By Rebecca DeArmond-Huskey F rom the hill communities of Beech Creek, Eureka, Line, Mist, Mt. Pleasant, Phelan, Snyder, Tide, and Trafalgar to the Delta settlements of Boydell, Free Negro Bend, Montrose, Owl Hoot, Portland, Sunshine, and Thebes come tales and accounts which are woven into a historical tapestry of the northeastern area of Ashley County, Arkansas. There is never a dull moment as the story noisily unfolds. Wild animals howl in a wilderness land. Steamboat whistles blast the bayou solitude. C annons are heard in the distance.
Axes hack, trees fall, and steam locomotives shriek.
A rush of roaring water covers the land. Drought and depression evoke a hushed wilting. The rumble of the tractor chases away the tenant farmer. People talk, laugh, sing, shout, and cry as they attempt to stay well, maintain peace and order, build schools and churches, and have fun. And there are whispers of tales, ghost stories, and the good old days.