Welcome to the Encyclopedia of Arkansas

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This Day in Arkansas History

September 23, 1924

Harding College began operations as a four-year college in Morrilton (Conway County). It was a combination of two struggling two-year schools—Arkansas Christian Academy of Morrilton and Harper College of Harper, Kansas. Initial enrollment was 248 students, only seventy-five of whom were college level. The school, which has grown into the largest private educational institution in Arkansas, is now known as Harding University and has well over 4,000 students, in addition to maintaining campuses in Florence, Italy, and Athens, Greece, and providing programs in five other foreign countries.

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Wilburn General Store

Three rather stern-looking women and two children stand outside the Wilburn Mercantile Company in Cleburne County in this circa 1915 photograph. Through much of the twentieth century, such stores were the only contact that local country people had with the outside world.

 

Three rather stern-looking women and two children stand outside the Wilburn Mercantile Company in Cleburne County in this circa 1915 photograph. Through much of the twentieth century, such stores were the only contact that local country people had with the outside world.

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Mountain highway with two cars driving uphill past striped posts on gravel shoulder Ouachita Mountains Six Natural Divisions 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 wearing a hat and women in dresses picking cotton with long cotton sack stretching out behind her Great Depression Icon of cannon next to text "The Camden Expedition Route" above old photo group of men with rifles on horseback next to large map marking various events along trail during military conflict Camden Expedition Timeline Civil War A single bison standing at bottom of hill in grassy field trees and stump in background Bison Zoology White man with long beard in military uniform with horse and dog Prairie Grove Campaign Timeline Civil War White man at base of tree covered mound site in field Archaic Period Time Periods Wooden sign held up by posts near road text "The Village @ Pickles Gap Shop Eat Relax" above smaller sign illustration of shaggy dog text "Doc's Coffee and Creamery" Pickles Gap Faulkner Older African-American man smiling in suit and bow tie Joseph Walter Jackson Business Leaders White man in kayak holding paddle across chest with river rapids, mountain ridge Buffalo National River Physical Geography, Protected Areas busy city intersection with cars and people, view of state capitol in background Little Rock Pulaski Green road sign for "Buffalo Island" with wooden supports St. Francis River Physical Geography Graphic showing different types of arrowheads and artifacts Pre-European Exploration, Prehistory through 1540 Time Period White adults and children pose with handcar outside wood frame "combs" train station St. Louis–San Francisco Railway Businesses, Land Brick church with large arch and stained glass window and twin towers Presbyterians Faiths and Denominations white man in military regalia before American-flag-themed backdrop Wesley Kanne Clark Executive Branch, Individuals

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White woman and protesters in front of Capitol building below "God's Not Dead 2" text on movie poster God’s Not Dead Series Films busy city intersection with cars and people, view of state capitol in background Little Rock Pulaski Rows of grave markers in cemetery with lake in the background Buckville Garland Single-story building with white siding and wheelchair ramp on gravel parking lot in residential neighborhood Gravel Hill Saline Stone monument with engraved plaque inside iron fence Dual State Monument Museums and Historic Sites Types of tick with corresponding letters Asian Longhorned Tick Zoology Black men factory workers in white coveralls at assembly line handling cylindrical objects on cranes Pine Bluff Arsenal Locations Text "Arkansas A History Harry S. Ashmore" in front of bluff with trees overlooking river Arkansas: A Bicentennial History White man in suit with decorative tie Chicken War of 1962–1963 Industries "Yell County" map with borders roads cities national forest waterways Chickalah Yell "Rock Island" train 529 on tracks Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railway Businesses, Land Open air amphitheater on college campus with trees and surrounding buildings Chi Omega Recreational Organizations Black and white view out a window of ruins of brick building with broken windows and trees growing inside Chewaukla Mineral Springs Co. Businesses Steel arch truss bridge over nearly dry creek bed Chester Crawford Newspaper clipping "A White Man Duly Married to a Negro Man" Chesser and Holly Marriage Case of 1888 Criminal Activities, Sexual Orientation "L. W. Cherry leader in local business circles succumbs" newspaper clipping Lewis Williamson Cherry Business Leaders

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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