In its early days, Washington County was a diverse area that attracted many settlers who were eager to set up homesteads and farm the land. When Arkansas became a state in 1836, the county led the way in education and was a prosperous place to live and work. This volume explores the lives of several generations of early residents and the ways in which they survived in some of the most rugged country west of the Mississippi. The photographs in this collection, many of which date back to the late 1880s, serve as priceless reminders of the real-life stories of early Ozark homesteaders. Enhanced by an informative and entertaining text, these vintage snapshots also provide the reader with views of early organizations such as the Young Americans and the Home Demonstration Clubs, and political groups such as the local "petticoat government," which was touted as the first of its kind. In Washington County, Arkansas, you will discover the area's plentiful apple orchards and strawberry fields, its sawmills and gristmills, and its canneries and prosperous businesses along the railroad line. Rare scenes of local reunions, river baptisms, singing schools, parties, and county fairs are also brought to life within these pages.