Jenkins Ferry Battleground State Park
A pleasant, quiet park and a must see stop especially for the civil war history buffs
Check out the pictures, videos, and information below.
Jenkins Ferry is one of the three hard fought battles in southern Arkansas in April, 1864, during the Red River Campaign in the Civil War. The Union troops, who had lost much of their supplies in two previous battles, were retreating to Little Rock. Because of the flooding, the Union troops were using an inflatable pontoon bridge to cross the Saline River at Jenkins Ferry. Just 2 miles west of this park area is where they fought off the Confederates, who had attacked them again. On April 30, the Union troops were able to get away and continued their retreat to Little Rock. The pontoon bridge, which crossed the flooded river, was sunk there and parts of it were still being found there just a few years back.
If you are camping and want to see this park, you can stay at Lake Catherine or DeGray Lake Resort State Parks that are not far from Malvern, Arkansas. If you need a motel, Malvern has some choices for you.
Check out the Arkansas State Park website for more information
Read the details about the Red River Campaign
Jenkins Ferry was part of the Red River Campaign during 1864 of the Civil War.
There are a number of Plaques in the park, which has a self guided tour. This one shows the park layout and location of the site of the ferry. For a brochure entitled Red River Campaign in Arkansas, write to Arkansas State Parks, One Capitol Mall, Little Rock, Arkansas 72201 or call (501) 682-1191 and ask for this.
The park has a monument erected to honor the Confederate soldiers, who fought here.
Known as the Swimming Hole for many years and still used for that purpose.
Here are all the signs with the site of the river in the background near where once the ferry operated and features the area where the pontoon bridge was erected in 1864 and sunken at this point after the retreat.
