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Welcome to the Encyclopedia of Arkansas
This Day in Arkansas History
April 20, 1874
In the beginnings of what became known as the Brooks-Baxter War, more than 1,000 supporters of Elisha Baxter, who occupied the governor’s office following a hotly contested race, appeared ready to do battle to protect Baxter’s position, in spite of Pulaski County circuit judge John Whytock’s writ issued in support of Joseph Brooks’s governorship. Faced by an equal number of armed citizens in support of Brooks, Colonel Thomas E. Rose deployed members of the 16th Infantry Division to quiet the confrontation. The following day, shots were fired and several people were killed. The result of the “war” (in which more than 200 people died)—recognition of Baxter as governor—brought a practical end to Republican rule in Arkansas and thus ended the era of Reconstruction.
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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, and audio files, so check back frequently to see what’s new.
Our overview page covers everything you would want to know about our beautiful state, including state symbols, demographics and more!
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