Welcome to the Encyclopedia of Arkansas

This Day in Arkansas History

July 8, 1897

The petition was granted for Marked Tree (Poinsett County) to be incorporated as a city. Ernest Ritter had headed a movement for incorporation in 1887. An election was held on August 17, 1897, and John Krier was elected to be the first mayor. Marked Tree is a small town in Poinsett County in the northeastern part of Arkansas. It is possibly the only town in the world with the name Marked Tree. It is also unique because it is located between two rivers, the St. Francis River and the Little River, that are only a quarter of a mile apart in some places yet flow in opposite directions.

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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, and audio files, so check back frequently to see what’s new.

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New to Arkansas?

Our overview page covers everything you would want to know about our beautiful state, including state symbols, demographics and more!

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