Swan C. Dowell owned and operated the Dowell Land Company in Walnut Ridge, Arkansas. Due to his involvement with the railroad companies in land development, he was aware of other efforts in the state to make improvements to the land. Dowell participated in the development of two drainage ditches in Walnut Ridge: Village Creek and Lake Pond. Organization of drainage districts required landowners to petition the county courts to place a lien on the lands through a court order. The court order insured that improvement taxes would be paid. Through taxes, bonds, and sometimes federal funds, a series of ditches, sloughs, and levees were built to control flooding as well as to drain the land to be suitable for further development.
This collection contains Swan C. Dowell's personal records of his efforts and actions on the behalf of the Village Creek and Lake Pond Drainage Districts. The records include correspondence, work orders and estimates, legal documents, land records, and financial information.
- Village Creek Drainage District 1905-1912 (Box 1)
- Lake Pond Drainage District #17 1910-1920
