More than 100 Arkansans were murdered in the Mountain Meadows Massacre on Sept. 11, 1857

The Mountain Meadows Massacre, occurring on September 11, 1857, resulted in the deaths of 121 members of the Fancher-Baker wagon train in Utah. The families, journeying from Northwest Arkansas to California, camped in a location unaware of the escalating conflict between the U. S. government and Brigham Young. Phil Bolinger highlighted that the massacre involved execution-style murders by Mormon militiamen, with only 17 children under six spared.

In 2007, the LDS Church publicly expressed "profound regret" for the massacre, acknowledging its impact on the community. The site was established as a national monument in 2011, and monuments also exist in Harrison and Carrollton, Arkansas. Scott Fancher, a descendant of victims, noted that nearly every resident of Northwest Arkansas at the time had relatives in the wagon train. The massacre reflects themes of religious extremism and reconciliation over time, with both sides finding common ground more than 150 years later. Such historical events have shaped local memory and identity in Arkansas.