Located at the back of the old Rison fairgrounds, the Pioneer Village is a collection of historic…read more19th Century buildings. Buildings include a cottage, a doctor's home, a general store, a church, a cabin, barn and several out buildings. The village is open to the public during the Rison Homesteading Festival and by appointment at other times. A hoop greenhouse and raised beds with local vegetables is located near the street intersection. The greenhouse uses an ingenious weight and pully system to lower and raise the bottom panels for ventilation. Hopefully, a volunteer cadre will take over blowing leaves and repainting the buildings. A Pioneer Village brochure and guide map would also be nice. Pioneer Village and its surrounding grounds are available to host other events like rendevous, races and concerts. Four large buildings are on site including one with a good sized stage. Overflow parking is available across the street by the public ball fields. The entire grounds are fenced and gated and may be secured at night. Worth a drive by.

Visited the birthplace of legendary Alabama football coach Bear Bryant on a trip to Clevelend…read moreCounty. Every Alabama alumni or fan should take the time to stop. We had the site to ourselves as locals seldom stop. There's a nice Alabama red sign with a football on top off to the right of the house. Walk a bit past to thr right and you can nicelt frame the house and sign in your camera. The home isn't currently open, but a renovation is planned by area residents who are justifiably proud of their native son, the Bear. The nearby town of Fordyce, where Bear played high school football also has some memorabilia on display. Consider going for the extra point.

Want to go somewhere really interesting that only locals know about? Find your way out to Pumpkin…read moreHill, just outside of Rison. I got to visit Pumpkin Hill with a group touring the county. A church group with several mini buses was there during my visit. This place is a diamond in the rough. First there's an old "dog trot" cabin along the road that was saved from destruction by the owners father. The cabin is livable and is replete with period furniture and objects. Second, there's train stuff. By the road are old railroad switches, signs and a passenger car. Further in near Lake Elrod is a personal car used by the president of the railroad. You can tour this car and check out the old kitchen, dining room and sleepers. Also on the property is a restored chapel that's popular with locals for weddings. There's also Lake Elrod which sweeps around the property and features several docks large enough for parties or receptions. I'd love to see Pumpkin Hill cleaned up and marketed more widely. I could see this place being a key station on a triathalon. Run in from Rison, swim the lake and then pedal off on a bicycle back to the start. Worth driving by on the old dirt road at minimum. You're in Rison already, so come on out.

This isn't really a business as much as it is just something fun for the kids. It is kinda dirty…read moreand I think it should be cleaned. The landscape is not very well taken care of and that's a problem. All in all this is a good place to take a kid that loves history.

Neat place! Has a rich history, both as an Indian mound and in more recent history - read it! They…read morerent it out for weddings, parties, etc. Glad the family decided to restore this gem.

The Old Mill is a beautiful spot in North Little Rock, AR amongst a charming neighborhood…read more It's listed as a National Register of Historic Places. Rightly so... the mill is supposedly the "last standing structure" from the movie "Gone With The Wind." The gates opened at 8 AM. Entry was free. By the time we got there, a small group was already taking professional-like photos of their model. The landscaping was nicely manicured. Some of the plants and flowers or trees were labeled with little signs. My girls liked climbing up into the replica "water-powered grist mill." We didn't stay long as dogs were not allowed on the grounds. Our dog stayed in my Jeep while the air-conditioning was on since it was in the upper 80s already. For more info plus an interactive map, go to: https://nlr.ar.gov/departments/parks-and-recreation/parks/old-mill/

It's very relaxing and beautiful there and it just takes you back to bygone era, and it's pretty…read moreneat it was in Gone With the Wind.

"I still believe in a place called Hope." - President Bill Clinton…read more Interesting quick visit to the birthplace home of President Clinton. Although the house is closed and the movie is not available due to COVID, the park rangers are extremely friendly, knowledgeable and passionate about history. Apparently according to the park rangers, they have a very active presence using virtual media as well. Limited visitors to the welcome center which was previously the neighbor's home and face masks are required. We were the only ones in the center on our visit. Walk across the park to see the home from the outside and the porch. Stamp your park passport before you leave. Park across the street. The center is free and open for limited hours daily.

We went to Clinton Birthplace Home NHS while visiting Arkansas. I didnt know much about his story…read more(other than what happened while he was president), but I learned a lot by visiting here. Within a few minutes of our arrival, they announced there would be a tour of his childhood home. They took us to the house, walked us through it, and told us about his early life and experiences. I found it interesting and relatable. Overall, I enjoyed visiting this place and would recommend it.

An amazing piece of Americana that has been rehabilitated for use as a substation for the Sherwood…read morePolice Station. Not only is there nothing else like it in Sherwood, there's nothing else like it in Arkansas! If you haven't been to see the Roundtop, especially if you love vintage gas stations and unique architecture, make a trip to see it!

On top of Hot Sprigs Mountain this 216ft tower hs spectacular views of the surrounding mountains…read morecovered with dogwood, hickory, oak & pine. We winded up a single lane road passing Picnic areas and rest stops before we got to the top. There was a small parking lot with magnificent views. We walked to the gift shop & found the register. We have a parks pass & paid $12 pp to take the elevator to the top of the tower. We took in the view on the top and then went down a floor to see the history of Hot Springs starting in 1875. Photos and artifacts from the old hotels and bath houses were presented with a timeline.

My crew wasn't allowed up to the top of the Hot Springs Mountain Tower because we had our…read morenon-service dog with us. This place was still cool to check out. It was too damn hot for 3 out of 4 of us to hike up the mountain, so I drove up. Parking was free, but a bit crowded on July 20, 2025. If you don't find a spot, there is a loop to drive back around. Historical info of the tower is out front. TIP Shout out to Greg J. who on 7.9.2024 pointed out that going back down the mountain on the one-way road, folks will pass the Happy Hollow cold spring fountain. It's a free refill of any jug or bottle!

Nestled in the historic district surrounded by large stately homes is the Arkansas governor's…read moremansion. The governor & his family reside in this home a significant historical landmark listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This Georgian colonial was completed in 1950 after construction began in 1947, the mansion was built on the former site of a territorial governor's home and is open for tours by appointment/

Arkansas has a great governor's mansion! We visited when Governor Beebe (stAte alum) invited the…read moreArkansas State University football coaching staff over for dinner! Our dinner was fabulous, and the mansion tour was EPIC! Beautiful gardens, great history, and many little-known fun facts were shared by Governor Beebe himself! The staff is awesome and we experienced welcoming attitudes from everyone we encountered. Great trip and the governor was a gracious host indeed! Arkansans should be proud!