In the middle of the 1500s several European explorers came to the area that is now Arkansas. One of them was an explorer named Hernando de Soto from Spain.

However, the first permanent settlement in the area, called Arkansas Post, was not established until 1686. It was founded by Henri de Tonti of France. The United States gained control of the area as part of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803.From 1812 until 1819 Arkansas was part of Missouri Territory. Then it became its own territory, largely as a result as a large group of settlers coming to the area. Soon, the cotton industry spread across the region. In 1861 Arkansas joined the Confederate side of the Civil War. However, Union troops took over the northern portion of the state in 1863.

The Arkansas Territory was organized on March 2, 1819. The State of Arkansas was created as the 25th state on June 15, 1836. Arkansas borders Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas. It has 75 Counties. The capital is Little Rock and the official state website is http://portal.arkansas.gov/.

Select a Arkansas county to view information & records pertaining to each County

Arkansas ∣ Ashley ∣ Baxter ∣ Benton ∣ Boone ∣ Bradley ∣ Calhoun ∣ Carroll ∣ Chicot ∣ Clark ∣ Clay ∣ Cleburne ∣ Cleveland ∣ Columbia ∣ Conway ∣ Craighead ∣ Crawford ∣ Crittenden ∣ Cross ∣ Dallas ∣ Desha ∣ Drew ∣ Faulkner ∣ Franklin ∣ Fulton ∣ Garland ∣ Grant ∣ Greene ∣ Hempstead ∣ Hot Springs ∣ Howard ∣ Independence ∣ Izard ∣ Jackson ∣ Jefferson ∣ Johnson ∣ Lafayette ∣ Lawrence ∣ Lee ∣ Lincoln ∣ Little River ∣ Logan ∣ Lonoke ∣ Madison ∣ Marion ∣ Miller ∣ Mississippi ∣ Monroe ∣ Montgomery ∣ Nevada ∣ Newton ∣ Ouachita ∣ Perry ∣ Phillips ∣ Pike ∣ Poinsett ∣ Polk ∣ Pope ∣ Prairie ∣ Pulaski ∣ Randolph ∣ St. Francis ∣ Saline ∣ Scott ∣ Searcy ∣ Sebastian ∣ Sevier ∣ Sharp ∣ Stone ∣ Union ∣ Van Buren ∣ Washington ∣ White ∣ Woodruff ∣ Yell

Arkansas Genealogy Record Guides

Arkansas Archives, Historical & Genealogical Societies
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Arkansas Archives & Societies
Arkansas Atlases & Maps
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Arkansas Atlases & Maps
Arkansas Census Records