Created in 1842, Ouachita County takes its name from the Ouachita River, which forms part of its eastern boundary. The word “Ouachita” is the French spelling of a Native American word that meant good hunting ground or a river with plenty of fish. In the early 19th century, Camden grew into a regional trading center because of its location on the Ouachita River. By the turn of the 20th century, multiple railroad lines expanded Camden’s cotton and timber industries, and the south Arkansas oil boom of the 1920s brought continued prosperity. Ramblers learned about Camden’s history and architecture from the territorial days to the present.
Photos from the 2019 Ramble are available HERE.
Ramble to Camden - Life on the Ouachita in Two Centuries
Ramble to Cane Hill
Rice Country Ramble
Beer on the Border: The History of Hops in Frontier Arkansas
Behind Barbed Wire: Arkansas's WWII Homefront Heritage
Papa and the Man in Black: Rooted in the Arkansas Delta
The Vines that Bind: Cultivation, Community and Tradition in Arkansas
Mid-Century to Mid-Century: Headquarters to Hantz
Red River Ramble: the Camden Expedition and the Civil War in Arkansas
East Arkansas Harvest Ramble