List of city nicknames in Arkansas

This partial list of city nicknames in Arkansas compiles the aliases, sobriquets and slogans that the state's cities are known by (or have been known by historically), officially and unofficially, to municipal governments, local people, outsiders or their tourism boards or chambers of commerce. City nicknames can help in establishing a civic identity, helping outsiders recognize a community or attracting people to a community because of its nickname; promote civic pride; and build community unity.^[1] Nicknames and slogans that successfully create a new community "ideology or myth"^[2] are also believed to have economic value.^[1] Their economic value is difficult to measure,^[1] but there are anecdotal reports of cities that have achieved substantial economic benefits by "branding" themselves by adopting new slogans.^[2]

Some unofficial nicknames are positive, while others are derisive. The unofficial nicknames listed here have been in use for a long time or have gained wide currency.

• Alma - Spinach Capital of the World.^[3][4]
• Berryville - Turkey Capital.^[5]
• Brinkley - Home of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker.^[6]
• Conway - The City of Colleges (The University of Central Arkansas, Hendrix College, and Central Baptist College)^[7]
• Dumas - Home of the Ding Dong Daddy ^[8]
• El Dorado
  • Arkansas' Original Boomtown^[9]
  • Queen City of South Arkansas^[9]
• Emerson - The Biggest Little Town in Arkansas ^[4]
• Fayetteville
  • Hog Country^[10]
  • Track Capital of the World^[10]
• Green Forest - Tomato Capital.^[3]
• Hope - Watermelon Capital of the World.^[3][11]
• Hot Springs - Spa City.^[12]
• Jasper - Elk Capital of Arkansas.^[13]
• Jonesboro
  • The City of Churches.^[14]
  • The Crepe Myrtle City.^[14]
• Little Rock
  • The City of Roses.^[15]
  • River City.^[16]
• Lowell - A Town with a Past, A City with a Future.^[17]
• Malvern - Brick Capital of the World.^[18]
• Mount Ida - Quartz Crystal Capital of the World.^[19]
• Mountain View - Folk Music Capital of the World.^[20][21]
• Nashville - Peach Capital.^[3]
• North Little Rock - Dogtown ^[22][23]
• Stuttgart - Rice and Duck Capital of the World.^[3][24]
• Texarkana - Twice as Nice^[25]

See also

• List of city nicknames in the United States

References

1. Muench, David "Wisconsin Community Slogans: Their Use and Local Impacts", December 1993, accessed April 10, 2007.
2. Alfredo Andia, Branding the Generic City, MU.DOT magazine, September 10, 2007
3. Claims to Fame - Agriculture, Epodunk, accessed April 16, 2007.
4. Wanda McKinney, Our Favorite Town Slogans, Southern Living, April 2005
5. Claims to Fame - Birds, Epodunk, accessed April 16, 2007.
6. The Ghost Bird, National Geographic, December 2006, "The billboards are still up along Interstate 40, inviting drivers to stop at Brinkley, the Home of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker."
7. Official Site of the City of Conway, Arkansas, accessed April 1, 2007.
8. Dumas (Desha County), Encyclopedia of Arkansas. The nickname originated with the popular song "I’m a Ding Dong Daddy from Dumas."
9. Kenneth Bridges, El Dorado (Union County), The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History and Culture
10. FYV vs. FAY, Fayetteville Free Weekly (blog based in Fayetteville, Arkansas), September 6, 2007
11. The World Capital of Whatever, The New York Times by Harold Faber, September 12, 1993.
12. Hot Springs, Arkansas, accessed April 11, 2007. "You'll find the perfect combination of relaxing activities and kick-out-all-the-stops attractions in the Spa City."
13. Claims to Fame - Animals, Epodunk, accessed April 16, 2007.
14. Jonesboro, accessed April 8, 2007.
15. Little Rock City Beautiful Scrapbooks, accessed April 11, 2007. "The City Beautiful Commission came up with the idea of an official rose, in keeping with Little Rock’s traditional nickname, “City of Roses.” The Joe T. Robinson rose was chosen."
16. A Brief History of Little Rock, accessed April 11, 2007. "Today, in downtown Little Rock, the old and new mix well together. Stately antebellum structures and ornate Victorian buildings neighbor gleaming new glass-facade skyscrapers stretching up into the river city's skyline with scenic, natural surroundings providing the backdrop."
17. The City of Lowell, Arkansas, accessed April 11, 2007. Motto is on upper right of page.
18. Claims to Fame - Products, Epodunk, accessed April 16, 2007.
19. Claims to Fame - Rocks, Epodunk, accessed April 16, 2007.
20. Ozark Folk Center, accessed April 11, 2007. "Visit downtown Mountain View, Arkansas, the 'Folk Music Capital of the World.'"
21. Claims to Fame - Arts, Epodunk, accessed April 16, 2007.
22. "North Little Rock (Pulaski County)". The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture. According to oral tradition, people from Little Rock dumped their unwanted dogs in North Little Rock, but the name probably predates this practice and was a disparagement of the north side’s blue-collar base. In the mid-1900s, Little Rock students often taunted North Little Rock students with chants of “Dogtown” at sporting and other events.
23. "Dogtown: Through a Glass Darkly".
24. Out There: The world's duck-hunting capital - Stuttgart, Ark., lies at the heart of the greatest mallard-hunting area, ESPN, accessed April 11, 2007. "The rice fields encroach to the very edge of the city, and erected at the side of one is a small wooden sign that says you've reached the city limits. This is it: Stuttgart — The Rice and Duck Capital of the World."
25. Tagline Guru City Branding Survey, Tagline Guru website, accessed August 18, 2009