Welcome to the Encyclopedia of Arkansas

This Day in Arkansas History

December 1, 1944

What is now Batesville Regional Airport began operations as a small, grassy runway located in a field. It later expanded, becoming one of the largest airports in the state, covering approximately 400 acres. It operates as a public-use general aviation airport capable of accommodating light general aviation aircraft of all sizes, including small jets. When Rimrock Records was in operation, musicians such as Elvis Presley and Tina Turner secretly flew into Batesville Regional Airport to conduct recording sessions.

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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, and audio files, 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!

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