Siloam Springs, AR Drawing

Siloam Springs' earliest history dates to 1835 when Simon Sager settled on a farm one mile west of what is now the City of Siloam Springs. The 28 springs along the creek were named in his honor, "Sager Creek." His original dwelling has been restored and is now located on the campus of John Brown University. The first settlement was called Hico, and in 1884 Caldeen D. Gunter settled there. At about this time the Hico Post Office was established. This was later moved to Siloam City (Siloam Springs). Hico was a prominent trading post with the Cherokee nation and consisted of two stores and a mill. In 1879 it was discovered that the waters contained medicinal qualities and the establishment of a summer resort began. The first anniversary of the town was celebrated on the 24th of June. In March 1880, J.V. Hargrove laid out the original plat of Siloam City. The name was later changed to Siloam Springs. Due to the reputation gained as a summer resort and the prospect of the railroad through town, the town was incorporated during its first year of existence on December 22, 1881, with a population of over 3,000. After this initial "boom" many of the transient residents returned to their homes and the population dwindled to about half. This was the only time in the history of the town that the population dwindled so rapidly. To order a print of Siloam Springs, Ar, click here: http://www.villageprints.com/drawings/arkansas/siloam-springs-ar.