6 Must See Places in Arkansas

When traveling the Natural State through the years, I have discovered some pretty interesting places and things to see.

You know, every state has that one thing that sets them apart from other states. Something that makes you say, "I didn't know about that."  Here are six must-see places in Arkansas.

Toltec Mounds

It's called Toltec Mounds Archeological State Park and it's located in Scott, Ark., and it's designated a National Historic Landmark. The Toltec Mounds is one of the largest and most impressive sites in the lower Mississippi River Valley. These are considered Arkansas' tallest American Indian mounds and are the remains of the late-Woodland thru early Mississippian Period ceremonial and governmental complex, which was inhabited from A.D. 650 to 1050. Standing near the mounds gives you a sense of what it was like many years ago in this region.

Old Mill

The Old Mill  at T.R. Pugh Memorial Park in North Little Rock, Ark., is an incredible place to visit. The old water powered grist-mill was built in 1933 and made to look as if it were built in the 1800s. It is most famous for appearing in the opening scene in the 1939 movie classic Gone With The Wind and is still believed to be the only building remaining from the film.  A sculptor and artist from Mexico, Dionico Rodriguez, was responsible for all the details of the mill from the stone, wood, iron and foot bridges that cross over to the mill. The Old Mill is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This is a great place for a wedding or just taking pictures.

Louisiana Purchase

Louisiana Purchase State Park is located near Brinkley, Ark., and features a stone monument in the middle of a swamp in Eastern Arkansas. This monument preserves the initial point from which all the surveys of the property acquired through the Louisiana Purchase  of 1803 initiated. That year, President Thomas Jefferson purchased the immense territory of Louisiana from France for $15 million dollars. This vast un-mapped territory of 900,000 square miles of wilderness helped shaped the destiny of the U.S. Standing on the boardwalk staring into the wooded swamp gives you a sense of when time was untouched.

USS Razorback

The USS Razorback submarine was built at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine. The USS Razorback was constructed in Drydock #1 at the shipyard, and she was launched, along with two sister ships, on Jan. 27, 1944. As it turns out, the USS Scabbardfish was also launched at the shipyard that day making this the largest single-day launch of U.S. submarines. USS Razorback conducted five combat patrols during World War II. Its mission was to sink Japanese vessels and capture Japanese POWs and rescue American pilots who had been shot down. This submarine was one of only 12 selected to be present in Tokyo Bay when the Japanese surrender was signed at the conclusion of WWII. Tours of the USS Razorback are available at the Arkansas Inland Maritime Museum in North Little Rock, Ark., and I highly recommend you visit this piece of American history.

Fort Smith Trolley

Gone are the days of the electric trolley -- or are they? Only a few towns in America still have them and the city of Fort Smith, Ark., happens to be one of them. On May 21, 2016, the Fort Smith Trolley Museum officially dedicated the fully restored Hot Springs Street Railway car #50 back into operation. This now gives the museum two street cars that is able to transport passengers to various downtown locations. It took 16 years to get this trolley up and running again but once you ride it you will never forget the experience.

Clinton Presidential Library

The Clinton Presidential Library and Park is located on the banks of the Arkansas River in Little Rock, the State Capitol of Arkansas. The Clinton Library is America's 12th Presidential Library and its unique design contains 20,000 square feet of library and museum space including an authentic replica of the Oval Office and Cabinet Room. The Clinton Library has the largest collection of presidential papers and artifacts in U.S. history. With the nearby River Market district there's plenty of shopping, restaurants, and art galleries to visit as well. Definitely a must see in Arkansas.