[2] It is Arkansas's 43rd county, formed on December 18, 1840, and named for Captain Hugh Bradley, who fought in the War of 1812.

Indigenous peoples of various cultures had lived along the rivers of Arkansas for thousands of years and created complex societies.

Mississippian culture peoples built massive earthwork mounds along the Ouachita River beginning about 1000 CE.

The Felsenthal refuge at the south end of Bradley County contains over 200 native American archaeological sites, primarily from the Caddo tribe that lived in the area as long as 5,000 years ago.

These sites include the remains of seasonal fishing camps, ceremonial plazas, temple mounds and large villages containing as many as 200 structures.

Rather than reduce spending, the Regency of Louis XV of France endorsed the monetary theories of John Law, a Scottish financier.

In 1716, Law was given a charter for the Banque Royale under which the national debt was assigned to the bank in return for extraordinary privileges.

The key to the Banque Royale agreement was that the national debt would be paid from revenues derived from opening the Mississippi Valley.

Bernard de la Harpe and his party left New Orleans in 1719 to explore the Red River.

The Mississippi Company arranged ships to move eight hundred (800) people landed in Louisiana on one day in 1718, doubling the population.

Beset by enemies and to gain a free hand in Hungary, the Habsburgs sold their Sundgau territory (mostly in Upper Alsace) to France in 1646, which had occupied it, for the sum of 1.2 million Thalers.

Prisoners were set free in Paris in September 1719 and later, under the condition that they marry prostitutes and go with them to Louisiana.

The French hunters, trappers, and traders appeared first and operated along the Ouachita River valley until the Natchez revolt of 1729, which frightened away any developers for a while.

Prior to 1782, with the exception of occasional failed colonization schemes, the Europeans ignored the vast Ouachita Valley, which extended from the area around Hot Springs, Arkansas southward towards the Mississippi River in Louisiana.

Filhiol served in this capacity between 1782 and 1804, and through his service helped to keep a firm Spanish grip on activities in the region.

He traveled up the river, past present-day Union Parish, to the old trading post called “Ecore a Fabri” (now Camden).

For various reasons, after a few years Filhiol decided not to build his headquarters there and took his group back down river to the "Prairie des Canots".

However, the treaty was kept secret, and Louisiana remained under Spanish control until a transfer of power to France on November 30, 1803, just three weeks before the cession to the United States.

During the war of 1812, Captain Hugh Bradley had frequent conversations with Spaniards who had explored the Red River country.

But the floods of the Red River caused diseases and fevers to the point of discouraging the inhabitants.

[7] Around 1849, Wiley and Louisa Powell moved to Bradley County, taking the title to the land that is now Hermitage.

Louisa's parents, James and Susan Thompson, joined the Powells that year, as did Robert Pulley (who was pastor of Holly Springs Baptist Church) and the Jarrett family.

Jefferson Singer, who had lived in Bradley County since 1840, acquired the Powell Farm at a later date.

The name of the town was to honor President Andrew Jackson, whose home in Nashville, Tennessee was called The Hermitage.

Finished products were shipped to Rock Island and the St. Louis, Iron Mountain & Southern Railway.

[14] The Mississippi Embayment extends to the Saline River valley along the east and southeast edge of Bradley County.

A Topographic map of Bradley County is at https://en-us.topographic-map.com/maps/ettn/Bradley-County/ The lowest point in Arkansas is 55 feet above sea level, at the Ouachita River on the border with Louisiana.

Each township includes unincorporated areas; some may have incorporated cities or towns within part of their boundaries.

However, the United States census does list Arkansas population based on townships (sometimes referred to as "county subdivisions" or "minor civil divisions").

Each town or city is within one or more townships in an Arkansas county based on census maps and publications.