Table of Contents

Dedication iii
Table of Contents v
Foreword xi
Acknowledgements xiii
Introduction xv
 
Part I: The History of Garland County, Arkansas 3
 
The Land 3
Topography of Arkansas 3
Natural History of the Ouachita Region 4
Topography of Garland County 4
Geology of Garland County 5
Mineralogy of Garland County 5
 
The First Residents: Native Americans in Garland County 7
 
Explorers, Pioneers, Settlers and Founders 11
The Colonial Period, European Exploration 11
The Territorial Period 16
The Settlers and Founders 17
 
Civil War and Reconstruction 21
 
The Economy 27
Tourism 27
Thermal Water 28
Farming, Industry, Timber Production 28
Transportation 29
Political and Economic Evolution: 1829 to Mid-1940s 30
Thoroughbred Horse Racing 33
Natural Disasters 33
Banking 35
Mining 35
Roads and Highways 35
The Dams 35
Industrial Development 35
Retail and Commerce 36
Dierks Forests, Inc. 38
Ouachita Area Development Council 38
Garland County Economic Development Corporation 38
 
Cultural Activities 39
Drama and Theatre 39
Film 41
Fine Arts 43
Music 46
Poetry and Creative Writing 49
Museums 50
 
Media 51
Newspapers 51
Radio 54
Telegraph 57
Advertising and Promotion 57
Chamber of Commerce 59
Media From the Past 60
 
Transportation 62
Water 64
Horses, Carriages, Wagons, Stagecoaches 64
Railroads 66
Trolleys and Streetcars 70
Buses & Intra- and Para-Transit Service 70
Transportation Plaza and Farmers Market 71
Automobiles 72
Roads and Highways 73
Air 75
Trucking 78
 
Public Safety, Public Services, Public Utilities 79
Public Safety and Services 80
Hot Spring Police Department 80
Hot Springs Fire Department 81
Sanitation 84
Public Utilities 85
Wastewater 87
Water 89
Natural Gas 89
Electricity 90
Dams 91
Public Works 92
Environmental Health Services 92
Garland County Health Department 92
 
Education 93
History of Hot Springs City Schools 94
History of Garland County Rural Schools 99
Parent Teacher Associations 101
Other Schools in Garland County 103
 
Government 106
Territorial Officers 107
Creation of Arkansas Territory 107
Hot Spring County 107
Creation of Garland County 109
Incorporation of Hot Springs 109
Courthouses of Hot Spring and Garland Counties 110
City Jail 111
Political Townships in Garland County 112
Mayor/Board of Directors/Manager Systems 112
Garland County Officials 113
Judicial Department 114
Garland County Courts Building 114
United States District Court 115
United States Census 115
Public Buildings 115
City Hall 115
First City Auditorium 116
Second Auditorium 117
Hot Springs Convention Center and Public Arena 117
Garland County Public Library 117
United States Federal Building 118
The United States Postal Service 118
Leo P. McLaughlin Era 120
Hot Springs/Garland County Beautification Commission 120
Central Business Improvement Districts 121
Ouachita National Forest 122
Garland County Officials, 1873-2009 123
 
National Register of Historic Places 125
 
Organizations, Associations, Civic Groups, Clubs 149
Cultural Groups 149
Foundations 151
Fraternal Organizations 153
Fraternal Insurance Organizations 155
Garden Clubs 156
Labor Organizations 156
Literary and Scholarly Clubs 157
Masonic Organizations 158
Other Charitable Organizations 158
Service Clubs and Organizations 159
Social and Civic Clubs in the African American Community 163
Social Clubs 163
Special Projects and Sports Clubs 164
Veterans Organizations 168
Veterans Organizations of the Past 170
Welfare of the Community: Seniors, Crisis Intervention, Treatment Centers 170
Women?s Patriotic Groups 175
Youth and Family Organizations 176
 
Recreation 181
Lake Recreation 181
Fishing 184
Boating and Water Sports 186
Camping 186
Golf 186
Hiking, Running, Biking 187
Recreational Facilities and Parks in Hot Springs 187
Recreation and Entertainment From the Past 190
Gambling Era in Hot Springs 191
Natural Springs, Resorts, and Spas of the Past 197
Modern Entertainment on Central and Whittington Avenues 201
Family Entertainment Within Garland County 203
Racing and Oaklawn Jockey Club 206
Baseball 207
Basketball 211
Boxing and Wrestling 211
Historical Markers in Hot Springs 211
Special Events and Pageants 213
 
Business and Industry 215
Industry and Manufacturing 215
Natural Resources 216
Forest Products Industry 217
Mining in Garland County 218
Dairy Industry 222
Banking 223
Hotels, Boarding Houses, Motor Courts, Motels 227
Downtown Merchants of Yesteryear 232
Small Business 233
 
Health Care 251
Health Care Facilities in Garland County 253
Earliest Member of the Medical Community 266
Drugstores 266
 
Religion 269
Overview of Denominations in Garland County 270
Religious Denominations Represented in Hot Springs in 1947 266
Churches in the 1960s 271
Churches in Garland County 271
Histories of Churches in Garland County 271
 
Cemeteries and Burial Sites 313
Eastern Garland County Cemeteries 313
Western Garland County Cemeteries 315
Historic Cemeteries in the City of Hot Springs 318
Funeral Homes in Hot Springs Through the Years 320
Other Funeral Homes Through the Years 322
 
Cities and Communities 323
Formation of Garland County 324
Courthouses 324
Hot Springs: County Seat of Garland County 324
Lineage of Garland County Townships 325
Township Histories 325
Hotels and Inns, Resorts and Springs in Union Township 341
Garland County Communities and Neighborhoods of Special Interest 342
 
Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas 345
 
William Jefferson Clinton in Hot Springs, Arkansas 357
 
APPENDIX 367
Maps of Historical Interest 367
Corps of Engineers, U. S. Army, May 1949 maps:
     The Ouachita River		 374
Corps of Engineers, U. S. Army, May 1949 maps:
     Lake Ouachita Blakely Mountain Dam and Reservoir		 375
Corps of Engineers, U. S. Army, May 1949 maps:
     Lake Hamilton and Carpenter Dam		 376
Corps of Engineers, U. S. Army, May 1949 maps:
     Lake Catherine and Remmel Dam		 377
Sources 378
Bibliography 381
 
Part II: The Heritage Collection of Garland County Family Histor 389
Garland County Family Histories 389
Selected Sources 625
 
Index 629
Garland County, Arkansas: Our History and Heritage Index 629