Washington County is a regional economic, educational, and cultural hub in the Northwest Arkansas region. Created as Arkansas's 17th county on November 30, 1848, Washington County has 13 incorporated municipalities, including Fayetteville, the county seat and Springdale. The county is also the site of small towns, bedroom communities, and unincorporated places. The county is named for George Washington, the first President of the United States
Springdale is the fourth-largest city in Arkansas, United States. It is located in both Washington and Benton counties in Northwest Arkansas. Located on the Springfield Plateau deep in the Ozark Mountains, Springdale has long been an important industrial city for the region. In addition to several trucking companies, the city is home to the world headquarters of Tyson Foods, the world's largest meat producing company. Originally named Shiloh, the city changed its name to Springdale when applying for a post office in 1872. The four-county Northwest Arkansas Metropolitan Statistical Area is ranked 109th in terms of population in the United States with 463,204 in 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau. The city had a population of 69,797 at the 2010 Census.
Prattsville is a city in Grant County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 305 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Little Rock–North Little Rock–Conway Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Tontitown is a city in Washington County, Arkansas, United States. The community is located in the Ozark Mountains and was founded by Italian settlers in 1898. Known for its grapes and wines, Tontitown has hosted the Tontitown Grape Festival continuously since 1898. It is part of the Northwest Arkansas region, serving as a bedroom community for larger neighbors Fayetteville and Springdale. The town experienced a 160% growth in population between the 2000 and 2010 censuses.
The Battle of Jenkins' Ferry, also known as the Engagement at Jenkins' Ferry, was fought at Jenkins' Ferry, southwest of Little Rock, during the American Civil War. It was the climactic battle of Steele's Camden Expedition, a part of the Red River Campaign. As a result of the battle, Federal forces were able to complete a retreat from a precarious position at Camden to their defenses at Little Rock.
Frederick Steele was a career military officer in the United States Army, serving as a major general in the Union Army during the American Civil War. He was most noted for retaking much of secessionist Arkansas for the Union cause, escaping the besieged port-city of Camden through successful deception tactics, and defeating Sterling Price and E. Kirby Smith at Jenkins Ferry.
The Battle of Prairie D'Ane, also known as the Skirmish at Prairie D'Ane, Battle of Gum Springs or Battle of Moscow, was fought in present-day Nevada County, Arkansas, as part of the Camden Expedition, during the American Civil War. The Camden Expedition was launched by Union forces as part of the Red River Campaign of 1864. U.S. planners envisioned two federal armies converging simultaneously, one force under the command of Maj. Gen. Nathaniel Banks pressing northward up the Red River commencing at Alexandria, Louisiana and the other federal army under the command of Maj. Gen. Frederick Steele driving southwestward from Little Rock, Arkansas. The objective was to press the rebel army of Gen. E. Kirby Smith back upon the rebel stronghold at Shreveport and defeat him. If successful, a somewhat vague second phase envisioned the two federal armies combining into one large force and continuing their offensive with a westward push into Texas.
Highway 112 is a north–south state highway in Northwest Arkansas. The route of 25.84 miles (41.59 km) runs from Highway 265 north through Fayetteville, across Interstate 49/US 62/US 71 (I-49/US 62/US 71) to Highway 12 in Bentonville. The route serves the University of Arkansas, and thus a portion is named Razorback Road.
The Camden Expedition was the final campaign conducted by the United States Army against the Confederate States Army in Arkansas, during the American Civil War. The offensive was designed to cooperate with Maj. Gen. Banks' movement against Shreveport.
P.A.M. Transportation Services Inc. is an irregular route over-the-road trucking company that is based in Tontitown, Arkansas. Founded in April 1980, P.A.M’s current service area covers the lower continental 48 states as well as the southern parts of Ontario, Canada. In the early 1990s, P.A.M. began providing transportation services to Mexico under agreements with several Mexican trucking carriers.
Harmon is an unincorporated community in Harmon Township, Washington County, Arkansas, United States. It is located southwest of Tontitown on Harmon Road.
Arkansas Heritage Trails System is a network of four historic trails within the state of Arkansas. The heritage trails system was established by the Arkansas General Assembly on March 31, 2009. Roadways included in the system are Arkansas Department of Transportation (ArDOT) as well as county roads. The program emphasizes cooperation among the Arkansas Department of Heritage, the Department of Parks and Tourism, and the Department of Transportation.
Jerrold Eldon Hinshaw, known as Jerry E. Hinshaw, was a farmer and businessman from Tontitown in Northwest Arkansas, who was a Republican member of the Arkansas House of Representatives from 1981 to 1996 for the now District 93. Hinshaw represented the principal city of Springdale in Washington and Benton counties for eight consecutive two-year terms in the lower legislative chamber.
St. Joseph Catholic Church is a parish of the Catholic Church located in Tontitown, Arkansas, in the Diocese of Little Rock. The parish and the town were established by a group of Italian Americans led by Father Pietro Bandini, who settled in the area as miners and tenant farmers in the late 19th century. According to local tradition, a picture of Saint Joseph hanging in the schoolhouse was untouched by an arson fire, and the parish was therefore dedicated to him.
The Department of the Arkansas was a command echelon of the United States Army in the 19th century around the time of the American Civil War. This department was created on January 6, 1864, to consist of Arkansas, except Fort Smith, Arkansas. Fort Smith added later on April 17, 1864.
The Tontitown School Building is a historic former school building on US Highway 412 (US 412) in Tontitown, Arkansas. It is a single-story hip-roofed building, fashioned out of concrete blocks. It has corner blocks set in a quoin pattern, and gabled dormers front and rear which house paired round-arch windows. The front entry is sheltered by a gabled portico supported by Corinthian columns. The school was built in 1920 to accommodated the community's growing Italian immigrant population. The building is now owned by the adjacent St. Joseph's Church.
The Skirmish at Terre Noire Creek, also known as the Skirmish at Wolf Creek or Skirmish at Antoine, an engagement during the Camden Expedition of the American Civil War, was fought on April 2, 1864. The action occurred about 1 mile (1.6 km) east of Terre Noire Creek along a defile near the towns of Hollywood, Arkansas and Antoine, Arkansas. A Confederate States Army cavalry brigade under Brigadier General Joseph O. Shelby attacked a Union supply train of more than 200 wagons accompanying Union Army Major General Frederick Steele's force which was attempting to reach Shreveport, Louisiana to join with Major General Nathaniel Banks's force in the Red River Campaign with the objective of occupying Shreveport and controlling western Louisiana.
Established initially as Alta Villa by Italian immigrants in 1915, Little Italy is an unincorporated community in Pulaski and Perry counties in the U.S. state of Arkansas. The culturally rich and historically significant hamlet is located in high terrain along Arkansas Highway 300 amidst the northeastern foothills of the Ouachita Mountains bestriding Wye Mountain and Kryer Mountain. As part of a multi-decade heritage preservation effort, its residents are currently seeking status as an incorporated municipality.
Pietro Bandini was an Italian Catholic priest and missionary to the United States who was prominent in the Italian American community. He began his career as a Jesuit missionary in the Western United States, where he worked with Native American tribes, and went on to establish the Saint Raphael Society for the Protection of Italian Immigrants and Our Lady of Pompeii Church in New York City. He led a group of Italians to Sunnyside Plantation in Arkansas in the hopes of establishing an immigrant colony and later founded the city of Tontitown with them. For his work on immigration, he was lauded by Pope Pius X and the Queen Mother Margherita.
