Crowley’s Ridge is a strange and unique phenomenon, a large
serpentine hill that runs north to south on the eastern side of Arkansas,
pretty much parallel to the Mississippi River. Some geologists in the past
posited that it forms a testament to the remains of erosion resulting
from the forming of two rivers. I vaguely remember someone, after a pitcher
of beer at the old Shakey’s Pizza in Little Rock’s Riverdale area, calling it
an “eroidial remnant. I don’t think that’s a word but is sounds as good as
anything. There are some places down east of Monroe, Louisiana where you can
see where the ancient banks stood 4,000 years ago when the Universe was formed.
(A joke, son. That’s a joke.)
Anyway, some think our city was named after one of the most
effective, but morally-challenged generals of the American Civil War, Nathan
Bedford Forrest, former slave trader and Confederate commanding officer at the
notorious Fort Pillow massacre, a battle fought on April 12, 1864, on the
Mississippi River in Henning, Tennessee. The battle ended with a massacre of
African-American Union troops and their white officers attempting to surrender,
by soldiers under the command of, yes, you guessed it, Major General Nathan
Bedford Forrest. Ironically, The Fort Pillow massacre increased Northern
support for the war. Go figure.
So, is one of my favorite cities guilty of the
aggrandizement of such a villain, by naming itself after him? Not exactly.
After the war, a crew headed by then civilian contractor Nathan Bedford Forrest traveled
to a remote area in eastern Arkansas for the purpose of working on the construction
of a railroad, including a bridge. At some point at the western base of Crowley's Ridge, the crew chief said, “We camp
here.” As it achieved somewhat permanent status, everyone called the site “Forrest’s
Camp.” The name stuck and shortened itself over the years to Forrest City.
Later, in a surprising move, leaders established it as the
county seat of St. Francis County. They did this by slipping over the ridge one
night and stealing all the public records from the town of Madison, then the county
seat.
Back when we built things in America, Forrest City became
the site of the, then, largest industrial location in the state when Sanyo Corporation
began building TV sets there. The plant was long-closed when community leaders convinced
the federal government that, since it had located federal prisons in every state
in the Union except ours, it would be nice to build one right there near the old
site of Forrest’s Camp. Surprisingly, they did.
As part of the deal, the State of Arkansas was to build a
bypass from Arkansas Highway One to allow direct access to the prison, avoiding
the complexities of transporting prisoners through town. The trafficway opened
12 years after the prison, and is the purpose of today’s visit. Maybe it’s time
for some re-thinking about future land uses along the corridor.
Forrest City is a diverse community. Historically, it created,
as such cities do, segregated neighborhoods and segregated areas of entertainment.
One area, the locals called “Downtown” and it once housed, among other niceties,
an opera house. The locals called another street “Silk Stocking Lane,” and I wouldn’t
be surprised to learn that Robert Johnson or Bill Broonzy performed at one of
its venues.
In short, the city has faced and dealt with many racial difficulties that so-called “white-flight” cities could only imagine. During a dark period of American’s history, locals reportedly lynched a man from the very railroad bridge built by Forrest and his crew, within sight of the opera house.
In short, the city has faced and dealt with many racial difficulties that so-called “white-flight” cities could only imagine. During a dark period of American’s history, locals reportedly lynched a man from the very railroad bridge built by Forrest and his crew, within sight of the opera house.
But there are no “Sundown Signs” marking the entrance to
this city. The modern community faces difficulties bravely, has produced quality
leaders over the years, and continues to do so. If there is a Heaven, and if
there are special places set aside in honor of cities that, during my
professional career, did the Galilean’s work earnestly and devoutly while watching
the rains of good fortune fall elsewhere, I’m sure that one such spot will be
named after Forrest City, Arkansas.
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| Yesteryear |
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