Pike County Diamond Mines

The state geologist had been here before the diamonds were. John Branner studied the igneous rock near Murfreesboro in 1889, determined it was kimberlite, and found no diamonds. In August 1906 John Huddleston found two stones, and George Kunz identified them. Kunz and Henry Stephens Washington then visited, and of 140 surface diamonds Kunz said they were absolutely perfect. The Arkansas Diamond Company, formed under Little Rock banker Samuel Reyburn, bought Huddleston out for $36,000, hired a former De Beers engineer in 1908, and closed in 1912.

Where it stands

Worth the stop nearby

• Crater of Diamonds State Park — 2.3 mi
  A volcanic crater where anyone can dig for diamonds and keep what they find.
• Historic Washington State Park — 20 mi
  A Southwest Trail town that was Arkansas's Confederate capital from 1863 to 1865, then lost the railroad and kept its buildings, with a blacksmith shop and the 1836 courthouse.

More markers nearby

• Pike County Court House — steps away
• Henry Merrell — steps away
• Royston Factor Mill — steps away
• Howard County in the Civil War — 15 mi