Arkansas fun, travel, history, camping and geocaching

Wilson Jay's

ARKANSAS

The Natural State

We're proud to announce that Sea Eagle.com has joined our advertisers. If you intend to paddle the Cossatot or do a little fishing, see their ad and save some money. _______________The movies' first cowboy star was Bronco Billy Anderson of Little Rock____________The White River monster is still spotted near Newport______________The single most destructive shot of the Civil War occurred near St. Charles____________In 1906 John Huddleston found some unusual pebbles on his farm near Murfreesboro; in time, his farm would become known as Arkansas' Crater of Diamonds State Park

STORIES:

Ozark Storm Clouds (Courtesty of Chris Haven)

Arkansas became a US possession as a result of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. Prior to that time, Native Americans heavily populated the area. In 1812, it was made part of the Missouri territory, later in 1819, Arkansas was named as a territory unto itself. On June 15, 1836, it became the twenty-fifth state of the Union.

Arkansas is bordered on the south by Louisiana with its southwestern corner bordering on Texas. To its west is Oklahoma and to the north is Missouri. Mississippi and Tennessee border its eastern extremities.

If you're an outdoorsman, upon entering Arkansas, congratulate yourself because you have found one of the best states in the Union for almost any outdoor activity you are seeking. Hiking, biking, camping, whitewater rafting, kayaking, hunting and fishing are all activities that can be found in abundance in Arkansas

Cossatot River Whitewater Rafting - Before attempting to paddle the Cossatot River, read the warnings here. As the old folks used to say, "This is the big dog's chew bone, you pups just stay on the porch!"

ACTIVITIES:

Events and Festivals

ARKANSAS FACTS:

The Arkansas River flows 1450 miles before joining the Mississippi-Missouri River System.
The Magic Springs and Crystal Falls Amusement Park in Hot Springs boasts a roller coaster, the X-Rocket, that will take you 150 feet into the air, turn you upside down and then send you spiraling groundward at over 65 miles per hour! This is the tallest upside-down inversion roller coaster in the world.
Eureka Springs' largest free-standing rock formation has a base of about 10 inches wide, supporting a top of almost 10 feet wide!

General Douglas MacArthur was born in Little Rock in 1880.

Ranaga Farbiarz built the world's largest tuned wind chime. Its longest tube measures 20 feet and it may be seen at Celestial Windz Harmonic Bazaar in Eureka Springs.

Howard "Rip" Collins caught a forty-pound-four ounce brown trout in the Little River near Heber Springs in 1992. This was a world record.

The single most destructive shot of the Civil War was fired on the White River, near St. Charles, on June 17, 1862. The cannonball struck the steam drum of the Union gunboat, Mound City, killing or injuring 150 Union troops.

Wesley White of Hartford, Arkansas landed an 80-pound flathead catfish on the Arkansas River in October 1989. It was a state record for the largest catfish caught with a rod and reel.

John Patterson of Marianna, Arkansas was the first known Anglo child born west of the Mississippi in 1790.

The White River Monster is still seen from time to time near Newport.

The world's first cowboy movie star, Broncho Billy Anderson, was born in Little Rock in 1882.

DeQueen's newspaper is called the DeQueen Bee!

Native born Texan, Frances Octavia Smith grew up in Osceola, Arkansas. She later changed her name to Dale Evans.

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