Arkana, Louisiana facts for kids

Arkana was once a small town in the United States. It was special because it sat right on the border between the states of Louisiana and Arkansas. Most of the town was actually in Arkansas.

In the 1890s, Arkana became known as a "railroad town." This meant it grew because of the trains that passed through. It had a train station, a place to cut wood (called a lumber mill), a church, a post office, and a school. There was even a short train line called the Arkana and Eastern Railroad Company. It connected Arkana to a town called Springhill in the early 1900s.

How Arkana Got Its Name

Arkana's name is a mix of the two states it bordered! The "Ark-" part comes from "Arkansas." The "-ana" part comes from "Louisiana." So, its name tells you exactly where it was located.

Where Was Arkana?

Arkana was located at an elevation of about 244 feet (74 meters) above sea level. In the 1940s, about 50 people lived there.

A Look Back at Arkana's History

Arkana at the north end of Bossier Parish, Louisiana, in 1925

The Early Days of Arkana

One of the first people to settle in Arkana was Jackson Clark Byram. He started his home there in 1848. He was a veteran of three wars and had a very large family.

Arkana began as a train stop on the Cotton Belt Route. This was a big railroad that connected several U.S. states, including Missouri, Arkansas, Tennessee, Louisiana, and Texas.

A sawmill owned by the Arkana Lumber Company operated in town. It cut down trees to make lumber. Sadly, this mill burned down in 1899. This wasn't the first fire; another one happened in 1892.

By the 1890s, people called Arkana a "new railroad town." In 1912, a local newspaper described it as an important "place and community." In 1900, only 12 people lived in Arkana.

In 1915, plans were made for the town to grow. About 4,000 acres of land were divided into smaller pieces to be sold to new settlers. Soon, Arkana had several stores, a church, and a post office. The Cotton Belt Land and Development Company helped build the town.

Arkana was also home to the Arkana and Eastern Railroad Company. This was a short train line that ran between Arkana and Springhill in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

Arkana in northern Bossier Parish, Louisiana, in 1907

Arkana in the 1900s

The Burton Lumber Company ran a lumber mill in Arkana during the 1920s and 1930s. Parts of this mill caught fire five times in 1922!

Around 1920, the Arkana School was open for children in the community. In 1920, Arkana's population grew to 63 people.

In April 1936, a new road was finished. It was Louisiana Highway 10 (now called Louisiana Highway 3). This road connected Arkana to Plain Dealing. People were happy because it meant "Arkana will have a good road leading both north and south."

By 1940, Arkana's population was still 63 people. In 1952, a local newspaper reported that the paved road between Hope, Arkansas, and Arkana had been made longer.

In 1980, a company called Crystal Oil and Land Company was getting a lot of natural gas from an area near what used to be the old Arkana townsite. This shows that even after the town faded, the land was still important.

Images for kids

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  Arkana at the north end of Bossier Parish, Louisiana, 1925

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  Arkana in northern Bossier Parish, Louisiana, in 1907