W e l c o m e To Fourche Valley

The Death of a Small Town:
How the Great Depression, the Industry Boom, and the Model-T killed Fourche Valley.

This is the main street of Bluffton in 1994. If a traveler were to drive down this highway today, in the year 2000, they would see nothing different. The two highway signs read 28 and 307.

An area that was once bustling with people and expanding with thriving businesses now lies dormant and lifeless in west-central Arkansas. What caused the drastic change?

Today, a community of tiny, rural towns sits in central west Arkansas. This community, known as Fourche Valley for the Fourche La Fave River that runs through it, is a collection of small towns. It includes Bluffton, Gravelly, and Briggsville, each town too small to have population signs. Today, this Ouachita mountain community's entire economy depends on its only industries: cows, chicken, and timber.

What was happening in Arkansas, the United States, and the world to make such a transformation take place? The peak in population and business took place in the earliest 1900's, while the fall began in 1930's and 40's. The rise and fall of this area occurred because of several factors, some of which are the Great Depression, the availability of the automobile, and the industry boom that occurred in the northern United States. In addition to these things, you will learn about some of valley's rich history. It is hoped that this webpage will bring you useful, interesting information about the area of Fourche Valley through investigation and evaluation of the impact of change over time. It will also explore and explain changes dealing with the economy, ethnic diversity, and social activity.

What happened?

The Answer Is Here.