The early history of Stone County is shrouded in obscurity and the identity of the first white man to set foot on the soil of the present territory embraced by the county is not known. DeSoto visited this section in 1541, but whether he entered the county or not is not a matter of record. There is some evidence to indicate. that he did so, as the floods in the early part of 1927 uncovered several, ancient burial grounds of the indians and in at least one of these were found Spanish coins bearing a date prior to DeSoto’s explorations, which tends to prove that some of his men were buried in this area. If such should have been the case he probably was the discoverer of what is now Izard, Stone and Independence Counties.

The territory which comprises the County of Stone was part of Louisiana and owned by France from the time LaSalle took possession in 1632 until the Louisiana Territory was ceded to Spain in 1762. In 1762 the territory was divided into nine "commands". each ruled by a "commandant". Spain ruled Louisiana until 1800 then ceded it back to France. France then held possession until 1803 when the United States bought the entire territory. After the United States came into possession of the Louisiana Territory, it was Settled rapidly by pioneers from east of the Mississippi River.

During the time of the Civil War, there was no Mountain View or Stone County. Stone County was a part of Izard County and the largest towns vice Riggsville and Sylamore. In the fall of 1861 a secret Arkansas Peace Society was organized to resist Confederate authority. Vigilante groups such as the Izard County Committee at investigation were formed by those loyal to the Confederacy.

After the county was formed in 1873 and a site chosen for the county seat business began to change from the area around Riggsville and Cedar Town and moved closer to the new county seat. The first county courthouse was a small log building.

There was a need to name the new metropolis which was springing up. After some quandary a group at citizens got together arid decided the best thing to do, since they could not agree on a name, was to place the different names that had been suggested into a hat and have the name drawn. The name Mountain View was drawn and the new county seat had a name. This name had been placed in the hat by a man by the name of Elijah Chappell. In 1891 a group of the more progressive citizens of the community banded together and petitioned for a election to incorporate into a town.