Discover Historic Downtown Pocahontas: Arkansas's Largest National Historic District
What to know
Downtown Pocahontas is one of the largest
National Historic Districts in Arkansas, encompassing 17 square blocks.
Picturesque red brick buildings showcase some of the best Victorian
architecture in the state. You can enjoy art galleries, restaurants and
performance venues in this lively town that blends the quaint charm of the past
with great food, espresso, music and theater.
The unique terrain around Pocahontas combines the beauty of the Ozarks with the mystery of the edge of the delta. Five rivers run through the area, and the Black River lends its scenic banks to the Civil War Memorial River Walk in Black River Overlook Park. The park also features the Century Wall, which displays etchings of the 100 most influential Americans of the 20th century.
In addition to 36 historic markers and monuments in the historic district, Pocahontas hosts a quilt trail that includes more than 50 large images of locally handcrafted quilts, now transferred onto vinyl for display on the outside walls of buildings. And for those who like quirky curiosities, you can’t miss the half-ton “meteorite” that blazed from the sky in 1858, as local lore tells the story, and is now preserved on the courthouse lawn.
Unique local businesses allow you to soak in nostalgia: you can get a haircut at the state’s oldest continuously operating barber shop, which first opened in 1873. The Futrell Pharmacy is one of the oldest pharmacies in Arkansas, and to the delight of visitors and local regulars, still runs a real, old-fashioned soda fountain.
At the Randolph County Heritage Museum on the town square, you can learn more about how the town gained its unusual name. The Old Frisco Train Depot and Museum (1913) preserves the history of local transportation and commerce and features a 1920s caboose car, in addition to hosting the county’s Visitor Information Center.
The NoMa Arts & Entertainment District is a four-block area on North Marr Street that includes galleries, restaurants and cultural offerings. Marr Street Productions is a dance and music studio as well as a coffee shop with both indoor and al fresco seating. The Downtown Playhouse offers live stage plays, and the Opera House Art Park offers an outside seating area with landscaping. For those seeking downtown accommodations, Lesmeister Guesthouse provides upscale lodging in the heart of the historic district.
Other county attractions nearby include the state Natural Heritage Site at Hall’s Creek Canyon and Davidsonville Historic State Park.
