Presson-Oglesby Preserve

Prairie blazing star © Scott Simon/TNC

Why You Should Visit
Visitors to the Presson-Oglesby Preserve can glimpse the native Cherokee prairies that originally covered tens of thousands of acres within the Arkansas River Valley of west central Arkansas. Common prairie grasses and beautiful wildflowers are highlights, as well as rare grassland birds.
 
Location
Franklin County, near Charleston

Size
155 acres

How to Prepare for Your Visit
Presson-Oglesby Preserve is open to the public. There are no trails, but visitors are welcome to walk out onto the prairie (foot traffic only). The terrain is mostly flat and easily navigated. Viewing is also possible by vehicle from the county road.

Sturdy walking shoes, insect repellant, sunscreen and sun hat are recommended. 

Directions

• From Fort Smith take Highway 22 to Charleston and turn left (north) on Highway 217
• Proceed 2.5 miles, then turn right (east) on Highway 60
• Go approximately 0.7 mile and turn left (north) onto County Road 21 (there's no sign for CR21; look for a large power pole on the left. CR 21 is a dirt road)
• Continue on CR21 down the hill and look for the red preserve sign on the right side of the road.
• Park along the road.

What to See: Plants
More than 150 species of plants species have been recorded from initial inventories. In addition to common prairie grasses like cord grass (Spartina pectinata), big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii), Indian grass (Sorghastrum nutans), and side oats grama (Bouteloua curtipendula), the site has a large diversity of wildflower species with spectacular blooms throughout the growing season. Showy species include:

• swamp mallow (Hibiscus moscheutos ssp. lasiocarpus)
• scurf pea (Psoralea psoralioides var. eglandulosa)
• prairie blazing star (Liatris pycnostachya)
• narrow-leaved sunflower (Helianthus angustifolius)
• hoary pea (Tephrosia onobrychoides)
• rattlesnake master (Eryngium yuccifolium)
• large coneflower (Rudbeckia grandiflora)
• pale purple coneflower (Echinacea pallida)

What to See: Animals
The site provides habitat for rare grassland birds declining over much of their range, like Henslow's sparrow (Ammodramus henslowii) and LeConte's sparrow (Ammodramus lecontii). Butterflies are in abundance on the prairie.

Why the Conservancy Selected This Site
Presson-Oglesby Preserve consists of high-quality tallgrass prairie. The tract is representative of the once extensive Cherokee prairies that originally covered tens of thousands of acres within the Arkansas River Valley of west central Arkansas.

The preserve connects two other protected native prairies, Cherokee Prairie and H.E. Flanagan Prairie natural areas, owned by the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission.

The preserve is named for the late Hazel Presson, an educator and author from Fort Smith whose series of generous donations enabled the Conservancy to acquire the site for permanent protection.

What the Conservancy Has Done/Is Doing
The site is managed for the rare animals and plants that live there. Management activities include regular prescribed burns, removal of non-native species like Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica) and continued animal and plant monitoring.

Download a printable Interior Highlands fact sheet (PDF).