Agriculture is an integral part of Arkansas’s culture, economy, and heritage. Early settlers harvested from the land's abundant timber and raised livestock. Settlers to the eastern half of the state contended with vast swamp and marshland, but through widespread efforts, swamps were drained and turned into fertile farmland. This gallery offers illustrates some of the toils and produce of Arkansas farming. Today, Arkansas remains an important supplier of rice, cotton, corn, beef, chicken, and dairy products.
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Brochure, "Dortch's Southern Hybrid Seed Corn"
This is an advertising brochure for Dortch's Southern Hybrid Seed Corn produced by Robert L. Dortch in Scott.
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Brochure, "Roldo Rowden Cotton Seed"
This is an advertising brochure for Roldo Rowden cotton seed bred by Robert L. Dortch of Scott.
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City Market Stockyard in Mammoth Spring
This is a photograph of Ben F. Elder seated in a mule cart with an unknown man standing beside him. They are in front of the stockyard. Elder established the City Market Stockyard in Mammoth Spring. Photograph caption says, "Tell the Truth."
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Cotton gin
Black and white photograph of three unidentified men standing in a cotton gin with bales of cotton. This gin was opened by John Michaels in the early 1920s and operated successfully until it burned in 1941.
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Cultivator in snow
Photograph of a horse-drawn cultivator resting in a snowy field with corn shocks behind it.
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Franz turkey farm
This is a black and white photograph of two Franz turkey farm employees standing in a flock of turkeys.
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Jane Justus Richardson feeding the hogs
Black and white photograph of Jane Justus Richardson feeding hogs in a barnyard.
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Jennings Wood and wheelbarrow
Photograph of an old wheelbarrow sitting in front of a large stack of firewood.
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Mammoth Spring Milling Company
This is a photograph of the Mammoth Spring Milling Company's main building. Unidentified employees stand by railroad boxcars which would be loaded with processed grains.
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Mammoth Spring Milling Company advertisement
This is is an advertisement for the Mammoth Spring Milling Company. The milling company has labels on all of the buildings as well as peak load numbers in order to entice farmers to bring their crops for processing.
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Newspaper clipping, freighting cotton in the early days
As part of a special interest column, the Mammoth Spring Democrat often ran old photos. This article depicts horse and mule drawn wagons hauling five cotton bales each from a farm in Camp, Arkansas to a cotton gin in Mammoth Spring for processing.
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Oxen hauling logs
This is a black and white photograph of a team of oxen hauling timber into town across railroad tracks.
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Postcard, two men in cow-drawn wagon
A picture postcard with two unidentified men in a cow-drawn cart on one side and a message to T.H. Raney on the back.