1 Reply Latest reply on Jul 8, 2020 1:48 PM by Cara Jensen

    Looking for information on Belmont, Arkansas

    Laura Fuentes Newbie
    Laura Fuentes Jun 30, 2020 4:23 PM

      Hi! I am looking for information about the WWI city of Belmont, Arkansas. Belmont was a city right outside the capital of Little Rock, on the north side of the Arkansas River. It would be what is today located in North Little Rock or Levy but may be associated with materials pertaining to the city of Argenta also.  It was right outside the back gate of Camp Pike Army Training camp and contained cafes, a hotel, a bank, a post office, theaters, and pool halls. The largest building is still standing, the old St. Joseph’s Catholic Orphanage was repurposed by the army as the Hotel Belmont in an effort to create more space for officer's families. If anyone has any images, relics, papers, or information relating to the old city of Belmont or the hotel (of the same name) or businesses associated with it, I would appreciate the help tremendously! Attached are two photos of Belmont, showing the Hotel Belmont and the Pfeifer's department store right outside the gate for Camp Pike.

       

        • Re: Looking for information on Belmont, Arkansas
          Cara Jensen Tracker
          Cara Jensen Expert Jul 8, 2020 1:48 PM (in response to Laura Fuentes)

          Dear Ms. Fuentes,

           

          Thank you for posting your request on History Hub!

           

          We searched the National Archives Catalog and located 5 series in the Records of U.S. Army Continental Commands (Record Group 393) that pertain to Camp Pike, Arkansas. There may be information that includes the town in the records. For access to these series, please contact the National Archives at Washington, DC - Textual Reference (RDT1) via email at archives1reference@nara.gov.

           

          Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and pursuant to guidance received from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), NARA has adjusted its normal operations to balance the need of completing its mission-critical work while also adhering to the recommended social distancing for the safety of NARA staff. As a result of this re-prioritization of activities, you may experience a delay in receiving an initial acknowledgement as well as a substantive response to your reference request from RDT1. We apologize for this inconvenience and appreciate your understanding and patience.

           

          We also suggest that you contact the Arkansas State Archives or the William F. Laman public library of North Little Rock for possible information about Belmont, Arkansas.  We also suggest you review the FamilySearch wiki for Crawford County, Arkansas.

           

          We hope this is helpful. Best of luck with your research!