Batesville is the oldest existing city in the State of Arkansas. It lies on the White River and is the county seat and largest city of Independence County. By a treaty of 1808 the Osage Indians ceded this territory to the U.S. and unlike most of the territory of Arkansas, it was never again returned to Indian control. The city has existed under three names: Napoleon, Poke Creek, and finally Batesville in honor of Judge James Woodson Bates, the first Territorial Delegate to Congress. The principal trade of Batesville during its early existence was that of supplying the settlers with groceries and provisions, for which hides and furs from the numerous wild animals of that time were taken in exchange (Batesville, 2019).
Citation
(2019). Batesville History. Retrieved from cityofbatesville.com.
How it all Began 