Today in History

Nov. 3 - Fayetteville named and incorporated; Clinton elected president

1829 — The Arkansas Gazette announced on this day that the Postmaster General had ordered the name of Washington Courthouse in the Arkansas Territory to be changed to Fayetteville. "Persons writing to that place should direct their letters to 'Fayetteville, Washington County, A.T.,' otherwise they may be sent to Washington, the Seat of Justice of Hempstead County."

1836 — The first state legislature passed an act on this day to incorporate the town of Fayetteville. The first alderman, the equivalent of a mayor today, was P. Vinson Rhea.

1992 — On this day, William Jefferson Clinton became the second former Fayetteville resident to be elected president of the United States.

Nov. 2 - Ridge House added to National Register

1972 — The Ridge House, built about 1840 on West Center Street, was added to the National Register of Historic Places on this day.

Nov. 1 - Hanging time; give me Liberty; and newspaper monopoly

1845 — On this day, the Philadelphia Ledger reported that Crawford Burnett and his wife, Lavinia, had been sentenced to be hung at Fayetteville for being accessories to the murder of Jonathan Sibley, who was killed by the son of the Burnett's and his cousin.

2000 — A replica of the Statue of Liberty called the Strengthen the Arm of Liberty Monument and erected on North Street in 1951 was added to the National Register of Historic Places on this day.

2009 — The Northwest Arkansas Times was sold by WEHCO Media to a new limited liability corporation, Northwest Arkansas Newspapers, on this day. The new corporation combined the editorial products of the Times, The Morning News and the Benton County Daily Record in distribution with the northwest edition of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.