9 Quirkiest Arkansas Towns You Didn't Know Existed
Arkansas, also called The Natural State for its diverse outdoor wonders, lies west of the Mississippi River, affecting its historical and cultural foundations. The state has long welcomed a mix of people from the American South and the American West. Arkansas joined the Union in 1836, and today, the state's legacy as a place of welcome continues to attract travelers to its small, sometimes quirky towns. For a unique taste of Arkansas life beyond larger cities like its capital, Little Rock, any of the places here serve as an example of the natural and man-made marvels this state has to offer.
Eureka Springs
Like its name suggests, Eureka Springs began as a spa town, owing to the natural hot springs bubbling in its vicinity. Settled in 1879, the town is said to have blossomed to 10,000 residents just two years later. Given its unique history, Eureka Springs — and its entire downtown zone — has enjoyed a listing on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) since 1970.
These days, Eureka Springs offers architectural gems such as the Auditorium, a music venue open since 1929, and the former home of Carrie Nation, a prominent anti-slavery activist. For a classy place to stay in true Eureka Springs style, try the Basin Park Hotel, operating since 1905, or the Palace Hotel & Bath House — the last of the town's original bathhouses. If visitors need time outside, Lake Leatherwood City Park offers boating, fishing, and fresh air.
Camden
Camden, in south-central Arkansas, enjoys a picturesque setting along the Ouachita River. Called the "Queen City" in the times of its steamboat-era boom days, Camden owes its existence in part to the movements of goods and people along the Mississippi, east of town, and broader US westward expansion. These histories await the curious visitor in Camden's downtown: the Camden Post Office, constructed in 1895, now houses the Postmasters Grill, a popular restaurant.
Also downtown, the Washington Street Historic District draws fans of vintage architectural styles, like Queen Anne and Colonial Revival, reflecting the local fortunes made from cotton and oil trade. The McCollum-Chidester House, built in 1847, today houses the Ouachita County Historical Society. Camden's First Friday event series, held the first weekend of each month in fair weather, puts on a market with food trucks, handicrafts, live music, and other attractions.
Dardanelle
In western Arkansas, along the Arkansas River, the small town of Dardanelle makes for a sportsman's paradise. In proximity to the Ouachita Mountains, popular activities here include hunting, fishing, birding, and water sports of various kinds. Mount Nebo State Park is home to works from the Civilian Conservation Corps, a Depression-era government labor program, providing a touch of history in a naturally beautiful setting. The site includes cabins, hang-gliding launch points, and miles of trails to hike and walk.
Once families or campers want to return to the niceties of town life, Dardenelle's restaurants accommodate diverse tastes. Front Street Grill overlooks the Arkansas for a dining experience by the water. Fowlers Restaurant serves up American comfort food, and La Casa Del Sol offers large Mexican meals.
Greenwood
Near Arkansas' western border with Oklahoma, the small town of Greenwood calls itself "a small town with big ideas." Greenwood's attractions include all-American features, like its memorial to veterans of the U.S. armed forces. History buffs will enjoy seeing the Old Jail Museum at the Sebastian County Jail, built in 1892. The building is among Greenwood's oldest buildings and enjoys a place on the NRHP.
For visitors keen to see local arts and crafts, the Crooked Creek Quilt Shop brings in aficionados of quilting and other sewing traditions. The shop's owners are acknowledged master quilters in what is called the trapunto style. The town's more mainstream events count the Greenwood Golf Tournament at Vache Grasse, a local course, where locals and out-of-towners compete for trophies and bragging rights.
Mountain View
Calling itself the "Folk Music Capital of the World," the north-central town of Mountain View takes great pride in its musical and other cultural contributions to the surrounding Ozark region. Each year, Mountain View hosts the Arkansas Folk Festival, as well as the Mountain View Bluegrass Festival, where musicians can jam and listeners can enjoy some of the best string-band music for miles. The festivals often attract 40,000-60,000 attendees, according to local authorities.
Nature lovers in Mountain View will find something new at the nearby Blanchard Springs Caverns. The site is the only cave open to tourists that is owned and maintained by the US Forest Service. Fishermen can try for trout in the nearby White River, while the Ozark National Forest is popular among hikers.
Ozark
Ozark, in Arkansas' northwest, derives its name from the French words "Aux Arcs," a term that French traders and fur trappers once employed for the region. The English-language version of those words — Ozarks — later came to signify the entire region, which covers parts of four states. In further history, the town of Ozark lies on the Trail of Tears, the road of forced resettlement for Native Americans in the late 1800s. Travelers come to Ozark for a somber look at these and other local legacies.
In Ozark's old square, a revitalized train depot built in 1910 now hosts the town's history museum. And at Mulberry Mountain, an event space and camping complex, popular festivals, like Rendezvous in the Ozarks, a gathering for all-terrain-vehicle fans, or the WAKAAN electronic music weekend, keep the town and its visitors buzzing all year long.
Pocahontas
In the state's far northeast, Pocahontas lies on the Black River. The town honors its namesake, a 17th-century Native American chieftain's daughter from Virginia, with a statue in the heart of town. In a similar nod to the past, the National Historic Commercial District spans a 17-block stretch of Pocahontas' original business zone. Civil War history is prominent here, especially on the Civil War River Walk Memorial Trail downtown. Pocahontas offers guided walking tours highlighting these stories, not to mention the quaint shops and restaurants that share the area. In spring, Pocahontas' young families turn out for the town Easter egg hunt, a popular local event, in Thomas O. Marr City Park downtown.
Stuttgart
Southeast of Little Rock, in the Arkansas Grand Prairie region, the town of Stuttgart calls itself the "duck and rice capital of the world." That is not a local dish, but a recognition of the town's status as a rice-growing champion for over a century. The irrigation reservoirs built to grow rice here attracted migrating ducks, which gave Stuttgart to a waterfowl hunting tradition that draws local and out-of-town enthusiasts to this day.
For an up-close look at these traditions, come to Stuttgart in winter, when the town hosts the World's Championship Duck Calling Contest, as well as the Wings Over the Prairie Festival. For more of the local arts, the town's Arts Center of the Grand Prairie puts on performances, and exhibits of visual arts, of all kinds.
Tontitown
In Arkansas' far-northwest corner, the unusually named Tontitown recalls Henri de Tonti, an Italian who traveled with French explorers through the region in the 17th century. Two centuries later, a group of Italian farming families settled here after fleeing oppression in Europe.
Since then, the town has honored its Italian roots while practicing agriculture. Today, Tontitown welcomes visitors to learn about its singular history at places like Mama Z's Cafe, where Italian food is featured strongly on the menu. Tontitown Winery, also in town, offers blends in the Italian wine-making tradition. The town celebrates a grape festival each August, showing how the place's agricultural past continues to nourish the present local culture.
Arkansas' Quirky Towns Stand Among Its Best
These Arkansas towns illustrate how interesting things are sometimes squeezed into small places. For quirky expressions of local culture, from quilting in Greenwood to duck-calling in Stuttgart, the state's off-the-beaten-path destinations offer a full complement of unusual points of interest. Add to that natural wonderlands like Dardenelle, folk music excellence in Mountain View, or strong Italian heritage in Tontitown, and the visitor will realize that many of Arkansas' best features warrant a drive into its harder-to-reach destinations. Towns like these, and so many others in Arkansas, offer eccentric attractions and a reason to visit the state soon.
