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Welcome to the CALS Encyclopedia of Arkansas

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. It will also benefit people outside the state who are seeking information about Arkansas. 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. The CALS Encyclopedia of Arkansas is a work in progress. We are continually adding new entries, photographs, maps, videos, and audio files, so check back frequently to see what’s new.

Photo Of The Day
Greenwood: Hotel and Store

The Sebastian County town of Greenwood was founded in 1851 but was not incorporated until 1884. Designated as the first county seat, it now shares that responsibility with Fort Smith. By the 1870s, the surrounding countryside had become a main coal-producing area of the state, prompting substantial growth. Part of the growth resulted in the construction of many new buildings, such as the Brownlow Hotel and C. R. Owens Store, shown here in an 1887 photograph.

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This Day in Arkansas History
September 22, 2006

The Arkansas State Parks, Recreation, and Travel Commission met and voted to change the Old Washington Historic State Park’s name to Historic Washington State Park. The name change followed the approval of the park’s new master plan at the commission’s February 2006 meeting. These changes were approved in an effort to promote the community more effectively to visitors. Historic Washington State Park is one of fifty-two state parks operated by the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism. This park primarily exists to preserve and interpret the history of the city of Washington (Hempstead County), emphasizing its political, cultural, and architectural history in the nineteenth century.

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