March 19, 1887

An election was held in which Russellville (Pope County) beat out all competing cities to be the Pope County seat (it had been located at Dover since 1841), though Atkins finished a close second. Russellville, which was incorporated on June 7, 1870, grew slowly until construction of the Little Rock and Fort Smith Railroad, which had been on hold since the Civil War. After the line came through Russellville in 1873, the city grew rapidly. By 1876, the city had a population of approximately 800 serviced by fifteen stores, two cotton gins, and six doctors. The city growth prompted a debate on moving the county seat to one of the growing business centers adjacent to the new tracks.