History in the hills
THRIVING CITY GROWS FROM SMALL BEGINNINGS
In 1834, P.C. Holledger settled the area that is now called Russellville by building the first house there. The house was purchased by Dr. Thomas Russell in 1835, hence the name Russellville. Today, the city’s chamber of commerce is at that historic location.
The 20th century brought steady growth for Russellville, boosting the city’s population to 1,800. Even a fire in 1906 that destroyed more than 20 businesses and caused a quarter million dollars’ worth in losses didn’t hinder the city’s steady development.The city’s population more than doubled over the next 14 years.The railroad and coal-mining interests that had moved into the area helped to secure the future of the thriving city that now has a population of 28,533.
“In 1910 when my grandmother came to town, this was a coal-mining town,” said David Vance, a Pope County historian for more than 30 years. “They would load the mules down there on a cart, and the mules would pull the coal to different sites. Anthracite coal was the most common coal. Most of the mines were closed by the time I was born. We also had a lot of cotton when I was growing up.The farmers use to bring the cotton out on Main Street to sell the cotton right on the street. Eventually, the city had to pass an ordinance to have them sell the cotton at the gin and not in the streets.”
Russellville has a diverse manufacturing base, with items such as frozen dinners, railroad crossties, elevator signal fixtures, parking meters, aluminum foil, graphite electrodes, microplanes, and aircraft and automotive parts a few of the products manufactured in the city.The city is home to 10 divisions of Fortune 500 companies, including Arkansas corporations such as Tyson Foods Inc. and Innovation Industries Elevator Signal Fixtures. Forty-eight manufacturing plants employ more than 8,300 people.The city is also home to Arkansas Nuclear One, a two-unit pressurized water-reactor nuclear power plant on Lake Dardanelle just outside Russellville.
Russellville is known for its local music, art scene and historic downtown area.The most notable of these events is the Downtown Art Walk, held by the city the first Friday of every month so the public has an opportunity to listen to
live music; participate in wine and food tasting; view, purchase and sell art; and connect with other community residents. Russellville also hosts many sporting events and fishing tournaments because of its location on Lake Dardanelle.The city is also close to Mount Nebo and other state parks.
Many people commute to Russellville on a daily basis from surrounding areas, for both work and recreation. Russellville is also home to the Pope County Fairgrounds, which hosts a number of events ranging from horse racing to fairs and conventions. At the end of every summer, Russellville hosts the annual Pope County Fair, featuring rides, live music, livestock, games, and other forms of entertainment.The county fair attracts more than 50,000 visitors each year.
Recent economic growth has transformed Russellville into a regional shopping and dining destination, with new restaurants and businesses popping up regularly. A new shopping center and a hotel featuring a convention center are set for construction within the next several years. Though both projects are running behind schedule, they are still moving forward.
Over the years, education became a big part of the community of Russellville and remains an important aspect of the city’s structure. Although what would become the Russellville School District was formed in 1870, a new high school was built in 1907. Close to 20 years later, the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools accredited the district’s schools. U.S. News & World
Report estimates Russellville High School
alone to have an enrollment of close to 1,000 students.
Another educational advancement came in 1909, when Russellville was chosen as one of the four locations in the state for an agriculture school. The Second District Agriculture School, now Arkansas Tech University, opened the next year. ATU reported a preliminary 11th-day enrollment of 12,007 students for the fall 2015 semester.
Russellville has also found a claim to fame with several prominent residents who have lived in the area. Jeff Davis, who was the first governor to be elected to three terms and also went on to serve as a U.S. senator, called Russellville home. Also, former U.S. Rep. Brooks Hays, who went on to become an adviser to Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson, began his law practice in Russellville with his father.
Another former Russellville resident is Corliss Williamson, who led the Arkansas Razorbacks to the 1994 NCAA Basketball National Championship and played several years in the NBA before returning home to coach the University of Central Arkansas basketball team for a brief stint before returning to the NBA as an assistant coach.
Famed knifemaker Jimmy Lile is a native of Russellville, as is 1982 Miss America Elizabeth Ward, who graduated from Russellville High School in 1982.
— Information courtesy of U.S. News & World Report, Arkansas Tech University Student Enrollment
Statistics, www.cencus.gov, Encyclopedia of Arkansas and Pope County Chamber of Commerce