8 Weird Landmarks in Arkansas You Should Visit

Thedailymiaminews– Arkansas is one of the most unusual states in America, and it boasts some unusual landmarks. Of course, “strangest” is a subjective term, but Arkansas is interesting because of the Ozark highlands, Southern art, abandoned mines, and actual and imagined monsters. All of those characteristics are practically magnified by monuments that serve as reminders to both inhabitants and visitors of the reasons why the Natural State has such an extraordinary reputation. Go to the following attractions in Arkansas to either have your stereotypes confirmed or completely broken by the unique weirdness of these places.

Murfreesboro’s Crater of Diamonds State Park

Crater of Diamonds State Park is the only place in the world where ordinary people can search for diamonds in their natural volcanic source. The park is an ancient volcanic crater. Anyone can bring a bucket and shovel to this 37-acre site, which was purchased by the state in 1972, and mine for rare gems for a modest price. However, the fact that visitors are allowed to keep whatever they discover is what truly distinguishes Crater of Diamonds from other state mines, and the items they uncover can be extremely valuable. A 7.46-carat chocolate-colored diamond was discovered by a French tourist just last year. A resident of Arkansas caught a 9.07-carat brown monster in 2020. In 1924, long before Crater of Diamonds was a state park, it produced a 40.23-carat monster called “Uncle Sam.” Uncle Sam sold the largest diamond ever discovered in the United States for about a million dollars, taking inflation into account.

There are walking routes, picnic areas, campsites, a gift shop, and even a water park surrounding the wealthy crater.

Fouke Monster Mart

Fouke became well-known in the 1970s because of a creature that resembled Bigfoot. This cryptid, which is also known as the Fouke Monster, Boggy Creek Monster, and Swamp Stalker, frightened the people who lived nearby (maybe merely in their imaginations) and captivated Americans across the country, who made the monster famous by featuring it in their newspapers and movies, with The Legend of Boggy Creek being the most well-known. Fouke continues to evoke terror and intrigue, not just through the occasional monster sighting but also through Monster Mart, a convenience store, museum, and souvenir shop where you can purchase Fouke Monster shirts, look at Fouke Monster artifacts, and take pictures with Fouke Monster statues. You can even go to the Fouke Monster Festival in April.

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Rush Ghost Town – Rush

Rush is a mining facility that is no longer in operation. Some people say it is stranger than the Crater of Diamonds. Tourists can see the remains of an entire town that used to support the zinc industry instead of brilliant gems. After zinc was discovered at Rush Creek, a tributary of the Buffalo River, in the 1880s, it became one of the largest mining towns in Arkansas. It reached its height during World War I. Rush, like many settlements that only serve one industry, ceased to exist after World War II when the zinc rush came to an end. Today, the Rush Historic District and a section of the Buffalo National River are home to over 1,300 acres of industrial ruins that have been conserved.

Search for the older ghosts to the northwest of Rush, close to Lead Hill, where the remnants of another grandiose effort can still be found. The Ozark Medieval Fortress was intended to look like a French castle from the 13th century, but it has now become a warning about the dangers of inadequate funding and a place that is good for taking pictures.

Glory Hole Falls – Ozone

Get down on your knees in front of this beautiful waterfall, which is located deep within the Ozark National Forest. Glory Hole Falls pours through a rock instead of cascading over it. Water falls around 30 feet through a hole in an overhanging cliff, creating a spotlight effect that looks like it is lighting down from heaven. In the winter, the frozen river looks like an icy hand from God.

Glory Hole Falls is located in a harsh, secluded area and is surrounded by other unusual things, both natural and man-made. The Arkansas Sphinx, Arkansas Grand Canyon, and Grumpy’s Burger Barn are all included. The last one, Grumpy’s Burger Barn, is located in the little community of Ozone, where it provides a gloomy experience for tourists.

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Bentonville’s Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art

Bentonville, a community in the Ozarks with a population of just over 50,000, is home to one of the most extravagant art museums in the United States. The Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art is located on 134 acres of land and features spring-fed ponds, pavilion galleries, five miles of walking trails dotted with sculptures (including a spider called Maman that is almost 30 feet tall), and glass-enclosed bridges constructed by the famous architect Moshe Safdie. However, Bentonville has more than one museum that will surprise you. The Walmart Museum is located on Main Street and is a beautiful preservation of Sam Walton’s original 5&10 store, even though it may seem like an oxymoron. The museum and its exhibits, including Mr. Sam the Hologram, are now being renovated. In the meantime, they are being stored in the Heritage Lab, which is located a few blocks away.

Fifty-Six Blanchard Springs Caverns

Blanchard Springs Caverns is a three-story underground formation that is called a “living cave” since it is always busy. Human spelunkers are fascinated by bats, salamanders, spiders, crickets, frogs, millipedes, stalactites, stalagmites, and flowstones. They can choose from three different routes: Dripstone Trail, Discovery Trail, and Wild Cave Tour. As you might expect, the last route is the most difficult. Spelunkers should be in good shape and wear athletic boots that they don’t mind getting dirty. However, they do not need to change their clothing because the cave’s temperature remains at 58 degrees throughout the year.

There are camping, fishing and swimming spots, and the mirrored Mirror Lake Waterfall outside of the cave. Fifty-Six is located outside of the outer cave complex. It is one of the most distinctively named municipalities in the United States, and it got its name from the school district it is in.

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Eureka Springs – Christ of the Ozarks

Eureka Springs is home to a number of unusual landmarks. This small city in the Ozarks has a see-through church called Thorncrown Chapel, an inside-out house called Quigley’s Castle, a historic hotel called the 1886 Crescent Hotel & Spa that is said to be haunted, a monolith shaped like an anvil called Pivot Rock, a real piece of the Berlin Wall, and an outdoor amphitheater that hosts The Great Passion Play. Of all the “holy moly!” anomalies, the most holy is Christ of the Ozarks, a 67-foot tribute to Rio de Janeiro’s Christ the Redeemer located in Arkansas. It draws you in with open arms at the top of Magnetic Mountain.

Little Rock Central High School, located in Little Rock

Little Rock Central High School, which seemed like an ordinary school from the outside, was one of the most unusual battlegrounds of the Civil Rights Movement. In 1957, the governor of Arkansas, the National Guard, and a furious group of white people stopped nine talented Black youngsters from entering an institution that only allowed white people. President Dwight D. Eisenhower sent the 101st Airborne and the Arkansas National Guard to escort the “Little Rock Nine” because racial segregation in public schools was considered unlawful. The black pupils were able to successfully integrate Little Rock Central High School, but it required the help of the army. It is the only working high school in the United States that is located within a National Historic Site. It is now part of a historic complex that includes a visitor center and guided tours.

If you ever forget how wonderfully odd Arkansas is, there are lots of large reminders to help you remember. Crater of Diamonds State Park, Monster Mart, Rush Ghost Town, Glory Hole Falls, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Blanchard Springs Caverns, Christ of the Ozarks, and Little Rock Central High School are the most significant attractions, whether in terms of size, interest, or both. Which of those landmarks will you put on your calendar?

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