Welcome to the Encyclopedia of Arkansas

Everything from three white women on float decorated with flowers with "Pea Ridge Heart of the Ozarks" on the side Arkansas Apple Festival to "Arkansas State Fair" arch sign over double gate with fence with single-story building and enclosed stadium in the background Arkansas State Fair and Livestock Show
or Surprise Me

This Day in Arkansas History

October 29, 1911

Ernie Deane was born in Lewisville (Lafayette County). Deane—journalist, teacher, historian, and folklorist—was best known for his newspaper columns “The Arkansas Traveler” and “Ozarks Country.” He taught journalism at the University of Arkansas (UA) in Fayetteville (Washington County) and was a proponent of restoring Old Main to its historical character at the UA campus. Deane often said to his students, “I was trained in the old journalistic school of striving for accuracy, clarity, honesty, courage, fairness, completeness, and timeliness.” The Ernie Deane Award is presented annually for the journalist or writer whose work “best exemplifies the spirit, style, and courage of Ernie Deane.”

Learn more about Ernie Deane Explore full history calendar

Browse the Encyclopedia

Entries

By Category A – Z

Media

By Category A – Z

Photo of the Day

City of Camden Steamboat

The location of Camden (Ouachita County) on the Ouachita River facilitated the town’s development as a trade center since its settlement in the early 1800s. By the 1850s, Camden was a major port for river traffic, with as many as 40,000 bales of cotton shipped by water every year. Such traffic continued until the early part of the twentieth century, when rail service began to reduce river trade. The steamboat City of Camden is shown here in 1894, docked at Camden and loaded with cotton.

 

The location of Camden (Ouachita County) on the Ouachita River facilitated the town’s development as a trade center since its settlement in the early 1800s. By the 1850s, Camden was a major port for river traffic, with as many as 40,000 bales of cotton shipped by water every year. Such traffic continued until the early part of the twentieth century, when rail service began to reduce river trade. The steamboat City of Camden is shown here in 1894, docked at Camden and loaded with cotton.

Learn More

Trending Entries
Promotional photograph of white man woman and 19 young and teen children standing together with white text Duggar Family Religious Figures, Television and Streaming Men women and children playing in field with cabin building and at base of tree covered mountain Pinnacle Mountain State Park State Parks White man wearing a hat and women in dresses picking cotton with long cotton sack stretching out behind her Great Depression Wooden sign held up by posts near road text "The Village @ Pickles Gap Shop Eat Relax" above smaller sign illustration of shaggy dog text "Doc's Coffee and Creamery" Pickles Gap Faulkner A single bison standing at bottom of hill in grassy field trees and stump in background Bison Zoology Icon of cannon next to text "The Camden Expedition Route" above old photo group of men with rifles on horseback next to large map marking various events along trail during military conflict Camden Expedition Timeline Civil War White man with long beard in military uniform with horse and dog Prairie Grove Campaign Timeline 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 Exploded underground missile silo and debris as seen from above Titan II Missile Explosion Post Civil War Book cover "My Life Bill Clinton" with portrait white man with graying hair smiling wool jacket collar upturned Bill Clinton Executive Branch, Governors Mixed race crowd listening to speaker Southern Tenant Farmers’ Union Labor, Poverty Group of African-American men standing and sitting before brick wall Elaine Massacre of 1919 Early Twentieth Century Old white man with mustache and beard in striped shirt and tie with arms crossed in front of him. Fay Jones Architects White man with glasses in white football uniform with red number 77 focusing on game in progress Brandon Burlsworth Football "M.U.L.E." game cover with art depicting composite sculpture of various machines roughly in the shape of a mule on a Mars-like planet Danielle Bunten Berry Math and Computer Science

New & Updated
Tall office building with four-story building beside it Medical Arts Building Buildings, Hospitals and Research Facilities Arkansas Bird Alliance People and Organizations white man with beard in military regalia Action at Devil's Backbone Civil War Newspaper front page "Sentinel-Record" WEHCO Media, Inc. Businesses Long multistory modern building with cantilevered ends mirror tinted windows and penthouse overlooking park and river William J. Clinton Presidential Center and Park Attractions (Historic and Current), Libraries and Archives Nighttime view from parking lot sidewalk between two small trees leading up to four columns in front of entrance to five story building with large glass panels across front sign on roof text "Library" Central Arkansas Library System Educational Organizations and Programs, Libraries and Archives Chickens in cages from egg to adult with advertisements for an electric hatchery device Agriculture Topical Wide single story cabin with brick chimney surrounded by snow some on roof above text "There's a fire for good cheer where there's smoke" Young Women’s Christian Association Institutions and Buildings Two-white men in military uniform with car featuring the Red Cross emblem Camp Joseph T. Robinson Locations Barbed wire fence and grass field with prison buildings and water tower in the background Cummins Unit Law Enforcement First lines of text "We learn from the Fort Smith Independent that the trial of Too-nah-ee and Young Wolf Fort Smith Double Execution of October 10, 1873 Law Enforcement "Ku Klux reply to speech of W. B. Smith" newspaper clipping James A. Comer Early Twentieth Century, Pulaski Leaders White man smiling and black text in newspaper Come Next Spring Films Four and a half star ratings next to quote "A film that is far more than entertainment. It's a piece of art. An absolute must see." above floating head image from left to right young white boy white man with mustache and goatee white man with mustache and old white man above silhouettes old white man and child walking through forest above text "Michael Ray Davis Thor Wahlestedt Come Morning Everything Will Change" Come Morning Films Movie poster featuring a woman's face with a sunrise behind Come Early Morning Films Book cover featuring a blue pig on a green background Come and Get It 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, quizzes, lesson plans, and more, so check back frequently to see what’s new.

New to Arkansas?
New to Arkansas?

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

See Overview