Snow Lake in Desha County, Arkansas — The American South (West South Central)

Snow Lake Station

Delta Heritage Trail State Park

Photographed by Jimmy Emerson, May 13, 2026

1. Snow Lake Station Marker

Inscription.

Snow Lake Station. Delta Heritage Trail State Park. , A Brief History of this Railroad , 1873 New York financier Jay Gould purchases Union Pacific Railroad stock. , 1879 Gould buys controlling interest in Missouri Pacific Railroad. , 1881 Missouri Pacific buys control of St Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern Railroad. , 1892 Jay Gould dies. His son George takes over company. , Prior to 1903 Government grants right-of-way between McGehee and Lexa to Memphis, Helena and Louisiana Railway. , 1903 St Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern Railroad purchases the Memphis, Helena and Louisiana Railway and begins rail construction from McGehee to Watson. , Sept 1, 1904 St Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern Railroad completes track from McGehee to Watson. , March 1, 1906 St Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern Railroad completes track from Watson to Lexa. , March 11, 1941 Missouri Pacific's Delta Eagle begins passenger service between Memphis Tennessee and Tallulah Louisiana. , Feb 11, 1961 Delta Eagle passenger service ends. , 1982 The Interstate Commerce Commission approves a merger creating one company, Union Pacific Railroad. , 1992 Union Pacific ends all rail service along this route and donates the sections between Lexa and Cypress Bend to Arkansas State Parks. , 1992 Development of Delta Heritage Trail State park begins. Plans are made for an 80+ mile rail-to-trail route for visitors to enjoy bicycling and hiking. , Text at bottom--The Delta Eagle began service May 11, 1941, operated by the Missouri Pacific Railroad between Memphis, Tennessee, and Tallulah, Louisiana. After leaving Memphis, the train headed southwest into Arkansas with major stops in Marianna, Helena, Lake View, Elaine, McGehee and Lake Village before entering Louisiana. The sleek Delta Eagle covered the entire 259-mile route in six hours and forty-five minutes., Text under the locomotive picture: St. Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern Railway Locomotive #634 was delivered in 1889. , Text under the timetable: , 1911 Timetable for the Missouri Pacific Iron Mountain Railroad. Before the diesel powered Delta Eagle ran on this section of rail, coal powered steam trains hauled passengers and freight. ,

A Brief History of this Railroad
1873 New York financier Jay Gould purchases Union Pacific Railroad stock.
1879 Gould buys controlling interest in Missouri Pacific Railroad.
1881 Missouri Pacific buys control of St Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern Railroad.
1892 Jay Gould dies. His son George takes over company.
Prior to 1903 Government grants right-of-way between McGehee and Lexa to Memphis, Helena and Louisiana Railway.
1903 St Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern Railroad purchases the Memphis, Helena and Louisiana Railway and begins rail construction from McGehee to Watson.
Sept 1, 1904 St Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern Railroad completes track from McGehee to Watson.
March 1, 1906 St Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern Railroad completes track from Watson to Lexa.
March 11, 1941 Missouri Pacific's Delta Eagle begins passenger service between Memphis Tennessee and Tallulah Louisiana.
Feb 11, 1961 Delta Eagle passenger service ends.
1982 The Interstate Commerce Commission approves a merger creating one company, Union Pacific Railroad.
1992 Union Pacific ends all rail service along this route and donates the sections between Lexa and Cypress Bend to Arkansas

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State Parks.
1992 Development of Delta Heritage Trail State park begins. Plans are made for an 80+ mile rail-to-trail route for visitors to enjoy bicycling and hiking.
Text at bottom--The Delta Eagle began service May 11, 1941, operated by the Missouri Pacific Railroad between Memphis, Tennessee, and Tallulah, Louisiana. After leaving Memphis, the train headed southwest into Arkansas with major stops in Marianna, Helena, Lake View, Elaine, McGehee and Lake Village before entering Louisiana. The sleek Delta Eagle covered the entire 259-mile route in six hours and forty-five minutes.

Text under the locomotive picture: St. Louis, Iron Mountain & Southern Railway Locomotive #634 was delivered in 1889.
Text under the timetable:
1911 Timetable for the Missouri Pacific Iron Mountain Railroad. Before the diesel powered Delta Eagle ran on this section of rail, coal powered steam trains hauled passengers and freight.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Railroads & Streetcars. A significant historical year for this entry is 1904.

Location. 34° 3.599′ N, 91° 1.357′ W. Marker is in Snow Lake, Arkansas, in Desha County. It is on U.S. 44, on the right when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1597 AR-44, Snow Lake AR 72379, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the Arkansas Delta,

in the Mississippi Alluvial Plain,

and in the Quapaw Homeland.

It is also in the American South,

specifically in the Deep South,

in the Upper South,

in the Mississippi Delta,

in the Piney Woods,

and in the Great River Road Region.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Viceroyalty of New France,

the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

the Louisiana Purchase,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers.

Snow Lake Station & Laconia Circle Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Jimmy Emerson, May 13, 2026

2. Snow Lake Station & Laconia Circle Marker

At least 4 other markers are within 14 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Laconia Circle: Before the Railroad (here, next to this marker); Snow Lake: Transformed by the Rail (within shouting distance of this marker); Otis Clay (approx. 10.2 miles away in Mississippi); Grace Episcopal Church (approx. 14.1 miles away in Mississippi).

Snow Lake Station image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Jimmy Emerson, May 13, 2026

3. Snow Lake Station

Credits. This page was last revised on May 21, 2026. It was originally submitted on May 17, 2026, by Jimmy Emerson of Dalton, Georgia. This page has been viewed 11 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on May 17, 2026, by Jimmy Emerson of Dalton, Georgia. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.