The History Of Boswell

The unincorporated community of Boswell is located in the White River valley on   the western boundary of Izard Co.  Some of the earliest pioneers to settle there were the Jeffery, Wood and the Langston families.  The Jeffery family settled in the Boswell area sometime in 1816.  William Wood settled at Boswell in 1820.  During Christmas week of 1814 the Langston family arrived at Boswell.  The settlers was dependent the river as a primary source of transportation using keelboats and flatboats powered by men using long poles.

Flat Boat

  The early pioneers erected a building that was used as a school as well as a social center.  They named this small pioneer community Wideman after the creek that flowed through it.  As time passed the community grew and spread all the way down Wideman creek to the White River.

By the coming of steamboats Boswell was brought closer to the outside world.  Products and supplies were brought up river from cities like New Orleans and Memphis.  The farmer’s goods were taken down river to market.  Boswell, like many other river communities became a growing river port settlement.  The railroad brought an end to the steamboat era.  The last steamer came up river in 1906.  

           

 During the years of 1901-1906, many changes came to community with the coming of the railroad.  On February 8, 1901 a charter was granted to the White Railway Company to build the White River Branch of the St. Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern Railroad Company.  In 1901, the drought resulted in complete crop failures, and the railroad provided employment to the farmers and helped them recover from their losses.  The railroad also brought better transportation.  The railroads aloud farmers to ship their products to bigger markets and the cattlemen could ship their cattle by the train car load to stock yards in St. Louis.  It has been said Sylvester Smith shipped as many nine car loads at one time.  Mr. Smith also had a contract to supply eggs to the Marion Hotel in Little Rock and those were shipped by train.  By the 1930’s Boswell was a booming community with the economy based on farming, livestock production and the railroad industry.  The railroad also brought better roads leading to Melbourne, merchants received freight at Boswell and haul them back to Melbourne by wagon. 

Steam Locomotive at Boswell



            On April 5, 1906 a post office was established and named Cook.  This caused much confusion.  The train station was named Boswell, after the first station agent Robert Boswell, the post office was named Cook and the community was Wideman.  On September 4, 1915 the community and the post office changed their names to Boswell.

    The old Boswell School building was located on the Vest Spring Branch.  In 1934 a new stone faced school building was built by the WPA (Works Progress Administration).  The building is now owned by the Boswell Baptist Church.   



Boswell School

                                           

            Time past on and so did the people.  In the 1950’s the Boswell School District was consolidated with the Calico Rock School District.  In 1960 the railroad discontinued passenger service and closed the train station.  In 2002 the post office was closed.  Now the population has dwindled to a very small number.  Sadly the once booming agriculture and railroad town has faded into history.

Old Boswell Store

                                                             

       

Note: I want to thank Denny Elrod at Exploring Izard County (  www.exploreizard.blogspot.com/ )  for the use of the pictures.     

                                                   

 

For additional information:

Shannon, Karr. A History of Izard County.  Little Rock, Arkansas: Democrat                            Printing Company, 1947

Freda Cruse Phillips, PhD.  Places of our People.  Morris  Publishing,  2011

Izard County Historian.  July 1981, Volume Number 12/3 “History of Boswell”                                                 By Mary Cooper Miller.

Arkansas Historic Preservation Program. “Boswell School, Boswell, Izard County”    

Arkansas Historic Preservation Program. “Sylvester Smith Farmstead”, Boswell, Izard County”