D.
Roosevelt
visited.
Rockport Bridge
The first bridge over the Ouachita River was built at Rockport, in 1846 - 47
at a cost
of $20,000. It was washed away by high water in 1848. The
present bridge was built in 1900.
Gibson Cemetery - Northeast of South end of the bridge
Rockport
It became county seat of Hot Spring County in February 1844. Rockport
was
incorporated in 1851 and Samuel A. Emerson (buried in Rockport Cemetery)
became
the first mayor. The Rockport, Arkansas Post Office was established on August 31, 1837 with
Dr. Lorenzo Gibson (buried in Gibson Cemetery) as its first Postmaster.
Fenter Township
Named for Christian Fenter (buried in Rockport Cemetery, South) one of 3
Commissioners
named in 1829 to locate the seat of justice of Hot Spring County.
They chose Hot Springs
which remained the county seat until it was removed to
Rockport in 1844.
First Courthouse
Prior to 1860 was a frame building near which stood the jail in which the
first floor was
used as a school. The county government was moved to
Malvern in 1878.
Military Road
Opened in 1831 after President Andrew Jackson signed an appropriation by
Congress
of $15,000 to do the work. It followed the path of the southwest
trail which had been
used by Indians and early settlers for many years. It
served as Main Street in Rockport.
The road was build by the U.S. Army
under the supervision of Lt. Richard D.C. Collins.
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