I know why the people migrated there. My father grew up in Columbia county, Arkansas, my grandmother was born in Layfayette county, and my parents attended University of Arkansas, so I know the state pretty well (it's my second home). Yes, the area is desolate now, but it wasn't around the turn of the century. The railroad had moved into southern arkansas, and there was oil around that area. My father worked in the oil fields for his best friends' father when he was a teenager. There was not much opportunity for poor people in the southeast during that time. The economy had weakened. This new area had opened up around the mid-1800s and provided hope for the lower class citizens. Many of the now deserted towns were very vibrant during the early 1900s. My grandfather was born in a small town named McNeil in Columbia county, and, at the time, it had a general store, cafe, post office, town hall, and other buildings, as well as a thriving railroad population. However, they soon built the road through Magnolia and deverted the railway to the new town, which made McNeil go from booming to ghost town. Now, barely anything remains of the town that once stood. If you'd like any more information on that area of the state, I'd be more than happy to let you know. As I said, I know the area well. I would discuss it at further length here, but I'm late for a class (I'm in college)...

Thanks!