October 18, 1820

Crawford County was created, encompassing a large part of Indian Territory and all or part of five present-day counties—Scott, Sebastian, Franklin, Washington, and Pope. It was named to honor William H. Crawford of Georgia, who was then the secretary of the treasury. Due to the extensive geographical area, it was often referred to as the “empire county.” Modern-day Crawford County is situated in northwest Arkansas in the Ozark Mountains. The Boston Mountains to the north and the Arkansas River Valley to the south provide a diverse landscape and play an important role in the economy. The county is centrally located within the nation, thus allowing desirable north-south and east-west transportation networks to support industrialization, manufacturing, and tourism growth.