Memphis to Little Rock Road | |
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Route information | |
Length | 135.5 mi (218.1 km) |
Existed | 1819–present |
Major junctions | |
West end | Southwest Trail in Little Rock, AR |
East end | a point opposite the town of Memphis [across the Mississippi River] |
Location | |
Country | United States |
States | Arkansas, Tennessee |
Highway system | |
Settlement routes |
The Memphis to Little Rock Road (also known as the Military Road) was a settlement road constructed between 1819 and Reconstruction in Arkansas. The project was one of many internal improvements (infrastructure projects) to assist settlement of the Old Southwest as well as military defense of the Arkansas Territory.
The city of Memphis was founded on May 22, 1819 by John Overton, James Winchester and Andrew Jackson. [1] [2] Given the advantageous position on the Chickasaw Bluffs above the Mississippi River, the city quickly developed into a trade and transportation center. As King Cotton became more important, the fertile lands of the Mississippi Delta surrounding Memphis becoming cotton plantations, and the city became a major cotton market and brokerage center, as well as a hub for African-American slave trading.
At the time of achieving territorial status in 1819, Arkansas was largely a rough and sparsely wilderness covered by swamps and forests rather than populated settlements. The US government thought a road between Memphis, Tennessee and the nascent territorial capital Little Rock would aid development of the frontier territory. [3] Federal support eventually came on January 31, 1824, with $15,000 ($416,000 in today's dollars) allocated for surveying a route. [4]
Shortly after setting out from Memphis the team of three surveyors found terrain along the route very wet and swampy. Despite arguments over the best alignment, an alignment of 135.5 miles (218.1 km) was selected, cutting the total distance by over 60 miles (97 km) (prior journeys being via Arkansas Post or Helena, Arkansas). [5] By 1828, the 24 feet (7.3 m) wide dirt road was open, though still subject to closures following seasonal rains. By 1831, the Arkansas General Assembly requested an $20,000 ($572,000 in today's dollars) for repairs. [6] Flooding made the road impassible, sometimes for months at a time, impeding the emigrants to settle Arkansas and points west. Now represented by Ambrose Sevier in the US House of Representatives, Arkansas had the ear of President Andrew Jackson. Studies to determine the necessary improvements produced an additional $106,000 ($3,235,000 in today's dollars) from Congress in 1834 to construct an entirely new road, bridges, levees, and drainage improvements. The right-of-way now exceeded 200 feet (61 m), as trees were cleared on both sides of the road to allow sunlight to dry the roadway.
Five preserved segments of the Memphis to Little Rock Road in Arkansas are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Despite arguments over the best alignment, an alignment of 135.5 miles (218.1 km) was selected, cutting the total distance by over 60 miles (97 km) (previous journeys had been via Arkansas Post or Helena, Arkansas. [5]
Memphis to Little Rock Road-Strong's Ferry Segment | |
Nearest city | Jennette, Arkansas |
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Architect | Strong, William |
MPS | Cherokee Trail of Tears MPS |
NRHP reference No. | 12000274 [7] |
Added to NRHP | May 15, 2012 |
The Memphis to Little Rock Road-Strong's Ferry Segment is one of the best-preserved portions of the historic Memphis to Little Rock Road built in 1828. Located in eastern Cross County, Arkansas within the Arkansas Delta, this road is notable for the large numbers of westward-traveling pioneers who used it en route to settling the American Plains, and for its use in the forced migration of several Native American tribes in the 1830s. This roadway portion extends from the site of a former ferry crossing on the St. Francis River, westward toward Village Creek State Park, where there is another surviving segment that is hikable. [8]
The road segment was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2012. [7]
Memphis to Little Rock Road-Village Creek Segment | |
Nearest city | Newcastle, Arkansas |
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Area | 10 acres (4.0 ha) |
Built by | Anderson B. Carr |
MPS | Cherokee Trail of Tears MPS |
NRHP reference No. | 03000193 [7] |
Added to NRHP | April 11, 2003 |
The Memphis to Little Rock Road-Village Creek Segment is a preserved segment of the historic Memphis to Little Rock Road military road in Cross County, Arkansas. Located entirely within Village Creek State Park, this 1.5-mile (2.4 km) segment of roadway is one of the best-preserved portions of the military road built in 1828. The roadway portion, in parts set in dramatically deep cuts in the hills, extends from Village Creek in the east to the western boundary of the park, and is accessible today as a hiking trail. [9]
The road segment was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2003. [7]
Memphis to Little Rock Road-Henard Cemetery Road Segment | |
Location | Henard Cemetery Rd., Zent, Arkansas |
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Coordinates | 34°59′22″N91°9′13″W / 34.98944°N 91.15361°W |
Area | 10 acres (4.0 ha) |
Built by | William Strong |
MPS | Cherokee Trail of Tears MPS |
NRHP reference No. | 03000470 [7] |
Added to NRHP | May 30, 2003 |
The Memphis to Little Rock Road-Henard Cemetery Road Segment is a section of historic roadway in Monroe County, Arkansas. It consists of 650 metres (2,130 ft) of the middle of Henard Cemetery Road, located northeast of the hamlet of Zent in the far northeastern part of the county. The roadway section is one of three known places where the original 19th-century appearance of the first road to connect Memphis, Tennessee to Little Rock, Arkansas is preserved. The far ends of the road have been impacted by development and agriculture, and do not convey the sense of the road's early appearance. The road is also historically important as it was used as part of the Trail of Tears, the forced removal of Native Americans east of the Mississippi River to what is now Oklahoma. [10]
The road segment was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2003. [7]
Memphis to Little Rock Road-Brownsville Segment | |
Nearest city | Brownsville, Arkansas |
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Area | less than one acre |
Built | 1838 |
Built by | Samson Gray |
MPS | Cherokee Trail of Tears MPS |
NRHP reference No. | 03000954 [7] |
Added to NRHP | September 27, 2003 |
The Memphis to Little Rock Road-Brownsville Segment is a historic military road section in Lonoke County, Arkansas. Located north of Lonoke near the hamlet of Brownsville, the road section was part of the 1828 Memphis to Little Rock Military Road. It was used in the 1830s during the Trail of Tears removal of eastern Native American tribes, and was used by military forces on both sides of the American Civil War leading up to the Battle of Brownsville. [11]
The road segment was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2006. [7]
Memphis to Little Rock Road-Bayou Two Prairie Segment | |
Nearest city | Brownsville, Arkansas |
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Area | less than one acre |
Built | 1838 |
Built by | Samson Gray |
MPS | Cherokee Trail of Tears MPS |
NRHP reference No. | 06000836 [7] |
Added to NRHP | September 20, 2006 |
The Memphis to Little Rock Road-Bayou Two Prairie Segment is a historic military road section in Lonoke County, Arkansas. Located north of Lonoke near the hamlet of Brownsville, the road section was part of the 1828 Memphis to Little Rock Military Road. It was used in the 1830s during the Trail of Tears removal of eastern Native American tribes, and was used by military forces on both sides of the American Civil War leading up to the Battle of Brownsville. [12]
The road segment was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2006. [7]
U.S. Route 165 is a north–south United States highway spur of U.S. Highway 65. It currently runs for 412 miles (663 km) from U.S. Route 90 in Iowa, Louisiana north to U.S. Highway 70 in North Little Rock, Arkansas. The route passes through the states of Arkansas and Louisiana. It passes through the cities of Monroe and Alexandria in Louisiana. A segment of US 165 serves as a routing of the Great River Road within Arkansas.
Highway 5 is a designation for three state highways in Arkansas. The southern segment of runs from US 70 and US 70B in Hot Springs north to Interstate 430 (I-430) and US 70 in Little Rock.
Highway 22 is an east–west state highway in the Arkansas River Valley. It is maintained by the Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department (AHTD). The highway runs 75.60 miles (121.67 km) from US 64/US 71B east to Highway 7 in Dardanelle. Following the historic stagecoach line of the cross-country Butterfield Trail, the highway is one of the original 1926 state highways. It is designated by the AHTD as the True Grit Trail.
State Road 2 is a former east–west state highway in the Arkansas Timberlands and Lower Arkansas Delta. The route was approximately 195 miles (314 km), and ran from US Route 67 (US 67) in Texarkana east to cross the Mississippi River near Lake Village, continuing as Mississippi Highway 10. On July 1, 1931, the route was entirely replaced by US Highway 82 (US 82) by the American Association of State Highway Officials (AASHTO). The route was maintained by the Arkansas Highway Department (AHD), now known as the Arkansas Department of Transportation (ArDOT).
Highway 87 is a designation for four north–south state highways in Arkansas. Created during the 1926 Arkansas state highway numbering, the original alignment remains between Bradford and Pleasant Plains, though it has been revised and extended over the years. The three remaining segments are former county roads, connecting rural communities to local points of interest and other state highways. All three were added to the state highway system in 1973 during a period of system expansion. All segments are maintained by the Arkansas Department of Transportation (ArDOT).
Highway 77 is a north–south state highway in Northeast Arkansas. The route of 66.70 miles (107.34 km) runs from US Highway 70 (US 70) in West Memphis north through small towns and agricultural areas of the Arkansas Delta to the Missouri state line. It is generally a low-traffic road except in West Memphis. Created during the 1926 Arkansas state highway numbering, the route was extended in the 1950s and 1960s, including along a former alignment of US 61. AR 77 does not have any spur or business routes.
U.S. Route 64 is a U.S. highway running from Teec Nos Pos, Arizona east to Nags Head, North Carolina. In the U.S. state of Arkansas, the route runs 246.35 miles (396.46 km) from the Oklahoma border in Fort Smith east to the Tennessee border in Memphis. The route passes through several cities and towns, including Fort Smith, Clarksville, Russellville, Conway, Searcy, and West Memphis. US 64 runs parallel to Interstate 40 until Conway, when I-40 takes a more southerly route.
U.S. Route 67 is a U.S. highway running from Presidio, Texas northeast to Sabula, Iowa. In the U.S. state of Arkansas, the route runs 279.15 miles (449.25 km) from the Texas border in Texarkana northeast to the Missouri border near Corning. The route passes through several cities and towns, including Hope, Benton, Little Rock, Jacksonville, Cabot, Beebe, Walnut Ridge, and Pocahontas.
Highway 14 is an east–west state highway in Arkansas. The route of 227.35 miles (365.88 km) begins at Boat Dock Road near Table Rock Lake and runs east to Mississippi County Route W1020 (CR W1020) at Golden Lake. Segments of the highway are part of two Arkansas Scenic Byways: Sylamore Scenic Byway in the Ozark National Forest and the Crowley's Ridge Parkway atop Crowley's Ridge.
U.S. Route 62 is a U.S. highway running from El Paso, Texas northeast to Niagara Falls, New York. In the U.S. state of Arkansas, the route runs 329.9 miles from the Oklahoma border near Summers east to the Missouri border in St. Francis, serving the northern portion of the state. The route passes through several cities and towns, including Fayetteville, Springdale, Bentonville, Harrison, Mountain Home, Pocahontas, and also Piggott. US 62 runs concurrent with several highways in Arkansas including Interstate 49 and U.S. Route 71 between Fayetteville and Bentonville, U.S. Route 412 through much of the state, U.S. Route 65 in the Harrison area, and with U.S. Route 63 and U.S. Route 67 in northeast Arkansas.
Twelve special routes of U.S. Route 63 currently exist. Arkansas and Missouri each contain five, with two in Iowa. There are also five former routings that have been removed from the system.
U.S. Highway 71 is a U.S. highway that runs from Krotz Springs, LA to the Fort Frances–International Falls International Bridge at the Canadian border. In Arkansas, the highway runs from the Louisiana state line near Doddridge to the Missouri state line near Bella Vista. In Texarkana, the highway runs along State Line Avenue with US 59 and partially runs in Texas. Other areas served by the highway include Fort Smith and Northwest Arkansas.
The Blackfish Lake Ferry Site is a historic archaeological site in St. Francis County, Arkansas, USA. It is the only known ferry site along the route of a military road built in the 1820s and 1830s between Memphis, Tennessee, and Little Rock, Arkansas, to be used in the Trail of Tears. The ferry concession was granted to William D. Ferguson, an early settler of the area. This military road was a major route for the removal of Cherokee, Creek and Choctaw populations to the Indian Territory and was also used by thousands of west-bound settlers.
The Carrollton Road-Carrollton Segment is a historic 19th-century road in Boone County, Arkansas. It extends for more than 4 miles (6.4 km) eastward from Carrollton, which was once the county seat of Carroll County. The roadways matching the documented 1837 alignment of the road are County Road 417, Terrapin Creek Road, and Dunkard Road, up to its junction with Green Hill Road. This stretch of dirt road has retained a 19th-century rural character, and is further significant as a route taken by Native American parties on the Trail of Tears in 1838.
The Butterfield Overland Mail Route Lee Creek Road Segment is a historic stretch of road in Crawford County, Arkansas. It is a 3.1-mile (5.0 km) segment of Lee Creek Road, which diverges from Arkansas Highway 220 north of Cedarville. This road section appears to closely follow the original alignment of the main road in the region in 1839, which connected Fayetteville and Van Buren. This road was used by the Butterfield Overland Mail service between 1858 and 1861. It is a gravel roadway about 12 feet (3.7 m) wide, with several deeply-cut sections.
The Butterfield Overland Mail Route Lucian Wood Road Segment is a historic stretch of road in Crawford County, Arkansas. It is a 3-mile (4.8 km) segment of Lucian Wood Road, extending northward from a junction with Armer Lane in Cedarville. This road section appears to closely follow the original alignment of the main road in the region in 1839, which connected Fayetteville and Van Buren. This road was used by the Butterfield Overland Mail service between 1858 and 1861, along what was described as one that route's roughest sections. It is now an improved and graded gravel roadway about 12 feet (3.7 m) wide, with several deeply-cut sections.
The Military Road-Cadron Segment is a portion of 19th-century roadway in Faulkner County, Arkansas, near the city of Conway. It consists of an original section of a military road built in the mid-1830s between Little Rock and the military outpost at Fort Smith, through what was then frontier territory. It is one of the only known surviving sections of the early military roads that crossed the Arkansas Territory, which is located west of Little Rock. The road is further notable as one of the routes by which Native Americans were relocated to Indian Territory from points east of the Mississippi River.
The Little Rock to Cantonment Gibson Rd-Fourth Street Segment is a history stretch of 19th-century roadbed in rural Pope County, Arkansas. It consists of about one mile of gravel roadway, now designated Fourth Street, east of Atkins, extending from Union Grove Loop in the west to Oakland Drive in the east. It is about 18 feet (5.5 m) wide, and is built on an embankment for much of its length. Completed by early 1828 as a military road connecting Little Rock to what is now Fort Gibson in Oklahoma, the road is historically significant for its use as part of the Trail of Tears removal of eastern Native Americans to the Indian Territory that is now Oklahoma.
The Little Rock to Cantonment Gibson Road-Short Mountain Segment is a historic 19th-century road section in Logan County, Arkansas. It is located northwest of Paris, consisting of 3.7 miles (6.0 km) of Short Mountain Road, extending westward from its crossing with Short Mountain Creek. The roadbed is about 12 feet (3.7 m) wide, and is heavily banked for much of its length. Built in 1828, it was originally part of the military road connecting Little Rock, Arkansas to what is now Gibson, Oklahoma. The road has been documented to be part of the Trail of Tears migration route.
Highway 51 is a designation for two north–south state highways in Southwest Arkansas. One route of 53.37 miles (85.89 km) begins Highway 53 near Whelen Springs and runs north to US Highway 67 in Donaldson. A second route of 7.92 miles (12.75 km) runs parallel to US 270 northwest of Malvern. Both routes are maintained by the Arkansas Department of Transportation (ArDOT).