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Ouachita County, Arkansas

68 topographic sheets cover 54 settlements here, and 42 properties are on the National Register of Historic Places.

Research this county

From the record

42 National Register listings published here.

Sources: the National Register database, National Park Service

Arkansas within the United States
Ouachita County within Arkansas

What the record shows

  • 847 topographic sheet readings cover the county's settlements.
  • 42 properties here are on the National Register of Historic Places: 22 buildings, 8 districts, 7 sites, 4 structures and 1 object.
  • 12 of the 42 listings were added during the 1970s.
  • The Geographic Names Information System records 54 populated places in this county; 54 are covered by at least one topographic sheet.

Places on the National Register

42

Every property in this county listed on the National Register of Historic Places, with the year it was listed and the federal nomination document.

Photograph PropertyType ListedReference
Arkansas Highway 57 Bridgestructure200505001078
Bearden Waterworksstructure200606000908
Bragg Housebuilding197474000487
Capt. John T. Burkett Housebuilding199898000620
Camden Commercial Historic Districtdistrict2022100008151
Camden Confederate Monumentobject199696000462
Clifton and Greening Street Historic District (Boundary Increase II)district200707000955
Clifton and Greening Street Historic District (Boundary Increase)district200101001232
Clifton and Greening Streets Historic Districtdistrict199898000911
Clifton and Greening Streets Historic District (Boundary Increase III)district201111000691
Elliott-Meek Housebuilding197474000483
Fort Lookoutsite199494001183
Fort Southerlandsite199494001184
Graham-Gaughan-Betts Housebuilding197474000484
Green Cemeterysite201716000653
Harvey's Grocery and Texaco Stationbuilding200101000524
Hickman Housebuilding200606000090
Holt-Poindexter Store Buildingbuilding198686002948
Ben Laney Bridgestructure200000000633
Leake-Ingham Buildingbuilding197575000399
Lester And Haltom No. 1 Well Sitesite197676000442
McCollum-Chidester Housebuilding197171000127
Missouri-Pacific Railroad Depot-Camdenbuilding199292000605
Oakland Cemeterysite200000000634
Oakland Cemetery, Confederate Sectionsite199696001408
Oakland Farmbuilding197878003062
Old Camden Post Officebuilding197777000263
Ouachita County Courthousebuilding198989001958
Ouachita County Training Schooldistrict2023100009343
Poison Spring State Parksite196969000036
Benjamin T. Powell Housebuilding197474000485
Richmond-Tufts Housebuilding197777000264
Rumph Housebuilding200303000948
Rowland B. Smith Housebuilding197474000486
Spring-Harrison Historic Districtdistrict2021100006026
St. John's Episcopal Churchbuilding2017100000556
Standard Oil Company Oil Station Pumphousestructure2022100008150
Tate's Barnbuilding197272000207
Two Bayou Methodist Church and Cemeterybuilding199898000830
Tyson Family Commercial Buildingbuilding199494001339
Sidney A. Umsted Housebuilding199595000789
Washington Street Historic Districtdistrict201809001256

Wildfire, 1997 to 2020

1,249 fires

Every wildfire the federal occurrence database records inside this county: 1,249 of them, burning about 7,051 acres. 75 started naturally and 362 were recorded as arson. Each settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it.

Reported cause Fires
Missing data/not specified/undetermined365
Arson/incendiarism362
Debris and open burning271
Equipment and vehicle use95
Natural75
Misuse of fire by a minor22
Railroad operations and maintenance21
Smoking20
Recreation and ceremony18

The five largest, by the area the report gives. One of them was set deliberately.

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
23 September 2010Missing data/not specified/undetermined486 acresArkansas Forestry CommissionEAST CAMDEN
5 September 2010Missing data/not specified/undetermined194 acresArkansas Forestry CommissionCHAPEL CREEK
23 August 2020Missing data/not specified/undetermined109 acresArkansas Forestry Commissionnot named
17 July 2006Natural90 acresArkansas Forestry Commissionnot named
3 April 2015Debris and open burning86 acresArkansas Forestry Commissionnot named
7 October 2011Equipment and vehicle use84 acresArkansas Forestry Commissionnot named
25 March 2014Arson/incendiarism80 acresArkansas Forestry CommissionOUA9414838
1 September 2000Natural80 acresArkansas Forestry Commissionnot named

Every settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it - see the settlement index below.

Storms, 1955 to 2026

60 of 497 shown

The NOAA Storm Events Database holds 497 reports for this county, causing 1 death, 24 injuries and about $17,712,600 in recorded property damage. Each settlement page carries the reports that name it.

Kind of event Reports
Thunderstorm Wind200
Hail127
Flood105
Flash Flood32
Tornado23
Heavy Rain6
Lightning3
Funnel Cloud1

The most serious of them, by death, then injury, then recorded damage. The accounts are quoted exactly as the forecast office filed them.

WhenEvent Place namedHarm What the report says
October 2008FloodAmy1 killed, $20,000An elderly man drowned when he drove his small SUV into floodwaters on Arkansas Highway 7 south of Amy. The vehicle was washed off the highway and overturned. Doppler weather radar estimated that at least 6 to 8 inches of rain had fallen in the area on the night of the 6th and the morning of the 7th. The rain caused creeks to begin rising, and the highway eventually flooded. The Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department indicated that the highway was closed and barricaded on the afternoon of the 7th. The man drove around the barricades and into the water around 5:30 AM CDT on the 8th. According to a report from the Arkansas State Police, the water on the highway was 4 feet deep at the time of the accident. Furthermore, the Ouachita County Sheriff's Office indicated that the water was still rising quickly at the time.
April 1979Tornado (F3)not stated17 hurt, $2,500,000no account filed
December 1982Tornado (F3)not stated7 hurt, $2,500,000no account filed
May 2009FloodTates Bluff$3,000,000Heavy to record rainfall produced river flooding along the Ouachita River that had not been experienced since 1990. Numerous parks, county and state roads, and private residences were flooded.
April 2014Thunderstorm WindBuena Vista$2,500,000The Camden-Fairview High School had damage at the baseball field, where the bleachers were overturned and the dugouts were destroyed, at the football stadium and weight room, at the band building, and at one of the classroom buildings. Hundreds of trees were blown down. Nine homes were destroyed, nine had major damage, 13 had minor damage, and seven were affected. Many power lines were blown down, including a major transmission line, leaving the entire city without power.
April 2016Thunderstorm WindCamden$1,000,000Trees were uprooted and snapped, with some trees falling and causing damage to homes. This was on the northwest side of town.
March 2008FloodCamden$600,000Heavy rain caused the Ouachita River at Camden to go above moderate flood level. Numerous county roads were flooded and Arkansas Highway 7 was closed. Many residences were cut off by flooded access roads at points along the river both upstream and downstream of Camden. Access was by boat only. Agricultural damages were primarily to lost pastures due to prolonged inundation.
October 2009Flash FloodSayre$500,000U.S. Highway 79 southwest of Camden was closed due to water over the road. A high water rescue was necessary on the highway at Ogemaw. Other highways closed included Arkansas 57 from U.S. Highway 278 to Arkansas Highway 76, and Arkansas Highway 376 from U.S. Highway 79 to U.S. Highway 278. The basement of the county courthouse in Camden was flooded. County roads closed included Ouachita 1, 2, 6, 25, 32, 45, 88, 96, 210, 232, and the intersection of 427 and 97. Many county roads were washed out.
October 2009Tornado (EF1)Lakeside$350,000This tornado moved out of Calhoun County about 4 1/3 miles west of Locust Bayou and re-entered Ouachita County about 2 1/4 miles south-southwest of Lakeside. In Ouachita County, the tornado tore part of the roof off a house, damaged a church roof, and caused trees to fall on four houses. The tornado then moved through a trailer park, where falling trees destroyed nine of the homes and caused major damage to three others. Otherwise, hundreds of trees were blown down, as were a number of power lines. The tornado then exited Ouachita County in East Camden and moved into the Calhoun County portion of the same town.
October 2009FloodSayre$300,000Flash flooding which began on the 29th became widespread areal flooding on the 30th. Several businesses were flooded and four families were evacuated in the southwest part of Camden. Water was up to the door handles of minivans.
October 2009Tornado (EF1)Salem$300,000After badly damaging the Arkansas Fire Training Academy, this tornado moved from the Calhoun County portion of the Highland Industrial Park into the Ouachita County portion. Thirty-one empty railroad tank cars, which had been stored on a little-used track, were blown over. After the tornado left the industrial park, it caused several houses to suffer roof damage, snapped power poles, and blew down power lines. Along the tornado's path, hundreds of trees were toppled.
July 2011Thunderstorm WindCamden$250,000Near the junction of U.S. 79/287 and Arkansas 7, much of the roof of an old motel was blown off, as was part of the back wall of the building. Although the motel was unoccupied, many of the rooms were being used to store furnishings. The roofing material from the motel was blown behind the building, covering Dunning St. with debris, and knocking down power poles and transformers. Some of the debris blew across the street, damaging a vacant house. An occupied motel had some shingles removed from its roof. A number of trees were blown down in the area, including Carnes Park. Trees landed on residences on Mt. Holly Rd., Cherry St., and Cuba Cir. At the sheriff's office, a two-car carport was picked up and thrown, damaging an antique patrol car and some fences. At Camden Fairview High School, the roof was rolled up on an outbuilding.
May 2011FloodReader$250,000Part of Arkansas Highway 7 was closed due to flooding.
December 2009FloodSayre$250,000Flash flooding, which developed early on the morning of the 24th, became widespread areal flooding later in the morning on the 24th and continued into Christmas morning. Arkansas Highway 7 was flooded north of Camden. Road cave-ins occurred on Adams Ave., Roseman Rd., and Ouachita 143 off Old Wire Rd. Roads closed due to flooding included Ouachita 44, 45, 32, and 232.
December 2009Flash FloodSayre$250,000Widespread heavy rain led to the development of flash flooding early on the morning of the 24th.
October 2009Flash FloodRed Hill$250,000Streets were flooded and creeks overflowed in Camden. More than 20 county roads were flooded.
December 1978Tornado (F2)not stated$250,000no account filed
January 1978Tornado (F1)not stated$250,000no account filed
October 2009Thunderstorm WindBearden$200,000Numerous trees and power lines were blown down. Some of the trees fell on houses.
October 2009Tornado (EF2)Lester$200,000The tornado caused a massive tree blowdown soon after touching down. It then passed west of Velie and near Amy. One house had part of one wall and a portion of its roof torn off, part of the roof was torn off a mobile home, another mobile home was blown off its foundation, and several outbuildings were damaged. The tornado exited Ouachita County about 3 1/3 miles east-northeast of Smead and continued into Dallas County about 3 2/3 miles west-southwest of Holly Springs.
October 2009Thunderstorm WindBuena Vista$150,000Trees and power lines were blown down. Several roofs were damaged by the falling trees.
October 2009Thunderstorm WindCamden$150,000Trees were down along Arkansas Highway 7 south of Camden. Five homes sustained damage.
October 2009Tornado (EF1)Louann$150,000A tornado moved out of Union County and into Ouachita County just east-southeast of Louann. Roof damage occurred to a number of residences and the roof was torn off a mobile home. Hundreds of trees were blown down or snapped off, and power lines were blown down. The tornado exited Ouachita County northeast of Frenchport and continued into Calhoun County about 6 2/3 miles southwest of Locust Bayou.
April 2008FloodLunet$150,000The upstream flood wave on the Ouachita River progressed downstream to the Camden vicinity by the middle of the month. The stage at the Camden stream gage crested at moderate flood level. Arkansas Highway 7 and numerous county and city roads were flooded.
April 2011FloodReader$100,000Widespread areal flooding occurred. Part of Arkansas Highway 7 was closed from the morning of the 28th through the end of the month.
September 2009FloodLunet$100,000Heavy rainfall during the middle of September pushed the Ouachita River at Camden above flood stage. Some county roads and private roads were flooded.
April 2008Thunderstorm WindBuena Vista$100,000A tree fell across a house and trapped a resident. The person was rescued and was uninjured. The house and vehicles were destroyed.
September 2009Flash FloodChidester$75,000Arkansas Highway 57 west of Stephens was closed due to high water. Numerous county roads were closed across Ouachita County due to high water.
March 2014Thunderstorm WindHarmony Grove$70,000A tree fell into a mobile home, destroying it. Another mobile home had one side and part of the roof blown off. Trees were blown down on Arkansas 7.
December 2015Tornado (EF1)Millville$50,000This tornado continued from Calhoun County. Several trees were uprooted, along with several limbs snapped off. Within the town of Beardon, some windows were blown out and roof damage was observed at a few downtown businesses. Some metal was blown off a church. One large tree was blown over onto a home.
April 2014Thunderstorm WindHarmony Grove$50,000Many trees were blown down and several houses were damaged.
August 2014Flash FloodLester$50,000Street flooding occurred in Camden. At times between 8 and 9 AM CDT, heavy rain reduced the visibility at the Camden airport to less than 1/4 mile.
November 1994Thunderstorm WindElliott$50,000Thunderstorm winds downed some trees and an antenna tower.
November 1994Thunderstorm WindHarmony Grove$50,000Thunderstorm winds downed trees and power lines. Several homes were also damaged by fallen trees.
June 2021Thunderstorm WindEast Camden$40,000A tree was blown down onto a house in East Camden. The damage was confirmed via a photo on social media and relayed by KATV.
May 2009Flash FloodLester$40,000Portions of Arkansas Highway 7 north of Camden were barricaded for a period of time due to high water. Also, county roads 88, 223, 234, 96, and 11 were flooded.
October 2009Thunderstorm WindEast Camden$35,000The new roof was torn off the fire station in East Camden and some trees and power lines were blown down.
June 2009Thunderstorm WindElliott$30,000Several power poles and power lines were down across the area.
March 2012Thunderstorm WindCamden$25,000Trees and power lines were blown down.
June 2011Thunderstorm WindCamden$25,000A mobile home was overturned by thunderstorm winds.
June 2011Thunderstorm WindCamden$25,000Trees were blown down in Camden. One of the trees fell on the porch of a house.
July 2010Thunderstorm WindBearden$25,000A high-voltage power line was blown down. Two homes were evacuated and a two-block area was closed as a precaution.
December 2009FloodLakeside$25,000Heavy rainfall on December 23rd and 24th allowed the Ouachita River at Camden to rapidly rise above flood stage on Christmas Eve. The river remained above flood stage through early January. Some crops suffered damage.
May 2009Flash FloodGood Hope$25,000Arkansas Highway 7 and Ouachita roads 11, 76, 99 and 389 were closed due to flooding.
June 2009Thunderstorm WindCamden$25,000Numerous power lines were down in and around Camden.
October 2008Flash FloodKent$25,000Flash flooding occurred on several county roads in Bearden and Harmony Grove. County roads 31 and 34 near Harmony Grove were closed. Also, Ouachita 86, Ouachita 92 and Ouachita 95 were closed.
November 1984Tornado (F3)not stated$25,000no account filed
December 1957Tornado (F4)not stated$25,000no account filed
February 2014Thunderstorm WindStephens$20,000The brick storefront on an old, unoccupied store collapsed. Chert St. was closed due to bricks in the road.
June 2011Thunderstorm WindEast Camden$20,000Trees were blown down and shingles were blown off roofs. A large trampoline was wrapped around a utility pole.
May 2009Flash FloodLester$20,000Flooding occurred on many county roads.
October 2014Thunderstorm WindChidester$15,000Trees were blown down onto Arkansas 24 and 57.
April 2014Thunderstorm WindEast Camden$15,000Numerous trees were blown down.
March 2012FloodCamden$15,000Heavy rain in the second half of March pushed the Ouachita River at Camden above flood stage through the end of March. Arkansas 7 flooded between Camden and Harmony Grove.
June 2010Thunderstorm WindBearden$15,000Eight power poles were blown down and there was some tree damage off U.S. Highway 79 southwest of Bearden.
February 2010FloodKent$15,000Heavy rainfall on the 7th and 8th caused the Ouachita River at Camden to rise above flood stage the afternoon of the 7th. The river remained above flood stage until the afternoon of the 20th, cresting at nearly 34 feet on the afternoon of the 13th.
February 2020Thunderstorm WindAmy$10,000Damage was reported to carports and outbuildings. Winds were estimated at 50-55 mph.
June 2013FloodCamden$10,000Heavy rainfall from late May into early June caused the Ouachita River at Camden to rise above flood stage during the evening hours on the 3rd. The river remained above flood stage for several days, before falling below flood stage during the morning hours on the 12th.
March 2010Thunderstorm WindFrenchport$10,000Some trees were blown down in the Frenchport area.
February 2008Thunderstorm WindLouann$10,000There were trees down on an abandoned mobile home. Reports of pea size hail were received across county.

Mines and quarries

78 recorded

The Survey's mineral resources record lists 78 workings inside this county. 12 still produce and 66 are closed or unrecorded. Each settlement page carries the workings within five miles of it.

Commodity Workings
Sand and Gravel, Construction67
Clay6
Iron3
Clay, Sand and Gravel, Construction1
Stone, Crushed/Broken1
Quartz1
Sulfur, Phosphorus-Phosphates1

The least common of them first, because a county's hundredth gravel pit says nothing its first ten did not.

Where SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
Hope Brick Co PitClay, Sand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
No NameStone, Crushed/BrokenPast Producer
UnkQuartz, Iron, Sulfur, Phosphorus-PhosphatesUnknown
Aggie Mccree PropertyIronPast Producer
T.I.Brown PropertyIronPast Producer
ChidesterClayPast Producer
No NameClayPast Producer
No NameClayPast Producer
No NameClayPast Producer
UnkClayPast Producer
Bearden-Holly Springs MineSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
CamdenSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
Cram PlantSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Eagle MillSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
Eagle Mills Pit & PlantSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Fairchild PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
GarnerSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
Garner PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Jackson PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
Millville Pit & PlantSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Ouchita County PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Pine Bluff Sand & Gravel Co PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
Pit & Plant #3Sand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Pit & Plant No 3Sand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Standard Gravel Pit and PlantSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducerbedded
Triangle Gravel Pit & PlantSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
unnamedClayPast Producer

Every populated place in the county

54

Named settlements recorded in the Geographic Names Information System, each with the topographic sheets covering it. Villages, hamlets and abandoned places alike. Each is shown with the nearest named watercourse or landform and the survey quadrangle it falls on.

The vanished settlements of Ouachita County: the places named above that are no longer on the map.

Provenance

  • Topographic sheets. USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection, county index, measured from the bulk metadata.
  • Fire insurance maps. Library of Congress Sanborn collection, faceted to this county.
  • Photographs. Each place queried individually against the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs search.
  • Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.
  • Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
  • Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.