500 AD-1541 (approx.):
Native Americans of the Caddoan tribes (related to the Mississippian mound-building culture) populated the area and used the hot springs for medicinal purposes. Mound sites around Buckville were excavated by University of Arkansas archeologists in 1939 and 1940, prior to flooding (Abbott, 10; Richter, 15).
1541:
Hernando de Soto, a Spanish explorer, and his men were the first European people to move through the present-day Garland County area. They met with the Caddos and visited their sacred hot springs (Abbott, 10).
1803:
Arkansas included in the Louisiana Purchase.
1819:
Arkansas becomes a territory.
1836:
Arkansas becomes the 25th state with a population of around 50,000 people ("History and Heritage").
1840:
Census records show 28 households extant in the Mountain Township (which included Buckville and Cedar Glades) section of Hot Spring County (Richter, 17).
1861:
Arkansas secedes from the Union.
1861-1865:
While no major Civil War battles took place around Buckville, local men joined both sides of the conflict, often skirmishing with each other. Groups of bandits also contributed to the destruction of the area’s crops, livestock, and other resources (Richter, 23-26).
1874:
New state constitution and re-admittance to the Union (Primary Sources...).
1890:
After the war, the Buckville-Cedar Glades area saw increased population and farm growth. Many new residents came from other parts of the South, such as Georgia and Alabama, where destruction caused by the war was more prevalent. Goodspeed’s Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Western Arkansas estimated Buckville’s population as 100, while Cedar Glades was said to have approximately 250 residents (Richter, 27-30).
Buckville Baptist Association organized at Mt. Tabor Church, including several area churches. The creation of the Buckville Baptist Church congregation predated this organization, but the exact time is unknown (Richter, 88). Below, the church is shown at its orginal location atop "Church House Hill" (now an island), with the Buckville School behind it.
The first proposals to dam the Ouachita River for flood control and navigation purposes occurred during the 1890’s (Richter, 1).
1909:
Government survey of Ouachita River suggested that a dam at Blakely Mountain might be effective for power generation purposes (Richter, 2).
1917:
Montgomery/Garland County line moved so that Buckville and Cedar Glades became part of Garland County (Richter, 17).
1923:
Construction begun on Remmel Dam, the first of three dams on the Ouachita River, creating Lake Catherine. Project largely carried out by Arkansas Power and Light (Richter, 3).
Early 1930’s:
Carpenter Dam completed, creating Lake Hamilton, up the Ouachita from Remmel Dam and Lake Catherine.
1947:
Preliminary work begun on final and largest dam, Blakely Dam (Richter, 5).
1950:
Final meeting of Buckville Baptist Church on December 17. Minutes indicate plans to move church building to higher ground (Richter, 89).
1951:
In the summer of this year, Buckville Baptist Church was moved to a spot just north of the Buckville Cemetery. This is the only intact structure that remains from the area now under Lake Ouachita (Richter, 137).
1952:
Grave relocations were completed for those cemeteries to be inundated by the formation of Lake Ouachita. Several of these cemeteries were moved to the top of “Bucktown Hill,” just north of Buckville Cemetery (did not have to be relocated) and the new location of Buckville Baptist Church. These additional cemeteries at the site include: New Cedar Glades, New Bradley, and New Pittman (Richter, 103-104).
On July 8, with the dam 60% complete, the gates were closed and the water began to rise (Richter, 9).
1955:
Blakely Dam first generated electric power on July 17.
1950’s through present:
Annual Homecoming reunion celebrated at Buckville Recreation Area on the second Sunday of June. Below, a Homecoming celebration from the late 1950's.
