Important Arkansas historical events and significant anniversaries for February 6, with notable births and deaths of people with Arkansas connections for this date. Information is drawn from state archives, historical societies, contemporary newspapers and other media archives, and legal records. Much of this information comes from the Encyclopedia of Arkansas, an online publication. ChatGPH has collected this data.
1859 — Steamboat loss on the Arkansas River system. The Encyclopedia of Arkansas steamboat record lists the steamboat Dardanelle as “snagged and sank at Pine Bluff” on February 6, 1859—one example of the hazards of 19th-century river transport that shaped Arkansas’ economy and settlement patterns.
1861 — Little Rock Arsenal crisis escalates. During the secession winter, Gov. Henry Massie Rector sent a note to Capt. James Totten on February 6, 1861, requesting surrender of the Little Rock arsenal—a key step in the standoff that ended with federal troops evacuating the post days later…