Welcome to the Encyclopedia of Arkansas

This Day in Arkansas History

September 9, 1921

Francis Gwaltney, an author, professor, and longtime friend of Norman Mailer, was born in Traskwood (Saline County). Gwaltney wrote eight novels, the most successful and best known of which is The Day the Century Ended, which is regarded as a courageous account of the social conditions in the South and one that captures the spirit of Arkansas in particular. Gwaltney taught English at several Arkansas schools and founded the creative writing program at Arkansas Tech University in Russellville (Pope County).

Browse the Encyclopedia

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