Rural ARKANSAS: Life Far From The Interstate…But There’s A Stark Beauty To It

As we journey into the deep South to the Mississippi Delta, I took a quick side trip into rural Arkansas and saw some really interesting sights.
Travel Vlog 103

[@unknown_limes]

I have lived in a town like this since I was nine years old. You asked how life is for us, and to be honest, I think it's just fine. We go to school or work, sometimes we commute a half hour or more for our jobs. If you want something you can't find at DG, you'll have to go the nearest city. The drive ain't worth complainin' about really 'cause you chose to live here and can't afford to move yet. Most folk'll talk your ear off recalling the simplest stories (guilty of it myself lol). They're usually are friendly enough, not that there ain't plenty of bad eggs. A lot of us learn to be scrappy or scrounge to pay our bills. Kids like to run down the middle of streets or through the nearest bunch of trees when they're playing. Most folk go to church every Sunday, and those buildings are usually the nicest around with the best-functioning AC. It ain't much, hell a lot of the youngers dream about getting away (again, guilty myself), but it's an honest life. To me, it's home. Edit: Almost forgot to say, I hope you stopped at one of those bakeries! Small-town bakeries always have the best homemade goods, that's how they keep their lights on and always worth a quick lookie.

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Great comment.

[@donaldfulmer7804]

Amen

[@chrisman3965]

Definitely right about the bakeries. Magnolia bakery always has great stuff. I can close my eyes and remember the smell when I used to go in there as a kid with my grandma. Surprised it's held on after all these years.

[@clintcoop5717]

The churches like to keep itself the only entertainment and take everyone's money it's quite sad honestly...The only really livable place in Arkansas is in the NW area 💯

[@SlimKronic]

I moved from California to northwest Arkansas back in 2006 when I was 8 years old. Spent most of my childhood there and moved back to California around 2012. Spent my teen years here and was fed up with the traffic and how fast you live life here as soon as you become an adult. The bills and gas were just getting more expensive. Finally I moved back to northwest Arkansas just last month as a 24 year old and let me tell you… I appreciate Arkansas so much more and the people there are amazing. NWA isn’t as rural but it’s so much better than the city life.

[@jdadams5487]

Hey lived in Arkansas my hole life and I agree man it is amazing but I live in the river valley and I live in small town in the county called Sebastian county

[@poetcomic1]

Northwest Arkansas can be heaven - my brother lived near Harrison, beautiful place. Down around Waldo different story.

[@salimamartin9560]

Wow I grew up like that too I was born in in San Diego and went back and forth to Bradley Arkansas I went back to San Diego and raised my daughter for over 23 years I moved back to Texarkana Arkansas 12 years ago and I am very happy

[@McBurbger]

Don't tell people about NWA :)

[@daphnebrooks3966]

Arkansas is the best state yeah 👍

[@jameslewisii5403]

Stamps Arkansas is where Marguirite Johnson (Maya Angelou) was raised by her Grandmother.

[@Southernmountainchiefs]

Lived in NWA all my life....in the Ozark mountains and we'll never move to another state! I love the simple life

[@lorilange8654]

I lived in NWA Fayetteville for a few years and Rogers AR for most of the years a total of 13 years!! The mold and humidity was killing me and the factories so toxic where I lived on 13th and Olive in Rogers Arkansas I got so darned sick gained 100 pounds my health went to hell on a hand basket..it's not for everyone I had to move back to Arizona... But plan on moving to higher ground 5,000-7,000 feet elevation...Wither it's in North AZ or NM!!

[@lorilange8654]

*In a hand basket I meant...

[@jeremyscaggs7315]

There's a lot to see in Arkansas. I've been there since 1991. Not a bad place to live

[@brianhaase9612]

I retired in Arkansas from Wisconsin. Nice folks, much cheaper to live here.

[@jeremyscaggs7315]

@@brianhaase9612 Definitely cheaper. But the way things are nowadays. It's getting up there.

[@DeepSouthBayouDiesel]

My family has been is Arkansas for well over 150+ yrs and in Calhoun county for 100 yrs. I've been back a fourth my whole life, 85-present. I finally moved here back in 2015, never been happier😍

[@sherryjolly2222]

I have been here since 96 although I was born here just didn't grow up here

[@arthurgearheard4701]

Newton County, Eureka Springs, Hot Springs, and the Ozarks are must sees! There's no place on 🌎 like Eureka Springs!

[@lindamorgan3974]

I was raised in Stamps Arkansas. It was a much better place to live when I was a young girl. The people there are friendly. Look out for each other. Don't be fooled by how the houses look. Some of those families have DEEP pockets.

[@randywhite5632]

I grew up in Waldo and I haven’t been back in 11 years. It sure has changed!

[@BIGMIKE816]

Deep pockets from the Slave days eh?

[@arthurgearheard4701]

Maya Angelou was born there!

[@jaylaannrose2303]

@@arthurgearheard4701 She was born in Saint Louis, Missouri, she went to live with her grandmother at an early age.

[@dallasstoneyful]

I’m from Smackover

[@marymcbride9134]

Love Arkansas,it's in my blood.

[@GoodTimesHomestead]

We are loving rural Arkansas. We are up in North Central AR but way outside any “town.” It’s amazing.

[@geraldcroft9020]

Mtn home rocks

[@fdddsigns7274]

All these little towns used too be clean and pretty and nice.. when they were populated... It takes warm bodies to keep a town running... Wal Mart decimated all these communities... We used to have cobblers, tailors, the Drugstore with a soda fountain.. all made small communities run., A bygone era

[@jerryware5749]

Agree. I live in the general area as this video but just over the border in Louisiana. Same thing with the towns here. Interesting that Wal-Mart is an Arkansas based store. We didn't see Dollar General pop up until after Wal-Mart had done the damage.

[@genedunlap8384]

We still had a few mom n pop stores but Walmart decided we need satellite stores in the surrounding countries witch killed off the last of the mom n pop stores and them Walmart decided to close down the satellite stores funny how that worked out

[@ThaDarkLighter]

NAFTA ruined America 🇺🇸

[@mom2tres]

I’ve been in Arkansas all of my life. I love it!!!

[@khayneify]

When I was younger, I used to go to Waldo, Stamps, and Lewisville, and Magnolia. Had a job delivering bank data five days a week. All looks the same, just more run down. Believe it, or not, I used to stop every morning at the Magnolia Bake Shop you passed in Magnolia. Brought back a lot of memories. Thanks for sharing.

[@juliekozlowski4902]

Given the situation this country is in, these towns may be small and may be run down but the residents know how to survive and know how to be resourceful. Chances are crime is minimal also. We live in arkansas just north of Little Rock and it’s to populated for us, we’d love to move to a smaller town more rural. We love arkansas! We call it Americas best kept secret.

[@robertmead9234]

Same here, friend! I was born and raised in a little town called Bethesda, but moved to Conway to make a living. Too many people here! Hope to move back there when I retire.

[@somphothbsiratsamy3748]

You mean they know how to survive against others. 😂

[@radialwavellite5310]

@@robertmead9234 Hello!I am from Rosie, I have friends in Bethesda. ☺️

[@robertmead9234]

@@radialwavellite5310 Hello Mason. I know Rosie and Oil Trough very well!

[@radialwavellite5310]

@@robertmead9234 It's nice to meet you.I hope you get to move back, Bethesda is absolutely beautiful.☺️

[@shirleyallen7374]

I was born in Pine Bluff in 1959, moved in 1970. A lot of my family is still there. Whenever I visit it breaks my heart to see how it's changed. I'll always love Pine Bluff.💕💞💕

[@calvinballew5411]

I was born in PB in 57. I loved it. I wouldn't live there now for all of God's money!

[@arthurgearheard4701]

@@calvinballew5411 Well, either it OR West Memphis is considered the worst city in the state!

[@reb1050]

My wife was born in 58 and raised in Pine Bluff. Her mother, brother, and sister still live there. Her name was Judy Funderburg. Perhaps you knew her? She and I have been married for 42+ yrs. now and end up going back to see her family every year...and even in that period, things have changed considerably. Not only has the neighborhoods and town changed, but we don't go anywhere there without a firearm.

[@keyup2626]

Just love the old buildings, there’s just something so special seeing them. A little glimpse into the past is real sweet. I’m sure it’s a quite life in rural Arkansas.

[@jimjustice581]

Magnolia looks beautiful. Like you would want to visit, just to be there.

[@Mathew_Thomas]

I have lived in very rural parts of Iowa and Montana my whole life until I moved to NW Arkansas 2 years ago. You ask how life is in those towns. Much better than the constant chaos and traffic of the city. I absolutely can't stand the city. At least I'm on the edge and have good neighbors

[@preachervideo]

I lived in Stamps, was there until age 16. That place was an isolated pocket of Americana. All those towns were. Loss of industry killed that once prosperous life there. There are still some wonderful people living there. God bless ‘em!

[@pastorlyndasuecurtis-thoma4664]

Camden, Arkansas is an intriguing town to check out. It has a whole lot of history here.

[@katrice8063]

I live in Dallas 22 yrs ,but from Camden Arkansas, I actually go back often. It is a nice town

[@ondasens]

Much of the downfall of these small cities was Walmart etc

[@palu1996]

We’ll there’s plenty of towns like this in Texas too I’ve seen them as we travel there. I seen them al over the states as the country gets older you see this towns like this plenty. I live in Arkansas and I think is one of the prettiest states we know all the state and each place has its own charm with it’s little place of good delicious southern food, it just depends with what eyes you look them with, I guess I love Arkansas and I’m not even from here but have lived in this beautiful state for 47 years so practically all my life, is home now. thanks for your videos! I’ll be fallowing you.

[@chrisman3965]

Nice, Magnolia is my home town, born and raised there, graduated from SAU too. It's a pretty typical rural south small Arkansas town. Still have family there and go back a couple times a year. Really great to see you cruise around the square and give it a little love 😎. Subbed.

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Awesome! 😀

[@TinkerTailor4303]

It's funny how small towns all have the same look ... even the town squares.

[@chriskeen4886]

I'm from south Arkansas. Those are my people although I'm 50 now & I've been living close to Little Rock for the last 20yrs.

[@meagen1342]

I've lived in arkansas for 21 years, and there's still many towns I've never hears of

[@debrawood2972]

I live in NW AR and LOVE IT. I grew up in a suburb of Dallas. Came to Eureka Springs AR when I was 15 and fell in love. It's magical for me. I thank God for it everyday! Got some beautiful photos of a little spots of God’s glorious works of art!

[@catherinegay1404]

My husband & I live in the burbs between Dallas & Ft Worth. We are visiting Rogers next week...to see about moving there! We hope by October. We can't wait!

[@bjtolbert2499]

Some of tbe nicest people you will EVER meet in your life!

[@joshuahawley2264]

Magnolia actually has many beautiful, big homes and lovely neighborhoods to look at.

[@trishapeterman4801]

You are in my neck of the woods. Seen those streets many times. Try some more back roads, very beautiful.

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

My favorite places to visit.

[@katrice8063]

Mine too . Camden Arkansas

[@mikelogan629]

I did enjoy my stay in Hot Springs Arkansas during a work assignment, great little town inside a national park

[@Amber-tu2ol]

I live in Hot Springs Village it’s about 20 min from Hot Springs it’s a gated community but it’s amazing we have 13 lakes, community centers, a gulf course there’s so much to do here. We moved here from Las Vegas.

[@mistydobbs5067]

Life is slow simple. In rural Arkansas. Since you were wondering. It's a beautiful relatively safe place to live. I'm sure it's different from where you are. Picture those buildings falling apart as a story. Suddenly becomes interesting. Small towns die off and is sad.

[@nicolacruz3537]

thank you for taking me a ride， showing me this part of Arkansas！I m here with my screen on being able to visit this rural part without the heat and bright sun

[@radialwavellite5310]

The humidity! 🥵 Sometimes you can actually see it in the form of mist rising up from the ground.🤣🌡️

[@suedefringe]

I tell you , I got 8 years to retire. I would love to buy one of those properties and retire there. I bet the people are great down to earth salt of the earth types. 8 years.

[@shandelebroyles1099]

Wow, I'm at the top of the state and EVERYTHING is burnt up. This is one of the worst droughts I've seen and I'm in my 50's. Then at the bottom it's so beautiful, even if they don't keep it tidy. *Thanks for the QUICK tour.* Can't wait to see more.

[@slackjawedyokel1]

you should have been around for the summer of 1980

[@betsyj59]

It looked a lot tidier than areas of LA, San Francisco, Seattle, Portland, Chicago, St. Louis, Baltimore, and many, many other cities in the US.

[@kandycebeeks7056]

Not all Arkansas is “moonshining”. Great towns and great people here. The small towns are the best IMO

[@jeremiahallyn4603]

Exactly how it is in Kentucky, where I live. People think that idiotic stereotypes are what the whole state is like. When in reality, most of the people and places are awesome.

[@alexandrac9363]

Wow, my paternal grandparents grew up in Buckner and Magnolia. My grandma moved to Little Rock decades ago, Grandpa is still living in Buckner and it's actually really relaxing. People are so nice and personable and don't get me on the food there lol good times

[@robgregory7532]

Great people in Buckner and great food for sure.

[@SomeoneElsesStory]

I grew up in suburban Dallas (Allen and now Richardson) but went to school in small town Arkansas. So much love for all of these towns. I miss the slow pace and scenic views. People are nicer for sure.

[@coreychandler7526]

I've been in all of these towns in this video. I also grew up in a rural town near Texarkana. I'm not educated on the matter but it seems the interstates killed off alot of these rural towns. Industry moving out, transportation patterns changing, etc. And the people who could had to bail to chase a living.

[@likeablecloud2454]

All it does is move their job 30 minutes away... Not that hard to adapt to. I've lived with that my whole life... It's not that bad.

[@clintcoop5717]

@@likeablecloud2454 what jobs??

[@NikiReynolds_2swift]

Where I live there are only about 252 people. No stores, No nothing and I love it.

[@carriehoneycutt5849]

I also travelled the blues highway. Went on a 3000 mile back road trip on backroads.

[@palomarknotsandtatertots523]

Many of our small towns are like this. Old buildings, alot of them falling apart. Some communities have managed the old buildings well. Lots to see and do in arkansas that you won't find anywhere else.

[@j8218]

Chuck Dovish at PBS did a show for Arkansas Traveller, he really showed off our state's jewels well. All the best places to eat, play, sight seeing tours, etc. Born and raised here all my life and still not seen all there is to see or do all there is to do. Ya'll come back now real soon, ya hear!

[@elenagill3053]

Arkansas is very beautiful - lush greenery, lakes, mild change of seasons... The richest families of the world also live in Arkansas (not in Waldo, of course...) - Walton, Tyson, J.B. Hunt...(The crazy expansion of DOLLAR GENERAL is quite understandable, actually all over the USA !). NWA (North West Arkansas) for several years was officially recognized as the "BEST PLACE to live", "to retire", "to start a business" . RED state totally, nevertheless Bill Clinton, being from Hope, AR (the watermelon capital of the USA !), used to be quite successful couple decades ago...

[@preciouschildvenneciaparle1863]

Yes I move from N.Y. to Arkansas many years now and when we go back visiting. We don't stay long ,we just love our quiet place in the country. You can not get this in the big cities. I know born and rises in Bklyn New York . Loving it

[@KC-dr3cg]

My fiance had a broken arm in Hope Arkansas and they didn't have a way to set his bone they didn't know how so they told him to take a few aspirin and go to Arkadelphia the next day

[@geraldcroft9020]

My wife went to school with JB Hunt daughter which means she’s in her late 60s

[@victorervin8894]

WaldoI is the ghetto so call niggro's ghetto just means where the Jews dwell

[@sueannstewart5821]

These little towns suffered a long painful death.If we could turn back the hands of time! Raised in a small Arkansas town,that now looks like these,heartbreaking!

[@melaniecolten5494]

My little piece of Heaven on earth! Lafayette County Arkansas!! Stamps Proud!!

[@tomcat8983]

Enjoying your videos! Lewisville, Stamps, Waldo, Magnolia and surrounding areas used to be my stomping grounds for 9 years as I was a gas meter reader based out of Magnolia. I live in El Dorado Arkansas. I don't remember the name of the little take-out place in Waldo, the one with the cow on top, but they have really good burgers if you're back through again. Also Burge's in Lewisville has great BBQ. Thank you for your videos, they brought back some memories. Hope you and your wife have safe travels!

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Thank you, Tom!

[@richardmartinez9725]

It's 2022 now .. I was born and raised in central California?. I've been here in Arkansas for a year now... There's rain here + I just counted 125 lightning strikes in a 2:19 two minutes and nineteen second span of time from a storm a few miles from me . Something bad is going on out west to bring the drought on like that... There's not that many people out here either.... Ssshhh...mum's the word...

[@dermottmcsorley8641]

Thanks,beautiful film,delibertly getting lost has been an amusement of mine.

[@michelleflahive-lefebvre3840]

Thank you for this video. My grandparents lived out of town north of Waldo. We spent our summers there from 1979 to 1984...that place were the cow on the roof was...used to be the local ice cream shop. Stamps is where Maya Angelo is from. And Magnolia is a college town. Southern Arkansas University (SAU)

[@marymcbride9134]

I'm from Northwest Arkansas,and my dad,uncles used to make moonshine,they called it Mountain Dew!!I've alway's wondered if mountain dew pop got that name from moonshiners!!Old song with lyrics that good ol'e mountain dew.

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

I bet it was good!

[@UnicornDreamsPastelSkies]

That would be a yes, with moonshine itself being old Scot/Irish slang for homemade whiskey. The soda pop was created in Tennessee, then bought by a Virginia-based company, who made and sold it until 1964 when PepsiCo bought them out and made Mountain Dew a nationwide thing at that point (and five years later got the youthful, outdoorsy brand image it has more or less has had since).

[@divatz78]

That's that country life 👩🏽‍🌾 I drive through these places to work in Magnolia

[@joycelebaron2582]

I'm reading Paul Theroux's "Deep South" as we speak. Much of his time was spent in The Delta in Arkansas and Mississippi, and also Alabama and Georgia. But many of the towns where he travelled he met hopeful people with can-do attitudes and ideas. This book was written in 2013 and some towns (from my Google Street View) look better and some don't. These towns in your video look hopeless. It kind of minded me of South Dakota where I rode around in the '90s, a bit after the first of the farm crises.

[@marktwaine9344]

Nature just retaking what was once hers, what was always hers.....

[@laurenlee7416]

the town i live in looks like this. the last couple of years people have been restoring the old historical building and turning them into stuff mostly mom and pop shops and places to eat theres one being turned into a gym and the old jail is being turned into are towns bikers clubhouse. i love seeing this town come back to life and i hope it continues to grow. i hope other towns in arkansas get the chance to reopen all the old building as well.

[@marilynbarker8255]

Fun to see these rural towns! Thank you for the ride

[@danielmoore62]

I wish Small town America was still thriving.

[@denisestarr2314]

I live off grid in the Ouachitas. I love arkanasa .

[@ratpackaudio]

We thoroughly enjoyed the video. My boys (11 and 6) are watching it now. Having a few laughs as a few of your comments. We liked the first neighborhood you looked at in Magnolia. It was one of the worst! LOL. I echo many of the comments made. My family came here from Georgia in 1860 and has been in Columbia County ever since. Wish you would have driving past the college, Southern Arkansas University. it's the pearl. Beautiful campus and provides the area with a ton of activities. You should have stopped at Burge's in Lewisville for a turkey sandwich! My 87 year old grandmother is the minister at the FUMC in Stamps. Most people that live here are just so connected to the area we don't see a lot of things like visitors would. Thanks again for the video. It was a fun watch.

[@HIAHomelessInAmerica]

Thanks for sharing this 🙏

[@joshsouthh]

If you two are ever back in North Little Rock, take a visit to Emerald Park. It’s basically a giant bluff overlooking the river and most of downtown. It’s a very special place to have right in the middle of a city. Enjoying your videos!

[@bethwhiting3729]

lol i love Emerald Park. I used to go there to look down and see what message people had written in rocks. Last time I was there it was 2001 and it said F Bin Laden! lol love my State!

[@tigressdivaroar9700]

Magnolia is a small college town. Up the road a bit is Camden & Fairview Arkansas. El Dorado is a little bit larger. Those areas are rich with Southern history.

[@katrice8063]

I grew up in Fairview across the street from the old high school

[@tattootony73hurrell78]

I've lived in Arkansas my entire life . Definitely some moonshine going on 😎

[@gerryhemmer1573]

I farmed at Magazine and the small community just a couple of miles south of us was well known for its moonshine production. Knew a few of them personally and some of it was rocking good!!!

[@carriehoneycutt5849]

I drive all over the country looking at these little places. Wondering what it was like. Thank you. ❤️

[@karenkelley7907]

Check out the Cleveland County Seat- Rison! I was born there at the hospital only because my Mother was a surgical scrub Nurse and RN there. They made her leave the Operating Room (1962) to give birth to me! Wow! Love you Mom!

[@bethstuckeymclain5718]

I’m from New Edinburg, have family in Rison.

[@enochrry6024]

No moonshine sir..only bootleggers..The city on down the road on hwy82 east=Magnolia just became wet(legal)a few yes ago .It's illegal to sell alcohol on sundays in Arkansas..Most people in South Arkansas go through Louisville on hwy 29 headed to Shreveport,LA. to shop and to the casinos..And Texarkana which is an hour away to both cities,south arkansas is a timber wood area..Yes dollar general are everywhere,many of those small towns have been abandoned by family and houses still standind(barley standing)..Up Hwy79 north is Camden,father east on hwy82 is Eldorado.

[@nancyg8154]

In the Magnolia square you past by my cousin’s flower shop. The neighborhood looks just the same as they ever was. Further up the road is a little spot in the road called Stephens, where my daddy is from. Lots of old buildings there downtown town still in use.

[@robbyb1107]

People don’t realize it’s so poor because there’s typically one or two families that own 75% of the real estate in rural counties.

[@flusterkluckfarms_1]

Facts

[@clintcoop5717]

The churches own most of everything and buy up permits not allowing alot of businesses from opening up as well that's what I've found out in the year living in Arkansas the only good spot is NW Arkansas for any kind of real opportunity etc...Bunch of crooks that pretend to be ritious 💯

[@katrice8063]

I was born and raised in Camden Arkansas, so I’ve been to all those small towns. I’ve called Dallas home for 22 yrs now. I’ve always lived Off Grenville ave or uptown because I grew up in the country,but longed for city lights . I love going back to Arkansas to visit. Camden is just a 4 hr drive, however I wouldn’t trade city living.

[@daviddecelles8714]

I can dare to say with complete confidence that, but for your hospitable tour via this video, I would have never visited in my lifetime the likes of Waldo, Lewisville [spelt correctly?], Stamps and Magnolia, Arkansas. An enjoyable adventure.

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Thanks, David! :)

[@SB19_Pablo_ATin]

I really love to live there...

[@JBDRLSOARK]

It's almost like you expect to see Bonnie & Clyde coming down the road any minute. I was born and grew up in South Arkansas and don't care to live anywhere else, although I have lived in Dallas and other cities and thanks to the US Army i've been around the world. But it''s the Dirt Roads that turn me on.

[@edwardwebster8427]

I agree with you!! Love the south and all the Field's corn,wheat,cotton and so on every summer. And all the Stream,Pond's and River's love it the Wildlife too!!!

[@arthurgearheard4701]

Bonnie and Clyde weren't killed too far from South Arkansas in Bienville Parish in Louisiana!

[@CM-ve1bz]

@@arthurgearheard4701 All of the 1920s big time gangsters used to come to Hot Springs Ar to party, gamble and soak in the water . There was an agreed truce for no violence there. It was a time when it was one of the hottest towns in the country.

[@joshuaisaiah6412]

Everything about south culture the hospitality of people the outdoor life is just want the soul needs. Move from Tennessee to Las Vegas and I’m ready to move back to south preferably Arkansas where is some good towns to move???

[@rtre870]

Fun facts: Maya Angelou grew up in Stamps, AR. The 2nd biggest slavery plantation in Arkansas was also located around what is now Bradley, AR, & was originally a part of Hempstead County before they annexed during the post-civil war era. That stretch of highway between Garland City & Stephens is culturally considered Lower Arkansas. Strong cultural ties to Louisiana since they are so close to the border.

[@libbylife7161]

I live in NWA. Love it. Though there are rough places in Arkansas, no work...

[@philipstory770]

Magnolia is a beautiful town with Southern Arkansas University on the north side. Hope you enjoyed your stay!

[@arkomausa]

You missed Garland City! Pop about 190, and about 12 miles east of Lewisville on US 82, west side of the Red River. I saw my local pharmacy on your video though, People's Drug on the triangle in Stamps (shout out to Copie and Lauren and the rest of the staff)

[@bkfromthebay4171]

I live just outside of littlerock in a small town where my family grew up I myself came from California and I love it here I wouldn't live anywhere else people here are friendly

[@janieyoung8987]

Love these little towns.

[@MattGrimmett]

I spent much of my childhood in Magnolia. My family roots are from Waldo and Stamps. Thanks for this. Magnolia offers a few more opportunities but the area is in major decline. Most of my family moved to NW Arkansas. And my uncle, born in Magnolia, became the VP of Walmart pharmacy--based out of Bentonville.

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

We did a video of Bentonville. Beautiful small city.

[@odawgisboss1486]

I grew up in mtn home now I live in heber springs which are north central. Peaceful area with the lakes, mountains, cliffs, and rivers. Should def check it out

[@kellyharvin3897]

As a current resident of Lewisville and a former resident of Stamps, moonshine is still a thing here, but drugs is what has really overtaken here. Not only these towns, but the county and even the state as a whole.

[@traveltimes4109]

Great video, love to see these small southern towns, fascinating is right👍🏻

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Thank you, Elaine. 😀

[@katiebraden1223]

I was born and live in Southwest Arkansas. I have always loved the country areas here. I live in Deann, just outside of Hope. Just farms and country dirt roads here. Its heaven to me.

[@marktwaine9344]

when private farms died.... so did the towns....Ag. was king in the rural South....

[@johnphillips716]

I once traveled a lot in sales in southern Arkansas .It is a different lifestyle from Texarkana and Little Rock,Stores like Dollar General and Walmart sucked the retail life away as smaller stores cannot compete against big volume buying and pricing. Stores and towns just dried up.

[@ameliarhodes5000]

Wow. Traffic lights that were not even taken down. One replaced with a stop sign, the other one not. What a story. There was a time when the town was busy enough that they said we need stoplights. That's interesting enough. But then came a time when at a town meeting someone stood up and said, "do we really need those stop lights?" And they turned them off!

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Fascinating! Thank you for sharing that. :)

[@zegotashalom3881]

Wonder what is great in these small towns, quiet, peaceful and no darn tourists.

[@mariawaugh-clayton7978]

You like to keep it quiet. Smells like poverty and incest to me. Shameful.

[@clintcoop5717]

No jobs either

[@wtsdms7998]

You may not get rich in money living small town life, but life itself is rich living in peace and happiness. You can’t beat the sense community either.

[@reb1050]

I was raised in Magnolia and lived in Waldo for a short time right after marrying my 2nd. wife. I am well familiar with all the places you drove through and recognized many of them. On the square in Magnolia, you passed business called Southern Caregivers. That was once a pharmacy called "Longino, Goode, and Lyle". My father was one of the owners and was a pharmacist there until he died in 1957. I worked there from the time I was 14 until I was 18. It was then my mother sold her share of the business since neither my brother or I wanted to become pharmacist. The population hasn't changed much since I lived there. The first area you drove thorough was one the south west side and that is mostly black and lower income neighborhoods. The upper income neighborhoods were all in the northern side of Magnolia, towards the college (Southern Arkansas University) When I attended there, it was Southern State College (Go Muleriders!) And yes, their mascot is a mule. Magnolia is actually a rich town. There is a lot of money in that town, mostly coming from the oil production. There's numerous oil wells east and south or Magnolia.

[@reb1050]

I forgot to mention something. Just east of Waldo is an even smaller town/community called McNeil. It only has a population of between 300 and 400 now but back in the 60's, I think it had around 600. Back in the 60's, there was a Bank of Waldo, and it had a branch bank in McNeil. Some young man robbed the branch back, then went to the main bank there in Waldo to pay off his car loan. He was caught because he took the cash out of the bag of money he got from the bank in McNeil and it had "Bank of Waldo" stamped on it. Also, just outside McNeil is Logoly State Park (Google it). That area was bought by the families the three owners of the pharmacy I previously mentioned above...Longino, Goode, and Lyle. They took the first 2 letters of each name and named it Logoly and leased it to the Boy Scouts as a Boy Scout Camp. Once the Boy Scouts moved to a different location in 1967, it was later sold to the state and converted into a State Park. Back during the early 1900, that area was called Magnesia Springs because of the mineral water springs there. It also had a couple of hotels for visitors to the springs.

[@bellapawcarelive7561]

thanks for making these videos, i love road trips but with so many kids and pets i cant go too far.

[@bthomson]

Yes! We all get to go with Lord!

[@stevewoods8116]

Looks Peaceful!!!!

[@markwilliams2377]

Arkansas is beautiful

[@radamson1]

I have traveled thousands and thousands of miles on my HD touring bikes. I never traveled on the internet if I could keep from it. In all of those thousand of backroad miles I traveled, I discovered that scenes like those in this video are not uncommon in any rural area in the country. The people in these situations are really great and friendly people if you give them a chance. A large majority of them would rather die than move to a city.

[@dill0156]

Born and raised in Waldo Arkansas haha I attended the school there from kindergarten to 1st grade until the school shut down and we merged with the town of magnolias schools

[@pattyhufstedler5679]

I think most of the moonshine is made in the hills in Arkansas.

[@radialwavellite5310]

Mt.Veiw

[@dallasstoneyful]

Go to my home town Smackover AR. It’s over an hour from an interstate closer to Monroe Louisiana than Little Rock. I have been in Dallas for 20 years and every time I go back to Smackover to see family it’s mind blowing the condition of the town

[@JoeandNicsRoadTrip]

Sounds interesting. I'll put it on the list.

[@katrice8063]

I’ve been in Dallas 22yrs , but my hometown is Camden Arkansas

[@dallasstoneyful]

@@katrice8063 The last job I had in ARK before coming to Dallas was driving a dump truck in Camden cleaning up the old paper mill. Also went to kindergarten in Camden.

[@nancyp7017]

Iam from a small town Hamburg Arkansas, lam about to retire and move back there. The older people there know how to make it through any life changes.

[@thebenefactor6744]

I kept expecting to see a couple of walkers stumbling out of the side streets, in those shots of his side view mirror.

[@brendajlewis07]

I'm originally from Arkansas. It's a beautiful state and will always be my home. Unfortunately, there is not much opportunity for career growth. There is also a very noticeable drug problem and growing homeless situation (nothing compared to larger cities). There are a few areas throughout the state that are known for racism (don't go to Harrison). Also, very rough parts of Pine Bluff and Little Rock. Northwest AR has the most opportunity. The cost of living is great compared to other states.

[@arthurgearheard4701]

Northwest Arkansas IS the best area in the state!

[@radialwavellite5310]

🤣yep!

[@MikeNaples]

Interesting you say that about opportunity. Years ago when I lived in Arkansas the state slogan was "The Land of Opportunity". Not sure why but it's since been changed to the "The Natural State." In those days I would argue there was ample opportunity. My parents in law bought a nice home in a nice neighborhood bordering a national forest in Hot Springs for ~$5,000 (1960's but still a bargain). A few years later I attended the University of Arkansas where tuition was $200/semester for as many courses as you could stand. Work was plentiful and even with low wages most of us could afford tuition and basic living expenses without borrowing. I have mostly fond memories of Arkansas and would still be there if not for those dreary winters.

[@donaldmilhoan6379]

I have never been to Arkansas very interesting

[@mr.everything9120]

Very nice and beautiful.

[@James4Davis]

You should come to Harrison. You'd love it!

[@gerryhemmer1573]

Not to knock Harrison, but Jasper in Newton County is where it's all at. Just google the possibilities. The first national river runs thru' it with great paddling year round, great hiking trails, beautiful scenery and so much more to enjoy.

[@Walkercolt1]

Hey, go up around on both sides of Mount Magazine. My Daddy grew-up on the Paris side, Momma grew-up on the Danville side (Belleville) and on the "Danville" (south) side along Number 7 highway, you'll find RURAL, ARKANSAW (as it was spelled when THEY were in school!). Get off #7 at Belleville and follow the cow-path about 8 miles, and you'll get to where my Momma was born and raised-better take 4WDR and GO SLOW, and DON'T TRY if it's rained with-in a week (or two). You can bury a wagon and two mules up to their bellies in mud on that "road". You can do two things down there. Raise kids and grow PO'. Pawpaw had sense enough just to get two, or they'd have starved before comin' out to Tulsa in 1941. I've never spent any time over in the Delta Country.