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In 1838, Desha County was created and named for Capt.
Benjamin Desha, a War of 1812 veteran and resident of Arkansas. The town
of Napoleon was the first county seat. Napoleon was an important community
in the early development of the state. It was located along the Arkansas
River and featured wharf landings, shipping points and a newspaper. During
the Civil War, the Desha County records were sent from Napoleon to Texas
for safekeeping and never returned. In the 1870s, the Arkansas River began
to claim Napoleon and the county seat was moved to Watson. In 1879, it
moved for a final time to Arkansas City.
- from the website of The Department of
Arkansas Heritage
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