Here Are 15 Things Arkansans Do Better Than Everyone Else

There is a saying in Arkansas, "if you built a fence around Arkansas, it is the only state of the union that would be completely self-sufficient." Though it is hard to prove this statement, the truth is that in the event of an apocalypse Arkansas would not be a bad place to survive. There is plenty of water, agriculture thrives here, and Arkansans have a spirit of self-sufficiency.

Nearly every town has an antique store, a flea market, and a regular junk sale. Craft fairs are everywhere, especially in the fall and spring.

In the state of Arkansas, it is illegal to mispronounce Arkansas. For the record, it’s Ar-kan-saw. Not Ar-kan-sass or Ar-kan-sus.

Just to list a few: Greasy Corner, Hogeye, Smackover, Needmore, Toad Suck.

What do Johnny Cash, Conway Twitty, and Glenn Campbell have in common? They’re all from Arkansas.

Writers are frequently inspired by the people they encounter, and writers from Arkansas are no different. Maya Angelou, John Grisham, Charles Portis, and Charlaine Harris might have vastly different styles, but they’re all native Arkansans.

Bill Clinton and Mike Huckabee: love ‘em or hate ‘em, if you follow American politics, you know who they are. They both served as governor of Arkansas.

Chocolate gravy, white gravy, brown gravy, sausage gravy—Arkansans have a gravy for every occasion.

No, not chicken and dumplings. Chicken n' dumplins.

It doesn’t matter if the Razorbacks are winning or losing, best not say a cross word about the Hogs in front of an Arkansan. You will be asked politely to leave the dinner table.

Arkansas is the birthplace of Walmart. Just ask someone where they got their groceries or lawn furniture. It was probably Walmart.

Forests comprise 56% of the land in Arkansas. That’s 18.8 million acres of trees and streams to explore. Arkansans use this land to hunt, bird watch, ride ATVs, or simply enjoy the trees.

There are eight national parks and 52 state parks in Arkansas. Arkansans love to visit these parks to hike, camp, or just hang out.

Arkansas is full of water. We’ve got rivers for rafting, lakes for skiing, streams for fishing, and waterfalls for enjoying. We love all of them. Check out this cool waterfall at Devil’s Den State Park.

From gardening to floating the river to simply climbing a mountain to see the view from the top, Arkansans love to be outside. This makes sense in the Natural State, since it is full of natural wonders.