Jacksonport State Park is Building a New Visitor Center – Build it, and they will come! (Posted by Ginger Smith)
Jacksonport State Park is excited about the progress of their new Visitor Center and invites everyone to come now, come later, visit any time for an awesome nature experience with all kinds of vacation things to do.
We took a side trip recently and visited Jacksonport State Park. I went years earlier and made pictures of my family on the river boat, Mary Woods (not there any more), attended PortFest one time, but this was my first visit to the visitor center. We drove around first, and saw new construction and campers and an absolutely beautiful area I had not visited before. If you are anywhere close, drive over and visit, pull your camper over and let them take good care of you.
Mr. Wally Smith, Facility Manager, visited with us quite a while as we looked around in the fully stocked Visitor Center, everything from books to fishing tackle, snacks galore. And if you have a few minutes, he is very knowledgeable about the history surrounding his office at Jacksonport State Park. Even after the floods, he reported, they have had a lot of campers and visitors.
The center has free brochures, etc., on the History of Jacksonport State Park, The Courthouse of Jackson County, and a monthly activity calendar. One of my long-ago cousins-in-law’s brother, well, almost, was one of the early settlers who went into the forests there with a knife to kill bears and sell bear grease, one of the staples of making a life in that area those eons ago! Smith even pulled out a history book they have for sale that had my relative listed. I was absolutely thrilled to meet someone who loves history and his job, and shares freely his knowledge. There were also books about life and times from that era. I wanted to buy one of each of the books, very reasonably priced, couldn’t decide, and promised to come back and visit with him and maybe buy two books! And there was a neat ruler with data about the Civil War I had to walk away from.
I loved the visitor center! We stayed almost an hour, and I will, in a few weeks when traveling, go back and check the campers, the construction progress, and drink a soda with Mr. Wally. I will also probably buy a couple of the books, too. Take a road trip and go see Wally Smith and Jacksonport State Park! Tell tell him Ginger sent ya!
Wally Smith, Facility Manager, shows plans for the new Visitor Center being constructed
Wally Smith, Facility Manager,
Jacksonport State Park
205 Avenue Street
Newport, AR 72112
E-mail: Wallace.smith@arkansas.gov
Office: 870-523-2143 ext 237
Fax: 870-523-462
