Certainly you understand why the land grant schools weren't put in the capital cities?

Small townships offered more land at a cheaper rate, allowing for cheaper contstruction costs and more room for future growth. Also getting the kids out of the hustle and bustle and evils of the cities and out into the countryside provide for more study time and less chances for the youth to fall prey to the vices of man.

As for Arkansas the NW part of the state were the poor rock farmers that eeked out the most meager of livings, while the Delta was where the cotton farms and plantations were at and where the $ and centers of influence were. The transformation of the NW part of Arkansas over the past 30-40 years and the decline in the delta is absolutely remarkable and really an unparalleled phenomenon in a shift of population and socioeconomic factors.

Fayetteville was the perfect location in terms of providing economic stimulus to the NW section of the state, it's not reachable by water, roads/trails were few and terrible (still are), education opportunities were non-existent save for the college at Cane Hill (first university in Arkansas founded in 1834.

Russelville has Arkansas Tech, but the U of A likely should have been there as the Arkansas River passes close by and it was on the major East/West trail.