Welcome to the Encyclopedia of Arkansas

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This Day in Arkansas History

August 21, 1871

The Memphis and Little Rock Railroad, which advertised service between Memphis and Argenta (now North Little Rock in Pulaski County), was opened. This development eased some tensions, since so many projects had been planned with little result. The Arkansas legislature had mandated that all railroads that had received state aid and were presently under construction should complete one quarter of their lines within two years and should complete half of their lines within three years.

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Edward Fitzgerald

Bishop Edward Fitzgerald, the second Roman Catholic bishop of the Diocese of Little Rock, was instrumental in the Church’s entrance into agreements with railroad companies to provide land grants encouraging Catholic immigration to Arkansas in the late 1800s. Two such agreements led to the establishment of strong areas of German settlement in the Arkansas River Valley, especially in Logan County. The bishop is shown here in the early 1900s.

 

Bishop Edward Fitzgerald, the second Roman Catholic bishop of the Diocese of Little Rock, was instrumental in the Church’s entrance into agreements with railroad companies to provide land grants encouraging Catholic immigration to Arkansas in the late 1800s. Two such agreements led to the establishment of strong areas of German settlement in the Arkansas River Valley, especially in Logan County. The bishop is shown here in the early 1900s.

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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, quizzes, lesson plans, and more, so check back frequently to see what’s new.

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