Russellville is a flourishing little city of about 1,500 inhabitants (1890), situated in a lovely, fertile valley between the Crow and Norristown ranges of mountains, for healthfulness and picturesque scenery hard to be surpassed. The town is immediately on the line of the Little Rock & Fort Smith Railroad, seventy-five miles from Little Rock. The place is beautifully laid out. The streets are wide and run at right angles and are lined with shade trees, which present an appearance of comfort and tranquility during the long summer days. The sidewalks are paved with flagging, of which there is an abundant supply near the town. The buildings are in the most part constructed of wood, but, with the exception of a few which look like old family relics, they are constructed after modern designs, and some of them are really beautiful and attractive. The dwellings generally are comfortable and conveniently arranged and display a refined taste in keeping with the high culture and progress of the inhabitants. The principal business houses are of brick, and some of them are decided ornaments in an architectural way and would be an honor to any city in the State.

Russellville is one of the principal business towns in the county and is the county seat. It is an old town, having been settled as far back as 1840. The town has made rapid improvement since the completion of the railroad in 1872-73, and is now one of the most prosperous in this part of the State. The past few years have marked many improvements in the aspect and commercial importance of the place. The population has largely increased, the town has spread over a mile of territory, and numerous broad streets have been laid out and many handsome and commodious business houses and residences have been erected. Russellville is justly famous for its freedom from contagious or serious local diseases. The moral and social status of the people is not surpassed in the State; her educational facilities are of the best; the public school building, a handsome two-story edifice, is one of the largest and finest in Western Arkansas. The city is under excellent municipal control, and strict sanitary measures are enforced. Its scrip is worth 100 cents on the dollar and it has no outstanding debts. In the matter of churches, Russellville is well to the front. It has seven religious denominations represented, as follows: Christian, Methodist South, Methodist Episcopal, Baptist, Primitive Baptist, Cumberland Presbyterian and Presbyterian, the latter denomination possessing as yet no church building.

An advantage possessed by Russellville is the wealth of the coal district surrounding it, one of the Ouita Coal Company's mines being distant just two miles west, and undeveloped coal fields a short distance southeast, so that it is exceedingly favorably situated respecting manufacturing, fuel (either wood or coal) being cheap and abundant; and its present and prospective transportation facilities surpass those of any other town between Little Rock and Van Buren, possessing as it does the Little Rock & Fort Smith Railroad, and the Dardanelle & Russellville Railroad, the latter road connecting Russellville with the Arkansas River four miles distant.

The seat of justice of Pope County was located at Russellville in 1887, and the county buildings were erected by the citizens of the town, and, together with the land on which they stand, presented by them to Pope County. Russellville was incorporated June 7, 1870. The following named persons have been mayors: B. W. Cleaver, L. S. Poe, J. E. Battenfield. A. E. Luker, G. E. Burney, J. B. Erwin, J. H. Battenfield, S. N. Evans Robert H. Jamison, J. A. Erwin, J. E. Richards, J. W. Russell.

Several additions to Russellville, known as J. L. Shinn's addition, J. M. Shinn's addition, S. M. Shinn's addition, Luker's addition, Russell's addition and Torrence's addition, have been platted with a view to furnishing cheap and comfortable homes, inducing an increase of population, and extending the visible limits of the town as well as enhancing its real estate interests. J. L. Shinn's addition is the largest and most important, embracing most desirable territory and affording opportunities to home-seekers seldom equaled.

It is probable that Mr. Shinn has done more than any other one man to build up Russellville's interests. During recent years the capitalists of Russellville have to a considerable extent turned their attention to manufacturing. Perhaps the most important industry is that of the Melrose Manufacturing Company, of which J. L. Shinn is president; J. M. Haney, superintendent, and J. E. Battenfield, secretary and treasurer, and which gives employment to from fifty to seventy-five operatives. Incorporated in 1882, the annual business has shown a decided rise each year. The plant is situated on the line of the Little Rock & Fort Smith Railroad, and occupies a one-story brick building 52×252 feet in dimensions, with a boiler-room 24×50 feet. The officers of the company are business men of recognized ability. Rope and twine are manufactured.

L. M. Smith's flouring-mill has a capacity of about forty barrels of flour per day. In connection with this mill is a carding factory, one of the best in the State, which prepares the raw wool for the making of all kinds of woolen goods. Under the same management are a planing-mill, re-sawing machinery, a fruit-box manufactory, and a cotton-gin which can gin and bale twenty-five bales of cotton per day.

Brown, Settle & Co.'s foundry and machine shop is one of the most profitable enterprises of the city. They work a large force of hands.

The Russellville Canning & Evaporating Company have an extensive plant here, and employ a large force putting up berries, fruits and vegetables. This enterprise will be an inducement to farmers to devote more time to the cultivation of these products than heretofore.

Another important enterprise is the wagon and plow factory of Luker, Davis & Co., with a capacity of over 400 wagons a year.

The Citizens' Savings Bank was organized under the name of the Weimet Savings Bank, in 1887, with a capital of $10,000, and conducted as a private bank by W. G. Weimer, its founder, until April 1, 1890, when it was reorganized by a stock company with a capital of $50,000. It is the oldest bank in Russellville, and has been very successful since its opening. It does considerable business with surrounding counties, and contemplates early reorganization under the national banking system. Its officers are G. W. Harkey, president; R. F. Roys, vice-president; W. G. Weimer, cashier; James A. Potts, assistant cashier.

The People's Exchange Bank was organized March 22, 1890, with R. J. Wilson as president; John M. Harkey, vice-president; John W. White, cashier, and W. J. Reynolds, assistant cashier. Its directors are R. J. Wilson, W. J. White, J. M. Harkey, W. H. Hill, W. M. Oates and Charles S. McKinney. The People's Exchange Bank does all branches of general banking business. About December 1, 1890, it will move into its new three-story brick building, on the corner of Main and Jefferson Streets, which, when completed, will be one of the handsomest bank buildings in the State.

Besides those mentioned, the principal business interests of Russellville may be thus summarized: General stores, J. L. Shinn, White & Son, Morton & Co., R. M. Oates & Co., J. B. Everte & Co., R. H. Tate,R. J. Wilson, T J. Russell & Bro., M. Jacobson, Wooten & Oates; grocers, Perry & Son, C. C. Winn, Smith & Brown, Bernard Bros., Tucker & Son,M. L. Gardner; butchers, Baird Bros.; liverymen, Rodgers & Rankin; stationer, W. W. Brashear; wagon-makers, C. C. Lukes, J. A. Jamison; dentists, J. W. O'Kelly, H. Sherman; hotels, White House, Judd House, Central House, Buck House, Bottom House; lumber dealer, G. E. Howell; mill and gin, A. E. Luker & Co.; printers and publishers, Democrat Printing Company, Methodist Herald establishment; physicians, R. M. Drummond, J. W. Pruitt, J. M. Yancey, W. H. Hill; druggists, Weimer Drug Company, J. W. Wells; cigar manufacturer, A. C. Lawton; photographer, J. H. Ganner; milliners, Mrs. Webb, Mrs. Perry; jeweler, H. C. Wilkey; furniture, J. A. Erwin & Co.; hardware, Love & Roys Hardware Co.

Russellville is no 'mushroom' town. The natural causes that build up all cities have been at work here from the first, and the place has never had a 'boom,' so called. Its growth has been strong and vigorous. Its business men as a class have had life-long training in their special pursuits, and to their sagacity and enterprise the future of the town may be safely entrusted.

Russellville dominates a magnificent surrounding country. The Arkansas River bottoms for miles are tributary to its trade, while it supplies the interior country to the north for miles, the people bringing in their cotton, and trading in exchange. In view of these manifest advantages, it requires no prophet to look even a few years into the future and see a busy little city of 5,000 or more on the foundation which has been laid so deeply and so well.