Situated on a border between The Ozarks and the Arkansas Delta, the park preserves the remains of the abandoned frontier town of Davidsonville.

The former townsite was made into a state park in 1957 and a monument was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.

Davidsonville was founded in 1815 and rapidly became the most important town in northeast Arkansas Territory, but was abandoned by the 1830s.

Shortly after the town's founding the Southwest Trail was rerouted onto higher ground, bypassing Davidsonville.

The townsite, which had been a grid of streets with a central square where the courthouse stood, now looks like a grassy field with a few trees.

[4] The park offers interpretive programs, camping, hiking, fishing, and canoeing.

[5] Picnic tables, screened pavilions, playgrounds, and a visitor center with gift shop.