Although not one of Arkansas ' original state highways , the path that AR 265 follows is one of the state 's oldest . Originally a Native American trace named the Great Osage Trail , the route was first used as a Military Road from St. Louis to Fort Smith , and later as the Trail of Tears . The Butterfield Overland Mail Route was active from 1857 to 1861 on the route . The route carried U.S. mail , and also carried telegraph lines west . Portions of the route are named Old Wire Road ( also Old Missouri Road in Fayetteville ) paying homage to the route 's past . Although not all parts of AR 265 are the exact path followed by the stage coaches , nor are all parts of Old Wire Road separate of AR 265 . This comes from the fact that there were many different alignments of the historic routes . Although there is no doubt about the southern segment 's accuracy , AR 265 is known as '' ' Old Missouri Road ' '' ( or Crossover Rd. ) paralleled by '' ' Old Wire Road ' '' in Fayetteville , but it is not clear to the traveler which route is more historically accurate
Trail of Tears
Trail of Tears
Arkansas Highway 265