Arcadia Bestsellers

Vintage postcards and photographs depict the history of this Arkansas resort, Hot Springs.

From its rise in the 1800s until well into the twentieth century, Hot Springs was a famed resort known worldwide. The grand hotels and world-class bath houses that sprang up around the government-protected springs drew countless visitors, ranging from the  famous and wealthy to those of humble means, all seeking the health and pleasure promised by the Spa City's promoters. In the words of a railroad tourist guidebook from about 1910, A stay at Hot Springs, be it ever so brief, always remains a pleasant memory afterward. It was the writer's good fortune to spend a few days at this popular resort—not as an invalid, I am happy to say, but as a tourist—and I certainly never bathed in more delightful water than that which flows so abundantly from the hot springs of Arkansas. There is buoyancy, a magnetism about it that is simply indescribable. Such has been the experience of countless visitors over the years. Readers will find much of the history of this storied resort in Hot Springs, Arkansas, which is profusely illustrated with vintage postcards and photographs, all carefully interpreted by the authors, Ray and Steven Hanley, with research assistance from Mark Blaeuer of the Hot Springs National Park staff.

See why and how Pine Bluff/Jefferson County has been one of the Arkansas Delta's most culturally-rich areas since its inception in 1829.

Serving as a haven for runaway slaves during the late years of the Civil War, the Pine Bluff/Jefferson County area attracted droves of African-Americans throughout the Delta and south Arkansas. Brimming with talent and expectations, they and their descendants traveled a road full of extremes. Although they endured what appears to have been the largest mass lynching in United State history in 1866, they also attained one of the largest per-capita concentrations of black wealth in the entire South by 1900.

As the hands that labored in the area's boundless cotton fields and sawmills joined with the hands that held books at the state's only historically black public college, astonishing accomplishments were churned out in every imaginable field. Naturally, Pine Bluff/Jefferson County's Delta roots made its blues, jazz, and gospel contributions a source of pride, with native or area-affiliated artists receiving multiple Grammy awards and nominations, as well as other distinctions.

Anchored around the county seat of Jasper with a population of less than 500, Newton County is a nature lover's dream.

The majority of the county is composed of the Ozark National Forest and the scenic corridor of the Buffalo National River, the nation's first national river. Spring weekends find the area filled with vehicles bearing canoes and kayaks traveling to float the incomparable Buffalo River and, as year-round backpackers head out for scores of trails through the most striking wilderness in the eastern half of the nation. Amidst the scenery, long before the backpackers and vacationing families, Newton County was home to self-sufficient pioneers who began arriving in the early 1800s to build log cabins and farms to support their families—a spirit that remains today.

Discover how Fayetteville went from being a small town called Washington Courthouse only to bloom into one of Arkansas' largest and most vital cities.

The town of Fayetteville was originally known as Washington Courthouse and prospered during its first two decades, until it suffered decimation during the Civil War as troops moved throughout the region. In 1871, Fayetteville successfully bid to be home to the University of Arkansas, the state's first public university. Today, the city represents a cultural convergence, with remnants of historic trails such as the Military Road between St. Louis and Fort Smith and the Trail of Tears. Author and historian Charlie Alison details pivotal events that shaped the city.

Join Ray and Diane Hadley as they retell the history of the communities that make up Jonesboro and Arkansas’s Northeast Corner in vintage images.

When Union soldiers returned North after the Civil War, they brought home stories of a sparsely populated area with bountiful timber and potential for homes and farms. Over the next 50 years, first by wagon train and then by railroads, settlers came to build not only homes and farms but also thriving communities in the Clay, Greene, and Craighead counties of northeastern Arkansas. Today, visitors and residents of the area see the bustle of Jonesboro and the thriving Arkansas State University. Readers of Jonesboro and Arkansas' Historic Northeast Corner will discover Jonesboro as it lived a century ago, a promising town of 7,000 citizens. As the 20th Century opened, modern and attractive towns such as Corning, Piggott, Rector, and Paragould began to thrive. The evolution of these historic areas-from slow-paced villages with dirt roads and horse-drawn wagons to the bustling towns of the late 20th century-is chronicled in this Images of America edition.

Independence County was created by the Arkansas Territorial Legislature on October 20, 1820. Settled long before then, the region had been claimed by both Spain and France. In 1819, an early traveler described Polk Bayou as being "pleasant and advantageous as a commercial and agricultural depot." The photographs in this book, many never before published, date back to the earliest days of the county, including some of the earliest homes in the area.

Established in 1829, the largest county in Arkansas is Union County, sprawling 1,000 square miles along the state line with Louisiana. In between the county’s pine forests and wilderness are little hamlets and winding roads that anchor the “city of black gold,” El Dorado, the county seat. 

The history of Union County is about the land and its people, from the first settlers to those who marched off to war. It is also about a seismic shift from a sleepy small town supported by farming and timber to a great boomtown with the striking of oil in 1921. Thousands of people poured in, and the area would never be the same again, with the impact spanning the next century. Even after the great heady days of the oil boom were in the past, Union County and El Dorado would diversify their industry for the future.

Author Ray Hanley is a retired health care and IT executive. He is one of the most published historians in Arkansas, with over 21 books published and a daily newspaper feature, Arkansas Postcard Past, in the Arkansas Democrat Gazette, appearing since 1986. El Dorado and Union County’s history is told here in vivid postcards and historic photographs with the assistance of the South Arkansas Historical Preservation Society.

View the resort town of Hot Springs, Arkansas from 1900-1960 in postcard images.

From the 1890s to the 1920s, the postcard was an extraordinarily popular means of communication, and many of the postcards produced during this golden age can today be considered works of art. Early in the century, Hot Springs was among the most noted resorts in the nation. Its Victorian wonders drew thousands of visitors to partake in the hot mineral waters that bubbled from the earth. In the words written on one card in 1910, Many people of wealth are here from Chicago and New York. Uncle Billy went to the horse show ball at the Eastman Hotel with an ex-wife of a millionaire. Andrew Carnegie and young Jay Gould were at the ball.  Showcased in this fascinating collection are over two hundred postcards from 1900 to 1960. The images are accompanied by the actual penned messages of visitors and extensively researched historical facts.

From humble beginnings in 1873 as a water stop on the Cairo and Fulton Railroad, Cabot is now the largest city in Lonoke County.

Incorporated on November 9, 1891, Cabot had a dark history before its current incarnation--before the city existed, a typhoid epidemic left over 1500 Confederate soldiers dead and buried in poorly-marked graves, and the infamous Trail of Tears also passed through the town. But where there was tragedy, there was also success from the Butterfield Overland Express and the Southwest Trail. Despite its rich history, Cabot was often overshadowed by its larger neighbors, but the construction of the Little Rock Air Force Base in nearby Jacksonville saw the population of Cabot explode. In 1976, the city was devastated by a killer tornado that destroyed much of the old business district. Since its recovery from the storm, the city has experienced steady growth as a bedroom community to Little Rock and has been designated as an Arkansas boomtown.

Formed in 1820, Phillips County was named for Sylvanus Phillips, an early settler; Helena, the county seat, was named for Phillip's daughter and was incorporated in 1833.

Helena was a major river town and was the economic and social center of the region. Lumber mills, cotton-oil mills, railroads, and river traffic contributed to a thriving economy. Helena's various ethnic groups played an important role in society and commerce, including African Americans, Chinese, Lebanese, Greek, Italian, and others. Situated on the Mississippi River and the southern tip of Crowley's Ridge, Helena's history includes Hernando de Soto, Jacques Marquette, and seven confederate generals. The rich alluvial soil along the river attracted wealthy planters who transformed the forests into productive plantations and luxurious homes. In more recent years, Phillips County has suffered the loss of jobs and a declining population, resulting in a struggling economy.

Join author Glenn Mosenthin as he recounts the history of Stuttgart, Arkansas and how the Mississippi River helped to create this progressive city.

Stuttgart was founded in 1880 by a colony of German Lutherans who moved from Ohio to Arkansas's Grand Prairie. The city grew steadily after the Cotton Belt Railroad arrived in 1883. A group of realtors promoted Stuttgart to residents of Midwestern states, attracting a large population influx. Initially, the main income sources were hay and cattle, but that changed forever after rice was successfully grown near Stuttgart. The first rice mill was built in 1907, followed in 1921 by the creation of a farmers' cooperative that is now the world's largest rice processor and marketer. By the 1930s, Stuttgart's location on the Mississippi Flyway, along with abundant surface water, led to its renown as a waterfowl hunter's paradise. The World Championship Duck Calling Contest has been held here since 1936, and today it is a nationally known event. In the post–World War II era, Stuttgart launched a successful industrial development campaign that resulted in today's progressive city.

Rediscover the rich heritage of Little Rock through its lost architectural treasures as told by Ray Hanley, a lifelong Arkansan and resident of Little Rock.

Little Rock is a sprawling city of about 200,000 at the center of a metropolitan area of more than 500,000 people, with many residing in bedroom communities in adjoining counties. Arkansas's capital city is much like the rest of Middle America with its outlying suburbs, gated communities, and shopping centers miles from the historic core. A century ago, however, Little Rock was markedly different and served a population of fewer than 50,000. The majority of citizens lived within blocks of the town center and did business downtown along rows of shops that, in many cases, dated to the late 1800s. Images of America: Lost Little Rock uses vintage photographs to reflect upon earlier times and the rich retail landscape that once filled the town. By exploring the legacies of buildings that have since been demolished, repurposed, or destroyed by fire, these images provide a sense of Little Rock's lesser-known heritage.

One of the oldest counties in Arkansas, Clark County was established in 1818 as part of the Missouri Territory and named for Missouri governor William Clark, also of the Lewis and Clark expedition. 

The presence of the Caddo and Ouachita Rivers and its location on historical travel routes—the Southwest Trail, the Military Road, and the Bankhead Highway—contributed to settlement and economic development from a frontier town to today. Arkadelphia, the county seat since 1842, has been a center of higher education since the late 19th century, with two universities, Henderson State and Ouachita Baptist. Each year the two universities compete in the famed “Battle of the Ravine,” dating back to 1895, the only college football rivalry in the nation for which the visiting team walks to the game. In March 1997, much of Arkadelphia’s main business district and several residential districts were leveled by a devastating F-4 tornado. After the process of recovery and rebuilding, the city continues to flourish as the county’s center of government, commerce, medicine, and education. 

Dr. Lisa Speer is the university archivist and a professor at Ouachita Baptist University. Speer previously served as director of the Arkansas State Archives and state historian from 2013 to 2018. She also serves as vice president of the Clark County Museum board. The photographs featured in this volume came primarily from the archives at Henderson State University, Ouachita Baptist University, and the Clark County Museum.

Pulaski County, one of Arkansas’s original five counties, has been a political and cultural center for the state since 1819, being the home of the state’s capitol and the seat of the state’s economic power.  Located in the Arkansas River valley, Pulaski County is marked by bustling communities and has been home to colorful Arkansas characters, such as Chester Ashley and William Woodruff, and civil rights pioneers, such as Scipio Jones and Daisy Bates. These luminaries left traces and trails in the architecture throughout the county that attest to their cultural and economic world. This book serves as a document to the buildings they left behind and how the county has changed in the last 200 years. /Author Brian David Irby dives into the Arkansas State Archives’ photograph collection to tell the story of Pulaski County’s development.