Tour Destination: Arkansas

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To date, Tour America’s History has hugged America’s coasts with our coverage of Philadelphia, Richmond, and Southern California. As we approach Arkansas, I feel like we’re plunging into the heartland at last!

Two things influenced my choice to cover the Arkansas Save America’s Treasures sites next. First, my family had a wonderful time exploring northern Arkansaswhen we organized a Laura Ingalls Wilder tour of the Midwestseveral years ago. Since the Ingalls/Wilder family (of Little House on the Prairie fame) had close ties with the Ozarks, it felt appropriate for us to venture further south from Wilder’s home in Mansfield, Missouri into the rugged landscapes of the Arkansas Ozark Mountains. My son and I were so impressed by the beauty of the area that we later co-wrote a young adult fantasy novel centered there.

Second, I thought it would be appropriate to acknowledge the major splash that Arkansashas made on the international art stage this year with the opening of the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. The museum’s amazing collection significantly adds to the density of American treasures in the state, making Arkansas even more attractive as a major American tourist destination.

Little Rock is the largest city in Arkansas, located near the center of the state. From Little Rock, the Ozarks are to the north, the Delta region to the east, the Timberlands to the south, and the River Valley and Ouachita regions to the west. For planning your trip, helpful tourist sites include the Arkansas Tourism Official Site and Arkansas Tourism.

Our Tour America’s History exploration of Arkansas’ six Save America’s Treasures sites begins on Wednesday.

Tour America's History Itinerary

Wednesday’s destination:  Lakeport Plantation
Friday’s destination:  Old State House Museum

© 2012 Lee Price