Growing up around Helena, Arkansas, you hear a lot of stories. That is simply part of growing up in the Mississippi Delta, where history seems to be attached to nearly every old building, cemetery, stretch of river, and country road. Some of those stories involve the Civil War, the Mississippi River, floods, riverboats, plantations, and […]
Helena, Arkansas: The Civil War Crossroads of the Mississippi Delta
As many of you might already be aware, I’m a huge history buff. I plan to start dropping some historical content here from time to time (especially on topics related to my hometown). I hope you enjoy, and if you have questions or ideas for new content, please don’t hesitate to drop me a note! […]
When Mark Twain Came to Helena
Long before interstate highways, automobiles, and airplanes changed the way Americans traveled, the Mississippi River was one of the great transportation corridors of the United States. Steamboats moved passengers, mail, cotton, timber, livestock, and manufactured goods between the communities lining the river, and towns fortunate enough to have a good landing could become important centers […]
Helena, Arkansas: A Mississippi River Town with an Extraordinary History
There are towns whose history can be told by listing a few important dates, and then there are places where history seems to be everywhere you look. Helena, Arkansas, is one of those places. Sitting between the Mississippi River and the hills of Crowley’s Ridge, Helena occupies one of the most unusual locations in the […]
Growing Up in Helena Wasn’t Bad…
Today there was an article in Arkansas Business stating that my hometown, Helena-West Helena, might not be able to make payroll this week and that some of the elected officials might not get paid. I inadvertently started a conversation when I shared this story on Facebook. I know that this news may not come as […]
The Helena Start-Up Challenge!
I’m honored to have been asked to serve as one of the judges in the upcoming Helena Start-Up Challenge that awards winning entrepreneurs with seed capital to turn their business concepts into start-ups in my hometown of Helena-West Helena, Arkansas. The winner of the challenge will receive $25,000 and the runner-up will receive $15,000 to […]