May, 2019 – Blytheville, Arkansas

The first stop on our trip to Canada and the northeastern United States was Blytheville Arkansas, located north of Memphis.

Blytheville was founded in the late 1800s and much of the early industry came from the harvesting of lumber in the area. This lumber was mostly shipped to Chicago and was used to help rebuild that city after the Great Fire of 1871. Once the area was cleared of lumber cotton farming became the major industry. In 1942 Blytheville Air Force Base (later named Eaker Air Force Base) was established as a training facility for pilot training. After WWII it became home to the 461st Bombardment Wing. The base closed in 1992. Steel production is now a major source of income for the area.

One other notable item about Blytheville is that it is near the New Madrid fault.

Like many other small towns the downtown area of Blytheville has seen better days. There’s clearly an interest by some locals in revitalizing their community. One example of this revitalization is the restoration of the old Greyhound bus station, built in 1937.

Smooth, long, and curved lines were common in designs of that period.

From this view you can see the waiting room and phone booth. A favorite feature of many customers was that they offered air conditioning at the station, an uncommon luxury for the period.

Greyhound bus line had optimistic advertising.

Until later.