Editing Scott, Arkansas (section)

==History==

More than 1,000 years ago, a complex formation of mounds was created near what is now called Mound Pond by what is today known as the [[Plum Bayou culture]],<ref name=ark>[http://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=547 "Plum Bayou Culture."] ''The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History and Culture.'' (retrieved September 26, 2011)</ref> a [[Pre-Columbian]] [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] culture that lived in what is now east-central Arkansas from 650–1050 CE, a time known as the  [[Late Woodland Period]]. Archaeologists defined the culture based on the [[Toltec Mounds]] site<ref name=o185>Odell 185</ref> The site was farmed in the nineteenth century but was later preserved as [[Plum Bayou Mounds Archeological State Park]].<ref>Brown, George Alexander. Temple Mounds and Plantation Bells: Scott, Arkansas. Ashley Mills, AR: 1989.</ref>

The [[Arkansas River]] not only created distinctive [[oxbow lake]]s, but it also provided rich farmland that was attractive to the first white settlers in Arkansas Territory. Peter L. Lefevre and family were among the very first French settlers, locating in the fall of 1818 on the north side of the river on Spanish Grant No. 497, about six miles below Little Rock. [[Chester Ashley]] was one of the first investors to acquire land in the area for plantation purposes in the early 1800s. Conoway Scott Sr., for whom the community is named, arrived in the 1830s. Thomas Steele began his plantation in the area in 1850.<ref name="Fletcher, Mrs 1966">Fletcher, Mrs. W. J. “A Brief History of the Community of Scott, Arkansas.” Pulaski County Review14 (September 1966): 55–60.</ref>

The [[Marmaduke–Walker duel]] occurred in the area on September 6, 1863, on the Lefevre Plantation, just east of the Lefevre House. The duel was fought between [[John S. Marmaduke]] and [[Lucius M. Walker]], two generals in the [[Confederate States Army]]. Tension had risen between the two officers during the [[Battle of Helena]] on July 4, 1863, when Marmaduke accused Walker of not supporting his force, and then retaliated by not informing Walker of a Confederate retreat. Marmaduke was later assigned to serve under Walker during a [[Union (American Civil War)|Union]] advance against [[Little Rock]]. Walker did not support Marmaduke during a retreat after the [[Battle of Brownsville]], and Marmaduke questioned Walker's courage after the [[Battle of Bayou Meto]] on August 27. A series of notes passed between the two generals by friends resulted in a duel, during which Marmaduke fatally wounded Walker. Marmaduke was arrested and charged with murder, but was soon released and later the charge was dropped.<ref>“Scott-Related Oral Histories.” 1970s. Audio online at Butler Center for Arkansas Studies, Arkansas Studies Research Portal: Scott Oral Histories</ref>

The [[Skirmish at Ashley's Mills]], also known as the [[Skirmish at Ferry Landing]] was an engagement that was fought between [[Union Army]] and [[Confederate States Army]] cavalry regiments in Arkansas on September 7, 1863, during the [[American Civil War]]. Federal troops approached [[Little Rock]] from the north, encountering resistance from Confederate forces at [[Battle of Brownsville, Arkansas]] on August 25 and at [[Bayou Meto]], near present-day [[Jacksonville, Arkansas]] on August 27. Union [[Brigadier-General]] [[John W. Davidson]] commanding the cavalry division of the Union [[Army of Arkansas]] sent the [[7th Missouri Volunteer Cavalry]] Regiment as his lead regiment to clear the [[5th Arkansas Cavalry Regiment]], under the temporary command of [[Major (rank)|Major]] John Bull while [[Colonel]] [[Robert C. Newton]] was in temporary brigade command, from its position guarding a crossing of the [[Arkansas River]] near [[Little Rock, Arkansas]]. The Union cavalry forced the Confederates to retreat which opened the route to the east of the river, leading to the [[Battle of Bayou Fourche]] on September 10, 1863, and the capture of Little Rock by the Union Army of Arkansas under the command of [[Major General]] [[Frederick Steele]]. The Confederate regiment's casualties were 1 killed, 3 wounded and 2 captured while the Union regiment reported no casualties.

The [[St. Louis Southwestern Railway]] (known as the [[Cotton Belt Route]]) was constructed through the Scott area in 1871. The new station was located on the property of Conoway Scott Sr. The railroad depot was called Scott’s Station (or Scott’s Crossing).

In 1912, Conoway Scott Jr. built a large brick building, intending to house a general store. The store later opened under the Foster Family as Foster's General Store. A post office was added to the store in 1929. Later the name of the surrounding community was shortened to Scott.<ref name="Fletcher, Mrs 1966"/>