Arkansas History

Just over 183 years have passed since Arkansas officially became the 25th state of the United States of America. In January of 1836, Arkansas residents held a constitutional convention with the goal of forming a constitution and state government.

On June 10, 1936, President Franklin D. Roosevelt visited Arkansas in conjunction with the Arkansas Centennial celebration (June 15 is actual statehood date).

After making history and integrating Central High School with other members of the Little Rock Nine in 1957, Ernest Gideon Green became the school’s first African-American graduate on May 27, 1958. Green’s family was joined by Martin Luther King Jr. to celebrate the historic moment.

On Saturday, May 18, 1963, amidst fanfare and fans of the arts, the Arkansas Arts Center officially opened its doors. The dedication featured remarks from U.S. Senator J. William Fulbright, Rep. Wilbur Mills, Little Rock Mayor Byron Morse and Winthrop and Jeanette Rockefeller.

While this spring has brought its fair share of showers, they pale in comparison to the record rainfall 82 years ago. April 1927 saw unprecedented rainfall in Arkansas, with over 7 inches falling on Little Rock in just a few hours. As lakes, rivers and stream beds filled with water, all of the levees from Fort Smith to Little Rock began to fail.

April 5 marked the 96th anniversary of the burning of a historic building in Hot Springs. The famous Arlington Hotel, synonymous with the Spa City since its inception in 1875, suffered its demise after an employee saw smoke coming from an electrical panel.

On Feb. 16, 1940, after three years of planning and construction, the Joseph Taylor Robinson Memorial Auditorium officially opened.

On this week in 1832, Mayor Matthew Cunningham presided over Little Rock’s first council meeting. Since there was no government hall, the meeting happened at his house, which was located somewhere on the block bordered by what is now Main, 3rd, Louisiana and 4th streets.

2018 marks the 80th anniversary of the lighting of the Arkansas State Capitol at Christmastime. The custom originated in 1938 when Secretary of State C. G. “Crip” Hall began adding holiday lights to the Capitol’s exterior.

With temperatures in the lower 90s on an extraordinarily hot day, President John F. Kennedy spoke on Oct. 3, 1963, at the Arkansas State Fairgrounds. This was only a few weeks before he would be assassinated.

On Sept. 18, 1948, War Memorial Stadium opened as the Arkansas Razorbacks defeated Abilene Christian by a score of 40 to 6.