August 3, 1919

Samuel Fordyce died in Atlantic City, New Jersey; he is buried in St. Louis, Missouri. Fordyce was a businessman who spearheaded efforts to build thousands of miles of railway in the South and Southwest during the late nineteenth century, including the Cotton Belt route that crossed Arkansas. He also was a major force behind the transformation of Hot Springs (Garland County) from a small village to a major health resort. The town of Fordyce (Dallas County) is named for him, as is the Fordyce Bath House in Hot Springs.