Arkadelphia, AR (ARK)

798 South 5th Street
Arkadelphia, AR 71923-6237

Station Hours

Annual Ticket Revenue (FY 2023): $90,641
Annual Station Ridership (FY 2023): 1050

• Ownerships
• Routes Served
• Contact
• Local Community Links

• Facility Ownership: Union Pacific Railroad
• Parking Lot Ownership: Union Pacific Railroad
• Platform Ownership: Union Pacific Railroad
• Track Ownership: Union Pacific Railroad

• Texas Eagle

Derrick James
Regional Contact
governmentaffairschi@amtrak.com
For information about Amtrak fares and schedules, please visit Amtrak.com or call 1-800-USA-RAIL (1-800-872-7245).

• City of Arkadelphia
• Amtrak Texas Eagle
• Clark County Historical Museum

Passengers at Arkadelphia use a covered outdoor waiting area located at the restored Missouri Pacific Railroad depot. The one-story red brick building, designed in the Mediterranean Revival style and featuring a Spanish red tile roof, was built circa 1917 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1992.

In the 1990s, restorations began to restore the exterior of the station, including the tiled, hipped roof. It received an enclosed waiting area for passengers as well, and now houses the Clark County Historical Museum, which opened in October 2003. The museum’s mission is to preserve and disseminate knowledge about the county’s history. Artifacts representing the city’s history are displayed, including a caboose. The regional transit agency is also headquartered here.

The depot restorations were funded with $275,717 in grants, of which $153,154 was federal and the remainder local. In March 2001, the Arkadelphia Chamber of Commerce provided $82,000 in funds from grants through the Arkansas Department of Economic Development’s Energy Improvement funds, the Great American Train Station Foundation, and the Arkadelphia Community Foundation to open the museum. Much of the station clean-up in preparation for its opening was done with volunteer labor.

The area around Arkadelphia was once home to the Caddo Indians, and archaeologically significant mounds are still located four miles west of the city. Arkadelphia was settled around 1809 by John Hemphill, an operator of a nearby salt work, Arkansas’s first industry. It adopted its present name in 1839, and was formerly known as Blakelytown. The name Arkadelphia was formed by combining “Ark” (from Arkansas) and “adelphia” (from Philadelphia). It is said to mean “The ark of brotherly love.” In 1842, Arkadelphia became the Clark County seat. After the Civil War, the Cairo and Fulton line joined Arkadelphia and Little Rock in 1873. Since the railroad touched the river in Arkadelphia, the city became a transportation hub and trading center.

Arkadelphia is the gateway stop for Hot Springs, Diamond Lake country, Crater of Diamonds State Park, and the Ouachita Mountain region. At Crater of Diamonds State Park, the only diamond mine open to the public for prospecting, visitors may keep any diamonds they find. Outdoor recreation is a favorite pastime in Arkadelphia. Hiking through the Ouachita National Forest as well as fishing are popular activities. The Arkadelphia Aquatic Park is open during the summer months, and the DeGray Lake State Park offers camping, water sports, golf, and hiking. The city is also home to Henderson State University and Ouachita Baptist University.

Station Building (with waiting room)