In its June 8, 1871, edition of The Mountain Echo, published by Daniel Webster in Fayetteville, the editors included a letter from David Walker to Major H.C.C. Botefuhr on page 3. Botefuhr was one of the new trustees charged with determining where the newly approved state university would be located.
Walker proffered a donation of land as part of the bid by Fayetteville and Washington County. The offer reads:
FAYETTEVILLE, ARK., June 1, ’71.
Maj. H.C.C. Botefuhr.
I propose and offer to the Trustees of the Agricultural College, of which you are one, as a donation, the south half of the north-west quarter, and the north half of the south-west quarter of the south-west quarter of section twenty-one, in township sixteen, north of Range thirty, west; situate within three-tenths of a mile of the city of Fayetteville, Washington county, Ark., containing one hundred acres (less about one acre off the north-east corner of the tract heretofore conveyed to the United States.) The title to said tract is perfect and in values at this time will exceed $3000, which tract I here by bind myself to convey by deed in the simple, upon condition that the College is located in the county of Washington.
DAVID WALKER.
Editor’s Note: Section 21 covers a square mile on the south side of Fayetteville. The first parcel — the south half of the northwest quarter — extends approximately from Dunn Avenue east across School Avenue and Walker Park to College Avenue, with present-day 15th Street on the south and about 11th Street on the north. The second parcel — the north half of the southwest quarter of the southwest quarter — appears to be in the area where Town Branch and Cato Springs Creek meet.