Historic Sites of Southport, North Carolina

The charming old city of Southport overlooks the historic Cape Fear River on the coast of North Carolina and serves as a gateway to one of the most fascinating areas of the South.
Southport got its start in 1745 when the British built Fort Johnston there to guard the entrance to the Cape Fear and protect the important upriver port of Wilmington. Because river pilots were then needed to guide ships into the harbor, a small community grew under the shelter of the guns of the fort. Over time the pilots and their families were joined by traders and others and by the time of the American Revolution a small village had grown up around Fort Johnston.

In 1792, the village was incorporated as the town of Smithville, a name that it kept until 1887 when the city renamed itself Southport. It served as the county seat of Brunswick County until 1975, when the seat of government was moved following a hotly contested referendum.

Southport now stands as a charming and historic city overlooking the waters of the Cape Fear. It is rich in historic sites and served as the setting for the popular 1980s movie, "Crimes of the Heart." The city also is a gateway to the historic lower Cape Fear region. Ferries connect the waterfront with nearby Bald Head Island as well as historic Fort Fisher across the river.

To learn more about Southport and its historic sites and points of interest, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/southportnc.

The Historic City of Van Buren, Arkansas

If the streets of the beautiful Arkansas city of Van Buren look familiar, there probably is a good reason.

The Arkansas River community doubled for Biloxi, Mississippi, in Matthew Broderick's popular film "Biloxi Blues." The movie made use of numerous settings in and around Van Buren and nearby Fort Smith, including the Boston Mountains, downtown Van Buren and the Arkansas River.

First settled as a trading post and timbering community, Van Buren gained its present name in 1831 when a post office was established there. The name honors Martin Van Buren, who ironically had not yet become President of the United States when the town was named for him.

A stop on the famed Butterfield Overland Stage Route in the years before the Civil War, the growing town saw its commerce all but die during the war years. Occupied by Confederate troops for the first two years of the war, Van Buren played an important role in both the Pea Ridge and Prairie Grove campaigns and the graves of scores of Confederate soldiers can be seen in the city's Fairview Cemetery.

Actual fighting reached the city when it was attacked by the Union Army of the Frontier on December 28, 1862. The attacking force arrived so fast that the citizens of Van Buren were stunned by cavalry riding and fighting along their main street as they watched from the wooden sidewalks.

Today, Van Buren is a charming and prosperous city with a beautiful downtown area. It boasts numerous historic sites and is popular with visitors. To learn more, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/vanburen.

Siloam Springs, Arkansas - Historic City on the Oklahoma Border

First settled in around 1835, the modern city of Siloam Springs gained life as an important trading post located just inside the line dividing Arkansas from the Cherokee Nation of what is now Oklahoma.

During the Civil War, the area was devastated by passing armies. Blunt's Division of the Union Army of the Frontier spent much of 1862 camped just north of Siloam Springs and his foraging parties ravaged the area as they searched for food, forage and other supplies. Blunt intentionally destroyed private homes belong to secessionist families across the area and drove the inhabitants away from their lands and farms. Two significant battles - Old Fort Wayne and Prairie Grove - were fought nearby in 1862.

After the war, the area slowly rebounded and in 1879 notice was taken of the numerous mineral springs in the vicinity. The city of Siloam Springs was incorporated in 1881 as visitors swarmed the area in the belief that "taking the waters" of mineral springs could heal them from numerous illnesses and ailments. Within one year of its incorporation, 3,000 people lived in Siloam Springs and the city did a brisk business as a health resort.

A major flood destroyed much of the downtown area in 1892, all but ending the city's days as a health resort. The railroad soon arrived, however, and the community rebounded as an important trading center for the agricultural districts along the border. Siloam Springs today is a charming city with a beautiful downtown area that preserves some of the more than two dozen natural springs in the area. It is also the home of John Brown University and is located just across the border from Oklahoma's famed Natural Falls State Park, setting for the popular movie, "Where the Red Fern Grows."

To learn more, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/siloamsprings.