Wittsburg, Arkansas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Wittsburg, Arkansas
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 Wittsburg, Arkansas
Location in Arkansas
Wittsburg, Arkansas
Location in the United States
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Arkansas |
| County | Cross |
| Elevation | 78 m (256 ft) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| Area code(s) | 870 |
| GNIS feature ID | 58904 |
Wittsburg is a small place in Cross County, Arkansas, United States. It is called an "unincorporated community." This means it's a group of homes and businesses that isn't officially a town or city with its own local government.
Wittsburg is located right on the St. Francis River. It is also at the very end of Arkansas Highway 163. This spot is about 4.8 miles (7.7 kilometers) east of a town called Wynne.
History of Wittsburg
Wittsburg was an important place a long time ago. It was built as a "port city." A port city is a town with a harbor where ships can load and unload goods. Wittsburg was special because it was the farthest north that large steamboats could travel on the St. Francis River.
Cotton Trade
In the past, a lot of cotton was grown in the areas around Wittsburg. This cotton was brought to Wittsburg. It was stored in big buildings called warehouses. From there, the cotton was loaded onto steamboats. These boats would then take the cotton down the river to sell in bigger cities. Important cotton cities included Memphis, Tennessee and New Orleans, Louisiana.
County Seat During the Civil War
In 1862, during the American Civil War, Cross County was created. Wittsburg was a very busy place back then. It was a center for business and community life. Because of its importance, Wittsburg was chosen to be the first "county seat." A county seat is the main town where the county government offices are located.
However, the county's official business was not always done in Wittsburg. This was because of dangers from Union soldiers in the area. Instead, many county meetings and tasks happened in a nearby place called Pineville.
Notable People
- Thomas H. McCray: After the Civil War, a man named Thomas H. McCray lived in Wittsburg. He had been an officer in the Confederate Army.
