Through the years, people who travel along Tenth Street north of the downtown Arkadelphia area have likely noticed a street sign for Haddock Street, but probably not many know anything about the origin of its name. Haddock Street was named for surveyor, government official, and State Geologist, George Haddock. 

Relatively little is known about George Haddock, but he was apparently quite an interesting character. Haddock was born in New York (1880 census says Ohio) about 1810, and according to Laura Scott Butler, writing in the early twentieth century, his first work in Clark County was at Jacob Barkman’s place. Haddock became Clark County Surveyor in 1860 and served in that capacity for a number of years. Among his surveying projects was to lay out a large portion of the city Arkadelphia into blocks, and that work became called the “Haddock Survey.”

A “northern” background and Union support during the Civil War brought favor to Haddock from the Radical Republicans in charge of government during Reconstruction. He was appointed Mayor of Arkadelphia in 1869, abruptly replacing a previously-elected Democrat. The appointment drew the ire of Southern Standard editors who complained that Haddock was a man who lives “nobody knows where, sleeping wherever he can find a soft plank, and identified in no shape or form with the interests of the place.” The paper observed that his “past history and present course of living are so deeply shrouded in mystery that his most intimate friends do not know whence he came whither he goes or how he lives.” Further, Haddock also showed a “partiality for old clothes and dirty shirts.”

Laura Scott Butler confirmed Haddock’s peculiar nature: “He was a most eccentric man, educated, but lacking in refinement. He seldom slept in the same house two nights in succession . . . seemingly never spent any money for room and board,” but “sponged” constantly, “eating at every man’s table and finding an occasional bed if the weather was inclement, but otherwise sleeping in the forests” around Arkadelphia.

The Southern Standard continued to show disdain for Haddock in 1871 when he began a campaign for the legislature. The paper predicted Haddock would “start on an electioneering tour to parts unknown in a few days, taking a pound of crackers and half a dozen herrings as his rations for the trip.” Later, editors took the opportunity to again make the fish connection, calling Haddock “Old Herringbone.”

George Haddock became Assistant State Geologist and traveled with State Geologist W.F. Roberts through the western part of Arkansas. After Roberts returned to his Pennsylvania home, Governor Ozro Hadley appointed Haddock to replace him. In that capacity, in 1873 Haddock produced the 66-page “Report of a Geological Reconnaissance of a Part of the State of Arkansas Made During the Years 1871-72.” The Journal of Geology observed that the report was of “little or no importance and adds nothing.” It was Haddock’s only publication as State Geologist, and he did not remain at the post long. He was removed from office in January of 1874.

It seems Haddock left Arkansas after that, for in 1879 the Southern Standard noted his return from Colorado “in the mining business” following an absence of more than three years. The following year he announced another run for Clark County Surveyor. At the time, he engaged in surveying work, including extending the town survey of Amity.

Due to his unusual character, many people believed Haddock to be impoverished, while others were convinced that he buried gold in the woods around Arkadelphia, since he dealt only in gold. Some wondered whether Haddock dug up that money when he once again left the area to seek treasure in Colorado. This time fellow Clark Countian Madden Wilson accompanied him. Along the way the two stopped at a Texas hotel for the night and were asleep when the hotel caught on fire. Wilson narrowly escaped, but Haddock did not. George Haddock died in the blaze April 16, 1881.