100 years ago in Arkansas today

The question of whether the name Arkansas should be pronounced Ar-Kansas or Arkansaw was back in the news on June 3, 1908. From the Baxter Bulletin: It is well known to our people that the name should be pronounced Arkansaw. In a hot debate in the legislature of 1881, this was decided. Here's an excerpt from a speech made on the floor of the Arkansas House:

"Change the name of the state? Never. Change the name of the illustrious state, I say, never. Arkansas with its hills so high that we can stand on their topmost peaks and hand the Democratic angels in heaven fruit from our big red apple trees; with valleys and gulches so deep that we can go to the utmost depths and hand down chunks of ice to the suffering Republicans in hell. Change the name of the state? Never. Spit in the face of George Washington, defame the name of Caesar, trample on the grave of Ophelia, but change the name of Arkansaw, gosh almighty."

Also this week in Arkansas history, 6,000 Confederate troops assembled in Jacksonport to surrender to the Union in 1865, and in 1880, Warren, the "Pink Tomato Capital of the World" was incorporated.