rkansas means “Downstream People” and comes from the name of an extinct Indian Tribe called Quapaw. Until Arkansas was admitted to the Union in 1836 it was pronounced in many different forms and spelled in many different ways, but in when it was admitted to the Union it was spelled as Arkansas. However in 1881 the Legislature appointed a committee to ascertain the rightful pronunciation of the last syllable, and the result was a resolution declaring the pronunciation to be ARK-AN-SAW.
In Arkansas 68% of us are born here, and everybody knows everybody or knows somebody who knows them. Arkansas is known as the “Natural State” and our State Motto is “The People Rule”!
Arkansas has more River, Streams, and Lakes then you can shake a stick at. Speaking of sticks did you know that 65% of Arkansas is forestland. Arkansas is primarily agricultural so therefore we have a lot of farms growing every crop that can be grown in the temperature zone except for citrus fruit. Arkansas is number 1 in rice an broilers in the Country, and number 3 in the Country for Catfish Production. businesses like Dillard’s, Aromatique, TCBY, and Wal-Mart and all started here in Arkansas, and it is probably safe to say that more Americans know more about Sam Walton than they do about Woodrow Wilson.
•Arkansas State Bird is the Mockingbird
•State Flower is the Apple Blossom
•State Tree is the Pine Tree
•State Gem is the Diamond
•State Mineral is the Quartz Crystal
•State Rock is the Bauxite
•State Insect is the Honeybee
•State Fruit/Vegetable is the Vine Ripe Pink Tomato
•State Musical Instrument is the Fiddle
•State Beverage is Milk
•State American Folk Dance is Square Dancing
•State Mammal is the White Tail Deer
•State Flag has colors of Red, White, and Blue, and has 25 Stars (Arkansas was the 25th State) in a Diamond Shape with the word Arkansas in the middle of the Diamond. Below the word Arkansas is three large Blue Stars which have 2 meanings; one is to signify Spain, France, and the US, and the other is to signify Arkansas as the 3rd State formed out of the Louisiana Purchase. Then there is a larger Blue Star above the word Arkansas which commemorates the Confederacy, and the reason of course for the Diamond Shape around the word Arkansas and Blue Stars signifies Arkansas as the only Diamond producing State in the Union.
•State Seal is of an Eagle in the lower half of the circle of the seal, holds in his beak a scroll inscribed with the State Motto “Regnat Populus” which is Latin for “The People Rule.” The Eagle clutches a bunch of arrows in one claw, and an olive branch in the other. The breast of the Eagle is covered with a shield bearing images of a steamboat, beehive, a plow, and a sheaf of wheat, which are symbols of Arkansas’ Agricultural wealth. Over time our Government has added other things to the Seal.
•State Song/Anthem is “Arkansas” by Eva Ware Barnett
•Official State Historical Song is “The Arkansas Traveler”
Our Capital of the State is Little Rock, the width of our State is 275 miles and out length is 240 miles. We have 48 State Parks, and out highest Mountain Peak is on Mount Magazine at 2,753 feet above sea level. Arkansas also has their very own Canyon called the Arkansas Grand Canyon that can be seen from our famous scenic Hwy 7 in the Northern Arkansas in Newton County.
Stay tuned because I will have a lot more interesting facts, fun facts, and just plain weird facts all about Arkansas, with some classic/funny pictures to go with it.
Ya’ll Come Back Ya Here!!
