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Rededication ceremonies for the Louisiana Purchase Monument , buried for 46 years in an Eastern Arkansas swamp, were held Sunday, June 25, at 2 p.m. The marker was originally placed in 1926 by the L’Anguille Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution. It marks the point from which most of the sur veys for the 824,000 square miles of land obtained from France began. The initial point was set November 10, 1815 by two groups of federal surveyors. One group sur veyed westward from the mouth of the St. Francis River, and the second group surveyed northwest to establish the Fifth Principal Meridian. The point where the two lines crossed became the starting point for the surveys of the newly acquired land. It is now the junction of Phillips, Lee and Monroe Counties. The marker, located in a swamp, is on several acres of land that was donated by four private land owners to be a national park in 1926. Several organizations and people have been __ in strumental in reopening this swamp area so visitors could see the monument and learn more about a segment of this country’s heritage. Access to the granite marker was made possible by the Galliville Society, the Arkansas High way Department, Arkansas Green Thumb and Monroe County Judge Tom Catlett. Lumber for the boardwalk was donated by Potlatch Forests, Inc., and Georgia- Pacific and Weyerhaeuser Companies helped with ex penses. The boardwalk, built of cypress, extends over 100 yards into and over the swamp. Preceding the rededication, the Wings of Music Volunteer Band from the Naval Air Technical Training Center at Memphis provided patriotic music. Master of ceremonies for the rededication was Congressman Bill Alexander of the First Congressional District. Alexander, Governor Dale Bumpers, Monroe County Judge Catlett, and Roosevelt Taylor, foreman of one of the Green Thumb work crews, cut the ribbon to the boardwalk. Lt. Gov. Bob Riley gave the invocation. Governor Bumpers gave the welcoming address. Dr. Lily Peter, a past state regent of the Arkansas DAR and Arkansas’ Poet Laureate, recited a poem written for the rededication. Jimmy Drift wood, folk singer and com poser, sang a song especially dedicated to the occasion. Remarks were given by Benoit d’Aboville, secretary of the French Embassy in Washington; Juan Cabrerea, consul general of Spain; and Her Majesty’s consul general, Archibald Rendall, representing Great Britain. France, Spain, and England played vital roles in the 1803 diplomatic negotiations that allowed the United States to purchase the huge Louisiana Territory that now embraces all of nine states and parts of four others, Mrs. Edward Lynn West brooke, Jonesboro, registrar general of the DAR, and Mrs. James Andrew Williams, Parkdale, a vice president general of the DAR, represented the National Society, Daughters of the American Revolution, Mrs. Silas E. Carroll Jr., Benton, and member of the local Provincia de la Sal Chapter, regent of the Arkansas Society, Daughters of the American Revolution, represented the state society. Approximately 800 people attended the ceremonies. Also attending from Benton were Silas E. and James M. Carroll. BAN TO AID STOCK PRETORIA, South Africa (AP) The agriculture min istry has withdrawn the use of DDT, BHC, nicotine and arsen ic from all veterinary and stock remedies A WATER PROBLEM SALISBURY, Rhodesia | Al’ Water hyacinth has choked up nearby Lake McIlwaine and the government is to be asked for the equivalent of $70,000 to clear it. Officials don't want to use herbicides to clear the hyacinth because they could pollute the city’s drinking wa ter A PRISON LOCKOUT WAKEFIELD, England (AP) The prisoners were upset when they discovered they d been locked out The inmates, who had certain freedom, had been drinking at a local pub and got back to the hostel at Wakefield jail after its fi pm. closing The door was locked Knowing they would be pun ished for being late, the pris oners went on the run for a week before being recaptured The court sentenced them to two more years in jail ATTENDING THE REDEDICATION CEREMONIES for the Louisiana Purchase Monument on Sunday were from left, in the back row Mrs. James H. Stevenson, Jonesboro, registrar, Arkansas Society, DAR; Mrs. James Andrew Williams, Parkdale, a vice president general, National Society, DAR; Mrs. Edward Lynn Westbrooke, Jonesboro, registrar general, National Society DAR; Mrs. Silas E. Carroll, Benton, regent, Arkansas Society DAR; Silas E. Carroll and James Carroll, Benton. In the back row, from left, are James Andrew Williams, Parkdale; James H Stevenson, Jonesboro, and Edward Lynn Westbrooke Jonesboro. LOUISIANA PURCHASE MONUMENT was formally rededicated Sunday af ternoon. The marker was buried for 46 years in an Eastern Arkansas swamp
Newspaper Details
Benton Courier
Benton, Arkansas, US
Fri, Jul 07, 1972
Page 5
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
USA 31 Jul 2026
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