Are We There Yet?

Arkansas abounds with 162 oddball attractions

The Mammoth Orange Cafe in Redfi eld, off Interstate 530 between Little Rock and Pine Bluff, is modeled on a similarly dome-shaped eatery in California.
The Mammoth Orange Cafe in Redfi eld, off Interstate 530 between Little Rock and Pine Bluff, is modeled on a similarly dome-shaped eatery in California.

With April Fools Day earlier this month, this is a hoot of a time to kid around Arkansas by checking out some of the weirdest roadside sights in the Natural State.

These are mostly drive-by delights rather than stay-awhile allures. But they're part of Arkansas' rich pageantry, worth a look -- and a bemused chuckle -- at the oddities that human ingenuity can create.

A prime online repository of these offbeat sights is the online site Roadside America (roadsideamerica.com), which touts itself as "a caramel-coated nut bag full of odd and hilarious travel destinations."

For Arkansas, Roadside America lists 162 such cockeyed attractions, some with commercial connections and others set up just for fun. Here's a sampler:

Memorial to Victim of Bonnie and Clyde, Alma. On the police station's front lawn in this Crawford County town, a memorial honors Henry Humphrey. He was city marshal here in 1933 when Bonnie and Clyde's gang gunned him down the morning after they'd robbed the local bank.

Berlin Wall Slab, Eureka Springs. Visitors who come to see the towering Christ of the Ozarks statue just east of Eureka Springs can also tour the Great Passion Play Theme Park to view a sizable piece of the former Berlin Wall that was demolished after East Germany collapsed in 1989.

Mr. Peanut Sign, Fort Smith. This Kraft-Heinz Planters Peanuts facility is nuts about its iconic mascot. So a 30-foot-tall statue of the goober is joined outside the plant by two 4-foot-tall Mr. Peanuts sitting on a fence and a seated copper version about to doff his top hat.

Giant Budweiser Beer Can Silo, Lavaca. A Sebastian County farmer who was also a beer distributor painted his silo in the 1970s to resemble a Budweiser can that could have held 8.7 million fluid ounces of brew. The silo was featured in a TV commercial in the 1980s.

World's Largest Charcoal Grill, Magnolia. Parked outside Big Boys Toys on U.S. 79, this humongous barbecue pit resembles a rocket ship resting on its side. It's a fitting sight in the Columbia County seat, where the annual Magnolia Blossom Festival and World Championship Steak Cook-Off is set for May 19-20.

Statue of Liberty, Paragould. It's only 7 feet tall and made of bronze, but this patriotic symbol claims to be the oldest American Statue of Liberty replica outside New York. Known locally as the Paragould War Memorial, it was dedicated in 1924 to honor the 40 Greene County men who died in World War I.

Great Black Raven, Ravenden. A big bird indeed is the 12-foot-tall statue of a raven in this northeast Arkansas community of 500. The monument bears these inscriptions at its base: "The raven was the first bird sent from the Ark in search of land" and "The raven has the reputation for divine or magical powers."

Mammoth Orange Cafe, Redfield. Earnestine Bradshaw opened Mammoth Orange Cafe in 1965, building to resemble a dome-shaped drink stand she'd managed in California. The roof could be mistaken for a flying saucer. Inside, the burgers and onion rings merit the 20-mile drive south from Little Rock.

Dead Lineman Statue, Salem. Electrical workers get deserved recognition in a bronze statue outside North Arkansas Electric Cooperative headquarters in the Fulton County seat. It is dedicated to eight linemen who have lost their lives working for the cooperative, including three in a substation explosion in 2004. The Lineman's Prayer is engraved on plaques.

Parachute Inn Boeing 737, Walnut Ridge. At Walnut Ridge's regional airport, a former Southwest Airlines jet has been converted into a diner. The seats have been adjusted to fit the tables, overhead bins can be used to store coats, and the cockpit is now a play area. The food is definitely better than what used to be served aloft to coach passengers.

Information on these and an array of other odd attractions in Arkansas can be found at roadsideamerica.com.

Style on 04/04/2017

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