Day 20-Arkansas

 

We woke up to our third day in a row of rain, but looking on the bright side, it was a cool 68°, there wasn't a termite or mosquito to be found, and the bathroom/showers in this campground were the cleanest of this trip.

We decided to go out for breakfast this morning since it was raining so hard, so as soon as he got out of the showers we headed to the "Perfect Cup" in the town of Camden for coffee and a muffin.  Both were delicious!

Leaving Camden our next stop was the Monticello Coffee Company in Monticello, where we picked up some sandwiches for lunch. 

It was just noon, so we delayed eating them until we arrived at our next destination, the Arkansas Post National Memorial.  

There was very little traffic between Monticello and the Arkansas Post National Memorial, however, the rain was coming down so hard that we couldn't drive any faster than 40 mph.  The amount of standing water along the roads and in the fields was incredible and it really made me wonder if so much water would hurt the crops. 

We arrived around 2:00 PM, enjoyed our sandwiches in our van as the rain continued to fall.  The Arkansas Post was first established along the Arkansas River in 1686 by the French explorer and fur trader Henri de Tonti.  The Native American Quapaw people played a critical role in protecting the French from other Native American tribes who were not as friendly.  In 1783 the final battle of the American Revolution took place as the Quapaw assisted the French in defending the fort against the British.  Despite the friendly relationship that the Quapaw had with the Europeans, in 1824 the Quapaw were forced to relocate to Oklahoma along with so many other Native American tribes along the Trail of Tears.

An intricate Quapaw design on an animal skin.

The fields in the Arkansas delta were ideal for cotton production and the post thrived as a major river port in the 1830's and beyond.

During the Civil War this post played a crucial role in controlling traffic along the Arkansas.  Fort Hindman was built just up river from the post and was designed to prevent Union forces from controlling the river and gaining access to Little Rock. The Union's gunboats destroyed the fort, and the the post never recovered as the railroads dominated the transportation role in Post Civil War Arkansas.

Leaving the post, we headed to Pine Bluffs, driving through both hills and the flat farmlands of the Arkansas delta.

Crossing the Arkansas

Flooding along the Arkansas

Lead engine pulling a very long train of oil tankers through downtown Pine Bluff.

Our third night in a row with a campsite on a lake!

  

We covered 233 miles today.

GO CELTICS!