Welcome to Your

Arkansas State Archives

Here you can find research sources, search historical records and archival collections, check out upcoming events, and get help in exploring and discovering your Arkansas history! Take a look around!

The Latest

News & Events

Archives Project Opens Access to Historical Newspapers

June 04, 2019
In the next few weeks, the Arkansas State Archives will have scanned 40 newspaper titles, or about 103,000 pages, and sent them to the Library of Congress. People will have a whole new way to access these historical records online, said Wendy Richter, state historian and director of the Arkansas State Archives.
READ MORE
SEE ALL NEWS & EVENTS
Arkansas History Commission

‘Prince of Hangmen’ Never Haunted Over Executions

June 12, 2019
George Maledon, from the 1898 book, “Hell on the Border,” courtesy of the Arkansas State Archives. Fort Smith has a unique place in the story of the taming of the American West. The city’s history created legendary outlaws and lawmen, including a German native who became known as
Read More

Wednesday's Wonderful Collection - Hayes C. McClerkin campaign papers, MS.000168

June 12, 2019
Hayes C. McClerkin was born December 16, 1931 in Texarkana, Arkansas. He acquired his Bachelor of Arts from Washington and Lee University in 1953 and a law degree from the University of Arkansas in 1959. He served in the United States Navy Reserve, with active duty as an officer from July 1953 to De
Read More

Wednesday’s Wonderful Collection - Henry Loewer papers, MS.000833

June 05, 2019
Henry Loewer was one of the early rice farmers in Arkansas. He was born in Lutzel, Germany, on October 5, 1864, came to the United States when he was 18, and went to Baltimore, Maryland. There, he married Margaret Weigand. He came to Arkansas in 1908 and settled in Lonoke, where he started rice farm
Read More

UA Discipline of Underground Newspaper Sparked 1912 Student Protests

June 04, 2019
Postcard of UA protest, courtesy of Arkansas State ArchivesThirty-six University of Arkansas students met in 1912 to discuss their concerns about what they thought was an oppressive disciplinary culture on campus. The group agreed to create an underground newspaper to make their voices heard.Tension
Read More

NEARA

Northeast Arkansas Regional Archives
More About NEARA

SARA

Southwest Arkansas Regional Archives
More About SARA

ASA Archival Collections

Finding Aids and Inventories
Explore Archival Collections