Arkansas's 7 Unsung Small Towns
What is now Arkansas was originally the home of the Indigenous Plum Bayou peoples. The first European settlement was the Arkansas Post, and Batesville, the second town, was founded in 1821. Arkansas officially became a state in 1836, with the first railroad tracks laid in 1858. Today, there is comparatively little left of the mounds and the post, with Arkansas having grown to include more than 500 cities and towns.
Like other Southern states, many of these places are hugely popular with visitors and those who want to relocate from other states. However, there are also several unsung small towns that many overlook in favor of larger, more urban attractions. If you take the road less traveled, you will find that the landscapes, mountains, and wildlife in spots like Morrilton and Heber Springs far outshine the flashy, better-known destinations.
Van Buren
The pretty town of Van Buren is all about history. Here you can enjoy a leisurely ride on the Arkansas and Missouri Railroad in a faithfully restored passenger car from the town’s historic Old Frisco Depot. The train takes you through the foothills of the Ozark Boston Mountains. It also crosses several trestles where you can look out at the forest below.
A somewhat haunted history awaits you at the restored King Opera House on Main Street, which hosts a range of live performances throughout the year. If ghosts are not part of your itinerary, head to the Van Buren Fine Arts Center, which features local school productions and local shows, as well as visual art in two gallery spaces. If you want to experience some of the outdoor activities in Van Buren, you can head to Lee Creek Park and go fishing for bass or catfish, or simply enjoy a paddle or cruise on the water.
Mountain View
If music is your passion, you will love Mountain View. This town is serious about preserving Ozark folk music and is even known as the Folk Music Capital of the World. There are weekly gatherings in the town square for jams and free concerts by local and touring musicians, and there are also several festivals to enjoy, including Folk Fest in the spring and the Bluegrass Festival at the Ozark Folk Center State Park twice annually, in spring and fall.
While you are exploring Mountain View, you can order excellent chicken-fried steak at PJ’s Rainbow Café on Main Street, and in the evening, Stone Drive-in is a fun option for the whole family, showing movies between March and November for just $5. Mountain View is not lacking in outdoor activities either; you can go fishing at the nearby White River or explore the Ozarks along the trails in Hell Creek Natural Area.
Siloam Springs
Siloam Springs is both a vibrant college town and a National Historic District. There are Victorian buildings to admire and gazebos along Sager Creek where you can relax and look out over the water. In the downtown area, you can learn more about the town’s history at the Siloam Springs Museum. Admission is always free, and the rotating exhibits and permanent collections celebrate the region's industrial heritage, as well as the pioneers who first settled here.
There is more than enough opportunity for outdoor exploring in City Lake Park. The park covers 165 acres and offers activities ranging from paddling and birdwatching to hiking the Dogwood Springs Trail, which winds through the town, following the creek. You can also go paddling or whitewater rafting at WOKA Whitewater Park just across the border in Oklahoma, which features rapids and great views.
El Dorado
While you might not find gold in El Dorado today, you will find Southern spirit and an economy that continues to thrive. The first boom, however, came with the discovery of oil in Union County in 1921. You can learn more about this exciting time in El Dorado’s history at the Arkansas Museum of Natural Resources. The museum offers interactive exhibits and incredible reconstructions to tell the story of the town’s past in vivid color.
Take some time to stroll the downtown streets, which feature more than 65 buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places. At the South Arkansas Arboretum, you can breathe in the fresh air among the hardwood and pine forests as you keep an eye out for fire pinks and lady slipper orchids. Or head to the Murphy Arts District, where you can enjoy a lovely farm-to-table meal, dance to live music, and explore one-of-a-kind pieces of art.
Heber Springs
Heber Springs is one of the most inviting, yet largely overlooked, small towns in Arkansas, especially for visitors seeking outdoor recreation. The town is geared toward those who want to kayak, ski, fish, or hike, and the 40,000-acre Greers Ferry is the perfect place to do just that. You can even paddleboard and scuba dive here. If you want to fish, the Little Red River below the Heber Springs dam offers an abundance of rainbow trout.
In downtown Heber Springs, you will find a traditional square featuring a historic county courthouse. Downtown is also home to Spring Park, featuring seven natural mineral springs that once inspired the town's reputation as a health resort in the mid-1800s. Today, locals and visitors alike descend on the park for parties and festivals, as well as local events held at the on-site pavilion.
Batesville
Batesville is the state’s oldest city, and its claim to fame is the White River Wonderland lights display, which earned it the nickname of the Christmas Capital of Arkansas. Each December, Riverside Park is decorated with millions of fairy lights, and the festivities also include a sparkly parade, carriage rides, ice skating, and even a Ferris wheel. Admission is free for the duration of the event, from the end of November through the start of January.
You might also run into a ghost or two when you explore the rest of the town, not including the ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future. Legend has it that an old usher does not want to move on from the Melba Theater. If you want to avoid ghosts altogether, you can spend an afternoon at the Batesville Community Center and Aquatics Park for an indoor swim or a turn in the heated whirlpool.
Morrilton
If you are not ready to leave the big city completely behind, you will be pleasantly surprised to find all the amenities you are used to, plus incredible natural beauty in the humble town of Morrilton. Located at the base of Petit Jean Mountain and under an hour from Little Rock, it is a proud gateway to the stunning Petit Jean State Park, the state’s first and most visited.
Morrilton’s slogan is ‘small city, no limits,’ which is perfectly apt considering everything there is to see and do. If you are a car enthusiast, be sure to stop by the Museum of Automobiles, or even try to catch the Antique Auto Show and Swap Meet, which takes place in June each year. In downtown Morrilton, you will find the local farmers’ market that sets up shop on the third Thursday of every month between May and October.
Go in Search of the Quiet Magic of Arkansas
The authentic Arkansas magic will always be found in its small towns. These are the places where mountain gateways await, and music-filled squares beckon to visitors. Every one of these towns offers something beyond big attractions and seasonal festivals. They give you a chance to explore landscapes and experience atmospheres that those in a hurry to get to bigger places will never know about. Whether you visit one town or all of them, you will find that it is the simple, almost personal, moments that make your trip truly memorable and that will motivate you to return again and again.
