Jacksonville

Recognized throughout the state as Arkansas's fastest-growing city, Jacksonville evolved from a settlement surrounding the railroad depot, eventually incorporating as a town in 1941. The population soared when the exceedingly large ordnance plant was built during World War II. The plant's footprint included much of present-day Jacksonville and employed upwards of 20,000 people. The migration northward from larger cities to this bustling suburban town has created an astounding contemporary history. With the advent of the nuclear age in 1955, Jacksonville took its place as a member of the Strategic Air Command family with its neighbor, the Little Rock Air Force Base. This book presents the town's history from the 1960s forward and showcases local accomplishments from the last 50 years.

Barbara Mashburn-alderman, author, and historian-and her daughter Brianna Mashburn selected the best photographs to represent the modern history of Jacksonville. With the help of the Jacksonville Historical District, the Jacksonville Museum of Military History, and town historian Otis Stewart, this book has taken on a life of its own.