Photos of the Day - Starting with M

The Brooks-Baxter War, which occurred during April and May 1874, was an armed conflict between the supporters of two rivals for the governorship–Joseph Brooks (bottom left) and Elisha Baxter (top right). The violence spilled out of Little Rock (Pulaski County) into much of the state and was resolved only when the federal government intervened. The result of the war, recognition of Baxter as the governor, brought a practical end to Republican rule in the state and thus ended the era of Reconstruction. This period print shows Baxter’s forces under General King White gathering at Pine Bluff (Jefferson County).

One of the most famous images depicting Arkansas is that of the painting by Edward P. Washbourne titled “Arkansas Traveler.” Completed in 1856, the painting was rendered for public consumption as a lithograph by J. H. Buford of Boston, Massachusetts, in 1859. Through the years, the lithograph has been reprinted many times, making it one of the most recognizable images associated with Arkansas.

In 1925, Jacob Hartz Sr. became a pioneer in soybean production when he arranged for the planting of the state’s first crop. Shortly afterward, he and business partner Alfred Thorell formed the Hartz-Thorell Supply Co. in Arkansas County, and, by 1927, they had built the state’s first seed cleaner. In 1936, they owned the state’s first seed-processing plant, located in Stuttgart (Arkansas County).

Singer Johnny Cash (right), who was born in Kingsland (Cleveland County), returned to the area in May 1959 for a fishing trip with close friend and fellow singer Johnny Horton. They are shown here on the steps of the town’s post office.

In 1935, Governor J. Marion Futrell signed Act 120 into law, creating the first Arkansas police force with statewide enforcement authority. The department consisted of thirteen officers, of which seven were designated as “rangers.” It has since grown to more than 1,000 officers, who are now known as “troopers.” The first superintendent of the new police force was A. Gray Albright, shown here.

Julius Rosenwald was one of the most important figures in Southern African American education. Although a successful businessman, his philanthropic work has always overshadowed his financial success. In 1917, he established the Julius Rosenwald Fund, which provided grants to build schools for black students across the South. By the time the fund was depleted in 1932, it had aided in the construction of 389 school buildings in Arkansas. Most of these were built in the southeastern part of the state.