Jacksonville, Arkansas

Book excerpt: Until recently, the footprints of history fell softly on Jacksonville, Arkansas. Situated 12 miles northeast of Little Rock and the Arkansas River, the Jacksonville area's first white settlers came to the Arkansas Territory in the early 1800s. Most traveled by the rough Southwest Trail from Missouri or the Military Road from Memphis, which also saw many Native Americans passing on their Trail of Tears. In 1836, Arkansas was admitted to the Union as a slave state. Registered as a town June 29, 1870, the coming of the railroad brought more people to Jacksonville. However, little changed here from 1870 to 1930, except women's hemlines, the arrival of automobiles, the telephone, and electricity. The rural community of about two hundred people built homes, raised cotton, and established churches and schools. Businesses prospered, and family names grew. Still, Jacksonville's main street remained unpaved. Improvements and growth began when a Civilian Conservation Corp camp was established during the Depression. Later, the Jacksonville Ordinance Plant employed thousands during WW II, and in 1955 the Little Rock Air Force Base was built, eventually swelling the population to almost 30,000 today.