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This Day in Arkansas History

May 16, 1986

John Howard Yancey, one of Arkansas’s most colorful war heroes, died. His close friend, General Sidney McMath, planned every detail of the funeral. Yancey is buried in Little Rock National Cemetery, and a department of the Marine Corps League in Texas is named after him. Yancey had been the model for the bronze bust of Count Pulaski—the Revolutionary war hero for whom the county is named—in the county courthouse. The Arkansas Historical Society established John Yancey–Count Pulaski Day—”Two Heroes Bonded Together in Bronze”—in 1999, which is celebrated in the fall.

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Crowley's Ridge State Park

In 1933, Crowley’s Ridge State Park in northeast Arkansas became the fourth state park to open in the state. Always a popular campground due to a freshwater spring, the area was further developed later that same year by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). This 1948 photo shows a boy fishing in the three-and-one-half-acre lake, which is today exclusively reserved for swimming. In the background is one of the stone structures built by the CCC.

 

In 1933, Crowley’s Ridge State Park in northeast Arkansas became the fourth state park to open in the state. Always a popular campground due to a freshwater spring, the area was further developed later that same year by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). This 1948 photo shows a boy fishing in the three-and-one-half-acre lake, which is today exclusively reserved for swimming. In the background is one of the stone structures built by the CCC.

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African-American woman smiling in black top Sheryl Underwood Television and Streaming Older African-American man smiling in suit and bow tie Joseph Walter Jackson Business Leaders Tall obelisk with statue of soldier and plaque with trees in the background World War I Post Civil War 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 busy city intersection with cars and people, view of state capitol in background Little Rock Pulaski Faces of three white men superimposed upon forest with red and white text on book cover West Memphis Three Criminal Activities Front page of Arkansas Times with various images, the largest of which is a white man with glasses and text "Whitewater" Whitewater Scandal Group of African-American men standing and sitting before brick wall Elaine Massacre of 1919 Early Twentieth Century Types of tick with corresponding letters Asian Longhorned Tick Zoology white man in black embroidered alongside white woman in dark suit and hat carrying roses amid a crowd of people Johnny Cash Country, Rock document "Arkansas Called The Wonder State Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 2 1923" Official State Nicknames Official State Symbols Promotional photograph of white man woman and 19 young and teen children standing together with white text Duggar Family Religious Figures, Television and Streaming White man in suit and striped tie on "Mike Huckabee Governor" campaign card with Arkansas flag behind him Lake View School District No. 25 v. Huckabee Laws and Court Cases Older white woman smiling in green suit and glasses with earrings Alice Louise Walton Business Leaders, Philanthropy Types of snake with corresponding letters Venomous Snakes Zoology Old white woman in hat and dress holding a revolver Belle Starr Criminal Activities

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Three-story brick school building with steps and courtyard Wittenberg, Delony & Davidson Architects Businesses 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 Insect on human skin and virus under magnification West Nile Virus Pathology Uniformed white boys and men some with instruments and flags parading down street lined with multistory storefront buildings Official Days Official State Symbols Obesity Public Health White woman short hair dressed in shirt and cardigan breastfeeding baby next to text "Learn. Start. Overcome. Thrive. Breastfeeding gets easier. WIC can help" above logo for WIC Breastfeeding support and Arkansas Department of Health next to text "Arkansas WIC Breastfeeding Helpline 1-800-445-6175" Breastfeeding Arkansas State Medical Board Multistory building with four columns on street corner North Little Rock Pulaski White woman talking to a group of Cuban men standing and sitting under a tree Cuban Refugee Crisis Modern Era aerial view of military base with many uniformly shaped white buildings in rows Indochinese Resettlement Program Post Civil War, Projects Exterior "Chua Pho Minh Vietnamese Buddhist Temple" with temple architecture with flower dragon roof ornaments Buddhists Faiths and Denominations Overhead view crowd in interior stadium seating and box seats Gambling Multistory limestone building dome on top in middle with steps leading up to four columns near three single door entrances and left wing addition Arkansas State Capitol Building Buildings, State Organizations and Structures Street lined with buildings and parked cars with power lines Stuttgart Arkansas George Basil “Scooter” Segraves III Radio and Podcasting Bobcat hiding in hollowed out log Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge Attractions (Historic and Current), Zoology

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.

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