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Welcome to the new 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
Lake Village: 1927 Flood

Lake Village (Chicot County) is shown here inundated by the Mississippi River in May 1927. The Flood of 1927 was one of the worst disasters to affect Arkansas and the United States. The floodwaters only began to recede in late June, and Red Cross refugee camps continued to feed thousands of refugees through the fall of 1927.

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This Day in Arkansas History
May 22, 1934

Thirteen hundred men whose names were taken from the relief rolls of Arkansas began construction of the Dyess Colony in Mississippi County. Dyess was one of the most famous “resettlement colonies” for impoverished farmers during the Great Depression. National attention focused on Arkansas when First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt visited the community in 1936. The Dyess Colony became particularly well known because one of its early residents was singer Johnny Cash. Although the town is smaller now and no longer a government project, Dyess—and the boyhood home of Cash—still attract tourists to northeast Arkansas.

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