Like several cities in Arkansas, Blytheville is one of those border towns that many Arkansans only visit when they’re on their way to somewhere else. Pushed hard up against the Missouri Bootheel, Blytheville isn’t quite a bustling metropolis, but it’s not a hole in the wall, either, since it’s home to Nucor Steel. Lots of famous people come from Blytheville, like Little Rock City Director Kathy Webb and R&B singer/sax player Junior Walker. That Bookstore in Blytheville has sadly closed, but there are still things to see and places to eat before you jump the border on your way to points north. Pull off the highway, stretch your legs a bit and see.
The Dixie Pig
Barbecue restaurants tend to either fizzle or gain a following, and when they gain a following they tend to keep it. Such is the case with Blytheville’s Dixie Pig, at 701 N. Sixth St., a family-owned smoke shack that’s been slinging pulled pork and sides for 93 years. That’s right: seven years short of a century. There’s a reason a restaurant lasts that long.
The Delta Gateway Museum
Small-town museums are always a joy unto themselves, full of kitsch and history — both true and questionable — and old-timey things galore. Such is also the case with the new Delta Gateway Museum. Housed in a former department store in Blytheville’s historic commercial district, the museum focuses on the history, heritage and agricultural bounty of the area. It’s worth a stop if you’re looking to get the flavor of the area.
Benny Bob’s Barbecue
Pulled pork is king in the Delta, and if you want to sample a relative whippersnapper compared to its crosstown rival The Dixie Pig, Benny Bob’s Barbecue at 847 E. Main St. gets rave reviews from locals, with big, meaty pulled pork sandwiches, plus smoked chicken, ribs, cheeseburgers, tasty sides and catfish, all for small-town prices.