March 23, 2012

Arkansas City (Desha County) is a small community located in southeast Arkansas, nestled against a levee that protects it from the Mississippi River. Before the Flood of 1927, the city—which was incorporated in 1872—was a major trade and cultural center and was one of the most important ports on the Mississippi River. By the 1950s, much of the city’s business sector was virtually deserted, with many of the buildings unused.