Greetings from the Crater of Diamonds State Park! In August 1906 John Huddleston found two diamonds glimmering on the surface of his field in Pike County, Arkansas. Since then, diamonds have been an integral part of Arkansas history and a symbol of our state. While diamonds have been found in other parts of the country, Arkansas is the only state where you can search for diamonds in their original volcanic source and keep what you find!
Soon after the discovery, the town of Kimberley was established between the diamond mine and Murfreesboro. Local businesses like the Kimberley Townsite & Land Company and Diamond State Bank used diamonds in their logos and names to draw in visitors.
Seven years after the first diamonds were discovered in Arkansas, the diamond symbol made its way onto our state flag. In 1912, the Pine Bluff chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution launched a design contest to create the first state flag for Arkansas. From over 65 designs, a flag bearing a prominent diamond symbol was adopted by legislation on February 26, 1913. In 1967, Governor Winthrop Rockefeller signed Act 128, which designated the diamond as the official state gemstone. This bill also designated quartz as the state mineral and bauxite as the state rock.
Diamonds serve as symbols of Arkansas across the nation. At the 1993 and 1997 Presidential Inaugural Balls, First Lady Hillary Clinton wore the 4.25-carat yellow Kahn Canary diamond to represent the state. In 2003, the US Mint unveiled the Arkansas State Quarter of the 50 State Quarters Program at Crater of Diamonds State Park. The new quarter featured a diamond in the center, representing Arkansas as having the oldest and only public diamond mine in North America. Similarly, a new state license plate issued in 2006 featured a large diamond in the center. Currently, the Uncle Sam diamond represents Arkansas in the Great American Diamonds Exhibit at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C.
Today, diamond symbols can be seen all over Arkansas. With a quick drive through Murfreesboro, you will find businesses sporting diamond logos and diamond-themed names just like they did in 1906. In addition to our state flag and license plate, diamonds can also be seen on sports team logos, Girl Scout and Boy Scout patches, and on businesses like Diamond Bank across the state.
Most people know that diamonds can be found at Crater of Diamonds State Park, but now you know that you can look for diamonds all over Arkansas as you travel. You can even find diamonds at all 52 Arkansas State Parks, featured prominently at the top of the Arkansas State Parks logo! We hope to see you out looking for diamonds soon.
Search area last plowed: April 19, 2023
Most recent significant rainfall: April 27, 2023
Diamond highlights (100 points = 1 carat):
April 24 – David Anderson, Murfreesboro, AR, 14 pt. white
April 25 – Johnathan McCoy, Columbus, MS, 60 pt. white
April 26 – Craig Zapf, Jack Pearadin & Jeff Gertz, Nashville, AR, .5 pt. white, 21 pt. white
April 27 – Jeanne Maurstad, Denham Springs, LA, 1 pt. brown; Craig Zapf, Jack Pearadin & Jeff Gertz, Nashville, AR, 4 pt. white
