Editing Hartford, Arkansas (section)

== History ==
The town of Hartford was first called Gwynn when it was originally settled. Prior to 1900, the town saw the arrival of the Rock Island Railroad, and the town's name was changed to Hartford. Hartford was incorporated in 1900 and as a result, the old original town of Hartford, about one and a half miles west and named for a creek crossing belonging to the Hart family, is now generally referred to as "Old Town" or "West Hartford". According to [[Goodspeed Publishing|Goodspeed's]] "History of Arkansas", William J. Fleming and William Stevenson opened the first store in West Hartford.  By 1891 there were several businesses, a public school, and a Union Church edifice used respectively by [[Methodists]], [[Baptists]], and [[Cumberland Presbyterians]].

The town of Hartford was incorporated February 28, 1900.

On April 2, 1912, Hartford elected a miner, Peter Stewart, as mayor. He was the first [[socialist]] mayor elected in Arkansas.<ref>''Daily Arkansas Gazette'', April 3, 1912, pg. 3.</ref>

A labor conflict known the [[Hartford coal mine riot]] occurred in and around the town on July 12, 1914.

During the early half of the 20th century, the town was home to the Hartford Music Company, which published [[Gospel music]] and operated a singing school.  The city was also home to significant mining activity, which has returned to a limited extent. Most farm owners have oil or gas pumps in farmland across the town. Hartford is the home of the last working coal mine in the state of Arkansas.

The town has views of both Sugarloaf and Poteau mountains.

{{anchor|West Hartford, Arkansas}}