Lafayette
Courthouse Square
Lewisville
71845 |
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(870) 921-4858
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 Lafayette County was created in October 1827, from part of Hempstead County after the Quapaw ceded their land to the United States in 1818. The county was named for Marquis de Lafayette for his service to the American colonies in the Revolutionary War. The county seat is Lewisville. The landscape is rolling hills, largely forested. Much of the land today is owned by large timber companies, which manage trees for harvest and re-growth. Lake Erling is included in the Lafayette County Wildlife Management Area and is jointly managed by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission and International Paper Company for public use. Two other lakes, Lake June and Spirit Lake, also offer fishing, water sports and picnicking. The Red River along the western boundary of the county offers excellent fishing. Poultry is big in the northwestern portion of the county while truck farms in the northeast send tons of fresh vegetables to larger markets. Lewisville, the county seat that is over 150 years old, celebrates its historic remnants of the plantation days. The burial ground of James Conway, Arkansas’ first Governor is located in the Conway Cemetery. The Lafayette courthouse square is the only one in Arkansas containing a cemetery. Located on the east side of the square, the oldest tombstone is that of John Steele, dated March 9, 1860. Close by is the tombstone of First Lt. Egbert B. Steele of the First Arkansas Cavalry, C.S.A., dated November 1873. |
