Here are some of our favorite totally random, but fun and interesting facts about Arkansas! We are Arkansas natives and some of these were things that we didn’t even know!
If you are a visitor to our beautiful state you might even surprise the locals with your knowledge!
Fun Facts About Arkansas
The Postal Code of Arkansas is AR not AK!
I’m starting with this one because I see SO many people get it wrong. I’ll admit, it is a big pet peeve of mine!
The postal code for Arkansas is AR…
…not AK.
Alaska is AK. Arkansas is AR.
It is illegal to pronounce the name of the state wrong!
One of the facts about Arkansas that you really NEED to know is that the name of the state is pronounced Ar-kan-saw.
There is no Kansas in Arkansas, y’all.
And yes, it is illegal to pronounce it wrong!
I also have a list of funny town names in Arkansas that you might enjoy as well as a list of the state symbols in Arkansas.
Cheese Dip was invented in Arkansas!
Cheese dip was invented in Arkansas in 1932 and is still considered a delicacy of the state!
The World Cheese Dip Championship is even held in Arkansas.
Here are some other GREAT foods that were invented in Arkansas!
Besides cheese dip here are some other foods that were invented or produced in Arkansas.
- Cavender’s Greek seasoning: Cavender’s has been made in the Ozark Mountains since 1969
- Cheese filled hot dogs were created in Little Rock at the Finkbeiner Meat Packing Company in 1956
- Chocolate gravy is attributed to being a creation of the people from the Arkansas Ozarks.
- The grape soda, Grapette, was invented and is produced in Malvern, Arkansas.
- Meyer’s Bakery invented brown-and-serve rolls in the 1930’s in Arkansas.
We have alligators in Arkansas.
There are definitely alligators in Arkansas.
They aren’t in every body of water like they are in Florida and you aren’t likely to see them unless you seek them out, but alligators do live in the southern part of the state.
I’m sure there are some of you who don’t like knowing this fact about Arkansas.
How about another weird law regarding those alligators?
If you really, really, really love alligators then you need to know that it is illegal to keep an alligator in your bathtub in the state of Arkansas.
Seems like a good law to me but perhaps this news could be a disappointment to some.
Little Rock got its name from an actual rock
The city of Little Rock was named for a rock formation on the south side of the Arkansas River that was used as a landmark for river boat traffic.
In the past the rock wasn’t actually all that small. However, It was called the “little” rock in order to differentiate it from the “big” rock on the north side of the river.
Arkansas really is The Natural State!
The Natural State is the nickname of Arkansas. You can learn more about the nicknames of Arkansas through the years in this post.
Some of them are pretty interesting.
Arkansas is called the natural state because of its abundance of streams, hot springs, clear lakes, swamps, and forests.
Some of the best facts about Arkansas regarding nature are:
- Arkansas has over 600,000 acres of lakes
- Arkansas has 9,700 miles of streams and rivers.
- More than 1/2 of the state is forested.
Arkansas is the only state where you can dig for diamonds.
Speaking of the natural state…Arkansas is the only state in the USA where you can find a diamond field.
It is also the only place in the US where the public can go to dig for diamonds. But even more important it is the only place in the US where you dig for diamonds and keep the ones you find!
You can dig for diamonds at Crater of Diamonds State Park near Murfreesboro, Arkansas.
The field is the eroded surface of what was once a volcanic pipe. (basically an underground volcano)
You get to dig in the dirt for gems and diamonds and can keep anything you find. In fact the motto of the park is, “You find it. You keep it. No matter how valuable it is.”
33,100 diamonds have been found by park visitors since the Crater of Diamonds became an Arkansas state park in 1972.
The largest diamond unearthed in the US was found in Arkansas!
The largest diamond in the US was found in Arkansas, of course. The diamond was found at the site of the Crater of Diamonds State Park long before it became a state park.
It was 40.23 carats and was named the Uncle Sam Diamond.
The highest point in the state is…not very high.
Mount Magazine is the highest point in the state at 2,753 feet.
And as an added bonus Rich Mountain which is the site of Queen Wilhelmina State Park is the second highest point in the state.
Arkansas does not have any pro sports teams but they love their college sports!
One of the facts about Arkansas that you really need to know before you visit is that this is a state that takes college sports VERY seriously.
The state of Arkansas does not have any major league teams.
The Razorbacks from the University of Arkansas are the favorite team in basically every sport for the majority of the state.
Razorbacks are a true wild animal wreaking havoc in Arkansas.
The love of the Razorbacks runs deep in the state. And yes the razorback hog or wild boar is a real animal that resides in Arkansas.
Arkansas had the first female Senator in the US to serve a full term.
In 1932, Arkansas elected Hattie Caraway to the Senate. She was the first women to serve a full term as a United States Senator and she served for 14 years.
She was also the first woman to chair a Senate committee.
This is one of the facts about Arkansas that I love! Hattie Caraway should be more well known nationally but she is definitely one of the most famous people from the state of Arkansas.
There are three famous glass chapels in Arkansas.
There are three glass chapels in Arkansas that are the design of the famous architect E. Fay Jones who was a protegee of Frank Lloyd Wright.
The most famous of the three chapels is Thorncrown Chapel in Eureka Springs.
Thorncrown was voted by the American Institute of Architects as the fourth most notable building in the US of the 20th century.
That’s a pretty big honor for a small chapel in a small town in a small state!
Arkansas has a famous, world-known monster.
The most famous of the monster legends in The Natural State is that of the Fouke Monster. This monster is also called the Boggy Creek Monster.
He is basically a southern Big Foot.
The Fouke Monster is said to be somewhat humanoid in shape but much bigger and hairier and with arms that hang almost to the ground. He is also supposed to smell worse than a skunk.
Sightings began back in the 1940’s and continued into the 70’s and there have even been sightings in the last couple of years. A couple of films about the monster have kept the legend alive.
Arkansas has some mysterious floating lights near the town of Gurdon that have even been caught on camera.
The Gurdon lights are mysterious orbs of light that appear near some railroad tracks near the town of Gurdon in Southwest Arkansas.
Many people in the area have seen the lights and they have even been caught on camera. We know the lights are real but scientists haven’t quite figured out what causes them.
Some people say that this place is haunted and others think that this is a natural phenomenon.
Arkansas has the only purse museum in the US.
The Esse Purse Museum is the only museum of its kind in the US and only one of two in the world!
It is located in the capitol city of Little Rock in the up and coming SOMA (south main) neighborhood.
Here is a list of some of the other museums in the state of Arkansas.
The American Taekwondo Association National Headquarters is located in Arkansas.
Yep. The national headquarters for the Taekwondo association in located In Little Rock, Arkansas
Arkansas has the Folk Music Capitol of the World.
Mountain View, Arkansas is the Folk Music Capitol of the World.
You might think that this is a big claim for such a small town. However, a visit to Mountain View will show you the truth of their declaration.
They have music on the square, on porches, in front of the courthouse, and in gazebos.
If the weather is middlin’ to good you will get to experience some of the best pickin’ and fiddlin’ that you have ever heard.
The World Championship Duck Calling Contest is held in Arkansas.
The World Championship Duck Calling Contest is held in Stuttgart, Arkansas.
Arkansas is one of the top states in the US for duck hunting. The town of Stuttgart in the Southeast region of Arkansas is famous for its large population of ducks.
Arkansas is home to the watermelon capitol of the world.
Hope, Arkansas is the watermelon capitol of the world.
It was also the birthplace of former President Bill Clinton.
We were the first state with a designated national river.
One of my favorite facts about Arkansas was that the Buffalo River in the Ozark Mountains of Northwest Arkansas was the first national river ever established.
It became a national river in 1972 and is also one of the few un-dammed, free flowing rivers in the lower 48 states.
We produce a lot of food – especially rice.
Arkansas is the top producer of rice in the USA. The rice from Arkansas accounts for 49% of all the rice produced in the country.
One of the most famous businesses in the world started in Arkansas.
This is probably one of the most well known facts about Arkansas.
Sam Walton opened his first Walmart store in the city of Rogers, Arkansas in 1967. Walmart is for sure the most famous business from Arkansas and one of the top businesses in the world.
I hope that you enjoyed this list of random facts about Arkansas! My home state is a fun and fascinating place.
We have a fun post that will tell you the best songs about Arkansas.
Here is some more information about the best time of year to visit Arkansas!
Thanks for stopping by.
