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1741 Old Post Road, Gillett, AR 72055
Phone: 870-548-2207
Fax: 870-548-2431
Open All Year
Overview. In 1686, Henri de Tonti established a trading post known as Poste de Arkansea at the Quapaw village of Osotuoy. It was the first semipermanent French settlement in the lower Mississippi River Valley. The establishment of the post was the first step in a long struggle between France, Spain, and England over the interior of the North American continent. Because of its strategic location near the confluence of the Arkansas and Mississippi Rivers, Arkansas Post was the location of French and later Spanish forts. In 1783, the Colbert Incident, the only war skirmishes occurring in Arkansas, occurred at Arkansas Post. By 1819, the post was a thriving river port important enough to be selected the capital of the Arkansas Territory. In 1862, Confederate troops constructed an earthen fortification known as Fort Hindman. By January 1863, however, Union troops had destroyed the fort and the adjacent river port town, ensuring control of the Arkansas River. Located on a peninsula bordered by the Arkansas River and two backwaters, the site now offers excellent fishing and wildlife-watching opportunities. What to see and do. Open from 8 AM until dark, this 389-acre site is ideal for day trips. Access the park by turning onto Arkansas State Road 169 from US 165, which is the Great River Road running from "Canada to Gulf" through ten states bordering the Mississippi River. In the visitor center, open from 8 AM to 5 PM, you'll find a bookstore, a museum, and an auditorium showing a 14-minute movie. After you look through the museum's exhibits on the town's history, present-day Arkansas, the fur trade, and the Great River Road, you can head outside to the nature trails, and the town remnants. These include a well, cistern, and 50 yards of Confederate defense earthworks. A self-guided tour takes you along 2.5 miles of paved trail connecting the town site, nature trail, and wayside exhibits. An additional nature trail (unpaved) has been constructed along a picturesque bayou. Children ages 7 to 12 enjoy a Junior Ranger program. When on the trails, look for a wide variety of Southeastern forest animals: white-tailed deer, armadillos, raccoons, opossums, and squirrels. Resident bald eagles are frequent visitors. You'll also notice the changing landscape. The peninsula contains several different habitats such as bottomland hardwood forest, open prairie, and wetlands. Because the site is located on the Mississippi Flyway, you should be able to spot many migratory species of birds in spring and fall. The surrounding waterways support several species of amphibians and reptiles, including American alligators. Bass, catfish, and crappie lure avid anglers to the area. An Arkansas fishing license is required. Hunting is not permitted in park lands. Wheelchairs are available. Leashed pets are permitted.
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