Once a railroad boom town, Paragould AR retains its devotion to trains with an annual Loose Caboose Festival in May and a colorful 200-foot-long railroad mural in the downtown district. The town of Paragould has preserved the old business district, including its 1888 courthouse and restored 1925 movie theater. check out our Best Western hotel in Paragould.
Things to do in Paragould
Beisel-Mitchell House
The Beisel-Mitchell House was constructed in 1930 for E. N. Beisel. Beisel gave the house to his wife as a wedding gift. According to local tradition, the two-story Spanish Colonial Revival-style residence was a replica of a house the Beisels had seen on a visit to Mexico City. The house was purchased by Cecil Mitchell, who later became the president of First National Bank and who lived there until his death in 1969. It set the standard for a surprising number of Spanish Colonial Revival/Mission-style residences built in Paragould in the 1930s.
420 W. Court Street, Paragould, AR
Collins Theatre
The Theatre hosted the 1941 world premiere of "The Man Who Came to Dinner" starring Belle Davis and Paragould's own Bill Justice, known as Richard Travis in Hollywood.
Crowley Family Cemetery
Grave markers of Benjamin H. Crowley family dating to the 1860s can be seen here. The Cemetery also has several unmarked gravesites of slaves once owned by the family. The Cemetery is privately owned but visitors are welcome with approval from landowners. Located on primitive roads off 412.
Crowley's Ridge
This recreational retreat lies atop the forested hills called Crowley's Ridge. The park occupies the former homestead of Benjamin Crowley, whose family first settled the area. Picnic areas, snack bar, trails, standard pavilions, baseball field, 31-acre fishing lake (electric motors only) and a 3 1/2-acre swimming lake are offered for your enjoyment. Year-round interpretive programs are also offered here at the park. Call 870-573-6751 for more information.
2092 Highway 168 North, Paragould, AR
Eight Mile Creek Bridge
The Eight Mile Creek Bridge is an excellent example of a single-span Pratt Pony-truss Bridge. This type of bridge was common in Arkansas and the Eight Mile Creek Bridge represents advancements in steel-truss design made by the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department by the late 1920s. The bridge was listed on the National Register on April 6, 1990 and is found at AR 135 over Eight Mile Creek.
Fox Hills Country Club
2005 Country Club Road, Paragould, AR 72450
Gramling Family Cemetery
This is the gravesite of the Gramling family members who were among area's first settlers. You will find the Cemetery off 412 on CR 609.
Greene County Courthouse
The Greene County Courthouse, a large rectangular structure with Georgian Revival elements predominating, was completed in April 1888. The original wall surface of the courthouse was red brick, but the brick has been covered by brown stucco. A major addition was made in 1916 to the west elevation that served as a vault room. The Greene County Courthouse was entered on the National Register on August 11, 1976 and is located at Court Street.
Greene County Library
An excellent genealogy and Arkansas history research facility can be found in the Lipscomb Room.
Gulf Oil Company Service Station
A brick "box-and-canopy" type station that was built in 1926. It is designed in a vaguely Mediterranean style, and while it was not the first of this architectural genre in Paragould, it is undoubtedly the finest extant example of its type in Greene County. Paul Phillips purchased the station in 1944. The Gulf Oil Company Service Station, closed in 1969, was entered on the National Register on August 16, 1994. Located at Jct. Main & S. 3rd Streets.
Jackson-Herget House
The house was built in 1890 for Richard Jackson, a Gainesville merchant who had just moved to Paragould and was influential in its development. As Greene County treasurer from 1880 to 1884, he actively promoted moving the county seat from Gainesville to Paragould. This home is the best example of the Queen Anne style of architecture in Greene County.
206 S. 4th Street, Paragould, AR
Lake Frierson State Park
This 335-acre lake is a good spot to wet a line for bass, crappie, catfish and bream. Picnicking and other daytime activities can also be enjoyed here. Nestled atop Crowley's Ridge on the shore of Lake Frierson, this Park is known for its year-round fishing and springtime blaze of wild dogwoods. The 335 lake offers a peaceful setting for bream, catfish, crappie, and bass fishing. Facilities include tables and grills, restrooms, picnic sites, a playground, self-guided trail, boat rentals, launch ramp, barrier-free fishing pier and visitor center. The Park is 10 miles north of Jonesboro on Ark. 141. Call 870-932-2615 for more information.
7900 Highway 141 South, Paragould, AR
Linwood Cemetery
Ground for this city cemetery was acquired in 1885, soon after the town was organized. In addition to prominent and respected residents, Frank "Jelly" Nash, infamous 1930s gangster, is buried here. His underworld connections, big-time racketeering, string of successful bank robberies, murder charges, and skillful prison escapes placed him at the top of the FBI's Most Wanted List. Located at the intersection of Highway 1 & West Kings Highway, SE.
Old Bethel Methodist Church
The Old Bethel Methodist Church and School Building typifies the simple, rural vernacular public building that was built around the turn of the 20th century. The original Bethel Methodist Church was a small, one-story, white frame church constructed in 1880. In 1900, a storm destroyed this building, and in 1901, an almost identical structure was built as a replacement. Old Bethel also served as a school for the Finch community until 1926. Today, Old Bethel looks much as it did in 1901 and is used for church services when the weather is mild. The Old Bethel Methodist Church is located west of Paragould off AR 141.
Paragould Country Club
3300 Pruetts Chapel Road, Paragould, AR 72450
Paragould Downtown Mural
Colorful 200-foot outdoor painting depicts early transportation in a town that was built by the railroads. Located at Court & Emerson Streets. Call 870-215-0800 for more information.
Paragould Historic Downtown
Browse through a variety of shops and restaurants in this historic Main Street community.
Paragould War Memorial
The Paragould War Memorial is a bronze Statue of Liberty replica associated with the post-World War I movement to memorialize Arkansans who served in the war. It was one of eight sculptures erected across the state in the 10 to 15 years following the end of the war in 1919. The statue was created by artist John Paulding and cast by the American Art Foundry in Chicago. It was unveiled on Armistice Day, November 11, 1924, before a crowd of 5,000. It is found at the Junction of 3rd and Court Streets.