Carrollton, Arkansas facts for kids

Carrollton is a small, unincorporated community in Carroll County, Arkansas, United States. This means it's a place where people live, but it doesn't have its own local government like a city or town. Carrollton has a very interesting history. It used to be a much bigger place! In the 1850s, about 10,000 people lived there, and it was even the main government center, called the county seat. Today, only about 30 people live in Carrollton, but its past is still very important.

History of Carrollton

Carrollton was first settled around 1840. It was named after Charles Carroll, who was one of the people who signed the U.S. Declaration of Independence. By 1860, just before the American Civil War began, Carrollton had grown quite a lot, with about 6,000 people living there. The town was busy, with six hotels and three places where people could stable their horses.

In the middle of town, there was a special basin. Water flowed into it through a long, wooden channel called a flume. This flume was made from cedar wood and was about three-quarters of a mile long. It brought water from a stream high up on a nearby mountain.

During the American Civil War, a small battle, called a skirmish, happened in Carrollton. A Confederate soldier named Joe Cumia led some troops there. Today, a special marker shows where this historic event took place.

Carrollton as a County Seat

Carrollton was once the most important town in Carroll County. It was the "county seat," which means it was where the main government offices and courts were located for the whole county.

After the Civil War, in 1869, the area changed. Part of Carroll County became a new county called Boone County. Because of this change, Carrollton was no longer the only county seat. Instead, Berryville and Eureka Springs became the joint county seats for Carroll County.

The new Boone County also needed a county seat, and Harrison (which was then called Wilson Springs) became its government center. Even after the split, important records for both counties were still kept in Carrollton.

One night in the mid-1870s, a group of men from Wilson Springs decided they didn't want to wait for the records to be moved officially. They broke into the storage area in Carrollton and took all the county records for Boone County.

Today, not much is left of the old town of Carrollton, but its history lives on.

Geography and Location

Carrollton is located at 36°15′45.25″N 93°19′18.66″W / 36.2625694°N 93.3218500°W / 36.2625694; -93.3218500. These numbers are like a special address that tells you exactly where Carrollton is on a map.

Main Highway

The main road that goes through or near Carrollton is U.S. Highway 412. This highway helps people travel to and from the area.