September 27, 1875

The name Petit Jean was discontinued for a town in Yell County. Originally called Red Lick, the area became known as Petit Jean in 1866, after the nearby river. The town is now known as Ola (Yell County). Ola is the third-largest town in Yell County. The area that became Ola was part of the Ward Township, Section 3, Township 4 North, Range 21 West. The 1850 Census shows twenty-two families residing within the Ward Township and includes a store and scattered, outlying homesteads. Postal service was established in 1848. Early settlers came from North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama, and Tennessee, attracted to the area by its cheap land and commercial possibilities.