Southern Confederate Heritage Park

Taking up some space that would otherwise be the parking lot for a McDonald's, this small park has a historical marker, a cannon and several headstones memorializing Confederate soldiers who were buried here. There are also some flagpoles and as much as I waited for a good breeze, I'm not able to show that yes, there is a Confederate battle flag here. Behind it, of course, the US flag is on the McDonald's property.

The marker reads, "Several companies were raised in Craighead County for the Confederate army. Co. I of the 13th Arkansas Infantry - the "Confederate Grays" - formed in 1861. A company of the 23rd Arkansas Infantry and Co. I of the 30th Arkansas Infantry enlisted in 1862. "Wood's Rifles," Co. E of the 8th Arkansas Infantry Battalion, joined on March 11, 1862. After being captured at Port Hudson, La., Capt. Joel Wood returned to Craighead County and recruited Co. A, 7th Arkansas Cavalry Battalion. About one-fourth of Co. I, 45th Arkansas Infantry, were from here." It was erected in 2015 by the Arkansas Civil War Sesquicentennial Commission and others. It is marker number 96.

I'm a little surprised it's still here when many other cities are removing their Confederate memorials. Yes, there was a Battle in Jonesboro near the court house during the Civil War. This small footnote in history left 8 dead, 7 Union soldiers and 1 Confederate officer.

[Review 19835 overall - 311 in Arkansas - 808 of 2023.]