Welcome to the Encyclopedia of Arkansas

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This Day in Arkansas History

April 16, 1863

Confederate brigadier general William L. Cabell’s cavalry, with about 900 men, left Ozark (Franklin County) with a mission to attack the Federal command at Fayetteville (Washington County). The Union army had occupied Fayetteville as a place to take care of its wounded soldiers following the bloody Battle of Prairie Grove on December 7, 1862. Although ensuing skirmishes were indecisive and the Confederates failed to achieve their goal, the Federal troops withdrew only a few days after the action, feeling that the area was exposed to attack and should be abandoned.

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Tarantula with Egg Sac

The tarantula, which appeared in Arkansas about 8,000 years ago, is the largest spider known to inhabit the state. The spiders are found in most areas of the state, with the exception of the Delta. Females, such as the one shown here with her egg sac, are known to live as long as twenty years. Most of what is known about the tarantula in Arkansas is due to the research of Dr. William J. Baerg.

 

The tarantula, which appeared in Arkansas about 8,000 years ago, is the largest spider known to inhabit the state. The spiders are found in most areas of the state, with the exception of the Delta. Females, such as the one shown here with her egg sac, are known to live as long as twenty years. Most of what is known about the tarantula in Arkansas is due to the research of Dr. William J. Baerg.

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Close up of trees in swamp area text in box "Born in the Delta Reflections on the Making of a Southern White Sensibility Margaret Jones Bolsterli" Born in the Delta Nonfiction Promotional photograph of white man woman and 19 young and teen children standing together with white text Duggar Family Religious Figures, Television and Streaming Two white men in casual clothing leaning on knees smiling posing with group of fifteen individuals of various identities standing and smiling Sibling Rivalry Press Businesses, Organizations and Journals Tall obelisk with statue of soldier and plaque with trees in the background World War I Post Civil War busy city intersection with cars and people, view of state capitol in background Little Rock Pulaski white man in black embroidered alongside white woman in dark suit and hat carrying roses amid a crowd of people Johnny Cash Country, Rock Group of African-American men standing and sitting before brick wall Elaine Massacre of 1919 Early Twentieth Century Canopy in park with benches under it and paved walking paths Westside School Shooting Criminal Activities Portrait Italian American man in stylish suit tie wavy hair intimidating glare droopy right eyelid Charles "Lucky" Luciano Criminal Activities white man dressed as cowboy blowing into long, tubular musical instrument Bazooka [Musical Instrument] Large rock with memorial plaque on it listing victims names and hometowns for each Negro Boys Industrial School Fire of 1959 School Desegregation Exploded underground missile silo and debris as seen from above Titan II Missile Explosion Post Civil War Front page of Arkansas Times with various images, the largest of which is a white man with glasses and text "Whitewater" Whitewater Scandal "Negroes leave town of Bonanza" newspaper clipping Sundown Towns Close up small blooming flower with four buds fuzzy leaves held by grubby fingers Official State Flower Official State Symbols document "Arkansas Called The Wonder State Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 2 1923" Official State Nicknames Official State Symbols

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White man in suit smiling observing white woman and man playing violin and musical saw Arkansas Living Treasure Award dark-haired woman with chin in hand Kai Coggin Poetry White man in a collared shirt standing in his office Literature and Authors Topical White man in suit speaking at a lectern with mixed group of men and women behind him LGBTQ+ Movement Political Movements, Sexual Orientation Two white men in casual clothing leaning on knees smiling posing with group of fifteen individuals of various identities standing and smiling Sibling Rivalry Press Businesses, Organizations and Journals Lee Ronnel Business Leaders, Philanthropy white man with beard poses with one hand inside military jacket Prairie Grove Campaign Civil War Blue diamond with stars and crossed swords above blue and red text Capture of Van Buren Civil War Map of Arkansas showing location of major Civil War events with red triangles Battle of Prairie Grove Civil War white man with beard poses with one hand inside military jacket Skirmish at Reed's Mountain Civil War Map of Arkansas showing location of major Civil War events with red triangles Engagement at Cane Hill Civil War Blue diamond with stars and crossed swords above blue and red text Skirmish at Cane Hill Civil War white man with beard poses with one hand inside military jacket Reconnaissance toward Van Buren and Fort Smith Civil War Blue diamond with stars and crossed swords above blue and red text Skirmish between Fayetteville and Cane Hill Civil War Blue diamond with stars and crossed swords above blue and red text Action at Oxford Bend Civil War Prairie Grove Campaign Timeline Civil War

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

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