Once a realm dominated by swamps, dense forests, and indigenous tribes, this land began to capture the imaginations of scouts, hunters, and even renegades. Steamboats gliding down the Mississippi River opened the eyes of farmers, loggers, and settlers to the myriad advantages this region held, eventually culminating in the establishment of Mississippi County.

For instance, steamboat captains coined Osceola's original name as 'Plum Point.' According to Mark Twain's "Life on the Mississippi," the moniker "famous and formidable Plum Point" emerged when one steamboat inquired about the location of wood for fuel. The response, "go plumb to the point," alluded to enterprising settlers who had stockpiled wood for sale. And thus, the birth of Osceola.

Before long, loggers found their utopia among the diverse woodlands, leading to an expanse blanketed with felled trees. Travelers down the river seeking fertile land soon became enamored with the Delta's bountiful soil, disembarking from steamboats to embark on new lives as farmers in a region capable of nurturing nearly any crop. This transformation was catalyzed by the fertile soil and temperate climate, which allowed cotton to ascend to regal status. Cotton production skyrocketed, with it not being uncommon for steamboats to carry a staggering 500 bales of cotton, the fruit of the land and the labor of local farmers, destined for market. Arkansas, boasting some of the richest and most productive agricultural land in the nation, proudly claims the mantle of the leading rice producer in the United States and a prominent position in cotton and soybean production.