Images of America Sale

From a hot springs attraction to a central location for gangsters, gambling, moonshine and organized crime, trace the evolution of this loose buckle in the Bible belt, now a resort and major tourist destination.

In the late 1800s, Hot Springs, Arkansas, was a small town with a big attraction: hot thermal water. The federal government took possession of the downtown-area springs, and bathhouse row was born, along with the first property that would be considered a national park. Following not too far behind were great entrepreneurs who brought in gambling and prostitution to go with the area's leading industry: moonshining. By the time the 20th century rolled in, Hot Springs was booming with tourists and became America's first resort. In the early 1930s, former New York gangster Owen Madden took up residence in the spa city, and things became very organized. Gangland luminaries from Al Capone to Frank Costello made regular pilgrimages over the next few decades to what was referred to as the loose buckle in the Bible Belt.   

Nearly 200 vintage images capture the development of the tiny Eureka Springs, Arkansas and the story of a closely held secret that cured the ill.

For hundreds of years, Osage and Cherokee Indians knew of the healing waters that sprang from the rocks in the dark reaches of the Ozark Mountains. Around 1828, pioneers from Tennessee pushed west and began to settle in the area that would eventually be named Eureka Springs. Captured here in almost 200 vintage images are the growth and development of this tiny town and the story of a closely held secret that cured the ill. Dr. Alvah Jackson discovered the healing power of the spring's water when his application of the waters surging from the ground cured his son's chronic eye problem. Word spread, and people began to come in droves. The area was incorporated in 1879 and named Eureka Springs, meaning ""I found it."" Featured here are the residents, buildings, and events that shaped the tiny hamlet in the mountains, including the Crescent Hotel, the Carnegie Library, decades of visitors to the springs, and the local heroes of the First National Bank Robbery of 1922.

Founded on America's frontier in 1828, Fayetteville soon became a trade center and educational oasis for northwest Arkansas and the Indian Territory just to the west.

Its location up in Ozark hills gave it a picturesque setting, a healthy climate, and diverse economy. The earliest residents named the town Washington Court because it was the county seat of Washington County, but its name was changed to Fayetteville in 1829, soon becoming synonymous with education in Arkansas. Fayetteville provided numerous educational firsts, including the first public school district, the first college chartered to award degrees, the first state university, and the first school and university in the South to integrate. In addition to being a cultural crossroads, Fayetteville also proved to be a literal crossroads for the following: the Trail of Tears, the Butterfield stagecoach route, and the St. Louis & San Francisco Railway. They fostered a citizenry that thrived on commerce while encouraging education and tourism.

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.

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.

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.

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.

One of America’s first national parks, Hot Springs has welcomed the famous and the infamous, all seeking the healing elements of her waters.

Hot Springs was one of the first areas set aside as a federal land reservation in 1832—predating the first national park at Yellowstone by 40 years. In 1921, it was officially designated a national park. Physically the smallest of the 59 US national parks today, Hot Springs measures just larger than 5,500 acres. Its 47 on-site springs produce more than 700,000 gallons of thermal water per day. From early natives who quarried novaculite found in the surrounding hills to famous politicians, performers, and athletes, people have been coming to these springs for thousands of years to partake in the supposed healing powers of the water. President Franklin Roosevelt, boxer Jack Dempsey, and French opera diva Lily Pons are a few of the visitors who made the trek to the Valley of the Vapors. The history of Hot Springs National Park revolves around people's' interactions with its thermal water.

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.

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.

Explore the once quaint farming town of Historic Monte NE. With images throughout the centuries, witness its transformation into a tourism hotspot during the 1920s.

Situated in a lush, spring-fed valley, the town of Silver Springs in Northwest Arkansas was once home to a small community of people who farmed, enjoyed the riches of rural life, and gathered at the local auditorium, gristmill, or tavern. Their world was forever changed in 1900 with the arrival of William Hope Coin Harvey. A fervent supporter of the free silver movement in the 1890s, Harvey had become disgruntled with the American financial system. Retreating to the pastoral valley, Harvey purchased 320 acres, renamed the community Monte Ne, and began to build a grand resort. It attracted visitors from across the country with its fertile landscape, large hotels, and private rail line. By the 1920s, Harvey had turned his attention to building a large time capsule pyramid, of which only the foyer, or amphitheater, was completed.

From a small settlement surrounding a railroad depot sprang a community that is today one of Arkansas's most vibrant commercial, educational, and governmental resources.

The early railroad and cotton booms brought commerce and culture to a once pastoral frontier landscape. Drawn from the Faulkner County Historical Society Collectionand the University of Central Arkansas Archives, this collection of vintage images brings the city's unique heritage to life as never before. The story of Conway was borne from the vision of Colonel Asa Peter Robinson, known as the Father of Conway, and is as fascinating as the lives of its diverse inhabitants.

This volume explores the successes of early entrepreneurs like Max Frauenthal, Jo Frauenthal, and Leo Schwartz, who helped lay the foundation for a flourishing economic prosperity. Rare glimpses of horse racing, the historic WACSprogram, and early downtown businesses are all here for your discovery.

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.

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.

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.

During the mid- to late 19th century, Cane Hill was a thriving community centered on agriculture, industry, religion, and education.

It was also the home of many Arkansas “firsts.” Founded in 1827 by Cumberland Presbyterians from eastern Tennessee and Kentucky, it was Washington County’s first permanent settlement, predating nearby Fayetteville (1828).In 1834, residents founded Arkansas’s first public school and library.That school later became Cane Hill College, one of the state’s first institutions of higher learning and the first Arkansas university to admit and graduate women.The town also witnessed the Trail of Tears and a Civil War battle.Today, the town is home to an amazing collection of historic architecture, including 16 properties listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

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.

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.

Readers interested in World War II will enjoy this in-depth depiction of Arkansas beginning in 1941. When the United States entered World War II in the winter of 1941, Arkansas was still in the grips of the Great Depression as farmers struggled with crop failures and being able to support their families. When the United States declared war on the Axis powers, Arkansans demonstrated their patriotism as they enlisted in droves in the military. The people of the state served with honor on the battlefield and on the home front, and families rationed food and resources, bought war bonds, and served the war effort in other ways. Women, traditionally tied to working at home, volunteered to work in factories to support the war effort. The war had a darker side as hundreds of Japanese Americans suspected of disloyalty to the United States were herded into the state’s two relocation centers. Some of Arkansas’s World War II heroes, those who sacrificed on the battlefield and the home front to win the epic struggle and save the world from tyranny, are featured through archival photographs in this book.

Brian David Irby is a longtime student of history, completing his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in history from the University of Central Arkansas. He has been on staff at the Arkansas State Archives since 2008, where he has been immersed in Arkansas’s history. 

Arkansas has always been among the leading states whose people stepped up to defend the nation in times of war.

On a few thousand acres of land across the Arkansas River from the capital city of Little Rock, this dedication is evident. Images of America: Camp Robinson and the Military on the North Shore traces the area's military history from the founding of Fort Logan H. Roots in the late 1800s through the training for World War I and World War II, when as many as 50,000 men and women were stationed at Camp Robinson at any one time. This book pays tribute to the Arkansas National Guard, which is still based at Camp Robinson and has served countless times in times of war and natural disasters. Illustrated with rare photographs spanning more than a century, Camp Robinson and the Military on the North Shore commemorates one of the proudest military training grounds in the nation's history.

Settled in part by the Native American tribes of the Mississippi Delta and later French explorers, the area was always an agricultural gold-mine. As seen in many farm reliant communities, education fell second to tilling the fields. As the rest of the world began its rapid ascension from agriculture to industrialization, the farmers of the Delta, poor and uneducated, were left behind the rest of the nation. This new book, featuring remarkable images of the one-room schoolhouses, teachers, and students of the many communities of the Delta, spans over two centuries, as the authors trace the history of education in the Arkansas Delta from its roots in the mid-19th century to its current state in the dawn of the 21st century.