Editing McGehee, Arkansas (section)

==History==
{{unreferenced section|date=January 2011}}
The history of the city of McGehee and the history of the railroad through McGehee are intricately interwoven. The history of the railroad dates back to 1870 when a railroad was constructed from [[Pine Bluff, Arkansas|Pine Bluff]] southeast through [[Varner, Arkansas|Varner]], to [[Chicot County]].

Important in the history of the town of McGehee is the McGehee family which came to the area from [[Alabama]] in 1857. Benjamin McGehee, his wife, Sarah, a son, Abner, and daughters Laura and Mary settled on land that is now a part of McGehee. Abner McGehee, son of Benjamin and Sarah McGehee, purchased {{convert|240|acre|km2}} of land on July 1, 1876, on which the town of McGehee was later to be located.

When the railroad came into McGehee in 1878 and continued south and southwest, people began to move into the area. Abner McGehee constructed a large [[commissary]] building and entered the mercantile business to accommodate the new arrivals.

One of the first buildings in the area was a [[sawmill]]. The lumber cut in this mill was used to build [[shotgun house|shotgun-type]] rent houses.

A post office was established in the McGehee commissary, and in 1879 Abner McGehee became the first postmaster. The post office was named McGehee and served between 400 and 500 people.

An order of incorporation was signed March 5, 1906. The first meeting of the town council was held July 21, 1906.

During [[World War II]], the outskirts of McGehee was the site of an American [[detention camp]] used to house [[Japanese people|Japanese]] and [[Japanese-American]] civilians who had previously lived on the [[U.S. West Coast]].

Today the economy of the area is largely dependent upon [[agriculture]]. The railroad has been largely replaced by the [[trucking industry]] which hauls farm products from the gins and grain bins of the area to their destination. From a population of 400 in 1879, McGehee has grown into a community of about 5,000 citizens. Port facilities on the [[Mississippi River]] are being developed, and the present highway system is rebuilt to accommodate increased traffic.

But the city maintains its connections with the railroads, with both the [[North Louisiana and Arkansas Railroad]] and the [[Arkansas Midland Railroad (1992)|Arkansas Midland Railroad]] directly serving McGehee, and the [[Union Pacific]] indirectly serving it through interchange with the Arkansas Midland.<ref name=UP>{{cite web|url= https://www.up.com/customers/shortline/profiles_l-p/nla/index.htm |title= North Louisiana & Arkansas Railroad NLA #620|publisher=Union Pacific|accessdate=June 10, 2022}}</ref><ref name=AKMD>{{cite web|url= https://www.gwrr.com/akmd/ |title=Arkansas Midland Railroad (AKMD)|publisher=Genesee & Wyoming Inc.|accessdate=June 10, 2022}}</ref>