Kings Creek (Scott County)

Kings Creek is a historical community in northwestern Scott County located along Highway 378. The community of Kings Creek is situated along a tributary of the Petit Jean River that carries the same name. Agriculture has traditionally been important to Kings Creek and the surrounding area.

Prior to European exploration, the area surrounding Kings Creek was an unexplored wilderness. Species of wildlife that longer inhabit the area, such as elk and buffalo, were present throughout the region. Archaeological findings have provided evidence of early inhabitants dating to the Archaic, Woodland, and Mississippian periods. Additional evidence has indicated that the Caddo tribe had a strong presence along the Petit Jean River and other prominent waterways.

Throughout the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries, French trappers and explorers traveled west from the Arkansas Post along the Arkansas River. From there, they began traversing smaller tributaries such as the Petit Jean and Poteau rivers. It is likely that they traveled through the area where Kings Creek is now located.

White settlers began arriving in Kings Creek and the surrounding area circa 1830. The area continued to be settled through the late nineteenth century. Most families participated in a wide variety of agricultural practices.

The Civil War affected people living in the area near Kings Creek as it did throughout the rest of the Confederacy. Men who were called to fight in the war served with both the Confederacy and Union. The women, children, and the elderly were left to look after the homes and farms.

Slate Cemetery was established in Kings Creek circa 1865 and named after the Slate family who settled in the area and donated land for the cemetery. A large number of the marked graves in the cemetery are those of members of the Slate family. A second cemetery, named Bethel Cemetery, was established just north of Kings Creek.

In January 1915, Pine Grove School District (Number 22) was closed. A portion of the school district was moved to create Kings Creek School District (Number 34). Kings Creek School District was closed and consolidated with Waldron (Scott County) sometime between 1940 and 1954.

Kings Creek is served by the Northwest Scott County Volunteer Fire Department. Agriculture is still an important way of life in Kings Creek, mostly in the form of cattle and chicken farms. Hunting and fishing are common recreational activities.

For additional information:
Cate, Michael. History of Scott County, Arkansas. Dallas, TX: Curtis Media Corporation, 1991.

Echoes: The Scott County Historical and Genealogical Society Quarterly. Waldron, AR: Scott County Historical and Genealogical Society (1986–).

Goodner, Charles. Scott County in Retrospect. Mansfield, AR: Frank Boyd, 1976.

Goodner, Norman. A History of Scott County, Arkansas. Siloam Springs, AR: Bar D Press, 1941.

McCutchon, Henry Grady. History of Scott County, Arkansas. Little Rock: H. G. Pugh and Company, 1922.

Ty Richardson
Richardson Preservation Consulting