Mayflower City Hall is located at 2 Ashmore Street, Mayflower, AR 72106.
Phone: 501‑470‑1337.
Neighborhoods
Beginnings [1]
Mayflower was settled in 1778 by Revolutionary War Tories who moved west to get a new start. As the land along Palarm Creek and the Arkansas River was settled, the town moved north to the present area. When the railroad came to town in 1871, the town got its name, "Mayflower," from the telegraph call of the railroad construction superintendent. Mayflower was also a stagecoach stop on the road from Little Rock to Clinton. With the coming of the railroad, the town grew and eventually incorporated in 1928.
The community got an economic boost when Lake Conway was completed in 1951. With 6,700 acres and 56 miles of shoreline, Lake Conway is the largest lake operated by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, and the largest lake constructed by the wildlife agency of any state. By 1953, there were seven privately owned commercial landings on Lake Conway, with approximately 300 boats available for rent. Originally there was no regulation of the number of docks to be built; in 1955, the Lake Conway Dock Operators Association asked AGFC to stop issuing permits due to overcrowding. At that time (1955) there were 17 commercial landings and 6 more applications pending. Five commercial docks had cafes, two had cabins for rent. Individuals also built cabins or installed trailers for personal use, rent or sale, and several nice private homes were built on the western shore of the Lake.
The rapid build-up around Lake Conway quickly led to problems, such as sewage, trash disposal, fire and police protection, mosquito control, shoreline clean-up, level of the lake, when and if to have drawdowns, water quality, and others that have influenced the development of Mayflower. In particular, the quality of the housing stock, due to the part-time nature of Lake Conway residents became a perennial problem.
Known as an excellent fishing lake, Lake Conway is stocked with bass, catfish, bream and crappie. Several free public launch areas are maintained by the Arkansas Game & Fish Commission; boat rentals are available at several commercial docks on the lake. Adams', Brannon's, Bream's Nest, Gold Creek, Highway, Lawrence, Martin's Northshore, Palarm Creek, Paradise, Pierce Creek and Sevier's are the landings with boat ramps. Old creek channels that can be found on all sides of the lake are some of the best places to bass fish. Lake Conway is home to the Crappie Master's State Tournament in the spring.
Another economic boost to Mayflower came when Interstate 40 was constructed in 1965. However, neither the presence of Interstate 40 nor Lake Conway has led to major population growth. Mayflower is mostly known for fishing and hunting in and around Lake Conway and for its easy access to Conway and Little Rock, where most residents work.