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Kiomatia
History in a Pecan ShellKiomatia
dates from 1816 when it was considered to be a part of Arkansas Territory. Earliest
area settler is thought to be Claiborne Wright who lived on the north side of
the Red River at Pecan Point. When Wright died, his sons crossed the river and
settled at Kiomatia and Jonesboro. Travis George
Wright was granted a post office in 1850 and the submitted name had been Kiomatia
which is an Indian word thought to mean "clear water."
Most of Kiomatia's
history revolves around its various post offices (at least six) and their changes
of name. The rather lengthy and confusing story can be read at length in other
sources. In 1880 Kiomatia had a population of 100 and after all the changes, closings
and reopenings of the post office, finally in 1898 the town reverted back to a
variation of Kiomatia (Kiomache) in 1898. But the story didn't end there. In 1908
it reverted back to Kiomatia and was closed ten years later. This closure lasted
until 1924 when it was reopened. Finally the post office closed for good in the
1950s and everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
The town reached its population
zenith in 1914 with 250 residents and then plummeted to a mere 46 during the Great
Depression. From 1968 through 1990 it was a reported sixty-one - and the 2004
state map shows a estimated 50 people.
Kiomatia
Today |
 |
| "Don't
really know if that is Faskin Mound but it is the only rise on the east side of
the road." - Barclay
Gibson, February 2007 photo |
| "[According
to] T. Lindsay Baker the bars on the store are made from buggy wheel rims. They
are barely visible next the Coke sign on the wall." - Barclay
Gibson, February 2007 photo | |
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