Everything Central City is known for
Songs written about the waterways and highways that run near Central City.
Central City, Arkansas, sits nestled near the western edge of the state, not far from the Oklahoma border. The town itself may be small, but its reach extends far beyond its geographic boundaries, thanks in part to some of the notable figures who once called it home. While perhaps not as widely known as some other Arkansas towns, Central City boasts its own share of influential individuals.
Greenwood, Arkansas, tucked into the rolling hills, is a place where small-town charm meets a surprising thread of notable figures. The town itself, named for the dense forests that once defined the landscape, rebuilt itself from the ashes of a devastating fire in 1893, a testament to its enduring spirit. Coal mining initially drew people here, establishing Greenwood as a hub and eventually leading to its incorporation in 1884. Even now, a time capsule lies beneath the earth near the public library, waiting to reveal the town's story to future generations in 2076. While Greenwood may not be a major metropolis, its influence extends beyond its borders.
Long before he wore a badge, Bass Reeves crossed this country as a fugitive. Taken into the war by the Texas family that enslaved him, he broke away and fled north into Indian Territory, where he lived for years among the Creek, Cherokee, and Seminole. He learned their languages, their customs, and the lay of a land few outsiders could navigate. When emancipation made him a free man, Reeves came to the Van Buren area, just across the Arkansas River from Fort Smith, and built a life as a farmer and stockman, raising a large family of ten or eleven children. That hard-won knowledge of the Territory and its peoples is exactly what made him so valuable when the federal marshals came looking for deputies in 1875. The skills he picked up as a runaway became the foundation of a thirty-two-year career as a lawman. (Sources: TSHA Handbook of Texas; Encyclopedia of Arkansas; National Park Service.)
Military installation near Fort Smith where Elvis Presley received his famous Army haircut in 1958 and where thousands of Vietnamese and Cuban refugees were processed.
Federal courthouse where Judge Isaac C. Parker, the 'Hanging Judge,' presided over Indian Territory justice from 1875 to 1896, sentencing 160 people to death.
Alma, Arkansas declared itself the Spinach Capital of the World in 1987 and erected a Popeye statue, thanks to Allen Canning Company processing more spinach than any other facility in the country.
38 stories, landmarks & places within ~20 miles — the same local lore RoadyGoat plays as you drive through.
Central City, Arkansas, sits nestled near the western edge of the state, not far from the Oklahoma border. The town itself may be small, but its reach extends far beyond its geographic boundaries, thanks in part to some…
This unassuming landscape holds stories of war, displacement, and new beginnings. During World War II, Fort Chaffee, then Camp Chaffee, housed thousands of German and Italian prisoners of war. Later, in 1975, after the…
Military installation near Fort Smith where Elvis Presley received his famous Army haircut in 1958 and where thousands of Vietnamese and Cuban refugees were processed.
Those thick stone walls tell a story! The Old Sebastian County Jail in Greenwood offers a glimpse into law and order in this part of Arkansas over a century ago. Built between 1889 and 1891 by master mason Ike Kunkel,…
Greenwood, Arkansas, tucked into the rolling hills, is a place where small-town charm meets a surprising thread of notable figures. The town itself, named for the dense forests that once defined the landscape, rebuilt…
Ever wonder what happened to those who had nowhere else to go in Fort Smith's early days? Elmwood Cemetery, once the Poor Farm Cemetery, holds their stories. In 1890, Sebastian County purchased land for its first poor…
Step back in time as we approach Oak Cemetery, Fort Smith's oldest graveyard, where the city's history rests beneath your tires. Founded in 1853, Oak Cemetery became the final resting place for many of Fort Smith's…
Imagine the echoes of applause and the rustle of velvet curtains – this spot, the King Opera House, was once the beating heart of Van Buren's entertainment scene. Built in the late 19th century, the King Opera House…
Long before he wore a badge, Bass Reeves crossed this country as a fugitive. Taken into the war by the Texas family that enslaved him, he broke away and fled north into Indian Territory, where he lived for years among…
Step back in time as you enter the Van Buren Historic District, where echoes of bustling commerce still resonate! This eight-block area along Main Street was the heart of Van Buren, nestled perfectly between the…
Get ready to chuckle! This unassuming house was the childhood home of Bob Burns, a radio star who brought down-home humor to millions. The Burns family moved into this house at 821 Jefferson Street in Van Buren around…
Pull over here for a minute – you're looking at one of the oldest houses in Arkansas, a silent witness to nearly two centuries of change. Built around 1838, the Wilhauf House started as a simple log dogtrot, two cabins…
Pull over for a moment, because you're about to hear about a true American success story. This unassuming spot was once home to Henry Clay Mills, a man born into slavery who built his own house right here in Van Buren…
Van Buren, Arkansas, a town nestled on the Arkansas River, breathes history. Its strategic location, elevated above the valley floor, made it a crucial transportation point, a role that shaped its early development. The…
Imagine stepping back in time to the golden age of entertainment! Fort Smith's New Theatre, built in 1911, was once the hottest ticket in town. Modeled after the grand New Amsterdam Theatre in New York, this Beaux Arts…
Pull over here – this is where justice met the Wild West. The Judge Isaac C. Parker Federal Building stands where the legendary "hanging judge" Isaac Parker once held court. From 1875 to 1896, Judge Parker presided over…
Ever wondered about the untold stories beneath your feet? Here, in Fort Smith National Cemetery, silent rows of headstones whisper tales of courage and sacrifice, a profound testament to the lives that shaped this land.…
Fort Smith, Arkansas, owes much of its early prosperity to its location at the confluence of the Arkansas and Poteau Rivers. This strategic point, known as Belle Point, wasn't just a scenic overlook where duels once…
This unassuming locomotive played a vital role in fueling America's WWII effort. Built in 1942, Maumelle Ordnance Works Locomotive 1 was built by Vulcan Iron Works for the U.S. War Department. Its job was to haul…
These walls have seen Fort Smith transform from a rough-and-tumble frontier outpost to the city it is today. Built in 1906, this building started its life as the Atkinson-Williams Warehouse, a vital hub for commerce in…
Hop aboard a piece of Fort Smith history – this is Birney Safety Streetcar No. 224! Built in 1926, this streetcar was a vital part of the city's transportation network. It's a type of streetcar called a Birney "Safety…
You're in the heart of old Fort Smith, where Judge Isaac Parker ran the federal court for the wild Indian Territory, and where one of the West's greatest lawmen pinned on his star. Bass Reeves was born into slavery…
Federal courthouse where Judge Isaac C. Parker, the 'Hanging Judge,' presided over Indian Territory justice from 1875 to 1896, sentencing 160 people to death.
Alma, Arkansas declared itself the Spinach Capital of the World in 1987 and erected a Popeye statue, thanks to Allen Canning Company processing more spinach than any other facility in the country.
You're driving past Arkoma, right on the Oklahoma-Arkansas border. This town owes its start to a Civil War veteran and Choctaw Nation intermarriage, Captain James Reynolds. He built a castle nearby and then, in 1911,…
Alma, Arkansas, wears its nickname, the "Spinach Capital of the World," with a quiet pride. You can see it in the expansive fields that stretch out toward the Boston Mountains, the fertile soil nurtured by the Arkansas…
Hackett, Arkansas, a small town tucked into the western edge of the state near the Oklahoma border, doesn't often make national headlines. Yet, its location in the fertile Arkansas River Valley, where the Ozark…
Hold on tight – you're about to discover Oklahoma's one and only railroad tunnel! Back in 1885 and 1886, the Fort Smith & Southern Railway carved this tunnel through Backbone Mountain. At the time, this was Choctaw…
You're driving past Moffett, Oklahoma, a town with a reputation that once got it declared off-limits to military personnel. Back in the day, Moffett's drinking and gambling halls were so popular, they drew folks from…
Right here, near Pocola, you're passing through a place with a Civil War past. On September 1, 1863, the Union Army won a key victory at Devil's Backbone Mountain, just a stone's throw away. After the war, this area…
You're driving through Roland, Oklahoma, right now. This town didn't start with a bang, but with a railroad. In 1888, the Kansas and Arkansas Valley Railway laid tracks through this area, then part of the Cherokee…
You're driving past Rock Island, Oklahoma, right near the Arkansas border. This place started as Maney Junction, a key railroad crossing in the Choctaw Nation. In 1905, the post office opened, named Rock Island, likely…
Imagine being locked away in this small stone jail, built in 1888 to hold lawbreakers in a rough-and-tumble town. The Old Huntington Jail was built by the Kansas and Texas Coal Company, the very company that founded…
Imagine a bustling city, not of brick and steel, but of earth and ritual, right here in Oklahoma. That's what Spiro Mounds once was. Between the 900s and 1450s, the Caddoan people built this complex as a major religious…
You're driving through Le Flore County, past the community of Fort Coffee. This place has a history stretching back to the Choctaw removal in 1832. But its name comes from a fort built in 1834, right here, to stop…
Imagine stagecoaches rumbling along this segment of the Butterfield Overland Mail Route, connecting the East and West coasts in the 19th century. This unassuming stretch of road in Crawford County, Arkansas, is part of…
Mountainburg, Arkansas sits nestled in the Ozark foothills, a place where the pace slows, and the views stretch for miles. Incorporated in 1883 and named for the obvious reason – the mountains all around – its early…
Imagine stagecoaches thundering through as you stand at this former stop on the Butterfield Overland Mail route. Walker's Station, named for Choctaw Chief Tandy Walker, was a vital stop on this route through Indian…