Welcome to the Encyclopedia of Arkansas

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This Day in Arkansas History

April 4, 1849

Troops provided to escort “Forty-niners” (as the emigrants traveling to seek a share of the recently discovered gold in California were called) started out from Fort Smith (Sebastian County). This survey-and-escort effort was supported by a $50,000 appropriation sponsored by Solon Borland, one of Arkansas’s U.S. senators. A correspondent from the Baltimore Sun stated in an article later that month that some 900 wagons with 2,000 emigrants—along with thousands of mules, horses, and oxen—had left with the troops.

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The Ritz

The Ritz opened as an opera house on Main Street in Blytheville (Mississippi County) in the early 1900s. A popular entertainment venue, the building was renovated in 1951, about the time this photo was taken, giving it a modern appearance. Over the years, the building fell into disrepair but was restored to its 1950s look in the 1990s. Since 1981, it has served as the Ritz Civic Center and the home of the local arts council.

 

The Ritz opened as an opera house on Main Street in Blytheville (Mississippi County) in the early 1900s. A popular entertainment venue, the building was renovated in 1951, about the time this photo was taken, giving it a modern appearance. Over the years, the building fell into disrepair but was restored to its 1950s look in the 1990s. Since 1981, it has served as the Ritz Civic Center and the home of the local arts council.

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White man with mustache in suit and tie sitting at his desk with framed portrait on the wall behind him Dan Carlos West Educators and Administrators, Religious Figures Johnnie Patricia Jones Roebuck Single-story building with covered entrance and steps on street Lawrence County Two-story stone building with arched entrances and courtyard Lee County Men and tents with trees and hanging laundry Levees and Drainage Districts Land Use Issues and Controversies Three-story brick building with stone monuments and trees Lincoln County Portrait of white woman in suit with U.S. and Arkansas flag backdrop Blanche Meyers Lambert Lincoln Legislative Branch -- Representatives, Women Portrait African-American male boxer with gloves raised, shorts, boots, in corner of ring Sonny Liston Boxing White man in a collared shirt standing in his office Literature and Authors Topical Street with brick buildings and city park with trees Little River County Soldiers lined up before classical structure "State House Little Rock Ark." with horses and packs in foreground Little Rock Campaign Timeline Civil War Soldiers lined up before classical structure "State House Little Rock Ark." with horses and packs in foreground Little Rock Campaign Civil War busy city intersection with cars and people, view of state capitol in background Little Rock Pulaski Mixed group of people reflected as their younger selves in pool with multistory building behind them with text above that Little Rock Nine School Desegregation, School Segregation and Desegregation Multistory brick building with classical columns and war monument statue with figure of man on top Lonoke County Two teachers walking down an empty school hallway with lockers and a water fountain Lost Year School Desegregation, School Segregation and Desegregation

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.

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Our overview page covers everything you would want to know about our beautiful state, including state symbols, demographics and more!

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