ACWSC Approves Civil War 150 Markers for Randolph, Grant Counties

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: FEBRUARY 10, 2015

ARKANSAS CIVIL WAR SESQUICENTENNIAL COMMISSION APPROVES RANDOLPH, GRANT COUNTY HISTORICAL MARKERS

LITTLE ROCK—The Arkansas Civil War Sesquicentennial Commission has approved applications for Arkansas Civil War Sesquicentennial Historical Markers in Randolph and Grant counties, ACWSC Chairman Tom Dupree announced today.

The Randolph County marker is sponsored by Five Rivers Historic Preservation, Inc., and will commemorate the capture of Confederate Brig. Gen. M. Jeff Thompson, the “Missouri Swamp Fox,” in Pocahontas in 1863. It will be located at 216 North Bettis Street in Pocahontas.

The Grant County markers were all sponsored by the Friends of Jenkins’ Ferry Battlefield and will interpret different aspects of that April 30, 1864, battle. They include:

• Skirmish at Guesses Creek, which will be located north of Grant County Road 1 in Dallas County.
• Jenkins Ferry/Pontoon Bridge and Brig. Gen. Samuel Rice/Captured Cannon, which will be located at Jenkins’ Ferry Battleground State Park near Leola.
• Deaths of Confederate Generals/Wounded Union Soldiers, which will be located on the corner of Highway 46 and Grant County Road 6 north of Leola.
• Destruction of Whitten’s Mill/Pratt’s Ferry, which will be located at the Prattsville Community Center in Prattsville.
• Destroyed Union Supplies/Refugee Children, which will be located at the junction of Highways 46 and 291.

Through the Arkansas Civil War Sesquicentennial Historical Marker Program, the ACWSC works with local partners to help tell the stories of how the Civil War affected communities around the state. The Commission hopes that there will be at least one marker in each of the state’s 75 counties by the end of the commemoration in 2015. Counties that currently do not have Arkansas Civil War Sesquicentennial Historical Markers are Bradley, Calhoun, Crawford, Franklin, Hot Spring, Howard, Lafayette, Lawrence, Montgomery, Newton, Polk, Sevier and Sharp.

To date, 113 markers in 62 counties have been approved. Marker applications are available at http://www.arkansascivilwar150.com/historical-markers/markers.aspx.

For more information on sesquicentennial plans, visit www.arkansascivilwar150.com or e-mail acwsc@arkansasheritage.org.

The Arkansas Civil War Sesquicentennial Commission is housed within the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program. The AHPP is the Department of Arkansas Heritage agency responsible for identifying, evaluating, registering and preserving the state’s cultural resources. Other agencies are the Arkansas Arts Council, the Delta Cultural Center in Helena, the Old State House Museum, the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center, the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission and the Historic Arkansas Museum.