By Beth Shaw-Corey
Somewhere over the river's bank, to
the right, sits a picturesque town so rich
in history that it's not far-fetched to say it
shaped commerce in all the foothills at which
it presides. From steamboats to railroads to
highways and the interstate, the trade history
of Van Buren, Arkansas, a town larger than
neighboring Fort Smith at the time of its
incorporation on Jan. 4, 1845, made the River
Valley region what it is today.
Founding fathers
John Drennen and David ompson
purchased the land that is now known as Van
Buren for $11,000. ey knew commerce
always flowed where there was a courthouse
and petitioned for Van Buren –named aer
their good friend Martin Van Buren who later
became the eighth president of the United
States – to be the Crawford County seat. ey
sweetened the deal by selling the land that the
courthouse still sits on today to the state of
Arkansas for a dollar. At the time, Crawford
County was deemed the "empire county" due
to its large geographical area, which extended
from south of Fayetteville to Greenwood.
e state accepted Drennen's deal and the
courthouse, which is currently the oldest active
courthouse west of the Mississippi River, was
constructed in 1842.
Wild West
Nearly 30 years before the reign of the
"Hanging Judge" Isaac C. Parker of Fort Smith,
Over the River Somewhere, Photo courtesy of Van Buren's Christmas at the Parks
Van Buren:
History-rich River Valley gem
24 • January 2023 • OZarK LIVInG
