History

Native American Roots

Johnson County holds a notable landmark called the Serpent Cave, named on the National Register of Historic Places for its art. Serpent Cave is a cave of red sandstone which walls hold Native American hieroglyphics depicting what seems to be various possible reptiles, hence the name of the cave. While the hieroglyphics have never been translated, it does indicate Johnson County’s long history, beginning with the Native Americans.

These are examples of art found in the cave, depicting various possible reptiles. Green, Edward 1883 Ancient Rock Inscriptions in Johnson County, Arkansas. Annual Report of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution for 1881:538-541.

county Name Origin

Present-day Johnson County was originally Osage land, but later became a part of a Cherokee reservation established somewhere between 1818 and 1828. Three decades into the eighteenth century, white settlers had steadily begun arriving in the area. On November 16, 1833 Johnson County was officially established, created from part of Pope County. named after Benjamin Johnson, who was an appointed territorial judge.

“Benjamin Johnson.” Encyclopedia of Arkansas, 30 Apr. 2019

The Original County Seat

The original county seat for Johnson County was Spadra, located on the Arkansas River. Spadra was a hub of activity because it was the location of an Indian trading facility, a trading post authorized by the government which emphasized relationships between settlers and Native American tribes. While Spadra held a great geographical position regarding both the fertile land surrounding the river and the water transportation that came with being on the river, the county seat was eventually moved to the quickly growing Clarksville in 1836.

county Seat of Clarksville

Clarksville was established as the County Seat in 1836 when ¼ mile square on Spadra Creek was offered free to the Commissioners if it were to be used for that purpose. The previous owner of the land was Josiah Cravens, but once it was designated as the County Seat, it was named after another local land owner and Commissioner involved, Lorenzo N. Clark.

Industries that Build the County

Johnson county has gone through a number of different agricultural, mining, and manufacturing industries that lead to the county’s growth and prosperity. Early settlers began with tobacco production, but this eventually transitioned into cotton. Coal was discovered in the Spadra area by the time the 1840’s rolled around, but the industry would only prosper with the advent of railroads. Coal mining provided a great many jobs, leading people to come from all of the world and immense growth of the county.

The timber industry briefly took hold of the county, with it holding the greatest amount of timber in all of the Arkansas River Valley. In the 1920’s natural gas had been discovered in the county in profitable quantities, which was fortunate because by the 1930’s the timber industry had declined severely. Today, the natural gas industry is still relevant and prosperous in the county.

Fruit crops such as apples, pears, and especially peaches made their way to the forefront when the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville opened a fruit-specialized agricultural branch substation in the county. Poultry also went on the rise in 1952 when a poultry processing plant opened and became one of the largest employers in the county. Finally, Johnson county is a hub of transportation with the Arkansas River, Interstate 40, numerous rail lines, and an airport all making their way through the county. Today, Tyson Foods, a poultry processing operation, has brought economic prosperity to the county in addition to the multitude of diversified agricultural producers (peaches, cattle, vegetables, soybeans, grains). Walmart Distribution Center is another empire that has brought success to the county; the distribution center leading the nation and even bringing home "Grocery Center Distribution of the Year" for the past three years.

Peach County

The rise of the peach industry in Johnson County began with two men, James R. Tolbert and Johnson J. Taylor. The two made the decision to purchase and grow Elberta peaches. The venture would prove to be more successful than imagined, spreading to other states and eventually sparking the interest of the Missouri Pacific Railroad Company. This partnership forged between the peach farmers, the county, and the railroad would carry the industry through many financial and environmental setbacks and bring lasting success.

A multitude of peach farms have resided in Johnson County, but the last standing is the Peach Pickin’ Paradise which brings in many visitors from surrounding states. Since the summer of 1938, annual peach festivals have been held in Clarksville. Events range from musical performers to a greased-pig chase to a multitude of beauty pageants. The festival has brought fame to the county, people coming from all over to attend.

University of the Ozarks. “Down From The Hills.”

A County of Firsts

Johnson County has had many firsts in the state of Arkansas. The first blind school was organized in the county seat of Clarksville, in addition to Johnson County having the first deaf-mute school in 1850. On April 12, 1869, the first organization of the Educational Association took place in Clarksville. On February 23, 1881, it was incorporated.

Later, in 1896, the county was the first to deliver rural mail free. College of the Ozarks, now called the University of the Ozarks, School of Pharmacy was the first in the state in 1946. The University actually had many firsts in the state, including the first Jones Learning Center, which accommodates and assists students with disabilities, and the first female graduate. Clarksville managed to not only grow with the times but sometimes be ahead of its time.

The city was the first in the state to operate completely powered by solar energy, as well as the first to have 2 gig high speed fiber. Another notable advance would be that the city is one of two in the state to have its water be cleaned by Ozone gas instead of chemicals. Clarksville holds a rich history of innovation.

Johnson County Courthouse:
Through the Ages

Constructed in the 1930s, the Johnson County Courthouse is an architecturally and historically significant token of the past. Located in downtown Clarksville, the courthouse sits on the corner of Fulton and Main streets. In 1934, while the Great Depression still held the country tightly, the New Deal by President Franklin D. Roosevelt was providing a great number of new construction related jobs. By working alongside the Public Works Administration (PWA) who were funding projects, Johnson County was able to get a new courthouse in the works since the previous one had been in use for sixty years.

Project 7431 wawa the PWA’s design of the new courthouse. An architectural firm out of Fort Smith called Haralson & Nelson took on the job and drew plans on November 30, 1934. Finally, the project was completed by contractors Lineburger & Feaser in 1935. The Italian Classical Revival style with adding colonial traits would become one of the most highly regarded and impressive courthouses in the state, yet another point of pride for the county.

The Arkansas Historic Preservation Program recognizes the importance of the three-story building, for it was brought up in the Depression era with an unmatched elegance. On June 14, 1991, it was named on the National Register of Historic Places, and it would not be the last in the county.

The First few courts held in this district were at the home of Bettie Alston of Spadra, but later the county site was established at Clarksville and the courthouse erected. The courtroom was on the lower floor and a portion of the upper level was used for the grand jury. Later two rooms were added and the West wing was used as the office for the clerk.

Johnson County Courthouse in Clarksville, Arkansas, erected in 1873

Johnson County Courthouse

MIssouri-Pacific Depot

The Missouri-Pacific Depot in Clarksville was constructed circa 1910 by the Missouri-Pacific Railroad in hopes to expand the railroad system throughout the country. Designed in the popular Mediterranean style of the time, it was a single-story, brick masonry freight and passenger railroad depot. The original ceramic tile roof did not survive all the way to today, however many unique features still stand that have cemented the building’s place in history. The depot’s association with the growth of the railroad and it’s preserved Mediterranean style lead to the Missouri-Pacific Depot in Clarksville being named on the National Register of Historic Places. Today the Missouri-Pacific Depot houses the Clarksville-Johnson County Chamber of Commerce.

Bunch-Walton Post 22 American Legion Hut

Bunch-Walton Post 22 American Legion

A two-story, native-stone structure sitting on a raised foundation resides in the
county seat of Clarksville. The Normanesque appearance with castellated turrets makes the Bunch-Walton Post 22 American Legion Hut yet another architecturally distinct building that made its way onto the National Register of Historic Places on January 24, 2007.

The style is thought to be reminiscent of the architecture of Europe during
World War I. In February of 1919, the Lee Bunch Post 22 was formed and
named in commemoration of Lee Bunch, the first soldier to die in World War I
that hailed from Johnson County. The group met anywhere possible locally, until
the Civil Works Administration (a federal relief agency during the Great Depression) approved the construction of a community building in Clarksville in 1934

On Memorial Day of that year, the building was dedicated by the Arkansas Department commander of the American Legion, Charles Q. Kelley. Following World War II, the chapter was renamed to commemorate another honorable soul lost to the war. Captain Raymond Charles Walton was the co-pilot of a bomber shot down over Italy in 1943 and the first casualty of WWII from Johnson County. Although faced with many obstacles, from vandalism to tornadoes and flooding, the building has survived, representing the strength and beauty of Johnson County.

Union School House

The Union School is located 11 miles from Hagarville and is yet another Johnson County place located on the National Register of Historic Places. The school house served the Mt. Levi community in the Ozark National Forest, in a county where education in rural areas was valued. The Union School was built in 1929 by Willis Warren and Orville Skaggs (among other carpenters and craftsmen) to replace the original school house built in the same spot that had burned down the previous year. The Union School has an exterior and interior finish of wood with a solid foundation composed of stone. The traditional two story school house also served Mt. Levi by providing as a community center, Masonic Lodge, and a church. The building still stands tall today, preserving history in its walls.

Front view of the Union School House

Upstairs of the Union School House

Inside of the Union School House

Photo credit for above photos: Todd Sadowski Photography

For more information please see:

“Asset Detail.” National Parks Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP/AssetDetail/65f06e74-40d6-43ad-8171-fbd3795421cf.

Christ, Mark K. “Bunch-Walton Post 22 American Legion Hut.” Encyclopedia of Arkansas, 9 Nov. 2020, encyclopediaofarkansas.net/entries/bunch-walton-post-22-american-legion-hut-8709/.

Craig, Jared. “Johnson County Courthouse.” Encyclopedia of Arkansas, 12 Nov. 2020, encyclopediaofarkansas.net/entries/johnson-county-courthouse-9159.

“Johnson: Association of Arkansas Counties.” Johnson | Association of Arkansas Counties, arcounties.org/counties/johnson/.

“Johnson County.” Encyclopedia of Arkansas, 29 Jan. 2020, encyclopediaofarkansas.net/entries/johnson-county-780/.

Johnson County Historical Society. “Johnson County Courthouses.” Clarksville, clarksvillejocochamber.com/johnson-county-courthouses.html.

Johnson, Koenig Jennifer. “Johnson County Peach Festival.” Encyclopedia of Arkansas, 19 Mar. 2019, encyclopediaofarkansas.net/entries/johnson-county-peach-festival-4407/.

Mickel, Lillian. “County History.” Johnson County, Arkansas, johnsoncounty.arkansas.gov/county-history.

National Archives. National Archives and Records Administration, National Archives and Records Administration, catalog.archives.gov/id/26139851.

¨National Register of Historic Places Registration Form.” United States Department of the Interior, National Park Service, NPS Form 10-900, Oct 1990, arkansasheritage.com/docs/default-source/national-registry/JO0214-pdf.

“Organization and Early History in Johnson County, Arkansas.” Genealogy Trails History Group - Finding Ancestors Wherever Their Trails Lead, genealogytrails.com/ark/john/cohist.html.

“Spadra (Johnson County).” Encyclopedia of Arkansas, 21 Dec. 2020, encyclopediaofarkansas.net/entries/spadra-johnson-county-3510/.

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