The earliest newspaper mention of Dead Horse Mountain is 1950. Jack Carlisle started writing a column called “RFD Seven,” short for Rural Fire District 7,” for the Northwest Arkansas Times that year and used the term “Dead Horse Mountain” often in his columns, which were colorful but sometimes read like fiction.
In his second column, he wrote:
“Back in the old days, when nearly everyone owned at least one horse, quite a problem came up when old Dobbin kicked the bucket. There were no rendering companies in those days to haul away and give a couple of dollars besides. So amid a great cloud of dust and many barking dogs the faithful creature was unceremoniously dragged to the mountain located about a half mile south of the old Stone Bridge on West Fork. It is two miles east of Fayetteville on the old Elkins road. Upon arriving at his final resting place he was simply left there to let nature take its course. Many old bones may still be found scattered about the mountain and it is said that when the moon is just right plaintive whinnys and neighs may be heard above the soft mountain breezes. I, personally, doubt this.”
— Northwest Arkansas Times, May 27, 1950, p15.
At least one pair of writers, Gordon Morgan and Izola Preston, used the name “Slaughter Mountain” as an apparent reference to Dead Horse Mountain, as well.