American-era Arkansas Post Townsite, Arkansas Post National Memorial

PARK OVERVIEW

Arkansas Post National Memorial in Gillett, Arkansas, preserves the 300-year history of the first European settlement on the Arkansas River and the first capital of the Arkansas Territory. In 1686, a group of Frenchmen established a trading post in the area of the present day memorial. Later, Arkansas Post evolved to include military forts as well as land for residents and business owners.

Over the years, ownership of the land changed hands between the French, the Spanish, and the United States. In addition, continuous flooding and rising river levels forced the post to be relocated and rebuilt numerous times. After the January 1863 Battle of Arkansas Post during the Civil War, the fort and many of the post’s buildings were destroyed. Combined with the switch to railroads for commercial transportation instead of river boats, Arkansas Post never recovered. Other than a few residents of a farming community, it was largely abandoned by the 1880s.

The locations of the original French and Spanish trading posts are not known with certainty, other than they were in the general area of Arkansas Post National Memorial. This is why the park is designated as a National Memorial and not a National Historic Site.

The location of the American-era post (1804 to around 1880) is known—it is today’s park. Unfortunately, there are no buildings still standing at the townsite, and the Civil War-era earthen fort is now underwater, so visitors should be prepared to be underwhelmed. As is, the Old Townsite is nothing but a well-groomed field with some wayside exhibits marking the locations of where buildings once stood.

In addition to the Old Townsite, the park has a Visitor Center where you can learn about the history of Arkansas Post in an exhibit area and by watching the park film. There are three miles of walking paths and trails and a large picnic area. Fishing is allowed in the waters surrounding and within the park boundary.