History
In 1541, the first Europeans arrived in Arkansas. The expedition of Hernando DeSoto came through the state and traveled along the Saline River and through what would one day become the City of Benton, but it was not until 1815 that William Lockhart found himself in this area. The Lockhart family was the first to settle here, and by 1819, about 10 more families had followed suit.
Saline County was formed as a result of increased population and significant growth. The county’s name stemmed from the presence of an Indian salt works that was developed in 1827 and that became the major supplier of salt for the area as well as some neighboring states. That year also brought the first water mill utilized to grind corn to the area. Due not only to the growth of Saline County but to Arkansas as a whole, the first post office was established in 1830, and Lockhart was named postmaster.
A few miles from where Lockhart settled, a community began to form in 1833. Just a few years later, in 1836, the City of Benton, named after Missouri Senator Thomas Hart Benton, was officially chartered.
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