Arkansas is located in the south-central region of the United States. It was admitted as the 25th state on June 15, 1836. Arkansas borders Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, Texas to the southwest and Oklahoma to the west. When it comes to area, Arkansas is the 29th largest state while it’s currently 33rd largest in population. I’m sure that it’s a good idea for us to talk more about Arkansas facts in this article.
1. The Natural State Nickname of Arkansas was Created in 1970s
The official state nickname of Arkansas is The Natural State. It was created in the 1970s for state tourism advertising. Arkansas indeed maintains 52 state parks while there are 7 properties in Arkansas maintained by the National Park Service. The Buffalo National River is one of the natural tourist attractions in Arkansas that give it reason to be called the Natural State.
2. Little Rock is the Capital and Most Populous City of Arkansas
Little Rock is located in the central portion of Arkansas that becomes the capital city of the state. Little Rock is also currently the most populous city in Arkansas. In 1821 (during territorial period), the capital of Arkansas was relocated to Little Rock from Arkansas Post. Arkansas Post is now U.S. National Memorial.
3. The Northern Mockingbird is the State Bird of Arkansas
The state bird of Arkansas is the Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos). The Northern mockingbird is the only mockingbird that is commonly found in North America. Besides Arkansas, the Northern mockingbird is also the state bird of 4 other states (Florida, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Texas) while it was also the state bird of South Carolina.
4. Bill Clinton is the Only U.S President from Arkansas
William Jefferson Clinton (Bill Clinton) was the 42th president of the U.S that comes from Arkansas. Bill Clinton was born in Hope, Arkansas and served as governor of Arkansas (1979–1981 and 1983–1992) before his presidency. William J. Clinton Presidential Library, that was dedicated on November 18, 2004, is located in Little Rock. It can attract many visitors to the city.
5. Crater of Diamonds State Park in Arkansas is the only Public Diamond Mine in the World
Crater of Diamonds State Park is located in Pike County, Arkansas. It’s a 911-acre (369 ha) state park that has 37.5-acre (15.2 ha) plowed field that becomes the only diamond-bearing site accessible to the public in the world. Since 1906, diamonds have continuously been discovered in the field. The Crater of Diamonds State Park is also currently the only active diamond mine in the U.S.
6. Apple Blossom is the State Flower of Arkansas
The state flower of Arkansas is the Apple blossom. Apple is an important agricultural crop of Arkansas especially its northwest part. We can also find that one of the cultivars of apple are named Arkansas Black as It is originated from Benton County, Arkansas. The blossoms of apples are produced in spring while the fruit matures in late summer or autumn.
7. Pecan is the State Nut of Arkansas
In 2019, Pecan was designated as the official state nut of Arkansas by Arkansas General Assembly. The Pecan tree (Carya illinoinensis) is cultivated for its seed in the southern United States. It’s a species of hickory native to northern Mexico and the southern United States (the Mississippi River region) that produces edible nut used as a snack and used in other recipes like praline candy and pecan pie.
8. The World’s Largest Company is Headquartered in Arkansas
Walmart is currently the world’s largest company by revenue. It was founded by Sam Walton in 1962 and opened its first store in Arkansas. The headquarters of Walmart is now located in Bentonville, Arkansas. We can also find The Walmart Museum in Bentonville that was originally Walton’s Five and Dime Store of Sam Walton.
9. Arkansas is the Largest Producers of Rice in the United States
In terms of acres planted as well as production, Arkansas continues to be the largest rice producer of all rice producing states. Poinsett, Arkansas, Cross, Jackson, and Lawrence are the five largest rice-producing counties in Arkansas state. Wells is a long grain rice variety that is widely planted in Arkansas. It’s the variety that was developed by the University of Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station.
10. The Largest Meat Producer of the U.S. is Headquartered in Arkansas
Tyson Foods is the largest meat producer in the United States while it’s also the second largest in the world. Tyson Foods is based in Springdale, Arkansas where it was also founded by John W. Tyson in 1935. Tyson Foods process and markets chicken, beef, and pork. A lot of its facilities are also located in Arkansas.
We have talked about 10 interesting Arkansas facts. I’m sure that there are a number of facts that we don’t discuss here. If you have more facts to share, it’s a great idea to share with us here.