Marion County, Arkansas: History
Prior to white settlement, the Ozark Plateau was inhabited by the Osage Indians for centuries. Present-day Arkansas was under French rule from 1682 until the Spanish took over in 1762. The territory was returned to France in 1800 and then sold to the United States as part of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. In 1812, the Territory of Missouri was formed, containing all of the Louisiana Purchase except the modern state of Louisiana. To manage this expansive and sparsely populated territory, counties were formed. New Madrid County, Missouri covered much of southeastern Missouri and the northern part of Arkansas. This county was eventually subdivided into Lawrence County, which was later subdivided into Izard County.
Marion County was formerly home to a large zinc mining industry. The ruins of the Rush Creek mining district are preserved as the Rush Historic District, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.