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Farmer John Huddleston finds two stones on his land.
John Wesley Huddleston is best known as a struggling farmer who found two diamonds on the surface of his field near Murfreesboro (Pike County) in August 1906 and made himself and his state famous. Soon after the discovery, he was recognized as the first person outside South Africa to find diamonds at an original volcanic source. In the process, he a -
John Huddleston sold his 160 acre diamond-bearing land for $36,000 and the Arkansas Diamond Company was established.
John Huddleston sold his 160 acre diamond-bearing land for $36,000 and the Arkansas Diamond Company was established. The date is not the correct date, but it was in 1906 prior to the diamond find going public. -
First public visitors pay to hunt for diamonds.
M.M. Mauney, a farmer who owned the Arkansas site's remaining 40 acres charging visitors 50 cents for ice cream and the exclusive chance to hunt for free diamonds. -
South African diamond mine expert tested the site to depths of 205 foot test shaft.
A South African diamond mine expert tested the Murfreesboro site confirming that diamonds were found throughout the depths of a 205-foot test shaft -
M M Mauney sold most of his land to Horace Bemis who formed the Ozark Diamond Corporation
M M Mauney sold most of his land to Horace Bemis who formed the Ozark Diamond Corporation and leased the remaining 10 acres to Austin Millar who was an excellent businessman and began recovering a lot of diamonds. -
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Bemis was sold his land to the Millar family.
Bemis was sold his land to the Millar family. M M Mauney then wanted to break the lease and take over operation of one plant, but Austin Millar refused leading to over 30 lawsuits -
Arson at the Prairie Creek Plant
On the night of January 13, 1919, a watchman was lured away from guarding the Ozark plants. Arsonists went to work setting fire to the Prairie Creek plant, the Bemis plant almost a mile away, and the train tracks and trestle between the two. The fire was so thorough in its destruction of the equipment and buildings that the Millars were never able to rebuild or resume production. -
Uncle Sam (40.24 carats) found
The Uncle Sam diamond was discovered by W. O. Bassum who was a worker at the Arkansas Diamond Corporation. The stone weighed 40.23 carats as a rough diamond crystal, was colored white and was the biggest diamond ever found in the US. -
Diamond Preserve of the United States renamed Crater of Diamonds.
Austin Millar's son, Howard, renamed the Diamond Preserve of the United States as the "Crater of Diamonds." -
Diamond Preserve of the United States Started.
The Millar family opened it in 1951 as the Diamond Preserve of the United States. In February of 1951 the Millars leased their diamond field to two, Murfreesboro men for $1,000 per month. The men also leased Mrs. Wilkinson’s diamond field. And, for the first time, the fence dividing the north and south came down. The businessmen opened the fields as a tourist attraction called, “The Diamond Preserve of the United States,” and sold tickets to people on a finders keepers basis. -
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Arkansas Diamond Company operated it as a tourist attraction under name "Crater of Diamonds State Park"
Roscoe Johnston leased the land previously owned by the Arkansas Diamond Company operated it as a tourist attraction under the name: "Crater of Diamonds State Park" or the Big Mine. -
The State Of Arkansas bought the land for $750,000 calling it the Crater of Diamonds State Park of Arkansas.
The State Of Arkansas bought the land for $750,000 calling it the Crater of Diamonds State Park of Arkansas. -
The 1967 Arkansas General Assembly passed legislation designating the diamond as the official gem of the State.
The 1967 Arkansas General Assembly passed legislation designating the diamond as the official gem of the State. -
Campsites, a visitor center, a gift shop, and other amenities were built
Campsites, a visitor center, a gift shop, and other amenities were built during 1978 and 1979
