Batesville Wedding

Batesville is a city in Independence County, Arkansas, 114 miles (183 km) north by east of Little Rock, the State capital. In 1890, 2,150 people lived in Batesville; in 1900, 2,327, in 1910, 3,399; and in 1940, 5,267. As of the 2000 Census, the city population was 9,445. The city is the county seat of Independence CountyGR6.

Batesville is the second oldest city in the state of Arkansas. It was named for James Woodson Bates who settled in the town and was the first territorial delegate from Arkansas to the Congress of the United States. The town has also gone by the names of Napoleon and Polk Bayou.

In early days, Batesville was an important port on the White River and served as an entry point to the interior of northern Arkansas. Batesville played a large role in the settling of the Ozark Mountains region and served as the central land office for northern Arkansas.