Though Arkansas joined the Union as the 25th state in 1836, the land of Arkansas has an extensive history that existed before the American Revolution and statehood.
Gathered from Encyclopedia of Arkansas, the Arkansas Secretary of State and Only in Arkansas websites, as well as vetted through partners with historical backgrounds, we’ve gathered a list of 27 defining moments in Arkansas’s history from the first European expedition into Arkansas in 1541 to Sarah Huckabee Sanders being elected as Arkansas’s first woman governor in 2022.
As we reflect on our shared history—both as a nation and here in Arkansas—on the journey toward the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence this July 2026, come with us. Visit myarpbs.org/america250 for activities and community events and take a tour of our interactive timeline of Arkansas’s history.
Are you an educator, student or lover of all things history? Download your own map and timeline here.
1541: Hernando de Soto leads first European expedition into Arkansas.
1783: The only Revolutionary War battle in present-day Arkansas occurs at Arkansas Post
1920: Oil discovered near El Dorado, Smackover.
1927: Flood of 1927 devastates Arkansas, the hardest-hit state in the nation.
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Find additional community activities, and learn more at myarpbs.org/america250
Find a screening event near you at myarpbs.org/events.