The town of Antoine began as a stopping point on the old Southwest Trail to Texas in the early 19th century.

It was named for a French trapper who was found dead at his camp along the road (the site of the present town cemetery).

Antoine is located on Arkansas Highway 26 between Murfreesboro and Arkadelphia in the southeastern section of Pike County.

It had characteristics of what our forefathers were seeking - rich level farmland and located on the bank of the Antoine River, giving them an adequate supply of water.

[3] The town did not suffer much disaster during the Civil War, even though Union Soldiers were located in the area.

As they were leaving they were seized by the Yankee soldiers, their meal taken and the boys hanged from a large chinquapin tree just north of the old John Canter Home.

[3] By 1890 the town had sprung up and had a post office, a bank, a church, school, cotton gin, gristmill, bottling works, sawmill, blacksmith shop, two hotels, drug store, hardware, billiard and pool hall, cafe, doctor's office, city hall, and several merchandise stores.

[3] Some of the names associated with the public businesses of Antoine around the turn of the century were blacksmiths: Dan and Charlie Hammonds, the Cagles and Dixons; cotton gin: Cagles and Bartons; bottling works: Mr. Manesco; cafe: George Mires; postmaster, hotel and sawmill: J. T. Cooper; merchandising stores were operated by Barton and Hardin, Charlie Cash, A. D. Meeks and Brooks.

About 1911 the entire south side where the bank, hardware, drugstore, cafe, and several general stores were located was destroyed.

Some of the earlier teachers of Antoine were Professor Groom, Rush Dixon, Myrtice Wingfield, Nellie Stark, Audrie Mansfield, a Mr. Story (who had two sons of his own whom he took upstairs and whipped just as surely as the day began).

Antoine suffered another great shock in the death of Dr. Albert Hendrix, a young doctor who had set up practice in an office in Hardin's drugstore.

He was boarding in the home of George and Mat Mires, and on the evening of January 10, 1913, he had a call to the Piney Grove community to see Mrs. Maude Lee.

Finding her condition stable, he decided to check Luther Sparks' wife, another patient he had been treating, while in the community.

He tried to cross Mill Slough at the ferry but the current was so strong that when he drove his buggy into the water it was immediately washed away.

[3] Some of the familiar faces seen around Antoine in 1923 were the Rileys, Canters, Cashes, Rices, Craigs, Bolts, Wombals, Hares, Dixons, Coopers, Morrises, Dunns, Goldens, Carrolls, Walls, Harps, McDonalds, Copelands, Lambs, Gentrys, Smiths, Wingfields, Nashes, Bottoms, Osburns, Lawsons, Prices, Rogers, Bierds, Mays, Rawlings, Calhouns, Howells, Clarks, Hammonds, Phillions, Caldwells, Hankins, Burlesons, Bartons, Jacksons, Stovers, Halls, Sam Jones, Cow Bailey, King Cole, May Ollie, and her twin boys, Troy and Truman.