Arkansas Ties

D.L. O’Connell & Co., located on Main street, near Markham – general merchants.

A.J. Hutt, Main street – dry goods, groceries and queensware.

L.M. Filkins & Co., Markham street – dry goods.

Geo. S. Morrison, near steamboat landing – dealer in boat stores and provisions.

William V. Hunt and William F. Pope – ready-made clothing, boots, shoes, hats.

William George & Brother, corner of Rock and Water streets – dry goods, groceries, cutlery.

T.D. Merrick & John Wassell, near steamboat landing – commission and forwarding merchants.

Newbern & Hughes, Main street – dry goods and groceries.

M. Tonti & Co., lower steamboat landing – cordials, wines, syrups, cigars.

Rapley & Hanger, lower steamboat landing – commission and forwarding merchants.

Tate & Moore, corner of Cumberland and Markham streets – dry goods and groceries.

D.R. Mandel, Main street – dry goods, boots, shoes and fancy articles.

David Bender, Markham street – staple and fancy dry goods.

John E. Reardon, Markham street next door to Anthony House – books and stationery.

Dr. J.J. McAlmont & Co., corner of Main and Second streets – drugs, medicines, paints and oils.

Dr. R.L. Dodge, Markham street – druggist, paints, oil and glass.

M. Osborn, Markham near lower landing – country produce, hardware. J. Brisbin & Co., Main street – manufacturers of sheet iron and tin ware.

S.H. Tucker, corner of Main and Markham streets – wholesale and retail dry goods.

Mrs. Jones, Main street – fashionable milliner.

Field & Dalley, Main street – foreign and domestic goods.

Jacob Hawkins, Markham street – liquors, wines, fancey groceries.

H.E. Hezekiah, at old stand of S. Marcus & Co. – tailoring.

J.D. Fitzgerald, Main street – auction room, particular attention to furniture and horses.

Henry Jacobi, corner of Main and Louisiana streets – book bindery.

Francis Ditter, Markham street – furniture, coffin-making and undertaking.

Hanger & Mayo, Main street near Markham – saddle shop.

A. Ziegel, Markham street – manufacturer of furniture, billiard and alley balls, coffins.

Richard Bragg, Markham stret opposite Anthony House – coach and wagon maker.

James Tunnah, Markham street – manufacturer of monuments, gravestones and tomb slabs.

*Arkansas Gazette

June 5, 1856 – Arkansas Gazette

An attack was made upon the lives of Patrick R. Cleburne and Thomas C. Hindman by William D. Rice and his brothers, F.H. and J.W. Rice. William D. Rice, as the principal head of the Know Nothings, had taken exceptions to things which Hindman said in his campaign for the office of congressman. Cleburne’s part in the affair apparently circumstantial. He and Hindman were political friends and associates in the practice of law. They were, at the moment of the attack, on their way to dine together at the Commercial hotel of Helena. Just before they reached the hotel and as they passed the door of the mercantile house of Myrtle & Moore, they heard a voice say: “Are you the author?” Both turned and saw William D. Rice and James T. Merriott standing in the door of Myrtle & Moore, each with a pistol. Rice fired on Hindman and wounded him in the right breast. Hindman, as soon as he recovered a little from the shock of his would, drew a Colt’s revolver and fired on Rice, who, with Merriott, was then retreating into the store. As Cleburne and Hindman entered Myrtle & Moore’s in pursuit, another shot was fired and Cleburne exclaimed: “I am shot, but not killed.” F.H. and J.W. were both inside the store. As friends of Hindman and Cleburne began to arrive on the scene, W.D. Rice fled out of a back door with a pistol in one hand and a Bowie knife in the other and pursued by Hindman until Hindman fell from exhaustion and the loss of blood. The other Rices fled by the front door and Cleburne and Hindman were taken by friends to the house of L.P. McVey for treatment.

(Patrick R. Cleburne was a native of County Cork, Ireland, born March 17, 1928; had migrated to America in 1849, and settled in Helena in 1850, where he was first employed as a drug clerk. While thus engaged, he began the study of law and was soon afterwards admitted to the bar. He was already distinguished by his gift of eloquence.)

You can read more on Cleburne here: http://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=339  and Hindman here: http://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=1672

June 8, 1864

Word was received at Washington, Arkansas, that Captain Walter L. Pike, son of General Albert Pike, had been killed in Mississippi on April 17, 1864. He was the adjutant of Colonel H.E. Clark’s brigade and had been sent with a party of 16 men to purchase forage on Grand Prairie, where they encountered a Federal force of about 100 cavalry.

Note from ArkansasTies: I suspect the death of his son was one of the primary reasons he refused to take the “Oath” and was granted amnesty after the war.

Lonoke, Lonoke County, Arkansas Civil War Veterans
November 6, 1913

Left to Right, Top Row: W.H. Harrison, b. 10-11-1836; W.F. Crutcher, b. 1-30-1844; W.D. Monroe, b. 6-18-1839; S.V. Austin, age about 72; E.R. Howard, b. 8-11-1846; W.E. Dempsey, b. 6-21-1845; E.S. Austin, b. 5-22-1835; A. Martin, b. 3-4-1840; J.A. Porter, b. 2-14-1845; William Ray, age 75; Henry Brown, b. 9-15-1841.

Left to Right 2nd Row: C.B. Leigh, age 73; J.G. Standley, b. 1-17-1845; J.C. Goodrum, b. 12-18-1835; F.M. Swaim, b. 1-23-1844; J.H. Robinson, b. 1845; Dr. G.M. Thompson; George Sibley, about 70; J.N. Spencer, b. 6-30-1842; S.W. Blackwood, b. 1838; Dr. W. Bird; Tanner, b. 5-1-1840; Albert Hicks, b. 6-2-1837.

Photograph on display at the Lonoke County Museum.

Contact info for the Lonoke County Museum:
http://www.ipa.net/~jack5/Lonoke_Countyx.html
215 West Front Street  Lonoke, AR 72086-3118
(501) 676-6750

The museum has a wonderful display of animals that at one time were native to Lonoke County.  The last heard of Buffalo in Arkansas were slaughtered in the Saline River Bottoms in 1808.  They were extinct in the Territory by 1820.

Lots of great pictures.  Max Frohlich’s Livery Stable.

Display after display of Lonoke County items and information.

Sherryl Miller, President of the Lonoke County Museum.  She does research for Pulaski and Lonoke Counties for a donations to the Museum.  You can’t beat that…a win-win for everyone.

If you  make a donation to the library, they will add a gold leaf to the tree.  If you are researching in Lonoke County, be sure to stop in and visit them.

Lonoke Railroads

January 11, 1853: Little Rock and Memphis Railroad Company organized by special act of the Arkansas General Assembly.

January 26, 1862: Little Rock and Memphis Railroad Company is reorganized and become Memphis and Little Rock railway company.

Early 1869: Major Rombaugh, a surveyor with the railroad relocates the railroad tracks three miles south to present day Lonoke. Some business men moved from Brownsville to Hicks’ Station on the railhead which was two miles east of present day Lonoke. During the survey Rombaugh discovered a large Lone Oak Tree adjacent to the railhead and named the area Lonoke. The depot at Hicks’ Station was moved to Lonoke as well as most all business from Brownsville and Hicks’ Station.

April 1, 1871: Memphis and Little Rock railroad completed from Memphis to Little Rock, Arkansas. City of Lonoke incorporated January 22, 1872.

May 13, 1875: Vice President Wilson on a train from Memphis heading west planned to stop in Lonoke. More than 200 people or more assembled at the depot to hear his remarks.

September 21, 1876: The depot platform was lengethened about 75 feet to accommodate the large cotton crop.

February 2, 1898: White River, Lonoke and Western railroad is formed. Tracks extend from near Jacksonville, Ar. (Holland Bottoms) to Lonoke, on 2nd street adjacent to Lonoke County courthouse. A depot/freight station was built at this location. The railroad was also known as the “Wooley” and the White River Valley & Texas RR. City of Lonoke Ordinance No. 24 grants the railroad a right of way through Lonoke.

September 15, 1898: Choctaw, Oklahoma and Gulf railroad purchased the Memphis and Little Rock railroad. The name was changed to the Choctaw and Memphis railroad.

October 25, 1898: Choctaw and Memphis railroad purchased remaining assets and property of Little Rock and Memphis railroad.

May 5, 1899: New frame railroad depot built on site of depot moved from Hicks’ Station.

December 3, 1899: First run of new through passenger service from Memphis to Weatherford, OK.

June 30, 1900: Choctaw and Memphis railroad acquired by the Choctaw, Oklahoma and gulf. This makes one continuous railroad from Memphis to the Oklahoma border.

September 14, 1901: White River, Lonoke and Western Railroad assets are purchased by the Choctaw, Oklahoma and Gulf. Any plans the city had of becoming a rail center just vanished.

April 1, 1901: Choctaw, Oklahoma and Gulf is leased for 999 years to the Chicago Rock Island & Pacific RR.

June 5, 1905: City of Lonoke Ordinance NO. 21 limits speed of trains through the city to 6 miles per hour.

August 19, 1908: City of Lonoke Ordinance No. 50 orders the Rock Island Railroad to remove the 300ft. cotton platform and cotton seed frame building by September 19, 1908. Cotton is no longer king on the railroad.

February 19, 1909: McCreator and the Meto Valley Railroad Company, also known at the Pine Bluff and Northern, acquires property from Ed & Nettie Hicks for the railroad right-of-way. The railroad tied in with the Rock Island approximately 4 miles east of Lonoke.

December 28, 1911: Rock Island depot burns. Entire building destroyed.

October 13, 1912: Rock Island builds present railroad depot to replace structure of 1899. This beautiful pressed brick depot with its steeply-pitched red tile roof has been the focal point for the city ever since its completion.

Fall 1931: Pine Bluff and Northern Railway terminates business. PB&N reorganized from the McCreator and the Meto Valley Railroad Company.

November 17, 1940: Rock Island RR unveils its new diesel powered “Choctaw Rocket”, the first diesel streamliner to operate in Arkansas.

September 27, 1953: The Choctaw Rocket is replaced by self propelled rail diesel cards (RDC) known as Choctaw Rockettes. Many people refer to these cars as “Doodle Bugs”

August 8, 1964: Last run of the RDC cars on the Rock Island.

November 9, 1967: Passenger service ends of the Rock Island, Choctaw Route. 65 years of service to Lonoke stops.

March 17, 1975: Rock Island declares bankruptcy for the third time in the railroads history.

January 25, 1980: Railroad liquidated by order of federal judge.

March 31, 1980: Rock Island ends all freight service east of Little Rock.

March 31, 1980: Cotton Belt Railroad beings “Direct Service” from North Little Rock to Hazen by order of the Interstate Commerce Commission.

May 31, 1980: Missouri Pacific RR begins operations when Cotton Belt stopped direct service. This is branch line service with 2-3 trains per week. Missouri Pacific purchased the line to Hazen from Little Rock.

December 22, 1982: Missouri Pacific and Union Pacific Railroads merge, railroad continues to operate as Missouri Pacific.

August 13, 1986: Hollywood comes to Lonoke with local filming of movie “End of the Line”

May 10, 1987: Newly restored Depot dedicated.

February 23, 1992: Union Pacific Railroad sells rail line to Arkansas Midland RR part of Pinsley RR company.

December 1994: Removal of remaining old Rock Island track east of Galloway.

January 11, 2000: City of Lonoke acquires the right-of-way of the Arkansas Midland railroad from Pinsley RR Company.

E.N. Plank, President Arkansas State Horticultural Society, 1914

 
*Arkansas Gazette, 1919

More Information: http://www.menahistory.com/history/cities-towns-in-polk-county/acorn-arkansas.html

I have been wanting to photograph this little park and just had not got around to it until today.  This park has two sculptures by Dionicio Rodriquez.  Rachel Silva wrote up a great program on the park during one of her Sandwiching in History tours that you can read here: http://www.arkansaspreservation.com/pdf/tour_scripts/Crestview_Park_Tour_Script_2010.pdf

One piece is this little bridge with two benches built in to it.

This is the second piece.  Both pieces are showing signs of major deterioration but this one more so.

This is not one of his sculptures but it is a nice little bridge none the same.

More Information:

• Park Hill Historic District by Sandra Taylor Smith-  http://www.arkansaspreservation.com/pdf/publications/Park_Hill.pdf

Updated Eberts Air Field with some new information and articles: http://www.arkansasties.com/Lonoke/Structures/EbertsField.htm