January 21, 1883

A fire swept through Washington (Hempstead County), destroying a number of businesses. The Cairo and Fulton railroad line had become the new economic artery, and rather than rebuilding in Washington, most businesses moved to Hope (Hempstead County), thus precipitating the decline of Washington. In the late 1870s, Hope began to promote the idea that the county seat should be relocated from Washington to Hope. For sixty years, and through several elections, Hope tried to gain the county seat. Unethical behavior abounded on both sides, consisting of lies, cheating, mud-slinging, and election fraud. Finally, the Arkansas Supreme Court intervened and, in a ruling in May 1939, declared Hope as the county seat of Hempstead County.