1) Bald Knob (White County). According to Bald Knob native and current part-time resident, Floyd E. Brown (a.k.a. my dad), the town was named for a large rock outcropping that was about an acre in size. Native American tribes used the area as a campground during hunting trips in the White River Valley. The “bald knob” continued to be a local landmark until it was quarried and used in the construction of the Missouri Pacific Railroad. The community was known for years as Shady Grove, but in 1873 Benjamin Franklin Brown (my third great uncle and one of the town’s founding fathers) placed a sign in honor of the old geological landmark at the railroad depot and the community became known as Bald Knob.
2) Toad Suck (Perry County). Toad Suck is also the name of a former ferry, a lock and dam, a park, several businesses, and a popular yearly festival in nearby Conway. According to local legend, there was a tavern near the lock and dam on the Arkansas River. The riverboat men would gather in the tavern and suck on bottles of alcohol until they swelled up like toads. Other versions of the name’s story include that Toad Suck is a corruption of a French phrase meaning a narrow channel in the river.
3) Smackover (Union County). Incorporated in 1923, Smackover is best known for the Smackover Oil Field, which was discovered in April 1922. Many years before the town became official and “black gold” was found, French settlers visiting the area in 1686 called this area Sumac Couvert, which means "covered in sumac bushes." Sumac is a shrub that can reach a height of 3-33 feet and was used as a spice and a dye and in medicines. Like many French names in Arkansas, it was anglicized by English-speaking settlers of the 19th century and became Smackover.
4) Ink (Polk County). These days Ink is barely a wide spot in AR Highway 88, but at one time it was a bustling little community. So much so that the citizens felt it warranted a post office. The story goes that when the townsfolk were completing the federal government application for the establishment of a post office, they interpreted the instruction of "Please write in ink" literally and entered the name Ink. Befuddled postal officials approved the suggestion, and the post office and community became known as Ink.
There’s also Possum Grape, Snowball, Booger Hollow, Weiner and many more — so many I could write a small book. But I’ll end this column now and take a moment to chuckle at the story of Ink. I just love that tale!
A proud sixth-generation Arkansan, Darrell W. Brown is a lover of all things Arkansas. He served several years with the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism, and worked in all three divisions. He lives in Saline County with his wife and two beloved Boston Terriers. You can contact him with your comments, questions, and story ideas at AllAroundArkansas@Yahoo.com.
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