Lawrence County: Rock History, Historic Places and Nature

In Lawrence County, travel experiences range from Beatles and rock-and-roll history to historic buildings, river landscapes and outdoor activities. Walnut Ridge is a focal point for music history; other places in the county tell stories of architecture, regional life and the history of the land. Opportunities to enjoy nature and go fishing round out the picture.

Music History in Walnut Ridge

At Beatles Park, the sculpture “The British Invasion of the Rock n’ Roll Highway” is on permanent display at 110 Abbey Road; check local conditions before visiting. The Argenta Collection is open to the public at the Lawrence County Library in downtown Walnut Ridge. Its archive includes Beatles photographs, many of them previously unpublished. Check the library’s access policies in advance.

The Guitar Walk at Cavenaugh Park adds its own distinctive touch: the 115-foot-long Epiphone Casino guitar honors early rock-and-roll musicians, including Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Conway Twitty. A free audio narration by Sonny Burgess accompanies the Guitar Walk. Walnut Ridge also regularly hosts the Beatles at the Ridge Music Festival on the third Saturday in September. Check the date for your travel year.

The Wings of Honor World War II Museum houses an extensive collection of World War II aircraft nose art. This collection offers a very different perspective alongside the music history: the visual decoration of aircraft during wartime.

Buildings and Regional History

The Walnut Ridge Commercial Historic District brings together a concentrated collection of preserved historic commercial buildings downtown. It has local historical and architectural significance and meets Criteria A and C of the National Register of Historic Places. Another example of architectural history is the Missouri-Pacific Depot in Walnut Ridge: dating to around 1910, the Mediterranean-style building is among the sites in Lawrence County listed on the National Register.

Several other places showcase different architectural styles and periods. Powhatan Methodist Church is a wood-frame church built in 1872 in the Greek Revival style, and is also among the county’s sites listed on the National Register. The Smithville Public School Building, built in 1936 by the Works Progress Administration, is made of fieldstone. The Cache River Bridge is a Parker pony truss bridge built in 1934 in rural Lawrence County and is also listed on the National Register. The Clover Bend Historic District includes a high school and other buildings constructed between 1937 and 1942 as part of a Farm Security Administration project.

At Powhatan Historic State Park, seven historic buildings have been preserved at their original sites. The 1888 courthouse houses exhibits about the commerce and culture of Powhatan and the surrounding Lawrence County. Admission is free; check visitor policies in advance. Tours of the other historic buildings are available, but you should check their availability before visiting. The park is also home to more than 200 years’ worth of historical documents in the Northeast Arkansas Regional Archives, which are available to the public; check access conditions for these as well.

Hoxie offers another historical perspective: its public schools were desegregated in June 1955. This made Hoxie one of an early group of several school systems in Arkansas to take this step. Transportation history is also visible: the section of US 67 between Alicia and Hoxie is approximately 11.25 miles long and still has its original 1930 concrete surface.

Rivers, Trails and Outdoor Activities

The Black River divides the Shirey Bay Rainey Brake WMA; most of the area consists of bottomland hardwood forest. There are opportunities for birdwatching and wildlife photography. A concrete boat ramp is available on the west bank, near Horseshoe Lake. Horseshoe Lake and Hill Slough offer opportunities for fishing.

Other landscapes and recreational opportunities have their own appeal. Lake Charles State Park is situated on a 645-acre lake home to largemouth bass, crappie, sunfish and catfish. Davidsonville Historic State Park borders the Black River and a fishing lake. The Black River Trail follows the elevated bank of the Black River through the surrounding forest, passes the gate to Phillips/Reeves Cemetery and continues to the dam on the south side of Trapper Lake.

For walking or cycling, Walnut Ridge has a 6.5-mile paved rail trail. It runs from the Williams Baptist University campus to Hoxie; check trail conditions before setting out. Stewart Park in Walnut Ridge is a 70-acre city park.

When planning your trip, you can start by deciding whether music history, historic buildings or outdoor activities will shape your stay. Festival dates, library access, tours and trail conditions are particularly useful for detailed planning: check the visitor and availability conditions mentioned for each in advance.

Discover more destinations: Strawberry, Faulkner, Arkansas County, Pope County, Pike, Clay County, Conway County, Crittenden

For the main travel overview: Arkansas.