52 Weeks of Fun

Not Just Destination Finders, But Destination Storytellers

State of Arkansas

Jacksonport State Park

In the 1800s, steamboats made Jacksonport a thriving river port. During the Civil War, Confederate and Union forces occupied the town because of its location at the confluence of the White and Black rivers. Today, exhibits in the park's 1872 courthouse and programs by park interpreters share the story of this historic river port.

The formation of a park began when the Jackson County Historical Society purchased the derelict courthouse for restoration in 1961. The area became a state park on June 5, 1965, and was added to the National Register of Historic Places on January 21, 1970. The park also contains the Jackson Guards Memorial and in 1967, the Mary Woods No. 2, a 1930s sternwheeler steamboat was donated to the park. It opened as a museum in May 1976.

A pipe on the sternwheeler froze and rethawed, causing it to sink in January 1984, after which it was raised and restored. Then, on March 1, 1997, the state park, including the Mary Woods No. 2, suffered severe damage from an F4 tornado. The Mary Woods No. 2 was restored in 2000, including shelves stocked with canned goods and tables set for dinner. On January 31, 2010, the sternwheeler again sank at her moorings amidst light snow cover. The Arkansas Parks and Tourism Department decided that rebuilding the steamboat was not economically feasible.

Jacksonport became the county seat in 1852, and the restored courthouse now stands as a museum. Facilities also include 20 Class A campsites with 50 amp service, a swimming beach, pavilion, picnic sites, a playground, and the half-mile Tunstall Riverwalk. The Campground and Picnic Area are open all year. Free swimming at the beach, but there is no lifeguard on duty.

Arkansas State Park
Trip Advisor

A 52 Weeks of Fun Fascinating Fact about Jacksonport State Park

Jacksonport was the location of the Confederate surrender of Arkansas.

Attraction Advice



Trip Advisor

Park docent tours include a stop in a restored courtroom in the Jacksonport Courthouse.
Trip Advisor

Jacksonport was in the hands of both the Confederate and Union troops during the Civil War.
Trip Advisor

Jacksonport sits on the confluence of the Black and White rivers.
State of Arkansas

The restored courthouse, dates back to when Jacksonport was the county seat.

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