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This Day in Arkansas History

August 27, 1821

The Arkansas Gazette published the obituary of thirty-eight-year-old Christian E. Zoeller from Emmendingen, Germany. Zoeller taught at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point before coming to Arkansas. Newspaper accounts and other documents identified Germans among the early settlers of the state. German immigrants played a significant role in the development of Arkansas’s economy and in the founding of many social, religious, and cultural institutions, even though the number of German immigrants never represented more than one percent of the state’s population. Long after German immigration to the state reached its peak in 1882, evidence of the immigrants’ presence remains.

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Mount Holly Cemetery

Mount Holly Cemetery in Little Rock (Pulaski County) has often been called the Westminster Abbey of Arkansas due to the large number of prominent artistic, literary, religious, military, and political leaders buried there. The cemetery was founded in 1843 when city leaders Chester Ashley and Roswell Beebe donated twenty acres of land for a burial ground. A city commission formed in 1877 to care for the cemetery until the responsibility was transferred to the Mount Holly Association, which was created in 1915. In 1970, Mount Holly was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

 

Mount Holly Cemetery in Little Rock (Pulaski County) has often been called the Westminster Abbey of Arkansas due to the large number of prominent artistic, literary, religious, military, and political leaders buried there. The cemetery was founded in 1843 when city leaders Chester Ashley and Roswell Beebe donated twenty acres of land for a burial ground. A city commission formed in 1877 to care for the cemetery until the responsibility was transferred to the Mount Holly Association, which was created in 1915. In 1970, Mount Holly was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

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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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