1894 Map of Benton

About this map

The Saline River corridor at Benton serves as the focal point for this late nineteenth-century reconnaissance, conducted by Henry Gannett and J.H.Renshawe. The landscape transitions from the river lowlands to the ridges of the Ouachita National Forest, where named peaks like Flatside Pinnacle and Maumelle Pinnacles provide distinct landmarks across the Pulaski and Saline county lines. Small settlements such as Brazils, Avilla, and Aplin are scattered among a complex network of waterways, including the Alum Fork and Hurricane Creek. The map documents a period before modern infrastructure, where the terrain is defined by its natural drainage patterns, from the Fourche La Fave River in the north to the Caney Creek bottomlands in the south. This survey captures the rural character of central Arkansas when local life followed the bends of the Arkansas River and its numerous tributaries.