Area Code 501 Location - Arkansas

Today we are taking a look at the history of Arkansas. There is much in the Arkansas that we can only find through the historical records of the past. We have looked at the country's oldest states and the oldest cities, but today we will look at one of the oldest cities in the state of Arkansas - Hot Springs.

While Arkansas was not found until after the American Revolution, there was early settlement by the Indians. This was possible when there was an opening in the river by which they could get around. The Oconee, one of the southern rivers, joined together to form what is now the present Arkansas River. This river began to be used as well as part of the Mississippi.

Hot Springs was one of the areas where the Indian settlements were made and began to grow. The entire area became one large community, one which became known as "Little Hot Springs". Over time, the area grew in population, eventually covering about half a square mile of land.

Due to the number of settlers that came into the area, there were some famous people who lived here such as Ben Franklin, Annie Oakley, Mark Twain, and General Robert E. Lee. Hot Springs had a hospital in which the famous Anne Sullivan was treated for rheumatism.

Ben Franklin gave his help to the Little Rock Relief, which was led by James Longstreet. He also encouraged people to give of their time to help the needy around the area.

When Emmett Malnek became ill, he traveled to Hot Springs to receive treatment from John Ivy. Ivy treated him for cancer and taught him to play the guitar. Later, Emmett's family moved to Hot Springs and later to Pigeon Forge.

As you can see, the area became very popular and so did John Ivy. A lot of this popularity was due to the continued use of the nursing home that Ivy had started. In the end, the nursing home was renamed "Hot Springs Village" for a few years.

Of course, many of these historical events occurred in Hot Springs, but as you can see, there are many other places in Arkansas where history can be found. It is only through the records that have been kept in various archives that we can find what has happened in our state over the years. After all, we may never know the details of our country's history if we do not have any historical records to go on.