Malvern is in northeastern Hot Spring County, southeast of the Ouachita River where it exits the Ouachita Mountains. Established in the 1870s as a railway station, Malvern benefited greatly when it became the seat of Hot Spring County just a few years following the city’s incorporation. Because Malvern was the closest railroad station to Hot Springs, it became an important junction point for passengers transferring from rail to stagecoach to complete their journey to the spas in Hot Springs. This was the only railroad into Hot Springs for fifteen years. A diversity of agricultural and mineral resources in the region provided the foundation for Malvern’s long-term economic development, with brick production eventually playing a truly significant role. As a result of that critical industry, the city has come to be known as the “Brick Capital of the World.” Tradition holds that the hilly terrain reminded one railway official of his native Virginia near Malvern Hill, and at his urging, the company gave the name to the new town (Schultz, 2019).
Citation
Schultz, Marvin. (2019, Jan. 4). Malvern (Hot Spring County). Retrieved from encyclopediaofarkansas.net.
How it all Began 