The spelling of Arkansas and its pronunciation as ARkanSAW was determined in 1881 in this way.
- General Assembly resolution
- Popular vote
- State-wide name lottery
- The governor decreed it
The spelling of Arkansas and its pronunciation as ARkanSAW was determined in 1881 in this way.
General Assembly resolution. The state’s two U.S. senators, Augustus Garland and James D. Walker disagreed on the pronunciation. One used ArKANSAS and one used ARkanSAW. The assembly compromised retaining one’s spelling and the other’s pronunciation.