1836 Podcast

In 1871, a young man was accused of horse theft and hauled to jail in Van Buren, Arkansas. Arrested by a U.S. deputy marshal, he faced a serious felony charge alongside two accomplices. Whether he posted bond and vanished or broke out of the Van Buren jail through the attic, he never stood trial. This is the little-known chapter of the future lawman’s life, drawn from court records and the conflic...

Bonnie and Clyde are remembered for Texas and Louisiana, but their trail also ran through Arkansas. In this episode, we follow the Barrow Gang from a kidnapping near Waldo to a badly burned Bonnie hiding in a Fort Smith tourist camp, a small grocery robbery in Fayetteville, and the Highway 71 shootout near Alma that killed Marshal Henry D. Humphrey. We separate documented history from local folklo...

Maurice “Footsie” Britt was a Carlisle farm boy, a Lonoke valedictorian, a Razorback, and a one-season Detroit Lion before World War II turned him into one of the most decorated soldiers of the war. With the 3rd Infantry Division he fought in North Africa, Sicily, and Italy, earned the Medal of Honor north of Mignano, and lost his right arm to a German tank shell at Anzio. He came home, built a bu...

This episode of 1836 continues the Counties of Arkansas series with the story of Cleveland County—a quiet, pine-covered south-central Arkansas county whose history reaches far beyond its population of about 7,500. Created in 1873 as Dorsey County and renamed in 1885 for President Grover Cleveland, it was shaped by the bloody Civil War action at Marks’ Mills, a hard-fought county-seat battle won by...

This episode of the 1836 podcast continues the Governor’s or Arkansas series. In 1861, as every other dissenting delegate caved to pressure, Isaac Murphy stood alone and refused to vote for Arkansas's secession — a decision that cost him his home, threatened his life, and set him on a path to becoming the state's first Reconstruction governor. This is his story, from Pennsylvania schooltea...

George Maledon, known as the Wild West's “Prince of Hangmen,” was a German-born immigrant, Union Civil War veteran, lawman, and federal-court jail guard whose name became tied to the executions conducted during Judge Isaac C. Parker’s era. Though later legends claimed he personally hanged more than 80 men, historians cannot verify the exact number; what is certain is that Maledon participated...

This episode of the 1836 Podcast, continues the Counties of Arkansas series but profiling Cleburne County. Cleburne County was created in 1883 as the state’s youngest county. From its early days as a remote Ozark settlement and mineral-springs destination to the dramatic events of the 1918 Draft War, the rise of Heber Springs, and the construction of Greers Ferry Dam, the county’s story is one of...

This episode of the 1836 Podcast continues the Governors of Arkansas series. Harris Flanagin, born in Roadstown, New Jersey, rose from Quaker-educated teacher and Illinois lawyer to Arkadelphia attorney, Whig legislator, Confederate colonel of the 2nd Arkansas Mounted Rifles, and seventh governor of Arkansas. Elected in 1862 over Henry Rector, he governed through invasion, shortages, and the fall...

Violet Hensley, the “Whittlin’ Fiddler” of the Ozarks, lived 109 years as a master fiddle maker and traditional musician. Born in 1916 near Mount Ida, Arkansas, she carved instruments by hand, raised nine children, performed for decades at Silver Dollar City, appeared on national television, and made her Grand Ole Opry debut at 99. She died August 7, 2026, in Yellville, leaving a lasting legacy of...

This episode continues the Counties of Arkansas series, but profiling Clay County. Clay Count has a history unlike almost any other place in the state. From railroad boomtowns and agricultural growth to a rare system of two county seats, its story is filled with conflict, change, tragedy, and resilience. Join us as we explore the founding of Clay County, the rise of Corning and Piggott, the railro...

Titanic Thompson: America’s Greatest Hustler Born Alvin Clarence Thomas on an Arkansas hog farm, he left home at 16 and became the most legendary gambler of the 20th century. He earned the name “Titanic” after cleaning out a Joplin pool hall, won a riverboat in a dice game, walked away from five killings, and left the Army rich after gambling with his own men. As a golfer he beat pros like Ben Hog...

This episode of the 1836 Podcast continues the Governor of Arkansas series by profiling the remarkable but little-known story of Thomas Fletcher, who served as Acting Governor of Arkansas for just 11 days in November 1862 during the height of the Civil War. Born in Tennessee in 1817, Fletcher rose from U.S. Marshal in Mississippi to President of the Arkansas Senate and a key figure in the Confeder...

In the summer of 1975, Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood were cruising through Arkansas on a scenic drive when a simple lunch stop in Fordyce turned into rock 'n' roll legend. Pulled over for reckless driving, police searched their rented yellow Impala and found a small amount of illegal narcotics belonging to a companion. Keith was also cited for a weapons charge. The arrest sparked a media...

Henry Massie Rector, Arkansas’s 6th governor, rose from a tough frontier youth to lead the state into the Confederacy. Defeating the powerful political dynasty in 1860, he aggressively pushed secession, seized the Little Rock arsenal, and delivered a fiery response to Lincoln. His turbulent term ended in 1862, after which he served as a private in the militia before resuming farming and land battl...

On July 3, 1982, a bus takeover in Jasper, Arkansas became one of the state’s most unforgettable true crime tragedies. Keith and Kate Haigler, driven by extreme religious beliefs and their connection to Emory Lamb, held passengers on a Continental Trailways bus before the day ended in a deadly standoff on the Little Buffalo River Bridge. Available on all major platforms.  #arkansas #history #podca...

Discover the remarkable life of William Obadiah Wood, a Revolutionary War veteran who was born in North Carolina, fought in the Southern Campaign, and later settled in what is now Marion County, Arkansas. From the battlefields of Camden and Eutaw Springs to his final resting place in Layton Cemetery near Yellville, his story connects America’s founding era to the Arkansas frontier. Sources  Revolu...

Discover the remarkable true story of William Jackson Smart—the Civil War veteran, twice-widowed father of 14, and single dad whose quiet devotion inspired America’s Father’s Day. Born in 1842 in rural Arkansas, Smart fought on both sides of the Civil War before building a large blended family and raising his children with unwavering strength after losing two wives. His daughter Sonora’s love for...

This episode of the 1836 Podcast continues the Counties of Arkansas series by profiling Clark County. From its founding in 1818 as part of Missouri Territory and its naming after explorer William Clark, to the rise of Arkadelphia as the permanent county seat in 1842, discover the stories of early settlers like Jacob Barkman, the "Father of Clark County," river commerce, Civil War skirmis...

This episode of the 1836 Podcast shares the story of Ky Laffoon. Ky Laffoon was born in Zinc, Arkansas and became a golfer who rose to national prominence during golf’s Depression-era years. In this episode, we look at his early life, his rise in the game, his Ryder Cup appearance, his reputation as a gifted teacher and fiery competitor, and the lasting legacy he left behind.

This episode of the 1836 Podcast continues the Governors of Arkansas series, by profiling the 5th Governor of Arkansas, Elias Nelson Conway, who served as Governor of Arkansas from 1852 to 1860 — one of the longest and most impactful terms in the state’s early history. Born in Tennessee in 1812 and raised in Missouri, Conway arrived in Arkansas Territory as a young man and quickly rose through the...

This episode of the 1836 Podcast tells the powerful true story of seventeen-year-old Royle Bradford Luker from Plainview, Arkansas. A young sailor aboard the USS West Virginia, Royle was killed during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. For 84 years, his remains lay unidentified in an unmarked grave in Hawaii. Thanks to the tireless work of the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agenc...

This episode of the 1836 Podcast tells the story of Denver “Bull” Randleman. Born in 1920 in Rector, Arkansas, Bull grew up during the Great Depression, dropped out of school to support his family, and later enlisted in the U.S. Army. He joined Easy Company, 101st Airborne, earning the nickname “Bull” for his massive build and deep voice. A natural leader praised by Major Richard Winters, he jumpe...

Hidden in the Ozarks near Eureka Springs lies the forgotten story of Dinosaur World, later known as John Agar’s Land of Kong—one of Arkansas’s strangest roadside attractions. Built in 1967 by eccentric entrepreneur Ola Farwell with the help of sculptor Emmet Sullivan , the park featured life-sized concrete dinosaurs, cavemen, and a towering 40-foot King Kong statue tied to Hollywood actor John Aga...

This episode of the 1836 podcast, continues the counties of Arkansas series, by profiling Chicot County. Chicot County, Arkansas, is a land shaped by water, history, and resilience. From the ancient formation of Lake Chicot—the largest natural lake in Arkansas and the largest oxbow lake in North America—to the rich Delta soil that fueled the Cotton Kingdom, this episode explores the county’s remar...

This episode of the 1836 Podcast continues the Arkansas Governors series by sharing the remarkable and complicated life of John Selden Roane — lawyer, soldier, duelist, and the youngest person ever elected Governor of Arkansas. From his early days in Tennessee to building a career in frontier Arkansas, Roane rose fast. He became Speaker of the Arkansas House, fought heroically in the Mexican-Ameri...