Join us on a journey through some of the places, faces and spaces that make a life in Central Arkansas unlike any other!
The impressive roller-skating banana sculpture titled “On a Roll,”was added along the River Trail in Murray Park in Little Rock in 2023.The Old Mill in the T.R. Pugh Memorial Park was part of cinematic history. Made famous by its appearance in the opening scenes of the classic film “Gone With The Wind,” the North Little Rock site features a historic re-creation of an 1880s-era water-powered grist mill. Lush landscaping, water features, and artwork by sculptor Dionicio Rodriguez complete the scene of this famous landmark that is a popular backdrop for individual and group photos.Kilwins Chocolates, Fudge, & Ice Cream creates handcrafted and mouthwatering caramel apples in Downtown LittleRock. Franchisee/store owner David Lister is the Candy Man of the city’s popular River Market District. Each day, Lister and his crew handcraft about 70 percent of what’s sold in the store, like exceptional waffle cones, Mackinac Island fudge, dozens of varieties of Kilwins Heritage Chocolate-dipped treats, and their famous caramel apples. In autumn, the tiny shop turns out 600 delicious caramel apples per week. The process begins with warming the caramel to the perfect temperature for dipping, which takes about an hour and three-quarters. Once ready, they have 20 minutes to dip the apples and decorate them with nuts, candies, and chocolate, delivering pure happiness on a stick! Photo by Makenzie EvansFor decades, Miller Spectacular Shows based in Greenbrier has spun, swung, swayed and lifted thousands of thrill-seekers aloft in small-town county fairs, state fairs, and corporate events. “We have operated in as many as 18 states,” Owner Freddy Miller said. “We operated as far north as Detroit, Mich.; as far west as Roswell, N.M.; and as far south as — well, the farthest south we’ve been is the Bahamas. We actually put equipment on boats and shipped it to the islands. When people ask me about what I do, I tell them, ‘We sell fun.’” Photo by MIke KempHeber Springs has become the winter home for a flock of trumpeter swans. Swans do not naturally winter in Arkansas. Yet every year, sometime between Halloween and Thanksgiving, swans start to arrive in a couple of ponds and at Magness Lake east of Heber Springs. The phenomenon started when a few showed up 31 years ago and, as years passed, more came to Arkansas. Normally, they nest in the arctic and migrate for the winter to either the Chesapeake area or California, but since 1991, a flock has found the 501 to be the perfect spot for their winter home. Photo by Linda HendersonGo on the search for the impressive tiny toads who hopped into downtown Conway. 10 bronze toads fashioned by creative artist Calvin Stinger of Beebe were installed at historic sites in 2023. Each unique design corresponds with its new home.
For example, the bronze toad statue outside First Security Bank is wearing a top hat and tails outfit and holding a bag of money.
The statues range from 5 by 9 inches to 12 by 8 inches. Stinger’s clever designs are sure to bring a smile to your face.
All organizations have issued a 100 percent guarantee that visitors won’t get warts! Photo by Kurt JonesTake a visual journey through Searcy’s historic streets and parks on an immersive mural tour. The art scene could not be contained by a single gallery, so it is only natural for it to flow onto walls throughout the city. Visit experiencesearcy.com for the location of each public work of visual art. QR codes on the murals share artists’ insights about each piece. Photos by Jeremy HigginbothamThe Natural Bridge of Arkansas is a naturally occurring rock formation nestled in the foothills of the Ozarks, about four miles from Clinton. The rock formation is about 120 feet long and 4 feet thick at the center of the arch formation. In the late 19th century, American Outlaw Belle Starr (a well-known associate of the Jesse James and Cole Younger Gang) was thought to have used the property as a hideout.Did you know the World’s Shortest St. Patrick’s Day Parade can be experienced in Central Arkansas? A 98-foot parade is held annually on Bridge Street, and the organizers are determined to keep the “shortest” title even if they have to march in place or backward! The high-energy event features a celebrity Grand Marshal, a famous band and the most iconic cheerleading squad in the world — the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders. Each year, thousands of people don green and converge on the Spa City to seek good luck and good times.Travel Highway 60 out of Conway and head toward Bigelow and encounter an awe-inspiring landmark. Rising over a canopy of trees at New Dixie (Perry County) is the steeple of St. Boniface Catholic Church. According to a history of the church, which goes back to 1879, it was founded by immigrants who were mostly from Germany. The first structure burned in 1906, so parishioners provided the labor to rebuild it. The lumber was cut from church property and milled by Fourche River Lumber Co. in Bigelow. The first priest of the church was a Benedictine priest who traveled down the Arkansas River from Subiaco. In earlier days, a nuns’ house and a school were at the church as well. Photographed in infrared by Linda HendersonThe Main Stage EdUCAtion Series entertains thousands of kids from the entire state of Arkansas annually. This impressive program has served more than 70,000 students from preschool through 12th grade at the Donald W. Reynolds Performance Hall on the University of Central Arkansas campus since it began in 2015.The U.S. Post Office in Romance is a popular site for mailing wedding invitations and Valentine’s Day cards because the process stamp on the envelope will reflect the sentiment — romance. In 2024, the small post office was the national site chosen to unveil and release the U.S. Postal System’s Love 2024 stamp, just in time for Valentine’s Day. The staff have also witnessed several weddings.Visit the birthplace of Major League Baseball Spring Training where Babe Ruth once played. Take a swing by Hot Springs and attend the eighth annual baseball weekend each August which just happens to be where Major League Baseball Spring Training got its start. Majestic Park will also host the Babe Ruth League World Series, named after the Great Bambino because Ruth once trained and played in Hot Springs! Visit an eight-foot bronze statue of Ruth, one of only three in the world. This exciting event celebrates Hot Springs’ rich baseball history and offers a unique opportunity to meet baseball legends and hear their unforgettable stories. Previous guests have been Hall of Famers like Johnny Bench, Robin Yount and Ted Simmons.The World’s First Billy Bass Adoption Center, located inside the Flying Fish restaurant in downtown Little Rock, is a noteworthy place where hundreds of the crooning Big Mouth Billy Bass, animatronic gag gifts from the late 1990s and early 2000s, are on display. Shannon Wynne came up with the idea to retire the toys by hanging more than 300 of the Billy Bass fish on the walls — and some even hang from the ceiling — at the restaurant. Don’t worry — they take the batteries out first.
Photo by Makenzie EvansThe Arkansas Martin Luther King Jr. Commission has been distinguished as “the most active in the nation” by The King Center in Atlanta, Ga. This recognition is supported by Dr. Bernice A. King, daughter of Dr. King, and his widow, Coretta Scott King, and is well-deserved by this active division of the Arkansas Department of Education. Led by Little Rock native DuShun Scarbrough, Commissioners and a dedicated team, the Commission hosts several Nonviolence Youth Summits throughout the state annually, along with other positive initiatives.
Scarbrough stands among statues of the Little Rock Nine Memorial at the State Capitol. Photo by Mike KempLocated in Scott, Plantation Agriculture Museum preserves Arkansas’s farming history. It’s a highly interactive park where kids and adults alike can explore where and how crops are grown, harvested, and processed into foods we eat and products we use. Special events include the Annual Antique Tractor and Engine Show.The Piccolo Zoppé – Boutique Circus calls Greenbrier home. For nine generations, the Zoppé family has taken their pets to work every day. The Piccolo Zoppé- Boutique Circus is a beautiful, European-style circus that is part of a larger circus family that has been around for 180 years. The current show includes multiple, highly trained draft and miniature horses and several breeds of dogs. Tosca Zoppé and her husband, John “Jay” Walther, operate the charming, one-ring circus featuring numerous talented performers and multiple performance dates throughout the 501, from Hot Springs to North Little Rock and in their hometown of Greenbrier. They also book shows in other states. Crowds pour in to enjoy equestrian ballerinas, daring acrobatics and even a man being shot from a cannon! Photo by MIke KempStep back in history and experience the high-energy and emotional National Championship Chuckwagon Races, which bring thousands of people to Clinton to experience fierce competition during a hot and dusty week in late August. All types of races are hosted, vendors offer food and some visitors camp on site. Ride on over to Clinton and experience authentic Old West racing. Photos by Rita BargerGreers Ferry Dam is a concrete dam built between 1959 and 1962 on the Little Red River in Cleburne County. Its primary function is flood control, but it also serves as a hydroelectric power plant. The dam impounds Greers Ferry Lake, which offers swimming, cliff diving, boating, fishing, scuba diving and camping. The Greers Ferry National Fish Hatchery, located below the dam, is another popular destination. The hatchery, operated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, primarily raises rainbow trout, which thrive in the colder water. After its completion, the lake was dedicated on Oct. 3, 1963, by President John F. Kennedy. The trip was his last major public appearance before his fateful trip on Nov. 22, 1963, to Dallas, where he was assassinated. This event marks the only time a sitting president has visited Cleburne County.Perry County. Nothing makes LIFE in the 501 more remarkable than the landscapes of Central Arkansas. Just one breathtaking example is the high-country spot Flatside Pinnacle, a mountain in the Ouachita Mountain Range. The range is found on the most western edge of the 501 area and runs from central western Arkansas to southeastern Oklahoma. To experience the beauty quickly, there is a 0.7-mile out-and-back trail near Perryville.
The territory is great for camping, hiking and walking. Plus, it is very unlikely you’ll ever encounter many other people while exploring the area. Open year-round, and beautiful to visit anytime, the trail winds through dense forests, with rocky outcrops and panoramic views of the surrounding valleys and ridges at the top. A perfect spot to stop and enjoy the sunset and appreciate the place we call home.
Photo by Linda Henderson
