1890 Map of Magazine Mountain

About this map

Magazine Mountain and Petit Jean Mountain dominate this late-nineteenth-century landscape, which follows the wide bends of the Arkansas River. The economic life of the region centers on the Little Rock and Fort Smith Railroad, which serves riverfront towns like Ozark and Altus, as well as coal-mining hubs such as Coal Hill and Hartman. South of the river, the terrain shifts into a series of ridges and valleys where local commerce is anchored by the county seat of Paris and smaller post offices like Burnett Springs. Settlement patterns are closely tied to the water, with Petit Jean Creek and Six Mile Creek providing passage through the heights. Genealogists can trace early homesteading in communities like Sub Rosa, Roseville, and Golden City, established well before the modern development of the Arkansas River Valley.