An act of Congress in 1821 authorized the construction of the Historic Military Road from Memphis, Tennessee to Little Rock, Arkansas. This road followed a trail from the Mississippi River to the crossing at the St. Francis River at a point near the present line between Cross and St. Francis Counties and continuing on a course due west and nearly parallel with the county line following a course through Taylor's Creek, later named Colt, and continuing through L'Anguille Township and then on to Little Rock, Arkansas.