St. Francis County: Crowley’s Ridge and History

Crowley’s Ridge runs from north to south through St. Francis County, forming the highland on which Forrest City was founded. The Crowley’s Ridge Parkway also passes through the county, offering views of plant communities, wildlife, ridges, and hills. Wildflowers add color in spring, summer, and fall. This gives you two themes to consider when planning your trip: the landscape along the Ridge and the history of the county’s towns and buildings.

Landscape, Parkway, and Rivers

The Crowley’s Ridge Parkway is a National Scenic Byway. Along the route, you’ll find the described views of different plants, wildlife, and the hilly Ridge country; wildflowers shape the scenery in three seasons. If you’d like to include wildlife watching and a drive through the landscape in your trip, you can take these seasonal sights into account when choosing when to visit.

Another route option is the St. Francis County Loop, an official loop off the Great River Road National Scenic Byway. It passes through the county and the towns of Madison and Forrest City. Village Creek State Park extends beyond the northern boundary of St. Francis County into Cross County. The rivers also help orient visitors to the region: the L’Anguille and St. Francis rivers attract boaters and anglers.

Buildings and Local History

The St. Francis County Museum is housed in the restored historic Rush-Gates Home. It displays the J.O. Rush relic collection and serves as the central visitor center for the Crowley’s Ridge National Scenic Byway. Wylds Cabin is on the East Arkansas Community College campus in Forrest City; it was added to the Arkansas Register of Historic Places on September 3, 1997.

First Baptist Church in Forrest City was completed by 1914 as the city’s first brick church for an African American congregation. It is designed in the Gothic Revival style. Madison, meanwhile, was the county seat of St. Francis County until 1874, when the county seat was moved to Forrest City. Madison was also home to Scott Bond, who was considered the first African American millionaire in Arkansas.

The Scott Bond Family Plot in Madison includes two buildings and a memorial stone bearing the names of the family members buried there. It is considered the last surviving site associated with Scott Bond and was proposed for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places because of its statewide significance. The William Stone House features exhibits on the history of northern St. Francis County. Its architectural features include Plain Traditional with applied Colonial Revival and Folk Victorian elements; it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1993 for these features. If you plan to visit the house, you should arrange an appointment in advance.

The region’s transportation routes also tell stories of the past. The St. Francis River Bridge on Highway 70 opened in 1933 and is one of three swing-span road bridges in Arkansas. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on April 9, 1990. The Blackfish Lake Ferry Site in New Shady Grove is a listed Arkansas property associated with the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail. The Memphis to Little Rock Road–Blackfish Lake to Hill Lake Segment is considered nationally significant because of its connection to the Bell Detachment during the Cherokee Removal and is eligible for inclusion in the Arkansas Register of Historic Places.

Travel Interests and Choosing Accommodation

When looking for a vacation rental, you can first consider which themes you’d like to shape your stay: the landscape along the Parkway, rivers as destinations for boaters and anglers, or the architectural and local history of Forrest City, Madison, and other historic sites. This lets you choose a location that suits your travel plans without combining nature and cultural interests into a single route.

Admission to the EACC Art Gallery is free; check the opening hours before your trip. Group tours can be arranged in advance with the Arts Center Manager. This adds another cultural option to the historic sites, while the Ridge and rivers appeal to other travel interests.

Discover more destinations: Forrest City, Hot Spring County, Faulkner, Chicot County, Pope County, Marion County, Crittenden, Scott County.

For the main travel overview: Arkansas.