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Home > History > Digging for History at Old Washington by Mary L. Kwas
Digging for History at Old Washington by Mary L. Kwas
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Item Number: DFH
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The story of Washington, Arkansas, last stopping point on the Southwest Trail before entering Spanish Texas. Hardcover, 8-1/2" X 11", 135 pages, ISBN 978-1557288981.
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Old Washington was established in 1824 as the seat of Hempstead County in what would become the state of Arkansas. Located along the busy Southwest Trail, it quickly became a thriving community and the gateway to the Spanish Southwest. Davy Crockett and Sam Houston stopped in Washington on their way to Texas. Washington was also the home of James Bowie, creator or the Bowie knife, and the blacksmith shop where he worked.
In this book author Mary L. Kwas focuses on two prominent early residents, Abraham Block and Simon T. Sanders, telling their stories and the story of Old Washington itself through the historical record and recovered artifacts.
Because of its prominent position on such an important trade route, Washington had a significance far beyond its size. In its heyday, Washington was home to many lawyers, doctors and wealthy merchants, such as Abraham Block. A Jewish merchant, Block immigrated to Washington from New Orleans. Trade in Washington included supplying those traveling the Southwest Trail, as well as supplying the nearby plantations. Many of the local plantation owners had town houses in Washington, and many of those Greek Revival homes are still standing.
Another important aspect of life in Washington was its role as county seat, which Kwas explores through her research into the life of Simon Sanders, county clerk. Many lawyers had offices in Washington, as well as in Little Rock, the state capital. Washington's courthouse, which is still standing, was built in 1836, the year Arkansas became a state. During the Civil War, when Federal troops threatened Little Rock, the state's papers and seat of government were moved to the 1836 Courthouse in Washington.
The tide of fortune changed abruptly in 1874, however. Through a stroke of bad luck, the railroad bypassed the town of Washington, leading to an exodus of residents and a decline in trade. That misfortune, however, has benefitted posterity, leaving the buildings and town layout little changed from 1874.
The historic town of Old Washington is maintained today as a state park. Many of the historic homes, the blacksmith shop, courthouse and tavern are open for tours by costumed interpreters. |
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Price: From $32.95 to $44.95
Photographic encyclopedia of artifacts from the American Revolution. Available in Hardcover and Softcover, 286 pages, 8-1/2" X 11", ISBN 0-9605666-7-8 (H/C), 0-9605666-8-6 (S/C).
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