Oppelo, Arkansas

    The Oppelo Community was settled about 1850.  It was a part of Perry County until 1880.  Then it became a part of Conway County.  It is thought that Oppelo got it's name from the family name of L. B. Opolow who was a millwright.  He died sometime between 1850 and 1860.  The spelling of the community name changed several times over the years.  Originally it was spelled Opolow, then Opelo in 1860, then to Oppello and then finally to Oppelo.  Oppelo was in Aplin Township until 1870.  In 1870 it was in Bentley Township but was still a part of Perry County.

    The Lower Oppelo School opened about 1900 and was in operation until 1937.  This school was located on or near the Simpson property in lower Oppelo.  The Oak Grove School was in operation in 1918 on wht is now the Laudis Andrews Property.  The new brick school was opened in 1926 and remained open until 1957.  At that time the school was closed and the students were transported to Morrilton schools. 

    The Oppelo Post Office was opened in old or lower Oppelo in 1867 on what is now known as Tyler Road and was open in this location at least until 1913.

    Some of the churches date back quite a ways.  The newest is the First Baptist Church of Oppelo which was begun in 1969.  The next oldest is Riverview Baptist Church which begun in 1939.  The St. Elizabeth Church was started in 1885.  The Oppelo Methodist Church was begun in 1868 near Oppelo Springs.  Later property was acquired at the present site and a building was built in 1887.  Then in 1912 that building was torn down and the present structure was built.  The Oppelo Assembly of God Church was formed when people began to gather for services at a house in lower Oppelo.  Then in 1908 a church was built.  Then in 1958 a new church was built.  It was torn down and a new church was built6 by it's members in 1997.  All of the churches have of course been add to and remodeled.

    According to an article published in the Morrilton Democrat Newspaper April 25, 1930, the first gin, a horse powered one, was owned by William Moore.  The gin was later sold to Mr. Wolf.  Mr. Wolf operated it, then his son Albert took over until his death.  The next gin was owned and operated by Dan Wilson.  This gin was destroyed by a fire a few years after it was built. 

    Some of the early family names of Oppelo were Hinkle, Wolf, Brown, Van Meter, Moore, Hoyt, Grabher, Begharts, Butrum, Zimmers, Sadlers, Greers, Higgins, Nix, Thompson, Jones, Nelson, Van Winkle, Myers, Wood, Gardiner, Caloway and Flocks.

    Oppelo was incorporated in the mid 1960s.  At that time the population was in the 400s.  Part of the growth was due to Arkansas Kraft coming to the area.  The population of Oppelo now is a little over 700.