1. On September 23, 1835, the Arkansas Gazette, the oldest newspaper in the state, reported that the first steamboat arrived in Little Rock. The steamboat, called the "Neptune," had traveled up the Arkansas River from New Orleans.

2. In 1862, during the Civil War, the Battle of Newtonia took place in Newton County, Arkansas. Union soldiers attacked Confederate troops in an attempt to control the region, but the Confederates were able to fend them off.

3. Arkansas native Daisy Gatson Bates was born on September 23, 1914. Bates was a civil rights activist who played a key role in the integration of Little Rock Central High School in 1957. She also served as president of the Arkansas chapter of the NAACP.

4. The University of Arkansas, located in Fayetteville, was founded on September 23, 1871. The university has since become a major institution of higher education in the state, with over 27,000 students enrolled across its various programs.

5. On September 23, 1977, the Ozark National Forest was officially dedicated. Covering over 1 million acres in northern Arkansas, the forest is a popular destination for outdoor recreation such as hiking, camping, and fishing.