Hopefield, Arkansas

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Hopefield was a small community on the Mississippi River in Crittenden County, Arkansas. [1] Its location is near or included within the current limits of the city of West Memphis, Arkansas. [2] [3] It was a ferry crossing point to Memphis, Tennessee, [2] and was served by an east-west rail line built by the Memphis and Little Rock Railroad that eventually became a mainline of the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railway. [4] [5] During the American Civil War General Stephen Hurlbut had the town burned to combat rebel activity. [2] It was rebuilt, hit by a series of Yellow Fever epidemics, and diminished by erosion. [2] Hopefield Chute, an Ox Bow also called Dacus Lake, and Hopefield Lake are in the area, as well as some remains. [2] G. W. Watson moved there.

The area was once known as Camp Esperanza under Spanish rule. [6] In the 1840s there were plans to develop land in the area. [7] Several locations in the area were surveyed and marked. [8]

An 1880 report discusses the area being quarantined with mounted men stationed to patrol it. [9]

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References

  1. "Hopefield (historical)". Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior . Retrieved March 26, 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "Encyclopedia of Arkansas". Encyclopedia of Arkansas.
  3. "West Memphis". Discover Arkansas. Retrieved March 22, 2023.
  4. "The Memphis and Little Rock Railroad (M&LR)". Encyclopedia of Arkansas. Retrieved March 21, 2023.
  5. "Publications of the Arkansas Historical Association". The Association. February 15, 1911 via Google Books.
  6. Shinn, Josiah Hazen (February 15, 1908). "Pioneers and Makers of Arkansas". Genealogical and Historical Publishing Company via Google Books.
  7. Court, Arkansas Supreme (February 15, 1918). "Arkansas Reports: Cases Determined in the Supreme Court of the State of Arkansas, at the ..." Woodruff Print. Company via Google Books.
  8. Survey, U. S. Coast and Geodetic; Sutcliffe, Walter Draper (February 15, 1934). "First-order Triangulation and Traverse in Arkansas (1927 Datum)". U.S. Government Printing Office via Google Books.
  9. Association, American Public Health (February 15, 1880). "Public Health Papers and Reports". American Public Health Association. via Google Books.

Coordinates: 35°09′19″N90°04′29″W / 35.15528°N 90.07472°W / 35.15528; -90.07472