Thursday, February 15, 2018

Retired District Judge Steven Peer spoke to the Crawford County Genealogical Society on February 13, 2018 about the history of Crawford County and more specifically of Van Buren. He has assembled an amazing collection of photographs of pioneers, homes and maps, which he has put together into a chronological and very interesting talk. He started with the county's beginnings as a hunting ground for the native Americans. The county was so large in 1827 that it was nicknamed "The Empire County." Other counties were carved out of that territory on both sides of the Arkansas River until the county took its final boundaries. Subsistence farming, and hunting were activities of the early settlers. By 1850 a grist mill was active at Natural Dam. Keelboats and flatboats were the easiest way to get around and along with the later steamboats brought prosperity in the form of people who came to settle and people passing through on their way to the goldfields. Albert Pike established his schoolhouse in 1832 on Flat Rock Creek. It is now on the grounds of the County Courthouse in Van Buren. Other historical points Mr. Peer touched on were the Butterfield Stage Line, the Trail of Tears, the Mexican and Civil Wars and the coming of the Frisco Railroad. Click here to Reply or Forward 0.08 GB (0%) of 15 GB used Manage Terms - Privacy Last account activity: 6 hours ago Details