Emerson is located in
Columbia County in southwest Arkansas, around 6 miles from Louisiana on U.S. Hwy 79. Growth of railroads
were responsible for the creation of the town. The Louisiana and North West
Railroad was built between Magnolia and points in Louisiana in 1899. The town
derives its name from Reuben Logan Emerson, an early settler of Columbia
County, who was a teacher, merchant, banker, owner of the local newspaper and
state representative. In 1905, he also founded the city which today bears
his name. Major industries in the area are timber, bromine and bromine-based
products, and oil. Each year since 1990, on the last Saturday of June, the
small town hosts the PurpleHull Pea Festival & World Championship Rotary
Tiller Race.
