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This Day in Arkansas History

June 11, 1892

Ashdown (Little River County) was incorporated. It grew from a small agricultural community, first known as Turkey Flats, then Keller, and finally Ashdown. It was named by Judge Lawrence Alexander Byrne, who owned several sawmills in the area and who reportedly, following a fire at his Keller mill, stated that, though his mill had “burned down to ashes,” he was going to found a town there named Ashdown. Ashdown is located in the far southwestern corner of Arkansas, about nineteen miles north of Texarkana (Miller County). The town lies among rich, fertile land, ideal for growing cotton, soybeans, rice, corn, wheat, and other crops. However, its greatest industry is timber.

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Beebe Train Depot

A visitor to many of the small towns of Arkansas will discover that one of the oldest buildings in the community is often the railroad depot, such as the depot shown here in Beebe (White County). In the days of passenger trains, any town of modest size was usually home to such a structure. Over the years, as passenger service declined, many of the buildings were closed and left to decay. Fortunately, a number of them have survived. Some have been restored and house museums, city offices, or private businesses.

 

A visitor to many of the small towns of Arkansas will discover that one of the oldest buildings in the community is often the railroad depot, such as the depot shown here in Beebe (White County). In the days of passenger trains, any town of modest size was usually home to such a structure. Over the years, as passenger service declined, many of the buildings were closed and left to decay. Fortunately, a number of them have survived. Some have been restored and house museums, city offices, or private businesses.

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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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