A collection of historical photographs was assembled by the late Dr. Robert B. Walz, a professor of history at Southern Arkansas University. With funding from the Arkansas Humanities Council and the Magale Foundation, he collected and copied hundreds of old photographs of southwest Arkansas, which illustrated aspects of the region's social history in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. These photographs have been used in documentary films, including His Arkansas Land.
A complete collection of the copied photographs and negatives is in the Southwest Regional Archives at Old Washington, Arkansas (1-501-983-2633). The negatives and original copies contain clear images. Some of the digitized images on these web pages are less clear, largely because they were obtained via video film of framed photographs under glass.
The thirty-one photographs shown below were drawn from Walz Collection copies that hang in the halls of the Department of History, Political Science, and Geography at Southern Arkansas University. Mr. Wayne Burress digitized the photographs and Dr. James F. Willis prepared their display on these world wide web pages.
A map of southwest Arkansas counties, towns, and villages of the era shows locations mentioned in captions of these photographs.
At the Odin Ruggles Farm in Shover Springs, Hempstead County, Arkansas, in 1912, Sam Phillips, at left, steadies a two-months-old jennet colt. His grandson, Harrison Phillips, stands with a fourteen-months-old jack colt. (Photograph courtesy of Lucille Ruggles)
At Spirit Lake in Lafayette county, Arkansas, in 1930, an unidentified African-American preacher baptises an also unidentified convert. (Photograph courtesy of Mrs. Louise Wilson King of Lewisville)
At Magnolia Agricultural and Mechanical College in 1925-26, Mary Belle Gilbert and Artis Hudson pose for a photo after the Maypole dance. (Photograph from Magnolia A and M Yearbook )
The ancestor of Southern Arkansas University at Magnolia was established by the Arkansas legislature in 1909 as a district agricultural school for southwest Arkansas. Named the Third District Agricultural School, its first term began in January 1911, and until 1925 its curriculum carried only subjects at the secondary school level. There were originally four buildings, as shown in these photographs from 1912. On the left is the "Boys Dorm." At right is the "Girls Dorm." At the top is the "Mess Hall." At the bottom is the "Main Building" for classrooms and administration. (Photograph from Magnolia A and M Yearbook )
The 1913-14 Baseball Team of the Third District Agricultural School at Magnolia, Arkansas, was possibly among the first groups whose road trips led to the unique name - Muleriders - of all subsequent athletes. Teams had to travel five miles from Magnolia to McNeil to the nearest railroad depot and made the journey on the backs of mules. The mule remains the mascot today of Southern Arkansas University. Names of players and their hometowns in parentheses, front row, left to right: 1) Chester Green (Magnolia), 2) Alton Sawyer (Stephens), 3) Francis W. Dawson, 4) Henry Tate (Camden), 5) Bennie Chaffin. Top row, left to right : 6) Coach G. R. Turrentine, 7) ? Souter, 8) Conrad Lewis (Hope), 9) Earl Stonecipher, 10) Madison Sturgis, 11) Tal Pickett, manager (Chidester). (Photograph courtesy of Mrs. Ruth Tate of Camden, Arkansas)
In Sevier county, Arkansas, as elsewhere in 1890s America, a bicycling craze swept the area when the low-framed "safety" bicycle came to replace the earlier high-seated models. (Photograph courtesy of Mrs. Luise Thompson of Horatio, Arkansas)
At Stamps, Arkansas, in the early 1900s, this new sawmill cut logs hauled in by rail. Note the small steam locomotive pulling the large load of logs. (Photograph courtesy of Mrs. Briner Thomas)
These wagons carry cotton from gin to auction in Stephens, Ouachita county, Arkansas, in 1915. (Source of photograph unknown)
This postal rider, Claude P. Holt of Sevier county, takes the mail to Lebanon, Arkansas, sometime before 1900. (Photograph courtesy of Mrs. J. T. Hill)
On Burnt Bridge Road, Columbia county, Arkansas, in 1914, these men work out their road tax. Each adult male was taxed for road upkeep at four dollars per year, either payable in cash or worked out at one dollar a day or two dollars for a man with a mule. Substitutes were allowed, such as the older boys in this photograph. Names of workcrew, front row, left to right : Furman Sanders (seated on the slip), Gene Camp, Windom Snider, Dump Wallace, John Elmore, Bob Dodson. Back row, left to right : William Hayes (behind the mule), unknown man, Bob Eason, next two men also unidentified, Will Aldridge, Issac Grissom (face only shows), Ben Elmore, Frank Elmore, Abb Elmore, Rufus Camp, Jess Emerson, Jim Dodson, Charles Elmore, and Madison Dodson,the road overseer for that township at that time. (Photograph courtesy of Vernon Elmore)
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