Houses of Cleburne County

Included in the Centennial observance was an address, Brief Glimpses into Our Past; by Dr. Bert Stark, Jr., Professor, University of Central Arkansas, Conway. The following is an excerpt from his address: “Time passed, and in 1930 the greatest depression in the history of our country occurred. Drouth, no market for crops and livestock created an extreme shortage of money. These were extremely hard times. The Works Progress Administration was conceived. 

‘’Again, time passed, and World War 11 was here. Many of you will recall that this was a period of great social upheaval in this county. Again, hundreds of our sons enlisted or were drafted into the military services  –  some of them did not return. Hundreds of others left our county and scattered to the four winds to work in war plants, some of them never to return to live here permanently. 

“Then after the war a new social and economic scene was found. Small farms and row crops were no longer a viable agricultural venture. Many young people left the county to seek work elsewhere, and om, citizens began to seek other means of livelihood.”

As the son of an Arkansas farm family, I am able to give a first-hand account of how Cleburne County families and individuals met the challenge of the changing times outlined above by Dr. Stark. I lived through those very changes, from my time in a one-room schoolhouse, to participating in my family’s struggle to survive, and at the age of ten, migrating with family to the Central Valley of California to start a new life.

This collection of stories represents a small window into the changes that shaped both Arkansas and the nation. I hope you enjoy reading them.