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In some ways, it looks like an old western town; just replace the concrete and sidewalks with dirt and a boardwalk! It might be cool if it were restored this way, actually. The Old Town part of Van Buren is quaint and picturesque. There are lots of buildings which date to the 19th century. The first settlers in the region arrived in 1818-1819, so the town's not quite as old as some of the others in the area, but it's had quite a colorful past. The name Van Buren was reportedly due to the first post office, which was established at Phillips Landing in 1831 to distribute mail to the region. The post office was named Van Buren for the New Secretary of State, Martin Van Buren, appointed by President Jackson, and the name was later applied to the town. The site where the first settlers landed on the banks of the Arkansas River grew up when general stores and local businesses began to operate, and a ferry crossing soon followed, but the flat land was highly prone to flooding. The county seat was established in 1835 at the Crawford Old Courthouse on Arbuckle Island, but in 1836, the year Arkansas was admitted as a state, John Drennen and David Thompson purchased the land of the current town of Van Buren for $11,000 because it was situated on higher ground and wasn't as prone to flooding. The town was thus surveyed and officially established, which led to rapid development. A rail network was eventually developed, and the first trains began arriving in June, 1876, which led to further urbanization and settlement. Historic sites still open to the public include the beautifully restored King Opera House, the courthouse, a one-room schoolhouse and a public square.