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This Day in Arkansas History

February 4, 1927

House Bill 128 was signed into law. The “Martineau Road Law” ushered in a new era of transportation in Arkansas, during which the state would assume the debts of former road improvement districts—which were $60 million in the red in the early part of the decade—issue bonds to begin road construction, increase gasoline and auto taxes, and charge tolls to finance new bridges. With this law, the state government took on highways as one of its biggest responsibilities.

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Harvey Parnell

With the resignation of Governor John Martineau in 1928, Harvey Parnell became the first lieutenant governor to move into the governor’s office. Shortly afterward, he was elected to a full term. A major issue during his administration was road improvement. His ambitious road plan was a financial disaster for the state, though it brought uniformity to the road system and added several needed bridges across the state’s streams.

 

With the resignation of Governor John Martineau in 1928, Harvey Parnell became the first lieutenant governor to move into the governor’s office. Shortly afterward, he was elected to a full term. A major issue during his administration was road improvement. His ambitious road plan was a financial disaster for the state, though it brought uniformity to the road system and added several needed bridges across the state’s streams.

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Thin tree trunk bent from the bottom toward the left amongst other straight trees in woodland area Trail Trees Folktales and Songs Men women and children playing in field with cabin building and at base of tree covered mountain Pinnacle Mountain State Park State Parks Men in dark suits and hats and rowboats on snowy river bank with other boaters pushing down icy rivulet Arkansas River Physical Geography, Water First lines "An act to incorporate the Makemie College Makemie College Defunct: Colleges and Universities Older white man short hair and thin beard dressed in checkered button up and suit jacket grinning wearing name tag text "George Lankford Lifetime Achievement Award Little Rock George E. Lankford Educators and Administrators, Historians and Historic Organizations Several house bills listed number one hundred and thirty three text "a bill to be entitled to an act to amend section two of an act approved December thirty first eighteen sixty entitled an act to incorporate the Arkansas Synodical college of Arkadelphia" Arkansas Synodical College Defunct: Colleges and Universities Text "The Watermelon Kid a Novel by Bill Terry" over cartoon sketch man in dancing singing next to woman standing looking back as two men watch one smoking cigar and holding dollar in background behind singer one man playing harmonica another man with guitar and third man playing piano Bill Terry Jr. Fiction, Journalists Text "The Watermelon Kid a Novel by Bill Terry" over cartoon sketch man in dancing singing next to woman standing looking back as two men watch one smoking cigar and holding dollar in background behind singer one man playing harmonica another man with guitar and third man playing piano The Watermelon Kid Fiction busy city intersection with cars and people, view of state capitol in background Little Rock Pulaski Headline "Fighting Alley Aroused. A Row Over a Game of Cards One Man Draws a Double Barreled Shotgun" Battle Row and Fighting Alley Pulaski Clergy Sexual Abuse Issues and Controversies White man and woman watching a rabbit play a tiny piano IQ Zoo Attractions (Historic and Current) Group of men loading cotton onto horse-drawn carts Cotton Gins Plant Culture African-American children and faculty standing outside single-story brick building Freedmen’s Schools Civil War to Gilded Age Newspaper front page "Stuttgart_Germania" Stuttgart Germania Newspapers and Magazines Book cover featuring two baseball players Skip Hays Fiction

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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