Native American Culture

Native American Culture. . , People have hunted and fished in the rich Black River Basin at least since the Paleo Indian Period (beginning around 10,000 B.C.). More recently, Native American built villages and mounds across the Mississippi River valley (3000 B.C.-A.D.1650). These people cultivated sunflowers, squash, corn, and beans in the fertile river bottoms. It is believed that the Quapaw occupied the Mississippi Valley region, and perhaps the Black River Basin, until the late 17th century. During the same period, the Osage, a tribe based in southwest Missouri, hunted throughout the Ozark Mountain, perhaps venturing into this region.

In the 1800s, the federal government instituted a formal policy of removal for many southeastern tribes. As a result of this policy. Cherokee people from Alabama, north Carolina, and Georgia were led across the Ozark Mountains during the winter of 1838-1839. Many men, women, and children died during the long trek. About a thousand disposed Cherokees passed though Randolph County, following a trail westward to Oklahoma. The route through this area became know as Benge's Route for John Benge, who led the contingent.

[Caption:] , Few Native Americans remained in northeast Arkansas by the time Bettis Bluff became the seat of Randolph County in 1835. Nonetheless, the townspeople renamed the community "Pocahontas," in honor of the legendary Native American woman. Another nearby community, Powhatan in Lawrence County, is named for Pocahontas's father.