Category Archives: “Looking Back”

The Flood of 1927: “Looking Back”

Reprinted here by special permission of the author, Cindy Beckman, a retired Conway High School history teacher who writes local history.

Longtime residents of Faulkner County have a variety of stories about high waters in the county over the years. Even newcomers have seen some significant flooding in the area over the last few years. But none compares to the Great Flood of 1927.

Torrential rains began falling April 12, 1927, the heaviest rain in many months, resulting in widespread flooding along the Arkansas River and the Mississippi River. The magnitude of the flooding exceeded Continue reading

Conway Station: “Looking Back”

Reprinted here by special permission of the author, Cindy Beckman, a retired Conway High School history teacher who writes local history.

When the Faulkner County Historical Society recently enlarged a picture of Conway Station to use as a backdrop for its new photo booth, it drew all sorts of reactions. Many expressed regret that the depot was torn down back in 1974. Others had no idea Conway ever had a depot. But Conway began Continue reading

Building a Railroad: “Looking Back”

Reprinted here by special permission of the author, Cindy Beckman, a retired Conway High School history teacher who writes local history.

Many remember the story in those American History textbooks about the building of the transcontinental railroad across our great country. Others may have even visited points of interest in that story, like Promontory Point, Utah where the Golden Spike was ceremonially driven in by Leland Stanford to join the Central Pacific and Union Pacific railroads in 1869.

The building of the railroad from Little Rock to Ft. Smith may not be as familiar but it is literally what put Conway on the map. Here is the story Continue reading

Jim Miller, Conway Entrepreneur: “Looking Back”

Reprinted here by special permission of the author, Cindy Beckman, a retired Conway High School history teacher who writes local history.

Jim Miller grew up on a farm south of Conway, graduating Conway High School in 1952. He then married Patsy Lane, whose father was a well-known Conway barber. After eight years in the Air Force, the Millers returned to Conway in 1960.

Miller purchased the old Kuykendall Swimming Pool from Continue reading