Other Notes from 1889

Other Notes From Biographical and Historical Memories of Northeast Arkansas, October 1889, The Goodspeed Publishing Company, p.205

Years before there was a town in the western district of Clay County, settlers were coming into the tall woods by oxcart and wagon and clearing lands about ten miles northwest of what is now Corning.

The settlement which grew with the coming of J.W. Brown in 1854, G.G. Green in 1858, and others was called Vidette.

In 1884, T.F. Mahan moved from the Richwoods district to Vidette and four years later, H.H. Williams came and, obtaining the post office, had the name changed to Williams. In 1891, he laid out the town, but despite his efforts, his name was not to be perpetuated in the county's towns.

Dr. Henry C. Redwine, coming to Vidette in 1880, to practice medicine, put in a stock of drugs and general merchandise in 1888, and obtained the post office, changing the name to Palatka, for a town in Florida where the doctor had spent some time for his health.

Today [c. 1889] Palatka, Arkansas, is not reached by any highway, and is a small settlement of half dozen houses, two general stores, barbar shop and cafe and a repair shop.

2011-05-10 12:06:56 RBaxter

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