Crawfordsville

Crawfordsville is located on U. S. Highway 64, about 13 miles northwest of West Memphis.  It is named for Adolphus Fountain Crawford who settled in the area after the Civil War. He is credited with opening the first store in present-day Crawfordsville and served briefly as the town’s first postmaster.

Early settlers also included the Swepston family, who became prominent in business, political and community affairs.  Today the historic “Barn at the Swepston Jones House” is a special events venue, offering a beautiful location for weddings, receptions, rehearsal dinners, corporate events, private parties, school dances, proms, and special anniversaries.

Crawfordsville was the birthplace of Johnnie Taylor, a gospel and rhythm and blues singer whose recording career spanned nearly half a century. His “Disco Lady” was the first single ever to be certified platinum, and he was named to the Arkansas Black Hall of Fame in 1999.

A Prisoner-of-War (POW) camp was located on the southwestern edge of town from 1944 through 1946. It housed captured German troops from the World War II North Africa campaign and was one of some 30 branch POW camps located in Eastern Arkansas to contract prisoners out to local farmers for manual labor. 

Among the early organizations in the town, the Crawfordsville Women’s Book Club was the oldest women’s organization in Crittenden County and had the distinction of being the first clubhouse in Arkansas built and owned by women. The club disbanded in the mid-1950, and the clubhouse was destroyed some years later.