Welcome to the Encyclopedia of Arkansas

Everything from White man in bow tie standing amid displays of books August House to Black woman with long curly hair back turned holding guitar behind her with text "August Lane a novel Regina Black author of The Art of Scandal" August Lane
or Surprise Me

This Day in Arkansas History

August 19, 1940

Basketball player Hazel Walker’s husband was killed in a Santa Fe rail yard switching accident in Pomona, California. In her grief, the twenty-six-year-old widow turned even more fervently to basketball. Recognized as the greatest amateur women’s basketball player of the 1930s and 1940s, eleven-time Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) All-American Hazel Walker was the only woman ever to own, manage, and star for her own professional basketball team. For sixteen seasons, from 1949 to 1965, Walker’s Arkansas Travelers barnstormed the country playing only men’s teams under men’s rules and winning eighty to eighty-five percent of their games.

Learn more about Hazel Leona Walker Explore full history calendar

Browse the Encyclopedia

Entries

By Category A – Z

Media

By Category A – Z

Photo of the Day

Ozark Folk Center Blacksmith

The Ozark Folk Center State Park in Mountain View (Stone County), the only facility in the United States that preserves Ozark heritage, opened in 1973. The main draw of the park is the collection of twenty-four craft demonstration areas designed to showcase and preserve the crafts and folkways of the local Ozark culture. Shown here is the blacksmith demonstration area.

 

The Ozark Folk Center State Park in Mountain View (Stone County), the only facility in the United States that preserves Ozark heritage, opened in 1973. The main draw of the park is the collection of twenty-four craft demonstration areas designed to showcase and preserve the crafts and folkways of the local Ozark culture. Shown here is the blacksmith demonstration area.

Learn More

Trending Entries
"Great seal of the state of Arkansas" with eagle holding shield and "Regnat Popluas" ribbon in beak with angel mercy on one side and sword of justice on other Arkansas Overview busy city intersection with cars and people, view of state capitol in background Little Rock Pulaski Two young white women in matching hats and dresses sitting on stairs with Texas-Arkansas border line painted on them and stone building in background Texarkana Miller White man at base of tree covered mound site in field Archaic Period Time Periods Black and white photo of white boy in tinted goggles lying on examination table below lights and medical device Early Twentieth Century, 1901 through 1940 Time Period Older African-American man smiling in suit and bow tie Joseph Walter Jackson Business Leaders "The Truth About the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan" newspaper clipping Ku Klux Klan Early Twentieth Century, Parties and Interest Groups Book cover featuring white woman with blond hair and bright lipstick Gennifer Flowers postcard of multistoried light building with gabled roofs and chimneys "The Baker Hospital Eureka Springs Arkansas" Norman Baker Criminal Activities, Malpractice Portrait white man in suit military medal long wavy hair thick beard smoking large pipe Albert Pike Individuals, Lawyers, Poetry, State Figures Steel truss bridge with concrete supports over creek Hatfield Polk Book cover with saturated colors showing bearded Blaze Foley three black men and black woman looking off in the distance Civil Rights Movement Political Movements, World War II to Faubus Era "Rock N Roll Highway 67" sign with street and red truck Rock ‘n’ Roll Highway 67 Rock White man and woman folk costumes on stage with barn backdrop presenting violin making parts Violet Brumley Hensley Folk, Woodwork white man in embroidered black shirt and white woman in turtleneck and white jacket smiling in front of trees "Tony and Susan Alamo Tony Alamo sings Mister DJ" Tony Alamo Criminal Activities, Religious Figures

New & Updated
Profile view of white man with sideburns in military uniform sitting in a chair Action at Whitney's Lane Civil War Blue diamond with stars and crossed swords above blue and red text Skirmish at Waddell's Farm Civil War Blue diamond with stars and crossed swords above blue and red text Action at Sugar Creek Civil War Skirmish at Stewart's Plantation Civil War White soldiers in blue and gray uniforms fighting with cannon Engagement at St. Charles Civil War White man with mustache and beard in suit and bow tie Action at Spring River Civil War Blue diamond with stars and crossed swords above blue and red text Skirmish at Smithville Civil War Profile view of white man with sideburns in military uniform sitting in a chair Action at Pott's Hill Civil War Skirmish at Pitman’s Ferry Civil War Blue and gray clad armies on horses with guns charging each other on battlefield with flags, cannons, bare trees, and smoke Battle of Pea Ridge Civil War portrait of white man with beard in suit and tie Pea Ridge Campaign Civil War Blue diamond with stars and crossed swords above blue and red text Skirmish at Orient Ferry Civil War Retreat from McKisick's Farm Civil War Blue diamond with stars and crossed swords above blue and red text Skirmish at Little Red River Civil War Blue diamond with stars and crossed swords above blue and red text Skirmishes at Little Red River Civil War Round portrait white man solemn expression hair over ears beard no mustache suit Action at Hill's Plantation 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, 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