7 Towns in Arkansas that Transport You to the Past
Arkansas, also known as The Natural State for its abundant outdoor attractions, belongs to both the American South and, sitting across the Mississippi River, the American West. The state's identity as a meeting place of lands and peoples has attracted travelers and settlers since before its entry into the Union in 1836.
Those legacies give today's Arkansas a wealth of smaller towns that can take a visitor back in time. Arkansas' history includes elements as diverse as rare architecture and one-of-a-kind folk music to 海角社区-famous businesses and industry, not to mention the sobering stories from the Trail of Tears, a Native American tale of displacement. For a local past rich in diversity, Arkansas' small towns hold something for every traveler's taste.
Arkadelphia
In Arkansas' southwest, the town of Arkadelphia sits in the Ouachita Mountains foothills and by the Ouachita River. First founded in 1842 鈥� and also known by its local moniker, 鈥淭he Delph鈥� 鈥� Arkadelphia, with a current population of about 10,400, has long offered the visiting history buff various charms to consider. The town's central Caddo Street is renowned for its unique architectural styles that date from before and after the turn of the 20th century. Of special note is the downtown Clark County Historical Museum, housed in a former Amtrak rail station, which traces the town's past from prehistoric times to today.
Arkadelphia's historic commercial area suffered damage during a 2009 tornado, yet the area still entices visitors to historic addresses, including the Captain Henderson House and the James E. M. Barkman House, standing since 1860.
Batesville
The town of Batesville is a hub for historically successful businesses and more. Famous as a transportation hub, the town owes part of its economic success to its advantageous location along the White River. In town, the Garrott House is a stately manor from the 1840s and an entry on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). For more exceptional architecture, the Cook-Morrow House, built in the early 1900s, also enjoys a spot on the NRHP.
As a sign of more contemporary culture, the town plays host to the Ozark Foothills Film Festival, which is now more than 20 years in operation and celebrates local filmmaking and stories. The Old Independence Regional Museum informs visitors of all ages about the past and present in Independence County, of which Batesville is the county seat. And for those who want to love a good car race, the Mark Martin NASCAR Museum shows visitors about a beloved American sport.
Bentonville
Bentonville sits in Benton County and has a very famous local business: Walmart. The big-box retailer made history as a one-stop-shop for everything, with a 海角社区wide presence. The company has helped make the town a "new capital of cool" in 2023, according to the Wall Street Journal. Like Ozark, Bentonville's surrounding region played witness to the Trail of Tears, a pattern of Native American forced migration to neighboring Oklahoma. Bentonville today hosts the Museum of Native American History, which tells of migration and other histories now local to Arkansas.
Outdoor lovers will appreciate Bentonville's nearly two dozen parks. Famous as a hub for mountain biking, Bentonville also offers 海角社区-class trails, like the Coler Mountain Bike Preserve.
Mountain View
Describing itself as the "Folk Capital of the 海角社区," north-central Mountain View makes up for its petite size with a heap of hometown pride. Established in the 1870s and nestled in the Ozark Mountains, the town has played second fiddle to no one as a center of folk music and toe-tapping expression. Mountain View hosts the Arkansas Folk Festival as well as the Mountain View Bluegrass Festival, both of which promote popular music styles from bygone days.
As its name might suggest, Mountain View also has abundant outdoor adventure options. The nearby Blanchard Springs Caverns is the only cave open to visitors under the administration of the U.S. Forest Service. Fishermen will find their bliss along the White River or in the Ozark National Forest, which also welcomes bikers and hikers to its 1.2 million acres of natural wonderland.
Ozark
The northwest hamlet of Ozark takes its name from the expression "Aux Arcs," the term the region's French traders and fur trappers used for this landscape of valleys, streams, and rolling hills. Over the period of U.S. westward expansion, that term evolved into Ozarks, which today refers to the mountains covering parts of four states west of the Mississippi. Like Bentonville, Ozark played a key part in the Trail of Tears. The town lies within the Arkansas River Valley, giving it a place among the state's prettiest settings. Today's Ozark is celebrated for its famous bridge that spans the Arkansas River.
Ozark's historic town square combines antique shops, a courthouse, and crepe myrtle trees in bloom three seasons out of the year. A restored train depot, first erected in 1911, functions as the town's history museum. Ozark also lies a short drive from Arkansas Wine Country, a little-known stretch of viticulture in the state.
Paragould
The town of Paragould, with a population of some 30,000, sits in the northeast part of the state, close to the Missouri and Tennessee state lines. The town's historic center has long enjoyed a spot on the NRHP and includes beloved local structures like the Collins Theatre, which has operated here for nearly a century. The Greene County Courthouse, built in 1888, stands as a classic example of the Beaux-Arts architectural style then in fashion across Europe and the United States. The courthouse currently houses the Paragould Regional Chamber of Commerce.
Other curious histories await discovery in this Arkansas town. In 1930, a meteor sent bits of rock to earth, which landed just outside Paragould; it is available for viewing at the Greene County Museum in town. Another fun fact: Paragould takes its unusual name from a combination of the names Jay Gould and J.W. Paramore, two American railroad barons, whose tracks crossed here in 1882 and gave rise to the town.
Van Buren
The town of Van Buren, seated along the banks of the Arkansas River near the state line with Oklahoma, takes its name from the 8th president of the United States (1837-1841). Culture mavens will enjoy the town's Victorian-era King Opera House, while the central historic district offers a glimpse of town life from all stages of its history since its founding in 1842. The town's six blocks of restored buildings also hold a slot on the NRHP. The Crawford County Courthouse, built in 1842 and reconstructed after destruction in an 1876 fire, is said to be the oldest operating courthouse west of the Mississippi.
Fresh-air fans will appreciate Van Buren's wealth of parks and outdoor spaces. Young daredevils might prefer the town's expansive skatepark, which welcomes skateboards, inline skates, and bicycles. For weekend visitors, the town runs a Saturday trolley, harkening back to older times in this western town.
Arkansas' Best Histories Live in Its Small Towns
As these towns show, Akransas' best historical features live on in some of its smaller communities. Places like Arkadelphia and Batesville punch above their weight in cultural richness, while even the smallest downtowns, such as Ozark, provide a tangible sense of times past. In addition to that, the outdoor abundance of towns like Mountain View and Bentonville, as well as The Natural State, offers plenty of reasons to visit and stay a while. From its architectural splendor and local pride expressed in the past as much as the present, Arkansas' places and cultures deserve a closer look.
