Mauldin, Arkansas
Encyclopedia
Mauldin or Mauldin Logging Camp is a ghost town
in Montgomery County
, Arkansas
, United States
. Established in 1918 by Billy Mauldin in cooperation with Thomas Rosborough, it became heavily populated by 1922, based around the cutting and processing of the virgin timber in the immediate area. It was located between Mount Ida
and Pencil Bluff
.
, and in 1906 had homestead
ed 160 acre (0.6474976 km²) where Mauldin would later be located. Billy Mauldin worked in cooperation with Thomas Whitaker "Whit" Rosborough, who had formed the Caddo River Timber Company in 1906, when he started the town of Rosboro
, in Pike County
. The town of Mauldin first began heavy production of timber in 1922. It was, like Graysonia, Arkansas
, a "company-owned town", but did have a post office
, school
, church, and a large number of shotgun house
s, along with business offices. The Caddo River Lumber Company built a railroad line from Womble (now Norman, Arkansas
) to Mauldin, through the Gaston Settlement. The pine
timber was shipped via train to mills in Glenwood
and Rosboro, the latter of which was Rosborough's main mill.
For a time the town thrived. But the company, functioning on a "cut and move" theory, packed up and disassembled the entire town almost overnight, in 1933, having cut all the virgin timber in the immediate area. The town had two 1 acres (4,046.9 m²) pond
s used to float logs. The ponds still exist today, located just outside of Mount Ida on Arkansas Highway 270. Nothing remains today short of a few concret blocks where the mill once stood, and the two ponds. Both ponds were turned into a fish hatchery
in 1940. There is a vacant field to the side of the ponds where the town once stood. All the larger buildings were torn down, while the smaller ones were moved to a new site near Forester, in Scott County.
The Caddo River Lumber Company later sold the majority of the land they owned there to the US Forest Service. In 1939 Thomas Rosborough moved his entire operation to the northwest, settling in Springfield, Oregon
, and taking with him large numbers of loyal employees. Today his company, called "Rosboro", is one of the only fully integrated timber operators in the United States. It is also one of the largest private timberland holders of the Pacific Northwest.
Ghost town
A ghost town is an abandoned town or city. A town often becomes a ghost town because the economic activity that supported it has failed, or due to natural or human-caused disasters such as floods, government actions, uncontrolled lawlessness, war, or nuclear disasters...
in Montgomery County
Montgomery County, Arkansas
Montgomery County is a county located in the U.S. state of Arkansas. As of 2010, the population was 9,487. The county seat is Mount Ida. Montgomery County is Arkansas's 45th county, formed on December 9, 1842, and named after Richard Montgomery, an American Revolutionary War...
, Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Established in 1918 by Billy Mauldin in cooperation with Thomas Rosborough, it became heavily populated by 1922, based around the cutting and processing of the virgin timber in the immediate area. It was located between Mount Ida
Mount Ida, Arkansas
Mount Ida is a city in Montgomery County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 981 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Montgomery County. It is known as the quartz crystal capital of the U.S...
and Pencil Bluff
Pencil Bluff, Arkansas
Pencil Bluff is an unincorporated community in Montgomery County, Arkansas, United States. Pencil Bluff is located at the junction of U.S. Route 270 and Arkansas Highway 88 northwest of Mount Ida. Pencil Bluff has a post office with ZIP code 71965....
.
History
William W. Mauldin, known as Billy Mauldin, was born in Greer County, TexasGreer County, Texas
Greer County, was a county created by the Texas legislature on February 8, 1860 , was land claimed by both Texas and the United States.-Origin of the dispute:...
, and in 1906 had homestead
Homestead (buildings)
A homestead is either a single building, or collection of buildings grouped together on a large agricultural holding, such as a ranch, station or a large agricultural operation of some other designation.-See also:* Farm house* Homestead Act...
ed 160 acre (0.6474976 km²) where Mauldin would later be located. Billy Mauldin worked in cooperation with Thomas Whitaker "Whit" Rosborough, who had formed the Caddo River Timber Company in 1906, when he started the town of Rosboro
Rosboro, Arkansas
Rosboro is an unincorporated community in Pike County, Arkansas, United States. It lies about 5 miles west of Amity and 6 miles east of Glenwood. Once a thriving and populated mill town, with several stores, a large mill and kiln, and over one hundred shotgun houses, it now has only one store, and...
, in Pike County
Pike County, Arkansas
Pike County is a county located in the U.S. state of Arkansas. As of 2010, the population was 11,291. The county seat is Murfreesboro. Pike County is Arkansas's 25th county, formed on November 1, 1833, and named for Lieutenant Zebulon Pike, the explorer who discovered Pikes Peak...
. The town of Mauldin first began heavy production of timber in 1922. It was, like Graysonia, Arkansas
Graysonia, Arkansas
Graysonia was once a boomtown in Clark County, Arkansas, United States, but has since become a ghost town. It is located on a dirt road in what is now known locally as "the middle of nowhere", halfway between Arkadelphia and Alpine. There are no populated communities in its vicinity and only a few...
, a "company-owned town", but did have a post office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
, school
School
A school is an institution designed for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is commonly compulsory. In these systems, students progress through a series of schools...
, church, and a large number of shotgun house
Shotgun house
The shotgun house is a narrow rectangular domestic residence, usually no more than 12 feet wide, with doors at each end. It was the most popular style of house in the Southern United States from the end of the American Civil War , through the 1920s. Alternate names include shotgun shack,...
s, along with business offices. The Caddo River Lumber Company built a railroad line from Womble (now Norman, Arkansas
Norman, Arkansas
Norman is a town in Montgomery County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 423 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Norman is located at ....
) to Mauldin, through the Gaston Settlement. The pine
Pine
Pines are trees in the genus Pinus ,in the family Pinaceae. They make up the monotypic subfamily Pinoideae. There are about 115 species of pine, although different authorities accept between 105 and 125 species.-Etymology:...
timber was shipped via train to mills in Glenwood
Glenwood, Arkansas
Glenwood is a city in Pike and Montgomery counties in the U.S. state of Arkansas. The population was 1,751 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Glenwood is located at ....
and Rosboro, the latter of which was Rosborough's main mill.
For a time the town thrived. But the company, functioning on a "cut and move" theory, packed up and disassembled the entire town almost overnight, in 1933, having cut all the virgin timber in the immediate area. The town had two 1 acres (4,046.9 m²) pond
Pond
A pond is a body of standing water, either natural or man-made, that is usually smaller than a lake. A wide variety of man-made bodies of water are classified as ponds, including water gardens, water features and koi ponds; all designed for aesthetic ornamentation as landscape or architectural...
s used to float logs. The ponds still exist today, located just outside of Mount Ida on Arkansas Highway 270. Nothing remains today short of a few concret blocks where the mill once stood, and the two ponds. Both ponds were turned into a fish hatchery
Fish hatchery
A fish hatchery is a "place for artificial breeding, hatching and rearing through the early life stages of animals, finfish and shellfish in particular". Hatcheries produce larval and juvenile fish primarily to support the aquaculture industry where they are transferred to on-growing systems...
in 1940. There is a vacant field to the side of the ponds where the town once stood. All the larger buildings were torn down, while the smaller ones were moved to a new site near Forester, in Scott County.
The Caddo River Lumber Company later sold the majority of the land they owned there to the US Forest Service. In 1939 Thomas Rosborough moved his entire operation to the northwest, settling in Springfield, Oregon
Springfield, Oregon
Springfield is a city in Lane County, Oregon, United States. Located in the Southern Willamette Valley, it is within the Eugene-Springfield Metropolitan Statistical Area. Separated from Eugene to the west, mainly by Interstate 5, Springfield is the second-most populous city in the metropolitan area...
, and taking with him large numbers of loyal employees. Today his company, called "Rosboro", is one of the only fully integrated timber operators in the United States. It is also one of the largest private timberland holders of the Pacific Northwest.