The Jenkins' Ferry Battleground State Park, also known as the Jenkins' Ferry Battlefield, is a battlefield in Grant County, Arkansas. The Arkansas state park commemorates the Battle of Jenkins' Ferry fought on Saturday, April 30, 1864, during the Red River campaign of the American Civil War.
| Jenkins' Ferry Battleground State Park | |
|---|---|
  Location in Arkansas | |
| Location | Grant County, Arkansas |
| Nearest city | Leola, Arkansas |
| Coordinates | 34°12′47.4″N 92°32′50.6″W / 34.213167°N 92.547389°W |
| Area | 40.15 acres (16.25 ha) |
| Elevation | 190 feet (58 m) |
| Established | Early 20th century |
| Original use | Field, forest, battlefield |
| Governing body | Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism |
| Website | Official website  |
| Official name | Jenkins' Ferry Battleground |
| Designated | January 21, 1970 |
| Reference no. | 70000120[1] |
| Official name | Jenkins' Ferry Battlefield |
| Designated | April 19, 1994 |
| Part of | Camden Expedition Sites National Historic Landmark |
| Reference no. | 94001182[2] |
First established as a masonic park in the early 20th century, the 40 acre historic site was donated to the state of Arkansas in 1961. The American Civil War battlefield was listed in the U.S. National Register of Historic Places as the Jenkins' Ferry Battleground in 1970 and is part of the Camden Expedition Sites National Historic Landmark, a U.S. National Historic Landmark District contributing property, in 1994.
Description and administrative history
editThe Jenkins' Ferry Battleground State Park, operated by the Division of State Parks of the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism, includes historic markers that describe the battle, as well as recreational opportunities on the Saline River, including swimming and boating. A pavilion and several picnic sites are also located in the state park, which is 12 miles (19 km) southwest of Sheridan, and 9 miles (14 km) northeast of Leola in Grant County on the west side of Highway 46.[3]
The park is set in a bend of the Saline River, which generally flows northwest to southeast, meandering southwest at this point. It has picnic tables and fire pits, and a basic public toilet, as well as interpretive signs explaining the region's historical significance. It includes a portion of the antebellum Little Rock and Camden road and the eastern end of the old Jenkins' Ferry crossing.[4]
Established as a masonic park in the early 20th century,[5] Act 10 of 1961 of the State of Arkansas authorized transfer of the landscaped 40 acre tract commemorating the Battle of Jankins' Ferry to the Arkansas Publicity and Parks Commission. The law included an offer to donate the Jenkins' Ferry site made by the author of the bill.[6] It was listed in the U.S. National Register of Historic Places as the Jenkins' Ferry Battleground on January 21, 1970,[7] and a part of the Camden Expedition Sites National Historic Landmark, a U.S. National Historic Landmark District Contributing Property, on April 19, 1994.[8]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. January 23, 2007.
- ^ "Camden Expedition Sites". National Historic Landmark summary listing. National Park Service. September 26, 2007. Archived from the original on March 1, 2007. Retrieved September 26, 2007.
- ^ Teske, Steven (June 4, 2014). "Jenkins' Ferry State Park". Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture. Little Rock, Arkansas: Central Arkansas Library System. 1227. Retrieved September 22, 2017.
- ^ "NRHP nomination for Jenkins' Ferry State Park" (PDF). Arkansas Preservation. Retrieved November 20, 2015.
- ^ Hall, C. G., ed. (1941). Arkansas: A Guide to the State. American Guide Series. New York: Hastings House. p. 332. OCLC 882129. OL 6430108M – via Internet Archive.
- ^ Associated Press (March 30, 1961). "Parks Board Awaits Fate of Omnibus Bill". The Baxter Bulletin. Vol. 60, no. 16. Mountain Home, Arkansas. p. 8. Retrieved April 25, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. January 23, 2007.
- ^ "Camden Expedition Sites—Accompanying 62 photos, from 1992–1993: Old U.S. Arsenal (6 photos), Confederate State Capitol (5 photos), Prairie de Ann Battlefield (7 photos), Jenkins' Ferry Battlefield (4 photos), Marks' Mills Battlefield (10 photos), Fort Southerland (5 photos), Poison Spring Battlefield (7 photos), Fort Lookout (9 photos), Elkin's Ferry Battlefield (9 photos)" (pdf). National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination. National Park Service. November 29, 1993.