River Valley jewel boasts growing community amid woodland beauty

Although I had not spent much time in Russellville before my trip, several friends from the area had described it as a vibrant city nurtured by dedicated community members. During my visit, I hoped to explore the city’s culture as well as the lush landscape that surrounds its location on the Arkansas River.

9:30 A.M.

When I stopped at Old Post Road Park, I was immediately impressed with the size of the place. After spending a few minutes on the swings, I walked to the disc golf course where Steve Bennett, a 60-something local, was practicing his technique. He demonstrated some drives for me, and then told me about how he used to ride his mountain bike on trails hidden throughout the park.

After a quick look at Dardanelle Lock & Dam, I made my way to the Arkansas River Visitor Center, where I picked up a number of brochures about places I planned to visit. There, I learned about the people who lived along the river long ago, from the earliest residents who hunted mammoths to mound-building Native Americans to early European settlers.

In addition, the visitor center explains how the Arkansas River was transformed from an untamed and often dangerous waterway to a reliable river vital to transportation and recreation. There was also an impressive collection of taxidermic animals native to the area, including fearsome birds of prey and water-loving mammals such as beavers.

10:15 A.M.

I headed downtown, where businesses were decked out in green and gold to show support for Arkansas Tech University. I parked outside of Fat Daddy’s Bar-B-Que, so blues music set the soundtrack for my introduction to downtown Russellville. Outside the Russellville Depot, The Conductor statue was adorned with green and gold streamers.

Walking past small boutiques, galleries and bookstores, I noticed a number of people working to improve the streetscape. I chatted with Kent McCoy and Andrew Jackson, both Russellville natives, who were doing some sewer work on an aging structure. McCoy said he worked for Luke Duffield, a local businessman who buys and rehabilitates buildings downtown.

“We’d just like to continue to, hopefully, draw in businesses to Russellville, downtown specifically, and, hopefully, have new industries that come in and continue to grow the area,” McCoy said.

He added that he recently bought a nearby home, which he is remodeling.

“It’s nice to be able to walk and have restaurants and there’s shopping, and then churches,” he said. “All that stuff can be right here in an area that you don’t have to go very far, just walk or ride a bike, so I really appreciate that.”

11 A.M.

Feeling a bit peckish, I headed to Madame Wu’s Hunan for lunch with my friend Kat Storment, whom readers can learn more about on page 7 of this section. An ATU graduate who has lived in Russellville for 15 years, Storment has a hand in a number of local organizations, including an art co-op called Piney Creek Traders, and the McElroy House, which works to help locals become involved in their community.

We chatted for a while about events downtown, such as the Downtown Fall Festival & Chili Cookoff set for Oct. 28, and the quarterly Downtown Art Walk, which is scheduled for Dec. 1.

“There are a lot of downtown revitalization efforts, particularly for locals,” she said, “but we also want other people to know about us, because it’s kind of weird how awesome we are.”

Eager to learn more about the city’s art scene, I stopped by the River Valley Arts Center, where the gallery offered a colorful assortment of paintings by Jessica Mongeon, the featured artist for September.

The space includes much more than exhibits, however, as I learned when I followed pottery artist Teyah Jarra to the center’s pottery studio. Executive Director Tanya Hendrix said that the center’s in-residence potter is Winston Taylor, who was named an Arkansas Living Treasure in 2011. He teaches pottery classes at the center, which also offers drawing classes, she said, adding that the establishment is seeking teachers for painting classes.

“I love that we have this here — this opportunity for people in the community to come and learn,” Jarra said. “It encompasses all of the arts, really, so we’re very lucky, I feel, to have it here.”

12:50 P.M.

Shifting gears from handcrafted beauty to natural splendor, I ventured to Bona Dea Trails and Sanctuary, which offers an escape from the city within 10 minutes of downtown. Several locals were out walking the trails, which are punctuated with exercise equipment and instructions.

I was more interested in birdwatching than fitness, so I took a stroll along the tree-lined paths, my footsteps accompanied by chirps and whistles. Although I thought I had walked through most of the trails, a glance at a map I picked up at the Arkansas River Visitor Center told me that I had not even explored half of the sanctuary, so I hope to return for another visit.

2:20 P.M.

My quest for outdoor adventure was not quite satisfied, so I took a 30-minute drive to Mount Nebo State Park, located in neighboring Dardanelle. During the winding route up the mountain, I stopped at the Bench Overlook, where a gazebo offered a sheltered spot to photograph the rural expanse below.

After filling up my water bottle at the visitor center, I trekked along part of the Rim Trail toward Sunset Point. Birds and butterflies escorted me during my hike and I often paused to take pictures of flowers.

After reaching my destination, I looked out over a stretch of trees toward Lake Dardanelle, a manmade lake formed on the Arkansas River. Like many of my previous Day in the Life stories and, in fact, like much of Arkansas history, this journey began and ended with a river. As the sun set on my summer adventures, I felt truly grateful to call this beautiful land my home.