All Around Arkansas: The Roundtop Filling Station

 

            There are so many places and buildings in the Natural State that are near to my heart. I’ve always loved the Arkansas State Capitol, the Old State House, Ray Winder Field (which I’ll cover in a future column), Pinnacle Mountain State Park and several others. But there is no building in Arkansas more special to me than the one-of-a-kind old gas station at the southern edge of my hometown of Sherwood — the Roundtop Filling Station.

             The Roundtop Filling Station on US Highway 67 — in what was then North Little Rock — was built in 1936 for the Pierce Oil Co. by the Justin Matthews Co. It is believed the structure was designed by Matthews’s company architect, Frank Carmean. Pierce wanted a station that would attract the attention of passing motorists, so Carmean came up with a design that included a conical-shaped roof with bright red shingles and a weather vane. Throughout the years, many people have described the Roundtop as something out of a fairy tale due to its unique appearance.

             Wallace “Happy” Williford, a senior at Jacksonville High School and employee at another Pierce-owned station in Jacksonville, was asked by the company to operate the new service station. Because he was still a student, Williford paid men to operate the station for him during school hours. He said it was hard to find men who would work for only $3.50 a week.

             For rent, Pierce charged Williford 2 cents per gallon of gas sold. At first, the station had no electric gas pumps, and Williford and his employees had to hand-pump the gas. By 1957, Williford had saved enough money to buy the station for $8,000.

             According to one of Williford’s daughters, her dad would tell stories of how several rockabilly stars would often visit the Roundtop while traveling Highway 67, including Arkansans Johnny Cash, Conway Twitty (who at the time went by his birth name Harold Jenkins) and Sonny Burgess and the Pacers. Williford also said the filling station was a popular hangout for prominent Arkansas politicians such as Arkansas governors Sid McMath and Orval Faubus. The Roundtop was also famous for being the only gas station between Little Rock and St. Louis to have free public restrooms.

             The Roundtop sported many brands throughout its life. It became a Sinclair station around 1940 after the Sinclair Oil Co. bought Pierce Oil. In the early 1950s, Sinclair sold many of its Arkansas stations, including the Roundtop, to the Phillips Petroleum Co., and the station became a Phillips 66-branded station. In the 1970s, it became a DX-branded station and eventually closed in 1981.

             In 1989, Williford put the Roundup up for auction. The winning bidder was North Little Rock businessman George Brown, who planned to renovate the dilapidated building. But Brown died before work began, and in 1999, his heirs donated the station to the city of Sherwood, which had annexed the area in 1975.

             For years, the landmark sat abandoned and was the victim of vandalism and theft. The structure was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2008, and in 2010, the Roundtop was featured in “The Last Ride,” a film about the last days of Hank Williams Sr.

             In May 2013, Historic Preservation Alliance of Arkansas named the Roundtop an endangered historic structure. Soon afterward, Sherwood Mayor Virginia Young asked yours truly to lead an effort to save the building.

             In June 2013, Sherwood received a $50,000 historic preservation grant from the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program (AHPP) for the Roundtop's rehabilitation. Private donors and the city provided the matching money for the grant. Taggart Architects of North Little Rock prepared plans for the building’s rehabilitation and PDC Construction of Little Rock was hired as the general contractor.

             The first phase of the project began in April 2014 and consisted of securing and stabilizing the building; replacing almost all the building's studs, which had been damaged by termites; replacing the concrete floors; and installing a new roof. In July 2014, the AHPP awarded the city a second grant of $78,000 to complete the rehabilitation.

             In November 2014, a fire damaged the building’s exterior. The second phase of the project was completed the following January, and the old filling station is now used by the Sherwood Police Department as its Southside Substation. The station’s interior is decorated with antique soda and oil advertising signs and other memorabilia donated by my father, Floyd E. Brown.

             Should you ever want to experience a bit of nostalgia, put on your Johnny Cash playlist and take a drive to the end of Trammel Road in Sherwood. Fortunately, while the gas pumps and low prices are long gone, the many memories of a simpler time remain.

             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, Amy, and two beloved Boston Terriers. Find him on Facebook and Instagram at AllAroundArkansas.

All Around Arkansas: The Little Rock of Little Rock

 

             When you work the front desk of a history museum in downtown Little Rock, you get a lot of the same questions from tourists, who ask about the best place to eat downtown or whether Bill Clinton visits very much.

             But more often than not, I'd get this one: "Is there really a little rock in Little Rock?”

             Many times I wanted to say, "Why of course there’s a little rock in Little Rock; in fact, you stepped on several in the parking lot!”

             But that wouldn't be the hospitable, Arkansas thing to do. So I would always tell them the legendary tale of the Little Rock, or as the French called it, La Petit Roche.

             The story goes that in April 1722, French explorer Jean-Baptiste Bérnard de la Harpe was traveling up the Arkansas River looking for a large rock bluff that was made of pure emerald — an amazing geological wonder told to him by the Quapaw Indians he encountered along his journey.

             La Harpe and his party found the large bluff, but of course it was not made of emerald. He noted in his journal that the mostly sandstone bluff was home to a large waterfall and several slate quarries.

             La Harpe named this point “Le Rocher Français” (“The French Rock”) and took official possession in the name of France on April 9 by carving the King of France’s coat of arms on a tree at the top of the bluff. Today, that large rock formation in North Little Rock is known as Big Rock and is home to the Fort Logan Roots VA Complex, the University of Arkansas-Pulaski Technical College and beautiful Emerald Park (I wonder how it got its name).

             Coming back downstream, and surely disappointed, la Harpe noticed on the river’s south bank a smaller rock bluff — also not made of emerald — which he called la Petit Roche, or "the little rock." The name first appeared on maps around 1799.

             La Harpe and his party explored the Arkansas River all the way to near present-day Morrilton, but turned around in May 1722 due to illness and supply problems, heading back to the Gulf of Mexico near Biloxi, Mississippi. In December 1722, the French king sent La Harpe to oversee the transfer of Pensacola, in Florida, from the French to the Spanish. Once he completed his assignment in 1723, La Harpe returned to France and died there in September 1765.

             One can visit the same little rock that La Harpe spotted some 300 years ago but it’s a bit smaller. In December 1833, the Little Rock Junction Railway Co. began construction on a railroad bridge, now known as the Junction Bridge, that required part of the little rock to be blasted away. A 4,700-pound chunk of the little rock was taken and displayed with a bronze plaque in front of Little Rock’s city hall for many years, but it's since been returned to a site near the actual little rock.

             In 2010, the city of Little Rock created the La Petite Roche Plaza in Riverfront Park to interpret the city’s history and showcase the bluff that gave the city its unusual name. The city is now planning several celebrations and activities to commemorate the 300th anniversary of la Harpe’s discovery of its namesake.

             So yes, there are many little rocks in Little Rock. But as far as we historians are concerned, there’s only one true little rock — la Petit Roche.

             A 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, Amy, and two beloved Boston Terriers. Find him on Facebook and Instagram at AllAroundArkansas.

All Around Arkansas: The Legend of Petit Jean

 

            We have some amazing state parks here in the Natural State. And of course I have my favorites: Pinnacle Mountain, Mount Magazine, Devil’s Den and Petit Jean.

             To me, Petit Jean State Park near Morrilton is our most beautiful, and it has sentimental meaning: My paternal grandfather, Bud Brown, helped build the park as part of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in the 1930s.

             If you’ve ever been to Petit Jean, you’ve probably seen the “gravesite” of the park’s namesake, Petit Jean, or "Little John." But who is Little John and how did "he" rank getting a mountain and a state park named for him? There are a few explanations, and I’ll let you be the judge.

             The most popular tale is that in the 1700s a young Frenchman named Chavet asked the King of France to be part of an exploration of the Louisiana Territory and for a grant to claim part of the land. The king granted Chavet’s request.

             Chavet was engaged to a young lady named Adrienne. When Chavet told her of his plans, she asked that they be married immediately so she could join him on the trip. But he refused her request, and told her that when he returned, the two would marry and travel back to the New World.

             Unsatisfied, Adrienne disguised herself as a cabin boy named Jean and applied for a position on her fiancé's boat. She must have had a convincing disguise, because even Chavet didn't recognize her. The crew gave her the nickname of Petit Jean.

             The ship eventually made its way up the Arkansas River to the foot of a large mountain, where it was greeted by local Native Americans. But before the ship was to set sail for France, Petit Jean became ill, suffering from fever, convulsions, delirium and finally a coma.

             Petit Jean's true identity was discovered during her illness, and she confessed her con to Chavet, who forgave her just before she died. The Native Americans built a stretcher and carried her up the mountain and buried her in a grave overlooking the Arkansas River. Many years later, a low mound of dirt was found at the point now referred to as Petit Jean's Grave.

             Another tale is that in the early 1800s, Petit Jean Mountain was known as Impassable Mountain because it blocked passage along the west bank of the river during periods of low water. John Walker, a French pioneer and veteran of the War of 1812, obtained a grant of acreage in the newly acquired Louisiana Territory as part of his military service.

             When Walker filed the petition to buy the mountaintop land, he identified himself as John Walker of Petit Jean Mountain. He was granted the land, and in 1844, when the maps were redrawn, the Impassable Mountain had been renamed Petit Jean Mountain, possibly at John "Petit John" Walker's request.

             Finally, there’s the story that the popularly told tale about Chavet and Adrienne was created in the early 1900s by the William C. Stout Family, who owned two hotels on the mountain. They advertised their resort hotels as romantic places for newlyweds and completely made up the Petit Jean story as a promotional tool.

             In order to lend some credibility to the tale, Stout paid three men in 1912 to go to the mountaintop, break up some rocks, and pile them into a cairn to create the grave of Petit Jean.

             Personally, I know which story I want to believe, but I also know which story is probably true. But I'll let you, dear reader, make up your own mind.

             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, Amy, and two beloved Boston Terriers. Find him on Facebook and Instagram at AllAroundArkansas.

All Around Arkansas: Brownsville, Arkansas

 

                I’ve had many jobs in my life: political aide, high school government teacher, living historian, state park visitor center manager and, believe it or not, pastor of a small Southern Baptist church in Lonoke County.

             The church’s name was Brownsville Baptist Church and the joke was that the members loved me so much they named the church after me. While the congregation did love me (at least I think they did), the church wasn’t named after me, rather the town that once existed where the church stands today.

             The community of Brownsville is just a couple of miles north of Lonoke (which was named after a lone oak tree — we’ll get to that someday) and at one time was the county seat of Prairie County. The town was named for Major Jacob Brown of Little Rock (no relation), who was one of the first American casualties of the Mexican-American War.

             Brownsville was located on a federally constructed road that connected Little Rock to Memphis and later a major railroad, The Memphis and Little Rock Railroad. After the road’s completion in 1824, more settlers began moving to the area. A wooden building used as a courthouse and for other government business was constructed, as was a brick jail.

             The town of Brownsville was officially incorporated in December 1856, and by 1860, Brownsville had about 2,000 citizens. Several businesses including a hotel served the community. A couple of churches, a primary school and a Masonic lodge were built as well. In 1858, I.C. Hicks started the town’s first newspaper, The Echo, which was later sold and renamed The Brownsville Banner.

             Unfortunately, in August 1863, the American Civil War came knocking at Brownsville’s door. The Battle of Brownsville involved about 7,000 combined Union and Confederate forces. After a brief artillery exchange, Confederate forces fell back and then pushed back a Union attack before retreating down Military Road toward Reed’s Bridge near Jacksonville. The battle was the first of a series that ultimately led to the fall of Arkansas’ capital city of Little Rock by Union forces in September.

             The town of Brownsville never quite recovered from the destruction of the battle. A new survey was made for the completion of the Memphis and Little Rock Railroad in 1867. When tracks were laid three miles south of Brownsville near Lonoke, the population began moving along with the railroad. And in 1867, Lonoke County was created, encompassing Brownsville and making the town almost irrelevant.

             Today only three churches and a cemetery founded in 1851, where many members of my former flock have been laid to rest, remain. Several Civil War veterans are also buried in the cemetery. There are three historical markers that mark the site of the original Prairie County Courthouse and two at the Brownsville Cemetery that interpret the Battle of Brownsville.

             On a personal note, I would like to dedicate today’s column to the memory to a few of the brothers and sisters that made my time as the pastor of that little church in that little community such a wonderful experience: Geneva Evans (my former song leader) and three of the greatest deacons a pastor could ever hope to serve with: Merle Evans, Limuel Simpson and Bob Frizzell. Like the town of Brownsville, they might be gone but they will never be forgotten.  

            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, Amy, and two beloved Boston Terriers. You can email him with questions, comments, and story ideas at AllAroundArkansas@Yahoo.com.

All Around Arkansas: Thirsty or Not-- The Grapette Story

               

                A few columns ago I wrote about Clem Bottling Works in Malvern and the tasty sodas it produced, including Clem’s Cola, R-Pep and Clem’s Orange. But there is one drink from Arkansas that at one time was one of the most popular soft drinks in the United States.

                Grapette was a grape flavored soda first created and sold in 1939 by Benjamin Tyndle Fooks (pronounced “folks”) of Camden, Arkansas. Fooks was a traveling salesman who sold soft drinks out of the back of his truck to grocery stores and gas stations throughout southern Arkansas and northern Louisiana.

             Fooks soon recognized that of his line of sodas, which he called "Fooks Flavors," the grape-flavored soda was the most popular. Because of this, he focused solely on selling the grape drink and called it Grapette.

             Fooks eventually learned that the name Grapette was already in use for a grape soda produced and sold in Virginia and North Carolina by bottler Rube Goldstein. In March 1940, Fooks met with Goldstein and purchased the Grapette name for $500.

             While most sodas came in 12-ounce bottles, Grapette was unique in that it was sold in a 6-ounce bottle with a painted label and the slogan, "Close to Nature" and, later, "Thirsty or Not." Grapette became a hit and rivaled competitor NuGrape in popularity and sales across the country.

             The success of Grapette allowed Fooks to begin the production and marketing of two more fruit flavored drinks, Lymette and Orangette. Unfortunately, these two sodas didn't last long due to sugar rationing in World War II, so Fooks once again focused on his most popular drink, Grapette.

             After the war’s end, Fooks introduced a knockoff of Coca-Cola called Mr. Cola, as well as two other soft drinks, Botl-O and Sunburst. But none came close to the popularity of Grapette.

             Experiencing burnout, Fooks sold The Grapette Co. to The Rheingold Corp. in 1970. Rheingold primarily sold beer and a few other regional soft drinks in California and New Mexico. In 1970, Rheingold sold the Grapette formula and trademarks to The Monarch Co., the parent company of Grapette’s rival, NuGrape. After the acquisition of Grapette, Monarch quickly shutdown production of the drink to leave NuGrape as the undisputed champion of grape flavored sodas.

             Grapette is still produced here in Arkansas — not in Camden, but in Malvern — by Grapette International Inc. In 1942, R. Paul May, a friend of Benjamin Fooks, acquired the rights from Fooks to sell and market Grapette outside the U.S. The Grapette Export Co. was formed in 1944 and changed its name to Grapette International in 1962.

             Fortunately for Grapette lovers, Grapette International acquired the rights to sell the grape soda in the U.S. using the original Grapette name and formula. Walmart began exclusively selling the drink in its stores in 2000. The company brought back another of Fooks' original sodas, Orangette, in 2004.

             But due to its popularity, Grapette is often harder to find in a Walmart store than an open checkout lane.

             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. Email him at AllAroundArkansas@Yahoo.com with your comments, questions, and story ideas.

 

All Arkansas Arkansas: Hell's Half Acre

 

            

            

             While I was born and raised in North Little Rock and now live just outside Benton, I have to admit my favorite city in Arkansas is Hot Springs. Because of its history, beautiful scenery, unique stores and my favorite restaurant (McClard’s BBQ), I love visiting “The Spa City.” But there is one place in Hot Springs I have never visited, and that would be the geological wonder known as “Hell’s Half Acre.”

             Hell’s Half Acre is not a piece of Arkansas real estate owned by Lucifer, but rather a slope formed by an accumulation of broken rocks on Indian Mountain, about 4 miles northeast of downtown Hot Springs.

             As seen in old brochures and postcards, tourism promoters and purveyors of tall tales gave the area its name and said it was haunted by Satan himself. An 1892 Hot Springs tourism pamphlet describes Hell’s Half Acre as “a barren, weird, forbidding conglomeration of boulders, an arsenal for Titans. Not a blade of grass, not a shrub, not even a lichen dares brave the atmosphere of death and desolation which seems to pervade the uncanny spot.”

             Here in the heart of the Bible Belt, religious people drew obvious comparisons to the Bible's bleak portrayals of Hell, making for a fascinating story for the hucksters promoting Hell’s Half Acre as a tourist attraction.

            Similar to early theories about Pinnacle Mountain in Little Rock, Hell’s Half Acre was also thought to be the remains of an extinct volcano. The early settlers of "the Valley of the Vapors" thought that an extinct volcano’s crater could easily be found near the geothermal activity that occurs in Hot Springs.

             But study after study has shown the rocks at Hell’s Half Acre are not volcanic. They are actually novaculite, which is common in the Ouachita Mountains of Arkansas and Oklahoma. Native Americans in the area such as the Caddo used novaculite to make arrowheads, knives and ax blades. Excavation of Hell’s Half Acre has turned up evidence of Native American activity dating back more than 5,000 years ago.

             Another legend stated that there was once a deep hole at the center of Hell’s Half Acre that once held a captive demon. According to the 1892 tourism pamphlet, “Tourists often encounter the putrid smell of the demon’s sulphureous breath as it rises from amongst the rocks, and hear deep underground moans of pain and shrieks of savage profanity.”

             If you’re intrigued by the story of Hell’s Half Acre and want to pay a visit, you’re out of luck: Hell’s Half Acre is now located on private property, with no trail or road to reach the site. That’s alright with me — I’ll stick to visiting beautiful Bathhouse Row, the unique gift shops and, of course, McClard’s BBQ.

           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 email him with questions, comments, and story ideas at AllAroundArkansas@Yahoo.com.

All Around Arkansas: The Old Russell Jail

 

            I must admit, the little town of Russell in White County holds a special place in my heart. It’s the place where my mom, Wanda, and her 10 siblings were born, raised and attended school. It’s where my parents got married in the town’s Methodist church. And it's where we had numerous family reunions and barbecues when I was a child. One of my uncles, Marvin Harvey, was the mayor there for much of the '80s and now, one of his daughters, Renee, serves as the town’s current mayor. Another daughter, Brenda, serves on the town council.

             According to residents, Russell, which was named for a railroad employee Russell Kaufman, was once a bustling town in the 1930s and early 40s. Being close to Bald Knob, Russell is located near what was once Arkansas’ largest strawberry harvest. Trainloads of strawberries went through Russell and people from around Arkansas and surrounding states would travel to Russell to buy them. Russell was also busy during cotton harvesting time, as farmers from miles around would bring their crop to Russell’s cotton gin. There was also grist mill where corn was ground into cattle feed. Numerous other businesses sprung up, such as grocery stores, restaurants, a broom factory and filling stations.

             As the town grew, so did the crime rate, and Russell needed a jail. So in 1935, FDR’s Works Progress Administration built a one-story, reinforced concrete structure just off Elm Street. The jail couldn't hold many lawbreakers — it was only 10 feet square and 5 feet high. While its thick steel door has been removed, the jail still has its two small windows with the original bars that are popular for photo ops (and yes, I’ve taken one). The jail was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in July 1992. There are two other similar jails still standing in White County — one in Beebe and one in McRae.       

            Unfortunately for history buffs, besides the little jail, there’s not much to see in Russell these days. There is a house — bought from the Sears, Roebuck and Co. catalog — that was built for the Klotz family in 1922 on what is now Highway 367. The home is still standing and was also listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1992. The beautifully restored Russell High School, built in the 1920s, remains and is actively used for community functions.

             I’d like to think that if the old jail was still in use and I were to get into trouble in Russell that, because my cousin is the mayor, I’d be let go and not thrown in the concrete dungeon.  But honestly, dropping her name might get me into more trouble and double the fine. Just kidding, cousin!

             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. Email him at AllAroundArkansas@Yahoo.com with your comments, questions, and story ideas.

All Around Arkansas: Arkansas' Unusual Town Names

        Having been born and raised in Arkansas and worked for the Department of Arkansas Parks, Heritage and Tourism for more than six years, I’ve had the good fortune to travel all over our state. And during those travels I’ve driven through quite a few towns with very unusual names. In today’s column, we'll take a look at a few of those places and the stories behind their names.

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.

All Around Arkansas: The Lost City of Napoleon

                We’ve all heard of the legendary lost city of Atlantis. Supposedly the city was located in the Atlantic Ocean near the Strait of Gibraltar. According to the philosopher Plato, the gods sent a terrible night of fire and earthquakes causing Atlantis to sink into the sea. Whether or not the mythical city underwater truly existed, there is indeed a lost city under the waters of two rivers right here in the Natural State.

              Napoleon, Arkansas, was located in Desha County where the Mississippi and the Arkansas rivers meet. The founders of the town thought that its location at the confluence of two major rivers would make it a bustling port city similar to St. Louis or New Orleans. Unfortunately, their dreams did not come to fruition. The town was badly damaged during the Civil War and, within 10 years of the war’s end, destroyed when the two rivers flooded.

                 French explorer Jacques Marquette first visited the area that would become Napoleon around 1673. Napoleon didn’t officially become a town until the late 1820s, when another Frenchman, Frederick Notrebe, officially settled the area and named the town after the French military and political leader Napoleon Bonaparte. Notrobe was a farmer and fur trader, and, in 1827, built a cotton gin at nearby Arkansas Post, bringing him considerable wealth. Unfortunately, Notrebe died while on a business trip in New Orleans in April 1849.

                 Though the town’s founding father had passed, Napoleon continued to grow. A post office was established in 1832, a primary school was founded in December 1838 and a Catholic church was built in May 1839. The church bell (one of few remaining artifacts of the town) is located at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in McGehee, Arkansas. A large U.S. military hospital opened in Napoleon in 1855.

                 Sadly, in the 1860s, Civil War battles fought in the area, along with major flooding of the Arkansas and Mississippi rivers, decimated the town. A few families returned to the ghost town only to find Napoleon and its buildings destroyed. Hoping to generate enthusiasm, a local newspaper reported the discovery of silver in the area of old Napoleon, but those claims were proven to be false.

                 Once every great while when the Mississippi is low, a few remains of foundations and gravesites from the town can be seen in the sandbars of the river. A historical marker was placed near Kelso, Arkansas, commemorating the town of Napoleon, which is more than the gods did for the mythical city under the Atlantic.

 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.

All Around Arkansas: Arkansas' Own Bigfoot

     

                Scotland has the Loch Ness Monster, the Pacific Northwest has Bigfoot, the Himalayan Mountain range in Asia has the Yeti, and here in Arkansas, we have the Fouke Monster.

             What exactly is the Fouke Monster? Honestly, I had never heard about it until my father-in-law, who grew up near Fouke, Arkansas told me about it a few years ago. According to those who have claimed to have seen it, the monster resembles a large ape-like creature, similar to the many descriptions of Bigfoot. It is said to be about 7 feet tall and weighing 250-300 pounds. The creature has also been described as having a terrible skunk-like odor and radiant red eyes about the size of silver dollars. The Fouke Monster is also known as the “Boggy Creek Monster” after the creek where several sightings of the creature have taken place. 

             The first sighting of the monster came around 1964, though some local residents claim it was spotted in 1946. The Fouke Monster made local and state news when it supposedly attacked the home of Bobby and Elizabeth Ford in May 1971. After this incident, the Little Rock radio station KAAY 1090 AM offered a bounty of $1,090 for the creature. The Fouke Monster was purportedly seen again later that month, when three locals reported seeing an ape-like being walking across U.S. Hwy 71. Several other reports were made in subsequent weeks and months by Miller County residents and curious tourists who claimed to have found footprints of the creature.

             The Fouke Monster gained national attention in 1973 when director and screenwriter Charles B. Pierce released a horror flick about the creature entitled "The Legend of Boggy Creek." The movie was shot on location in Fouke, Texarkana, Arkansas, and nearby Shreveport, Louisiana. Many residents of Fouke and Texarkana were cast in minor roles. The movie premiere was held at the Paramount Theater in Texarkana, Texas, in August 1972. Reportedly, the docudrama cost about $160,000 to make, but grossed $20 million at the box office. Four sequels have been made of the original film with the final one released in 2011. 

             Several years ago, my mother-in-law took my wife and I to Fouke for some sightseeing. While we didn’t spot the Fouke Monster, we did spot a few stores selling Fouke Monster wares including one called Monster Mart, which had a large collection of Fouke Monster artifacts and souvenirs for sale. Monster Mart also had a large wooden statue of the creature, with which you can take a free photo. 

             Of course yours truly had to get one. As my family and friends will attest, I never pass up the opportunity for a good Arkansas photo-op — especially with the legendary monster who calls The Natural State home.

             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.

All Around Arkansas: Clem Bottling Works of Malvern

 

            Malvern is probably most famous for being “The Brick Capital of the World” and the hometown of actors Billy Bob Thornton and Frank Bonner, as well as longtime U.S. Sen. John McClellan. But at one time, Malvern was also famous for the tasty sodas produced by Clem Bottling Works.

             J.M. Clem and his son, Dock, founded Clem Bottling Works in March 1907. The Clem family produced and bottled soft drinks in a small building behind their home. In May 1914, the Clem Family built a bottling plant and warehouse at 937 S. Main St. in Malvern.

             The first bottles the company used were embossed with “J.M. Clem Bottling Works” and were sealed with a wire and an inner gasket. In the early 1920s, the company converted to bottles sealed with metal caps. The bottles at this time were also covered with paper labels. Starting in the 1950s, the bottles were labeled with applied painted labels.

             J.M. Clem died in September 1931. Dock Clem’s son, Harold, joined the business in 1933. After Dock Clem’s death in May 1942, his widow, Jewell, and son continued to operate the business until 1972, when the family sold the company to Dr Pepper, a purchase that included the rights to the soft drink formulas and the trademarks but not the bottling equipment. Harold Clem joined the Dr Pepper Company and worked there until he died in April 2004.

             Clem Bottling Works produced about a dozen soft drinks, including Clem’s Cola, R-Pep (a Dr Pepper knockoff), Orange, Strawberry, Root Beer, Cream Soda, Peach, Lemon-Lime, Fruit Punch, Pep-Up, Rock and Rye, and Chocolate. Clem’s sodas were distributed throughout Arkansas, eastern Texas, northern Louisiana and western Mississippi.

             For years after Clem Bottling Works closed, the bottling machinery remained in the building, but was purchased in the early 1990s by Mountain Valley Spring Water in Hot Springs. Cases of glass bottles used by Clem Bottling Works were purchased in May 2011 by the Excel Bottling Company of Breese, Illinois, which also trademarked the name “R-Pep” and is currently producing the original beverage formula as well.

             The old Clem Bottling plant stood vacant for many years, but in 2019 Teale Dental Clinic renovated and moved into the historic structure. The clinic is decorated with vintage Clem soda advertising signs and features a display case full of glass bottles and other pieces of Clem memorabilia. 

             As I wrap up this column, I can’t help but smile and think it’s ironic that a building that once produced sugary soda pops now houses a dentist.

             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.

All Around Arkansas: Barbecue in The Natural State

            Photo by Darrell W. Brown.

            There are a few things Arkansas has no shortage of: Razorback caps, pickup trucks and great barbecue restaurants. In fact, some of the most famous barbecue restaurants in the country are located right here in the Natural State.

 

            The Southern Foodways Alliance, an organization that documents and studies the diverse food cultures of the American South, describes Arkansas’ barbecue style as “mostly pork—either sliced, chopped, or pulled—piled onto either a bun or two slices of plain white bread.” As Rex Nelson, a noted Arkansas foodie, has written, “There’s definitely not just one style of Arkansas barbecue.” Let’s take a look at a few of the most famous “meccas of meat” in the state.

 

            Jones Bar-B-Q in Marianna is the oldest operating barbecue restaurant in the state, cooking and selling meat since 1910. And according to the business journal Black Business, Jones is considered to be the oldest black-owned restaurant in the nation. Although it suffered a fire in 2021, the diner recovered and resumed operations thanks to an outpouring of support from the community. Jones' menu is simple: pulled pork served on Wonder Bread. The diner opens at 6 a.m. and closes when the food runs out. In 2017, it was inducted into the first class of the Arkansas Food Hall of Fame.

 

            Another legendary Arkansas barbecue restaurant (and my personal favorite) is McClard’s Bar-B-Q in Hot Springs. Alex and Gladys McClard began selling barbecued goat at their tourist court in 1928 after a guest who couldn’t pay his $10 bill gave the couple a barbecue sauce recipe. Its current location has been in existence since 1942 and has hardly changed (although goat has long been off the menu). McClard’s has won numerous national awards and was inducted into the Arkansas Food Hall of Fame in 2018. The McClard Family sold the restaurant and its signature recipes to two Hot Springs businessmen in 2021, who then opened a second location in Rogers. If you go, get the ribs and fry platter—your taste buds will thank me.  

 

            Finally, Craig’s Bar-BQ in DeValls Bluff, which opened in 1947, is another Arkansas favorite. Three generations of Craigs have fed thousands of satisfied customers with a variety of smoked meats, most notably smoked and sliced pork sandwiches covered with a sauce made with hints of apple and bell pepper. Craig’s is also famous for its juicy hamburgers and its savory coleslaw.

 

            There are many other great barbecue joints in Arkansas such as Whole Hog Café in Little Rock, Smokin’ Buns in Jacksonville, Rivertowne in Ozark, Dixie Pig in Blytheville and the list goes on and on. However, I will end this column now as I’ve already gained 10 pounds just writing it.

 

            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.

All Around Arkansas: Little Rock's Oldest Building

 

Photo courtesy of Historic Arkansas Museum

                Driving through downtown Little Rock, you may have noticed a white two-story building on the corner of Third and Cumberland streets that looks very out of place. That structure would be the Hinderliter Grog Shop, and it's considered by most local historians to be the oldest still-standing building in the capital city.

             The Hinderliter Grog Shop was built around 1826 by Jesse Hinderliter, who came to Arkansas with his wife, Sophia, from St. Louis. On Lots 7, 8 and 9 of the city’s Block 32, Hinderliter built the two-story, hand-hewn log building, which served as a tavern, a restaurant, an inn and the private residence for the Hinderliters.

             Unfortunately, Jesse Hinderliter didn’t live long in Little Rock. He died in 1834. The grog shop was then sold at auction to repay the debt Hinderliter owed to the original owner of the property, prominent Little Rock attorney Chester Ashley.

             According to local legend, the last meeting of the Arkansas Territorial Legislature took place in the old grog shop on Oct. 3, 1835. There is a stone marker placed by the Daughters of the American Revolution (which has sunk into the ground and is barely visible now) on the corner of Third and Cumberland that attests to this story. But there is no concrete evidence that the old building ever housed the territorial legislature.

             After Hinderliter’s death and the sale of the building, it continued to serve as a restaurant and tavern. As seen in photos taken of the building in the early 1930s, it even served as a grocery store and a barber shop. Eventually the building fell into disrepair and was almost demolished by the city.

             But thanks to the efforts of Little Rock socialite Louise Loughborough, the old Hinderliter Grog Shop and several other vintage structures on the block were purchased by the state and restored by the Works Progress Administration. On July 19, 1941, the Arkansas Territorial Capitol Restoration opened to the public. Today the restored buildings are part of the Historic Arkansas Museum, which is operated by the Division of Arkansas Heritage. Tours are available of the grog shop, just don’t expect any adult beverages when you visit. For that my friends, you’ll have to walk a couple of blocks over to the River Market.

 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.