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Arkansas played a pivotal role in history through several significant Civil War battles fought in multiple parts of the state. Eight trails are designated heritage sites with mapped driving tours and detailed information perfect for fall motorcycle rides or family road trips. Exploring these hallowed grounds teaches visitors about the battles fought and the civilian heroes which helps paint a portrait of Arkansas’s role in the territorial shaping of our nation.
Arkansas was primarily a Confederate state during the Civil War. As a slave state, delegates and leaders did not support the Union efforts despite special requests from the newly elected Abraham Lincoln. Delegates left the Arkansas Secession Convention in March 1961 with a vote of “succession, only if war was declared on the Southern states.” One month later, Governor Henry M. Rector ordered a new militia to seize the arsenal at Fort Smith as a declaration to President Lincoln and the Union troop efforts to align all free peoples to the same mindset.
While their reasoning is not entirely agreeable, the May 1861 convention to secede was grounded in a desire for freedom and state autonomy. Arkansas organized for war, establishing a new constitution with office limits and the Army of Arkansas. The delegation outlined commanding parameters and named military leaders for the two divisions, including calling local county leaders to establish a “minute man militia” ready to protect on the local level as needed while a larger statewide Army developed.
The first troops and infantry regiments were transferred east of the Mississippi River with Confederacy Troops and formed the Confederate Army of Tennessee. Governor Rector realized this left Arkansas defenseless and susceptible, so he called for more troops, building 21 new regiments in two months with 16,000 men. Part of the original troops participated in the Eastern theater in several significant battles under the direction of General Robert E. Lee.
Arkansas’s primary role was hosting control of the Mississippi River, which shaped much of its historical and economic context. Because of the easy access to Missouri and the Mississippi River, much of the state was an open battlefield, with more than 750 military actions recorded in four years.
The Civil War Heritage Trails of Arkansas mark the skirmishes, battles, and brigades of 32 towns in Arkansas with a focus on eight segments of the war pivotal to Arkansas’s Civil War history.
- Route to Fayetteville
- Camden Expedition
- Approach to Helena
- Approach to Pine Bluff
- Little Rock Campaign
- Pea Ridge Campaign
- Prairie Grove Campaign
- Price Raid Route
Highlights to note along each Civil War Heritage Trail
Route to Fayetteville
This route passes from Ozark to Alma, then North through West Fork to Fayetteville near Hwy 71 and Dickson Street.
- Popeye Park | Alma – home to one of Arkansas’ tallest sculptures in the spinach capital of the world
- Lake Fort Smith State Park | Mountainburg
- Artist Point | Mountainburg – a pull-off with a sweeping view of the valley around Lake Fort Smith.
- Arkansas Air & Military Museum at Drake Field | Fayetteville
- Headquarters House | Fayetteville – the end of the path and Col. M. LaRue Harrison’s Union headquarters in April 1863
- Confederate Cemetery | Fayetteville
- Fayetteville National Cemetery
- If you complete this in reverse, end your day by traveling from Ozark to Altus for an evening in Arkansas Wine country!
Camden Expedition
The route winds from Little Rock to the furthest corners of southeast Arkansas. Much of this battle included significant interaction for the war and hard-felt casualties on both sides.
- “Old US Arsenal”/ MacArthur Museum of Military History | Little Rock
- Elkins Ferry Battlefield | Prescott
- Prarie D’Ane Battlefield | Prescott
- Historic Washington State Park & Federal State Capitol | Washington
- Fort Southerland Park | Camden
- Fort Lookout | Camden
- McCollum-Chidester House Museum | Camden
- Oakland Cemetery | Camden
- Poison Springs Battleground State Park | Camden
- Marks’ Mill Battleground State Park | Fordyce
- Jenkins Ferry Battleground State Park | Leola
Approach to Helena
Troops left the base at Little Rock and traveled through Jacksonport before four days of meandering bad roads and swamp lands to arrive in Helena.
Eight different movements of the war traveled through the heart of Helena-West Helena with its protection and easy access to the Mississippi River. Helena is one of the country’s best locations to learn about African Americans’ participation in the war.
- Visit 25 or more historic Helena’s Civil War sites across the city.
- Delta Cultural Center | Helena – details the natural and human history of the Delta region, including the 1863 Battle of Helena
- Helena Museum of Phillips County – historical artifacts of the region, including Civil War memorabilia and paintings of the Generals
- After taking a day to tour around town, explore the Great River Road – the only All-American road in Arkansas, stretching from Blytheville to Lake Village, commemorating the economically significant role of the Mississippi River
- Or, ride the next day from Helena to Little Rock and follow General Steele’s army’s path for the Little Rock Campaign.
Approach to Pine Bluff
An easy ride connection from the Camden Expedition of the Red River Campaign, Pine Bluff has much to explore, from Civil War stories, Blues roots, Arkansas Entertainers Hall of Fame, a railroad museum and a nature center.
- Camp White Sulphur Springs Confederate Cemetery – an award-winning historical site that marks the site of a Confederate headquarters and hospital and hosts more than 100 gravesites of soldiers who died of “swamp fever.”
- Jefferson County Courthouse – the courthouse square hosted much of the Battle of Pine Bluff
Little Rock Campaign
Starting at the MacArthur Museum of Military History, follow the Little Rock Campaign Driving tour to retrace the path of battles and events to capture the capital city following the Battle of Helena.
- Old State House Museum | Little Rock
- Mount Holly Cemetery | Little Rock – oldest cemetery in Little Rock; several CSA veterans are buried here, as well as Generals Fleming Fagan and Thomas Churchill
- Oakland Fraternal Cemetery | Little Rock – interment of 640 bodies of unnamed Civil War soldiers
- Little Rock National Cemetery – originally a Union campground, the cemetery is one of few National Cemeteries where Confederate troops are buried within the walls.
Pea Ridge Campaign
The National Park Service operates this military park that tells the story of the unique battle fought March 7-8, 1862, completing a significant Union victory. Much of the fighting took place on the lawn around the Elkhorn Tavern and among the farms of Leetown. The path is fully paved with pullouts, interpretative panels, and an audio tour that paints a picture of the scene in each field.
Prairie Grove Campaign
The opposing armies met on a ridge in the town of Prairie Grove. Prairie Grove Battlefield State Park encompasses the battlefield with a paved driving path, walking and bike trail, and narration through a video tour. After spending time at the state park, ride over to historic Cane Hill, where General Blunt’s Federals heard the shots fired from Prairie Grove, and moved to join the battle.
Images used with permission from the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism, unless otherwise noted.
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[…] During the Civil War, Union Troops seized the property from the Hinkle family, using it as a hospital through 1867. From there, historical surveys show the town using the building as a Masonic lodge and ballroom. As downtown Van Buren grew in artistic expression, performing groups and a Glee Club shared the property with the Masons. […]