Welcome to the Encyclopedia of Arkansas

Everything from Fur covered creature standing in river with trees and sunset in the background Fouke Monster to Book cover picturing a whirlpool Ruby Jean Jensen
or Surprise Me

This Day in Arkansas History

October 18, 1964

Winthrop Rockefeller opened the Museum of Automobiles with thirty-three cars on display, some of them his own, along with others from the Rockefeller family. When Rockefeller made Arkansas his home in 1953, he had developed Winrock Farms on Petit Jean Mountain. In 1961, he purchased a collection of fine antique and classic cars from the James Melton museum of Hypoluxo, Florida. He had a building constructed on Petit Jean Mountain to house the cars and named it the Museum of Automobiles. The museum is located atop Petit Jean Mountain in Conway County. It is primarily dedicated to the exhibition of quality antique and vintage automobiles, as well as related items for the cultural and educational benefit of the general public.

Learn more about Museum of Automobiles Explore full history calendar

Browse the Encyclopedia

Entries

By Category A – Z

Media

By Category A – Z

Photo of the Day

Albert Purdue

Albert Purdue was the first geology student to graduate from Stanford University in California. Sometime in the mid-1890s, he accepted a teaching position at Arkansas Industrial University, now the University of Arkansas (UA) in Fayetteville (Washington County). The state legislature appointed him the ex officio state geologist from 1907 to 1912. In this position, he oversaw the publication of many informational reports on the state’s geology. When the state cut off support for his position in 1912, he left Arkansas to accept a similar position in Tennessee.

 

Albert Purdue was the first geology student to graduate from Stanford University in California. Sometime in the mid-1890s, he accepted a teaching position at Arkansas Industrial University, now the University of Arkansas (UA) in Fayetteville (Washington County). The state legislature appointed him the ex officio state geologist from 1907 to 1912. In this position, he oversaw the publication of many informational reports on the state’s geology. When the state cut off support for his position in 1912, he left Arkansas to accept a similar position in Tennessee.

Learn More
Trending Entries
Multistory red brick church building with steeple Seventh-Day Adventists Faiths and Denominations Old white woman in hat and dress holding a revolver Belle Starr Criminal Activities Movie poster featuring African American man in military dress and sunglasses carrying suitcase A Soldier's Story Films "Negroes leave town of Bonanza" newspaper clipping Sundown Towns Portrait white man in suit military medal long wavy hair thick beard smoking large pipe Albert Pike Individuals, Lawyers, Poetry, State Figures busy city intersection with cars and people, view of state capitol in background Little Rock Pulaski Man in hood with eye holes and town on movie poster Texarkana Moonlight Murders Criminal Activities White man with long hair in white shirt and jeans singing with band on stage Jeff Keith Metal Group of African-American men standing and sitting before brick wall Elaine Massacre of 1919 Early Twentieth Century John Lawrence Markle Business Leaders, Criminal Activities "In memory of those killed December 1987 Pope County Arkansas" flat engraved marker on grass Ronald Gene Simmons Criminal Activities Faces of three white men superimposed upon forest with red and white text on book cover West Memphis Three Criminal Activities 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 White women and men with damaged buildings behind them, photograph labeled "Brinkley Cyclone" Tornadoes Climatology, Natural Disasters white man in black embroidered alongside white woman in dark suit and hat carrying roses amid a crowd of people Johnny Cash Country, Rock Shirtless white man aiming a sniper rifle with silencer Carlos Norman “Gunny” Hathcock II Individuals
New & Updated
Charles Solomon Stifft Business Leaders Headlines "Big Fire in the East End" "Threatens to Destroy the Lampert Hotel and Adjoining Property--Several Cottages Burned." "Loss Will Be Heavy" "Fire Boys Unable to Cope with the Flames---Said to Have Originated in the Ferguson Home on East Second Avenue." Pine Bluff Fire of 1907 Natural Disasters Multistory building with tower entrance on street corner Pine Bluff Jefferson White man in glasses speaking with other white men in legislative chamber George Nicholas Wilson Portrait middle aged white male seated smiling pin stripe suit tie curtains Arkansas flag behind Frank Durward White Governors Aerial view of many buildings Varner Unit Law Enforcement White man sitting in shirt and tie speaking into a microphone Knox Nelson State Figures Movie poster featuring man in suit Gene Lyons Journalists, Nonfiction Movie poster featuring man in suit Hunting of the President, The Films, Nonfiction White man waving from bed of pickup truck with "Senator Jay Bradford" sign on its door Jay T. Bradford Business Leaders, State Figures White men and women standing and smiling in line with flags behind them Betsey Wright State Figures White women and men with damaged buildings behind them, photograph labeled "Brinkley Cyclone" Tornadoes Climatology, Natural Disasters Headlines "Storm's Death List in State to Total of 11" and "Many Sections Suffer Heavy Loss" Tornado Outbreaks of 1938 Climatology, Natural Disasters Bobcat hiding in hollowed out log Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge Attractions (Historic and Current), Zoology Headlines "Houses Are Crumpled As Though Toys Ten Killed and 35 Injured in Country Near Hot Springs Escapes are Remarkable Family in Cellar Sees Home Whirl Way---Sick Room Visitors Unhurt" Thanksgiving Day Tornado Outbreak of 1915 Climatology, Natural Disasters Wooden frame structure at mining site Spadra Johnson

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!

See Overview