Arkansas | Blytheville Portfolio
February 20, 2025
Blytheville – not a ghost town
Words and Photos by Jonas Larsson
We turn into Blytheville under a dark blue-gray sky. We have just driven through one of the worst thunderstorms I have experienced; the rain has whipped down over the highway, and we have cheaply rented a small – far too small – car. It was going at 40 km per hour, and visibility was only a few meters. In other words, driving into Blytheville feels like a great relief.
We are on our way to Paducah in Kentucky, but we have seen pictures of Blytheville online and took a little detour to look for ourselves.
The Great River Road National Scenic Byway passes through here, and they have perhaps the most iconic Greyhound bus station in the United States.
We drive slowly through town, not a person in sight, and in my head, The Specials play “Ghost Town.” The houses bear witness to former glory days. At the First National Bank they have taken a bank holiday without an end date. The imposing facade disguises proper decay. Many of the buildings have been abandoned or have changed businesses. We like it! It’s not a ghost town, but Blytheville has seen better days.
Once upon a time, in the early 1900s, this was a town that was bustling with life. First, the lumber industry in the 1880s made the town flourish. Much timber was sold to Chicago, which had burned down in the great fire of 1871. When there were no more trees to cut down, the cotton industry became important, followed by steel production. For a long time, there was an air force base here, too.
Had we stayed longer, we would have explored the town in the heart of the Mississippi Delta, but we leave that to you, dear reader. Blytheville is well worth a visit. Several straightforward eateries serve authentic Southern food. The Great River Road National Scenic Byway passes through here (read Simon Urwins story here), and they have perhaps the most iconic Greyhound bus station in the United States.
Click the links to find out more about Arkansas, The Delta Byways and Blytheville.
Jonas Larsson
Jonas Larsson is the Editor-in-Chief and co-founder of American Trails Magazine. He is also an award winning Creative Director, travel writer, photographer and the guy that makes the coffee at the American Trails office. Jonas loves to hike national parks and go on adventures. But if there is a dive bar close, you will most certainly find him there.
