Quirky ArArkansas - Curiosities and Roadside Attractions

ARKANSAS LEGENDS

Quirky Arkansas - Curiosities & Roadside

Attractions

Arkansas Fun Facts & Trivia

Boggy Creek Monster

Booger Hollow's Double Decker Outhouse

Hope - Watermelon Capital of the World

White River Monster

World's Largest Spinach Can

You Know You're In Arkansas When ....

Boggy Creek Monster

In the area of Fouke, Arkansas in Miller County, southeast of Texarkana, lives the Boggy Creek Monster. In these sparsely populated, forested hills of the Ozarks, the Boggy Creek Monster, also referred to as the Fouke Monster, has been a legend of the area since the 1940’s. This Bigfoot-like creature is said to be about seven feet tall, walks upright, has a smelly, animal like odor, and is covered with hair. The Arkansas version of Sasquatch or Bigfoot, this hairy beast has a reputation for killing chickens, livestock, and dogs in the area, though has never been known to harm humans.

In the late 1860’s the beast allegedly harassed two families living outside Fouke and the legend quickly spread.

In 1973, the tale of the Boggy Creek Monster was made into an extremely poor low budget movie called The Legend of Boggy Creek.

In 1997, there were more than 40 sightings of the Boggy Creek creature and in 1998, reports said that it was seen walking along a dry creek bed about 5 miles south of town.

Whether a legend or reality, the town of Fouke has capitalized on the legend, with signs throughout the town and a gift shop near Boggy Creek that provides Monster souvenirs.

The Fouke Monster allegedly last seen near the junction of the Sulphur and Red Rivers.

Booger Hollow's Double Decker Outhouse

Though they claim this is the "World's Only" Double-Decker Outhouse, in actuality, Booker Hollow has to share this dubious distinction with several other locations, including Nevada City, Montana; Gays, Illinois; Silver City, Idaho; and a number of others around the country. However, this two story privy may very well be the best, at least in terms of photo opportunities. Just the name “Booger Hollow” is enough to make this tourist stomp the brakes and make a screeching halt while traveling along Arkansas’ Scenic 7 Byway.

Double Decker Outhouse in Booger Hollow, Arkansas,

Kathy Weiser, October, 2007.

Booger Hollow is a little known “town” in Pope County, Arkansas, though it might be difficult to actually call it a “town” when only seven people and a single hound dog live within its midst. Be that as it may, this quiet little place attracts hundreds of visitors searching out yet one more quirky landmark.

Take a look, take a photo, but don’t use the facilities, as a posted sign states that the upper story is closed until they "till we figur out plummin."

So how did this all come about? The word “Booger” is derived from the old Welsh word “Bwg,” which meant "to scare." Eventually, the word evolved into “Boo,” “Bogus, and “Booger,” with slightly different meanings, but all of which indicated something frightening or unknown.

Such was the case in the early 1800’s when the road from Harrison, Arkansas ran through the Bull Frog Valley to the site of where Booger Hollow stands today. On either side of the hollow were two cemeteries, leading the locals to believe the area might be haunted by those long dead. The name stuck and has forever since been known as “Booger Hollow.”

In 1961, the Booger Hollow Trading Post was established and though it was not actually on the original site of the hollow, it took the name. In fact, the trading post is situated on a mountain top some ten miles away, which only adds to the curiosity. The two story outhouse was added as a prop to entice travelers along the scenic highway to stop at the trading post. This ingenious idea worked and continues to lure hungry and sight-seeing tourists to stop. Featuring hand-crafted items, apparel, glass, and antiques, the souvenir store also offers a diner with a hillbilly atmosphere and a tasty Boogerburger.

The Booger Hollow Trading Post is located along Scenic Byway 7 north of Dover, Arkansas.

Update: October, 2007 - Booger Hollow has now become a "ghost town." On Legends of America's journey on Scenic 7 Byway, we found Booger Hollow abandoned, cause unknown.

Booger Hollow, Arkansas

Booger Hollow, October, 2007, Kathy Weiser.

Hope - Watermelon Capital of the World

Not only is Hope, Arkansas the birthplace of that “quirky” ex-president Clinton, it also has lots of other seeds to spit out of its mouth, including the world’s largest watermelon festival and a replica of the world’s largest watermelon. They used to even have a watermelon water tower, but it’s now painted white, some say to give the town a more “respectable” look in honor of Clinton. Darn!!! That would have been a great photo opportunity!

In any event, watermelons have long been a calling card for the City of Hope with its watermelon festival dating back to the 1920’s and continuing to draw as many as 50,000 people during its four day August event, to spit, dribble, crunch and slice their way through a whole bunch of the fabulous fruit.

The festival features not only lots of watermelon for your eating pleasure, but arts and crafts booths, more food -- including burgers, pork rinds fried catfish, and chicken-on-a- stick, to a wide variety musical talent. But the best part of the festival is the Watermelon Olympics where local teams are pitted against each other in such events as a seed-spitting contest, watermelon-eating contest, watermelon auction, and a contest to see who can grow the biggest, some easily tipping the scales at more than 200 pounds.

Located in the southwest corner of the state, Hope is 25 miles northeast of Texarkana.

More Quirky Arkansas Next Page

Legends of America Advertising!

Place your ad in this space.

This image available for photographic prints HERE!

If you like what you see, sign up for our newsletter and we'll provide you with updates when we add new information. Click HERE.

If you love interesting Road Side Stops, visit our new Road Side Stops Forum, and tell us about an interesting attraction, quirky place or more.

From the Rocky Mountain General Store

Discoveries America Arkansas DVD - Eureka Springs takes great pride in her treasures including Victorian houses, narrow winding streets, the haunted Crescent Hotel and nearby Thorn Crown Chapel. Mountain View is the folk music capital of the world where musicians come and gather outside the courthouse to play music. The Ozark Folk Center has an interpretive facility that educates the public on traditional Ozark arts and crafts. More ...