For Little Rock Public Radio, this is Dan Boice, with Naming Arkansas.
Early American towns and colonies were frequently named for English nobility: Virginia, Jamestown, the Carolinas, and Georgia all have royal names. After Independence, new settlements celebrated American heroes and presidents, and this was especially true in the territory and state of Arkansas. Counties were given the names of presidents, including Washington, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, and Jackson. Even less prominent political leaders were also honored with county names, including Virginia senator John Randolph, and cabinet member Joel Poinsett. Soon, Arkansas political leaders also had their names on the map, sometimes in counties – like Drew, Yell, Conway, and Craighead – and sometimes in towns. Eventually, more towns took on the names of early settlers, often the founders but sometimes just popular citizens and even small children. Join us as we visit Arkansas places named for famous, infamous, and not-so-famous people.
For the University of Arkansas at Monticello, this is Dan Boice